As game day approaches talk turns to how the blues should take on Blackpool. With Blackpool seemingly relegated and nothing other than whatever is left of their “pride” to play for. As Birmingham look to see just how far up the table they can go the Wednesday home match should be the game to go out and make an example. With that in mind this is the team I would go for.
The formation I am going for is to use two strikers up top and attack from the off and although this is not how Rowett has operated since his arrival it was also his downfall against Millwall not to push them. So assuming Rowett will learn from the Millwall match I expect I more attacking start to the game and for attacking showing for 90 minutes against the visitors. The team is set up in a 442 diamond formation.
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Goalkeeper – Randolph
An easy choice to keep his place in between the sticks as he looks to add another clean sheet to his name for the season. He should have a quite night if the away sides form of late is anything to go by.
Right Back – Caddis
With a good performance at the weekend running the right hand side of the pitch as captain as well as helping defend till the clean sheet was confirmed. Against Blackpool who will be content to sit back and play for a point I can see the pace and crossing ability of Caddis being a key part of any blues attack looking to break the defensive away team.
Centre Backs – Kiernan and Spector
Kiernan made a great debut against Brentford helping cope with the attacking onslaught during the game using his considerable height to deal with the ball being pumped into the box. He also displayed great leadership as he kept in constant communication with his fellow defends ensuring they worked as a unit to prevent the away side scoring.
The man who also partnered Kiernan will keep his place following the result is Spector. The USA native may not be a fan favourite but he is a good option to have in any squad let alone one made up of freebies and loans such as our own. He can play right back as well as holding midfield however after the last few weeks of playing centre back I would like to see him hold onto that spot for another game.
Left Back – Hancox
Now I know he has not played all season long but I feel the academy produced defender should be given the nod for this match. His inclusion in the team is nothing against Grounds but I feel Grounds could do with a game off as he has played almost all of the matches this season. The deciding factor for Hancox going into the starting xi is that he is more mobile the Grounds which if Birmingham choose to attack Lee Clarks side will be yet another part of the team able to break down Blackpool more so then the conservative Grounds who doesn`t often venture forward.
Holding Midfield – Davis
Again a man almost guaranteed a place on the team sheet his energy and willingness to fight for every ball is a key part of what makes a good combative midfielder and David Davis has both of these in spades. Another part of Davis game is that his distribution is improving week in week out meaning he is now becoming a well-rounded member of the midfield. I feel that despite the arrival of Tesche from Forrest Davis will start as a game such as this will only require one defensive minded player to help the defence out meaning the new man will wait on the bench this time.
Right Midfield – Cotterill
The Welsh wizard has been a star player for the blues this season meaning he will be given the right wing to attack against Blackpool. Cotterill can have moments of brilliance from set pieces which when you consider how compact Blackpool will be could be the deciding factor for Birmingham. Also with his ability to strike a ball as cleanly as he does and the link up play between him and Caddis can turn the game in the favour of the hosts.
Left Midfield – Gray
The youngster has been a constant threat for Birmingham this season with his ability to get on the ball and drive at teams. Gray has got an incredible combination of speed balance and footwork which makes him a nightmare to defend against. Although he can lack consistency this is down to his age more than anything and this was shown by the miss inside the box which should of went in followed moments later by his shot almost flying into the top right. I feel if Birmingham can get him on the ball often during this match he can bag a few assists and maybe a goal.
Attacking Midfielder – Shinnie
A man who`s seemingly been reborn at Birmingham since the arrival of Rowett. A person who would look fearful of the ball under previous manager Lee Clark and unsure of what to do now looks as though he can run the game on his own. With a new found confidence and self-belief in his favoured “number 10” role he has completely changed fan opinion on him. Capable of picking apart any defence with his vison Shinnie is a real threat for blues and you can expect this run of form to continue against Blackpool. So far it has seemed his instructions is to create chances for the wingers either side of him as well as feeding the striker in front of him whilst it is good for him to be creating for others I would personally like to see a little bit of selfishness and for him to have a effort on goal himself where possible.
Strikers – Donaldson and Thomas
With Blackpool prone to letting goals in easily as seen vs Watford where Blackpool let in 7 inside 45 minutes. With this in mind it is a no brainer to play top scorer Clayton Donaldson as he looks to push on from 11 league goals and he has a good opportunity to progress towards whatever target he has set himself. With height and speed Donaldson is a difficult player to defend against so look to see him causing issues for the away team.
The man who has seemingly been a spectator since Rowett arrived is Wes Thomas who has been used sparingly to say the least. This looks set to change as the Birmingham boss has admitted to look to bring Thomas in should he need to. With a seemingly easy to beat defence this is the game to unleash a man looking to prove a point and make a claim for more game time. Thomas has a game based on speed and work rate so if these to start together it looks to be a long night for the away side.
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