Fixing the problems in your head, will fix the problems on the pitch.
That appeared to be the message that Birmingham City boss Aitor Karanka wanted to send out after a stunning upset over Brentford on the first day of the league season. Having sent out a clear message last week in response to the defeat against Cambridge United, it looks as if Blues are finally starting to get things back on track in their mind as they won their first game since February.
Speaking after the game, the new boss mentioned how not only was it important go get a win under their belt, but also to keep a clean sheet in the circumstances will hopefully give the team a major boost going forward:
“To win a game is important and to keep a clean sheet is even more important because with that team spirit, this work ethic and with quality players at the end, we will improve and we will win games. But it is the first step.”
Where will Blues finish this season?
Top half of the table
Bottom half but comfortable
Relegation scrap
It doesn’t surprise me that Karanka is focused on the clean sheet, as I’ve pointed out before when it comes to defensive work in this division it’s something he very much prides himself on, but he raises a really good point about this being the first step.
Hopefully now that we have shown what we are capable of when we have as strong a team as possible available (particularly with the likes of Lukas Jutkiewicz up front), and doing it against a team that some people are tipping to run away with the division, if we can just keep that up against the rest of the league then we’re going to start moving forward as a club.
That doesn’t necessarily translate to us going undefeated this season, but hopefully we can spend most of this season looking up at what we can achieve rather than down at what could possibly await us if we slip up.
