Birmingham City kick off their Championship campaign against Reading today (KO 15:00) at St Andrews stadium. The Blues had a mixed bag of results over pre-season, but that is unlikely to have any significant bearing on what this team will do today.
Both Birmingham and Reading will be very pumped up for this opening game. Regardless of the opposition it is the time where you find out if the teams are going to cope well with the pressure or falter early on.
Blues have a complete full squad to choose from, Rowett confirmed earlier today that there are no injuries worries. The same can not be said about the visitors, Pavel Pogrebnyak; Garath McCleary; Niall Keown; Jack Stacey and Jake Cooper are all definitely out of the St Andrews clash.
Reading under Steve Clarke are going to be a well organised competitive team this year. With the added experience they have brought in, this team now looks much more like a Clarke team.
With a flat 5 in midfield I would expect Reading to really hold up the ball in those areas with sheer numbers. Goals will be their issue this year, finding the balance between solidarity and goal scoring is something of an art in this league.
Birmingham Could well had debuts to Kuszczak, Kieftenbeld and Toral today, although I have a sneaky suspicion that Shinnie will start. I know some are putting the argument forward for a new formation, but it will be business as usual for Blues in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Rowett told bcfc.com ‘I think for us it`s about being in the mix and if the mix is top half of the table, top 10 around the end of the season with something to play for still with six or seven games to go then that will be fantastic.
The fans are enthusiastic, the fans are looking forward to the season and as a manager the last thing I want to do is dampen it down, I never would. I like the fact that they feel like they can achieve something.’
Key players
Blues – I have no doubt this team will be difficult to score against under Gary Rowett, and it is goals where I see the definitive focal point of this team. Clayton Donaldson returned 16 goals last year and all eyes are on the big front man to deliver again this time around.
Fresh out on a new contract, Blues don’t have depth upfront but they do have a terrifying striker in Donaldson. They’re run at defenders on the wings and aim to hit the big-man directly from midfield.
Reading – New man Anton Ferdinand has been credited with making Reading a much more solid outfit this time around, although there hasn’t even been a ball kicked. Regardless of that, his experience speaks for itself, and he will be tasked with keeping Donaldson quite, it will be very interesting to see these two going at it today.
Prediction
This one should be tight. Both managers build from a solid defence and both teams do seem to have that base at the heart of their defence.
The difference today will be who takes one of their few chances, if the game goes the way I think it will. A cagey opening day affair with Blues eventually taking it 2-0.
I say that because the Blues team seem full of desire to get forward, Gray and Donaldson to score in the perfect start to the season. Yes I’m an optimist!
But, make no mistake about it. Teams will respect Birmingham this year and getting those goals is going to be very difficult.
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