Rowett Playing to Win

Birmingham City have been putting on a good show of late. The team have returned 11 goals in their first 5 games. That puts them as joint top scorers in the league, with a game in hand.

Gary Rowett is willing to take tactical gambles in the hope they pay off. Blues pushed forward in their last outing against Bristol City, placing their wingers higher up the pitch and breaking away from the more compact norm.

It is not a sign of things to come however, more of a tactical decision taken by the manager as a result of the way Bristol City set up. In a recent interview with bcfc.com, Rowett talked about how he would prefer a boring game and a 3-0 win rather than an entertaining game.

That is not to say the Blues gaffer is about reducing the quality of play on show, if anything he has drastically improved it this season, and last. But it is to say that Birmingham will set up to win the game and if that means sitting solid and cautiously working their way forward then that is what we will see.

It is evident that Rowett’s ideas and methods are currently working wonders. Birmingham are 4th in the Championship, 5 games in and they are due another fixture onto of that. Should they win, it could be a lofty 2nd in the standings.

It is early doors, but good starts make for great seasons and so far there is room for optimism rather than negativity. Birmingham will continue to try and play the opposition in front of them, and with Rowett effectively tweaking his system to weaken opponents we are sure to see the very best from this group of players.

After a good start to the season, Blues will hope to secure another impressive result tomorrow evening. They play Nottingham Forest at St Andrews in a late kick off.