Huddersfield Town v Birmingham City
9 November 2013, John Smith's Stadium, kick off 3pm.
"We must have more attacking impetus, we’re still a bit reticent in terms of forward passes and we have to learn not to give chances cheaply."
Mark Robins
Huddersfield Town have just played their 4,000th Football League match and this Saturday, Birmingham City will become their most regular opponents. The sides will clash for the 95th time, there have been one hundred and one previous meetings in all competitions and Town are chasing their 35th league win, and 39th overall. In the 47 league clashes in Huddersfield so far, Town have won 19, and there have been 19 draws.
Birmingham City, like most clubs, have had success and disappointments. Their honours list includes European achievements.
Second Division / Division One / The Championship
Champions: 1892–93, 1920–21, 1947–48, 1954–55
Runners-up: 1893–94, 1900–01, 1902–03, 1971–72, 1984–85, 2006–07, 2008–09
Play-off winners: 2001–02
Third Division / Division Two
Champions: 1994–95
Runners-up: 1991–92
FA Cup
Runners-up: 1931, 1956
League Cup
Winners: 1963, 2011
Runners-up: 2001
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
Runners-up: 1960, 1961
Lee Clark, has been in charge at Birmingham City for 68 games. Having won 21, drawing 21 and losing 26, he has a current percent rate of 30.88%. Mark Robins' account as the Huddersfield manager is 33 games, winning 12, drawing 8 and losing 13, his current percentage is 36.36%. I will not dwell on Lee Clark's reign at Huddersfield, may be the Birmingham fans can offer their sentiments regarding his stint as their manager.
Birmingham's last four matches have resulted as, LLWL and Town's last four games have been as, LLDL. So, both teams have struggled for positive results. Lee Clark will be desperate to achieve a win at Huddersfield. This match could end in a draw or be a high scoring thriller! My prediction, as always, is a two nil win for Town.
Huddersfield Town v Birmingham City
posted on 13/11/13
I've seen Saturday park teams playing short, quick, pass-and-move football recently. Doesn't always come off but a lot of the good players in the amateur leagues are probably aspiring to do it the way teams like Barca, Swansea, Dortmund, etc. Defending as a team, attacking as a team, the high pressing strategy when not in possession of the ball.
It's almost the natural instinct to us non pros who've played a bit, to always put yourself in space, go forward, and find the nearest available pass...rinse and repeat.
It seems to me that a lot of these natural instincts get coached out of kids who turn pro. They're made to be much more cautious and it affects their whole mindset. Those that play with their natural instincts are more often than not playing in the Champions League....
posted on 13/11/13
Wakey, I know what the point is..I've seen it enough times but those chief exponents Barcelona .took it the final stages where they passed it from touchline to touchline across the opponents box, looking for the 'perfect' pass...that is boring too...
If Town ever get a decent midfield maybe then the back four passing game will indeed progress to the midfield..but what then, page 323 of the FIFA manual ?
Keep ball in midfield...meanwhile the opponents have managed to get all eleven men behind the ball...
Give me old fashioned wing play anytime...how we miss Jack Hunts foraging runs...until Robins decided he didn't fit into the new plan...
Even Mally Brown would do, even tho' he must be 60 odd by now..
Half the time I think the players nowadays are just blinded by the science of it all...it's actually quite a simple game really...
posted on 13/11/13
Yer right there Jacko, twenty two men kicking a pig's bladder around for ninety minutes and earning plenty 'o dough for it tha' knows!
posted on 13/11/13
Give me old fashioned wing play anytime...how we miss Jack Hunts foraging runs...until Robins decided he didn't fit into the new plan...
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Funny that, it wasn't Robins who decided he didn't fit in....that Jacko was all down to Jack Hunt who had ambitions above his station and has his head turned in the summer by bigger clubs than us.
posted on 13/11/13
Not very many sides are good exponents of tipi tapi football,,,, There does seem to be quite a few trying to play that way at the moment, Some (very few) are dynamic at it and others are not,,, We unfortunatley belong to the latter at the moment,, As has been said afore,, Pointless passing along the back for the sake of passing, Only to then have to hoof it long due to static midfielders who dont really want the ball,,,,,,,, I will add that quite a few prem games i have watched this season are as dull as dishwater,, With both sides trying to play possesion football,,, Didnt the Italian club sides try to play this way when it was on channel 4 ? More often than not the games were carp, Possesion football and one up top,, Nah not for me,, I want to see lads who are skilfull and can dribble with ball and drive towards the opposition defence,,, I can honestly say that the only player at Town who excites me at the mo is Hammill,,,,,,,,, Entertainment wise last weekend the Italy Tonga game won hands down, It flew by, Been a long time since i went to a Town game and thought "wow times flown by",,,, Probably the 1st half v Wolves at home and that must be twelve months ago,
posted on 13/11/13
Sunday.
Boca juniors 'tried' to win the game...
it was a close run thing, a draw looked inevitable.
That wasn't good enough, as a win was what what needed to close darn on Newells !
They piled men forward...a fanatical crowd willing them on.
They did it !
straight after the Newell game.
They drew.
Their crowd also 'willed' them on...
The same commitment wasn't shown on the pitch,
even in the final minutes of 'added' time, They passed the ball across the back line of 3
The frustration from the crowd was all the evidence you will ever need to...
confirm that that is no way to win a game.
Fly out in the morning for this game in Sydney.
I am looking forward to this fixture more than I did for our final !
How can this be ?
posted on 13/11/13
"... Swansea are generally good to watch ..."
That ain't the way I seen it. They're as boring as a pound of suet!
posted on 13/11/13
comment by Uncle Diluvian (U12960)
posted 13 minutes ago
"... Swansea are generally good to watch ..."
That ain't the way I seen it. They're as boring as a pound of suet!
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I think they've regressed in terms of entertainment value since they've actually improved their results/squad. However, I enjoyed watching them in the Championship and also when they first went up with Danny Graham up top and Dyer and Sinclair on the wings.
posted on 13/11/13
Swansea City’s last five games… Drawn 4 Lost 1
Is that an improvement on what happened before?
posted on 14/11/13
No, but I'd assume Europa League is the priority this season. Only issue is to qualify again they'll have to win the thing (or the FA Cup)!