VS 
Well it was the battle between The top teams that are actually doing quite well in the league so far with Blackpool particularly pleasing.While For Birmingham you can say they are in a pretty good home form with only a single defeat in the last 19 home games to date but if we take a look deeper,things don't really seem right with the stats.In their long unbeaten run at home in the whole year,they amazingly drew 56% of the matches at home and the Blues only picked up 14 out the 54 points available and what is even worrying is that they haven't scored a single goal in their last three games at St Andrews with only 6 goals in their last 8 games and making things worse is Top scorer Gardner out with a suspension.Well now to Blackpool who can pretty much pose a treat with 90% of their points being picked up away this season with 3 wins in 5 games away is pretty stunning for a team of this structure.So yeah don't expect this to be a walk in the park For Mcleish's man against this Giant killing potential team....
To the game now,Well no goals since August then for Birmingham at home.So i was pretty much expecting a silent crowd once again but the fans welcomed Blackpool with a smile on their face maybe for the record that Blackpool although having a good record in the league are also the worst in the amount of goals conceded with 18 goals already in the division.After a fustrating 6 games straight without a win,that didn't fall on deaf ears as Mcleish's made some technical changes to the team by naming two from their normal one upfront to add some pressure to the unstable Blackpool Defence.But nevertheless,It was the men in the orange that made the first attack first when A skillful cross by David Vaughan was poorly connected by midfielder Taylor Fletcher.While their attackers were doing fine,As usual the Defence making a mess of themselves when Defender Neal Eardley poorly brought down Keith Fahey at the edge of the box and Larsson almost them pay with a shot which forced a great save by goalkeeper Gilks.
Just a couple minutes later,He once again cause a stir in the Blackpool half with a long shot which deflected of Zigic and could have easily outfox the keeper and into the net but this time the ball behaved well.Well while you could said Birmingham were dominating,Blackpool still could have some dignity as they were playing some attractive football which i haven't seen a newly promoted team play in years.It was like they were in the division for decade long!.Much to the Away record as prove of this,And later in the match once again split the Birmingham's Defence when Winger Crainey made an excellent Teasing ball into the box but just missing the touch from the on sliding Taylor Fletcher.
But oh well i could praise Blackpool as much as want to but it's not the Quality but it's the goals that count in this game(Football should give points for attractiveness too ;D).It was the Blues that broke the deadlock when A cross from Larsson was headed into the crossbar By Zigic but Ridgewell was on hand to finish of the fumbling ball.Not only they were leading but it was their first goal in more then 5 hours of Home football..1:0 in the 36th Minute.
Blackpool unfortunate went to the interval down by one goal but they came out ever determined but just 11 minutes gone another good cross from Sebastian Larsson looked to be easily dealted by The tangerines captain Charlie Adam who has been influential in their great form took an awful touch he wouldn't want to ever see again right across goal and Zigic showed good awareness to Slide the ball home from 4 yards for a 2:0 scoreline in the 56th minute.It was quite embarrassing to be doing it in front of Mcleish.The man who gave him his first Start at Rangers.
But trying to Redeem some pride,In the 65th minute he had an chance when he half volleyed the ball to goal from outside the box but it was a save that keepers should expect on training ground.In Injury time,Although it seem to late and Birmingham Dominating.They didn't give up(Something that might be a factor in the league in the latter stages) when Once again David Vaughan who was one the main standout performers for The Seasiders forced Ben foster into a decent save by tipping the ball out.Foster would be proud as that was going to be his third clean sheet of the season and 50th win for Mcliesh and well no losing out for the opposite as they had the opportunity to learn one or two about this division..in the end a good win for the Blues with Larsson particularly pleasing.And also showing the depth of the squad even without Jerome and Gardner.
Birmingham XI:Foster,Carr,Johnson,Ridgewell,Fergusan,Larsson,Hleb,Fahey,Zigic,O'Conner
Subs Used:Bowyer,Murphy,Derbyshire
Blackpool XI:Gilks,Eardley,Evatt,Cathcart,Crainey,Vaughan,Fletcher,Adam,Campbell,Harewood,Varney
Subs Used:Southern,Ormerod,Phillips
Man Of the Match:Sebastian Larsson
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