Derbyextra: Ur engelsk synvinkel
Aydan Anderson, skribent på den engelska siten BluenosesOnline, ser fram på det stundande Birminghamderbyt.
The most eagerly anticipated date in the Birmingham City diary is upon us once again. Yes, that's right folks its the visit of our dearly beloved neighbours Aston Villa. Following their failure to beat us on their previous five attempts England's second city's second team travel to St Andrews on Sunday morning hoping to win back the bragging rights in Birmingham.
Following three consecutive two-nil defeats the blues will be gunning to put things right in front of the home fans. The build up to the match has been like no-other Birmingham derby game. The usual buzz around the city has only began to emerge in the last few days as both sets of fans begin to realise the game is there for the taking. Before previous meetings both sets of supporters have been confident of a victory, but this time around it seems neither side want to curse their club and many of the fans are predicting a draw or a victory for their opponents. But as the working week has come to a close both sets of supporters have grown a little more confident in their teams ability.
For Villa fans the fact that Robbie Savage has moved to pastures new is a big bonus and the away fans have not failed to notice the blues recent slump in form. For Blues fans the proud record of five games unbeaten, plus the fact the players are determined to make amends for their defeat at West Bromwich Albion, leave them feeling quietly confident. Quiet that is until twelve o'clock Sunday morning.
If you've never had the pleasure of attending a Birmingham derby then you really will not be able to fully understand the intense atmosphere created by supporters. After sixteen years apart the two teams are finally getting used to playing each other regularly again. But that doesn't mean the fans don't take the game as seriously anymore. For neutrals the game might not be as exciting on paper as a Liverpool vs Everton derby or an Arsenal vs Tottenham encounter but the game is surely amongst the highlights of the Premier League season. Packed full of emotion, passion, pride and never short of talking points the game has become to epitomise the working class folks love for the beautiful game. The derby's are never about fluent, sexy football or magnificent thirty yard screamers, instead the games are about which team wants it more on the day.
Never before have Birmingham City and Aston Villa been so equal in terms of squad ability and supporter expectations. This reason alone makes it vitally important for both teams not to lose in this encounter. For Villa a win could mean them making a late push for a European place, for Birmingham a win could mean them catching ground on their bitter rivals and making a stake for a top ten finish.
Blues are expected to welcome Darren Carter and Stan Lazaridis back into the starting eleven while Villa are missing Carlton Cole and Juan Pablo Angel through injury leaving Luke Moore and Darius Vassell as their attacking options. Steve Bruce will be hoping that his players bounce back from defeat against West Brom and Crystal Palace and put in the kind of performance that destroyed Champions League quarter finalists Liverpool in the last fixture at St Andrews.
A lot will depend on the team Bruce picks for the game and most importantly who he chooses to put in the centre of midfield. With Darren Carter fit Bruce has Clemence, Johnson, Diao, Nafti, Anderton, and Carter to pick from and after Diao and Clemence's disappointing performance's against Albion surely Bruce will not pick the same two again. On the left wing Stan Lazaridis is expected to return for Julian Gray, who has been off the pace in recent weeks whilst on the right of midfield Robbie Blake or Darren Anderton could be preferred over Johnson.
Only Steve Bruce knows the team he will send out to play arguably Birmingham's most important game of the season and fans of Birmingham City will be praying that Brucey gets it right come Sunday afternoon.
Fotnot: Aydan Anderson är skribent sportsiten Sportnetwork, som främst riktar in sig på fotboll, cricket, rugby och F1. Artikeln är publicerad på BluenosesOnline som införartikel.
