Why Birmingham boo boys need to learn the lesson of their Villa Park neighbours

By James Nursey

Published 23:00 13/10/10

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Birmingham were booed off in their last home game against Everton which surely shows just how fickle some supporters have become.

It was City's first defeat at St Andrews in 19 top-flight matches and the only occasion since the visit of Bolton last September that McLeish's men have lost at home.

So for manager McLeish and his squad to be subjected to jeers at the final whistle is both ridiculous and ungrateful.

Now, I realise it was only a minority who were booing and am certainly not taking all the club's fans to task.

But those members of the crowd booing at St Andrews at the last game still made themselves clearly heard.

And it is surely the responsibility of every supporter in the ground to rally their fellow fans and make sure they get behind the team in future.

To jeer Brum off was definitely a real slap in the face for McLeish and his squad who did so well to preserve their unbeaten home record for so long after winning promotion.

It is bizarre behaviour because until recently fans were clamouring for McLeish to pen his new three-year contract which he eventually did last month.

McLeish's men gave the club a team to be proud of last season and I still believe City can have another successful season once they find a solution to their lack of goals.

Now the headache for McLeish also includes politely dealing with the expectations of the St Andrews' faithful without upsetting them.

Last term's ninth place finish was superb but supporters probably expect too much this term after some exciting additions this summer recruiting the likes of Ben Foster, Alexander Hleb and Jean Beausejour.

Realistically consolidating in the top-flight again for a second successive season, like Stoke did, should be enough to constitute a solid campaign. But many supporters believe the team are capable of more and can qualify for Europe.

That's one reason why fans are unhappy with McLeish fielding a 4-5-1 formation given the team has failed to score at home in their last three games to Liverpool, Wigan and Everton.

Yet last season's success was built upon a rock solid defence in which keeper Joe Hart, Roger Johnson, Scott Dann, Liam Ridgewell and Stephen Carr were all excellent.

Birmingham only scored 38 goals in 38 League games and the foundation for their success clearly came from their staunch rearguard.

So it would daft of McLeish to rip up City's back four and encourage a more risky brand of football in search of goals.

Instead he has taken the most sensible course of action by not tinkering with the team's defence and bringing in some flair players like Hleb and Beausejour to unlock defences instead.

Birmingham still remain short of goals and James McFadden's serious cruciate knee injury in training was most unfortunate as the player was just finally hitting top form for the club.

But Hleb and Beausejour should in time prove superb additions - and good value-for-money - who will definitely eventually provide more goals and chances for the side.

McLeish now just needs to find someone capable of regularly putting the ball in the back of the net.

Big-money summer signing Nikola Zigic has not provided the answer and seems to be struggling to adjust to the English game after a £6million move from Valencia.

The 6ft 8in striker appears very cumbersome and is strangely reluctant to put himself about aggressively for a player of his size.

So I can understand McLeish's preference to continuing to persist with Cameron Jerome as the team's spearhead in a 4-5-1 formation which accommodates an extra midfielder where City have more quality options.

And I think Jerome, aged only 24, deserves more respect and appreciation from City's fans.

He is a powerful, quick forward who is genuinely highly-regarded by many players and managers in the game.

But, just like Ishmael Miller at nearby West Brom, he does have his detractors because he seemingly misses at least as many goals as he scores.

Yet Jerome still manages to unsettle opposition defences creating space and opportunities for team-mates and is a player who most defenders hate to mark.

I saw him against Liverpool and he was excellent and would have scored but for the brilliance of Reds keeper Pepe Reina.

This may surprise some Birmingham fans but I reckon the forward undoubtedly has the potential to be a top-class striker in the future even though he has only scored once this term.

If Cameron starts firing in the goals soon as he is capable of it will provide the solution to Birmingham's woes and City will still have a good season.

But in the meantime if City's winless streak carries on, it will be literally back to the drawing board for McLeish who must select the formation and players to bring his side success.

I just wish in the process Birmingham's fans will be patient with the Scot.

Aston Villa supporters have long had a reputation for placing unreasonable demands on their managers and players and I hope it isn't spreading to St Andrews.

I remember similar grumblings from Bluenoses last September about their team's formation after the Bolton defeat and we know what happened next.

Maybe history will repeat itself although it would be a brave man to back BCFC at Arsenal this weekend.

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