Doh try dat, Birmingham geyyin' dey ass wash today
Birmingham back on the up again
20 February 2007
Ian Laws, Sunderland EchoIan Laws' verdict:BIRMINGHAM have steadied the ship after a brief wobble and go into tonight's game brimming with confidence.
The Blues' promotion push faltered after the turn of the year and their cause was not helped by a couple of postponements because the relaid St Andrew's turf didn't settle down well enough.
January defeats to Ipswich and Southend dumped Steve Bruce's side out of the automatic promotion places, but they've bounced back well from those setbacks with important victories against Stoke and Crystal Palace this month, which was preceded by a decent draw at Colchester – the surprise packages this season.
There is
no doubting the difficulty of tonight's task. But
the great thing for Sunderland is that they are conceding few goals and few chances; they have pace in crucial areas where it was missing before Christmas – Nyron Nosworthy and Jonny Evans in central defence, Carlos Edwards on the right wing – and they're making and taking plenty of scoring chances.A couple of interesting decisions lie ahead for Roy Keane.Marton Fulop has kept two clean sheets in the last two games, but was not as assured against Southend on Saturday as he was at Plymouth the previous weekend. Darren Ward will be looking out for the team sheet with interest.
The back four has been unchanged in the last couple of games, and I'd be surprised if it altered tonight.The dilemma in midfield is whether to bring back Dwight Yorke's experience alongside Dean Whitehead – who will be fired up because he's banned for Saturday's home game with Derby – or does the industrious and quicker Liam Miller keep his place?It would be tough on Miller to be left out, but
I have a feeling that Yorke's nous will come into play.On their recent performances, you can't look beyond Hysen and Edwards for the flanks, in my opinion.Anthony Stokes has looked so bright coming on as a substitute against Plymouth and Southend and, while it's always risky trying to outguess Keane on selections,
I reckon Stern John will retain his place with Dave Connolly.Connolly's on fire, but John's influence should not be forgotten. He set up Connolly's goal at Plymouth the weekend before last and made significant contributions to his side's first two goals against Southend at the weekend before netting two of his own.Games like this can sometimes disintegrate and be scrappy because both teams are so highly motivated that they match each other physically and cancel each other out.
A draw would be a good result.
Prediction: Birmingham 1 Sunderland 1
