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Blues to Provide Home Cheer? Bristol Rovers FA Cup Preview
Birmingham City finally get their FA Cup campaign underway with a third round home tie against Bristol Rovers with the prize being a fourth round home tie to Premier League side Swansea.
Bristol Rovers
The Gas are struggling towards the bottom of League Two, lying in 21st place, only managing to remain outside of the drop zone due to a superior goal difference. The Pirates haven’t won away from home in the league since early November although they have picked up a couple of victories in the FA Cup against York City and Crawley Town away – both in replays.
John Ward is expecting to have the same squad that beat Exeter at home at the weekend with Mark McChrystal having recovered from a thigh knock.
Blues
Blues will be without Peter Lovenkrands (groin), Tom Adeyemi (back) and Amari’i Bell (cup-tied) for this game alongside the long-term injury list. Lee Clark has promised to play his strongest side but the truth is there isn’t actually that much latitude to change the team that lost to Brighton at the weekend; the only real changes possible are Doyle for Randolph (as has happened in other cup games) and Packwood maybe in for Mullins.
Blues are hard pushed to name another defender in for Amari’i Bell who was on the bench at the weekend – by my reckoning there are only four players with squad numbers who are fit and able to play this game who weren’t in the squad on Saturday – Koby Arthur, Scott Allan, Nick Townsend (who is a keeper anyway) and Charlee Adams. It’ll be interesting if Allan makes the squad or if Blues go for more youth – Adams has played at full back and centre half this season in the development squad despite being a wide midfielder by trade.
Regardless, this should be a comfortable win for Blues – we may not be much great shakes at home but there is enough quality in the team to see off a League Two side comfortably and I would hope that Clark will be exhorting the team to put on a show for the home support who have had little to cheer this season.
Tags: Bristol Rovers, Colin Doyle, Darren Randolph, FA Cup, Hayden Mullins, Will Packwood
63 Responses to “Blues to Provide Home Cheer? Bristol Rovers FA Cup Preview”
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Lets just hope that Blues get the result at home and do not have to suffer a further game as a replay.
It will be interesting to see what team can be put out tonight, and as always I will be here in Kazakhstan following the live blog.
KRO and safe journey to anyone going to St Andrews.
Going tonight – blues to win 3-1, play a couple of kids like packwood
It would have to be a very poor performance to lose to a team struggling to even stay in the football league. Having said that, this will be their cup final… and they’ll be after a giant-killing. I would expect to see Adams on the bench, as he was given a squad number before the Brighton game.
Rovers seem to play 4-2-3-1, so I wouldn’t envisage too much change to the team. For me, tonight is the night to play Packwood. 4-1 Blues.
:-)
:-)
Belated Birthday Wishes- OP. [Mine is today :-( and one of my treats is a long distance haul to St Andrews]
John Ward is a Good manager imo, he has a lot of respect amongst the professional
‘observers’ of the game, and rightly so.
I think he is the equivalent of Lee Clark in many ways. Hatches-down, battle-on type of pro.
But as much as we are drained of resources. Rovers are even more so.
From scouting opposition to having back-up players who have started shaving.
We have the edge :-)
I truly wouldn’t mind us losing, because Swansea are not a great revenue builder for us…… BUT, they would be for Rovers. Almost a local derby.
This could well be our lowest gate in decades, even at the prices and give-aways.
……………….
Lee v John W…….
“”I expect us to do well. I expect us to be ready and up for the game because it is our biggest game. “…John Ward
“It’s as big as game as any game we’ve had, if not bigger.
“There are financial implications that are crucial to our club, with the chance of a home tie against a Premier League club in the next round. “….Lee
…………………
I hope / think / pray we win, not just because it’s my birthsay, but because Blues’ karma needs to turn to the good.
Nobody has been under such a cloud of despondency for 3 years.
Man Utd won the League Cup 2 years running, before us…[ versus Villa and Spurs]
We had a higher Wembley gate then both of them…even higher than a London derby – Spurs v Chelsea – we had the highest Wembley gate bar Liverpool – since the League Cup returned to Wembley.
Bluenoses, in frightening numbers exist… and are watching and are scared…and too many are hiding.
It’s not fair. Our karma needs to swing soon.
:-)
Happy birthday Letsby
Too early to give Reece Brown a start?
After LC’s comments in the mail, do you think it’s a serious possibility?
These players need to start matches sometime. The best time is when there are plenty of experienced players around to help them. One or two in a game is about right I think. I’m hoping Packwood and Brown get a run out.
A run-out…yes.
No problem there Staffs !
I would like to see it too !
But I want the ‘grizzled oldies’…like Mitch H…to actually start
:-)
Bugger me… when Mitch Hancox is classed a a “grizzled oldie” we know we’re in trouble. lol
This is the side I’d like to see tonight (fat chance though:)
Doyle
Caddis Packwood Robinson Hancox
Mullins
Burke Brown Reilly Ferguson
Zigic Novak
That’s protection for the back 4, plus plenty going forward.
Jeez… that looks like 12. I missed the / out. Should have read Zigic / Novak.
Should have gone to Specsavers Staffs :))
Nah… Vision Express for me every time. :-))
Nah, more like National Express :))
I think 3-0 to the Blues, with Brown scoring 2 and Burke the other, -23c here in the middle of nowhere, so I need a good result to keep me warm, as we are +6 hours in front of the UK, it means another late night and bleary eyes in the morning.
Thinking of you mate hope we get a good result to warm you up !
Chris W, mike bassett was england manager in the film played by ricky tomlinson…remember? KRO.
I remember….
KRO+DNM
dont care what team lee puts out as long as we win…end off.KRO,
Have a ‘soft spot’ for the Gas Heads’ and hope they stay up.
However, business is business and am confident we will have more than enough tonight.
Me too. I remember the days of Smash & Grab… Alan Warboys and Bruce Bannister. Cracking days for the Rovers.
get your money on brum for the cup …super blues
for our young players to experience playing in a FA cup game should give them goose bumps, and tremendous feeling………..
I love Lee Clark’s love and attitude for the FA Cup. The league cup win was nice… but there’s no other cup like the FA Cup.
10:37
Grant Holt is not the only person having a medical in the Second City this morning, we hear Brian Howard is undergoing his at Birmingham too.
Charlee Adams would be a worthy player maybe along with scott allan these players will either take the opportunity given………
i agree mark but the fa cup has lost its mojo over the last 10/15 yeas and i dont think even the
younger players see this competition as big as a championship game…..its sad i know but thats
the way its going now ime sorry to say. KRO.
Can’t see much stopping us from progressing tonight, it would be the worse performance I can remember, that includes Altrincham and Kidderminster.
Out of 18 encounters Blues have lost only two and never lost to Bristol Rovers at St Andrews.
We need the crowd to get behind whatever team LC decides on, we need the same levels as those who travel.
KRO+DNM
kind of looking forward to seeing Brian Howard join our ranks……hopefully all goes well for him..
Bye Bye Amborsa good luck in the sun………….
Listen, this match ain’t gonna be easy boys and girls. There will be hardly any goals and they will scare us. We need nerves of steel to win.
Doctors you been watching too many superman films lol
the scalp of playing a premier side in the 4th round will be enough for rovers to give it everything
tonight though if i was a rovers fan ide see birmingham as a bigger draw than swansea but its
all about being in the premier league, were win the game but there certainly give us some bother
along the way.KRO.
dave i fancy ourselves against the swans again……..you are right what you say…….blues need to do a professional job on rovers, and execute whatever plan clark decides to go with………….get it wrong it could bite you on the arse……………………..
Ambrose move completed.
Personally I’d rest Robbo tonight, his old legs could probably do with a rest and if he played and got booked he’d miss the next 2 games. Now I know that suspension is coming, but let’s try and delay it as long as possible. Mullins played well on Saturday and has good experience to put alongside Packwood.
I would prefer him suspended for Yeovil and Watford and have him back for Leicester and Derby myself.
staffsblue it appears to be a doubled edge sword now with Robbo hope clark thinking that way…………….
A nice little professional foul in the centre circle in the last minute tonight would do. ;-)
With the tough games coming up I would have thought Robbo would have taken a booking on Saturday, then he would have missed tonight and Yeovil but been available for Swansea, if we get through, Leicester and Derby.
I think we should go 3 in defence tonight, Packwood, Robbo, Hancox, with 5 in midfield, Caddis, Burke, Mullins, Lee/Brown, Ferguson, 1, 1 Novak/Hales, Ziggy.
Hopefully we will have Burn back for our league matches and Bartley back for February.
KRO+DNM
i hope reece does not fall into the same trap as Foday Nabay, and continue his footballing education with us………+ signs a contract which could keep him with us til he’s 20
lingard scored a 25 yard screamer for man utds under 21s,their fans very impressed with his performance,talk of him going straight into the starting line up.
He was on the bench for the Swansea game last Saturday.
As a 15-year-old my first away match was against Bristol Rovers in the 4th round of the league cup on 27th October 1970 at the old Eastville stadium. I went on the old soccer special train from New St which cost about £2. We were rubbish on the night and lost 3-0 so after all these years I’m looking for retribution, albeit in a different competition :)
I remember the good old soccer specials, use to ask for my paper round wages on a Saturday morning so I could get the ticket. Went all over the country on those, Remember coming out of London on the floor with no windows in after we beat Millwall, but mainly happy days and great banter.
I think we will start slowly tonight but will be too strong and finish 3-1 in our favour.
KRO+DNM
I did mine off my paper round money too Chris. I went all over the country on them too. Sometimes they’d be awash with stale beer and bottles but the atmosphere was generally good regardless of the result. The longest journey I had was Norwich which took about 4 hours but the forerunners of the zulus always kept us entertained with their antics :)
Yes, the good old smell of stale smoke and beer and watching the poor unfortunates who fell asleep having their shoe laces tied together, but in general it was good bonding, I think my furthest was Hull and the old Boothferry ground, Roger Hynd punched the ball over the bar and we lost to the resulting penalty 1-0.
KRO+DNM
Not that you’re one to bear grudges! Blimey, 44 years of hurt!
one of the great debuts was lingard but hasent done to much since( though that might sound harsh)
ide love him back but we must get on with what weve got and that should be to much for rovers and
a chance to start a run of 5 home games with a win and then that breeds confidence for the next 4
home games. KRO.
I would like to welcome Brian Howard to Blues. At his best he is a classy left-sided midfielder who will add creativity and provide chances for others.
Classy left sided midfielder. We have got one of those with Shane Ferguson. Suggests he might be going back. He might as well – really don’t know what’s happened with him.
All out attack tonight looking at the team. 4-4-2.
It is a bold selection. Let’s hope they haven’t got any height up front. Interesting to see how much control Lee and Brown will give us in central midfield and get the ball out wide where we are strong.
Burn played for Fulham again tonight. Being pessimistic, looks as if we have seen the last of him in a Blues shirt this Season.
Hopefully you’ll be eating those words today or tomorrow ;)
or some humble pie……………dear chas
:-) I wont mind in the least if I do. Can I have a side plate of Red Face as well if it turns out that way ..
Taken from a well known TV site.
Birmingham City manager Lee Clark admits he is working hard to strengthen his squad in the January transfer window and is hoping to bring Fulham defender Dan Burn and Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard back to St Andrew’s on loan
Before kick-off I had seen quotes from (Fulham boss) Rene Meulensteen saying that the best thing he thought for Dan Burn was to come back to us, he had really developed in the first half of the season. I’m hoping that’s still the case. First thing on Wednesday morning I’ll be speaking with Fulham.
I’m still pestering David Moyes on a regular basis about Jesse Lingard, I haven’t given up on that. And I’ve got one or two other irons in the fire as well.
just got in – professional performance, easy win in the end, wembley ere we cum !!
I said we would start slow, luckily Bristol Rovers didn’t have a lot to offer as I thought defensively we looked frail.
Good to see Robbo on the score sheet and Burke finished the game with a brace too.
Reece Brown had a good game, but does look a little light but he did lay off some good balls and was unlucky not to get on the score sheet, he is only young and the experience will stand him in good stead.
I still don’t think Robbo and Mullins are the answer to our defence, they were both too easily beaten in the air tonight, not sure why Packwood wasn’t given a run, especially when Mitch Hancox took a knock.
A slight change in subject but on my drive over tonight I listened to Talksport and an interview with Darren Ambrose.
LC said it didn’t work out and that he was a talented player and wished him well.
DA said it was down to the manager not picking him because he didn’t suit LC’s tactics, he also claimed he was accused of not putting a shift in and helping out when required.
Make what you will, who was right or wrong, it wasn’t the first club DA had been accused of being a lazy player, one of the reasons Charlton released him.
Hopefully Brian Howard can give us some more options from Midfield and Dan Burn returns in time for the big games, still think we are going to need another striker.
KRO+DNM
Well, we made hard work of that. The game was crying out for a goalscorer. If we’d had a natural scorer on the pitch last night, he would have been carrying off the match ball. I’ve never seen so many chances going begging. Lee Clark has to make that area his priority. If we miss chances like that against Swansea, they’ll bury us.
Other than that, it was a good competent performance. Let’s put Yeovil to the sword now.
tbh blues score should have been 5 or 6 really………. agreed quite a lot of chances did go begging………
how can we complain when our defence gets ripped apart, and we also lose two strikers……….
good old robbo, hopefully burkeeeee found his scoring boots again…….
well done to reece brown…..
welldone team kro
glad to see effort put in by ziggy in both areas defensively and attacking……….. clark should be given credit for at least motivating him………… he had a few opportunity last night but managed to hit the goalkeeper.
well done to the rovers fans who came in their numbers to at least make the atmosphere bearable………kro
easy win in the end but rovers are a poor side and we should have won by more, well
pleased with reece brown, calm, confident, looks the dogs to me and a word about rovers
support witch was fantastic and came in there numbers to embariss another poor home
showing.KRO.
We need to beat Yeovil now and get 2 monkeys off our back. 1. A first league win at home for about 3 months and 2. To break through the 30 point barrier. It’s been a slow crawl up to that point.