Often Partisan

Up for the Cup? Baggies Preview in Association With EZE Group

Blues take on local rivals West Bromwich Albion for a place in the last sixteen of the FA Cup today in front of a sold-out St Andrews. Blues eventually overcame non-league Blyth Spartans in the third round, whilst the Baggies demolished Gateshead Utd 7-0 at the Hawthorns.

WBA

The Baggies come into this game fourteenth in the Premier League having played out a dour 0-0 draw on Monday night against Everton. New manager Tony Pulis has had a good effect on the Baggies, who are unbeaten in 2015 having lost their last three games in December.

Youssuf Mulumbu and Jason Davidson will play no part due to international commitments; defender Jonas Olsson is returning to fitness but is unlikely to be risked. The game could see returns to St Andrews for former Blues Craig Gardner and Ben Foster; Saido Berahino will want to add to his four goal haul from the previous round.

Blues

Blues could hand a debut to former Baggies winger Lloyd Dyer who signed on loan from Watford this week with manager Gary Rowett expected to make a couple of changes. Colin Doyle may well come in to the team, as he normally does in cup games and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Wes Thomas given a run up front.

This is a good game for Blues in that it’s really a no-lose game. Being the underdog we’re not expected to win but it’s easily possible that they can with the recent run of form that the team are playing in. My hope is that the match will be entertaining enough to make some of the stayaway fans who have come back for this fixture remember why they enjoyed coming to St Andrews and will help boost the crowd for the upcoming league fixtures which the team needs real support in.

Match previews sponsored by EZE Group - Lifestyle Experts

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23 Responses to “Up for the Cup? Baggies Preview in Association With EZE Group”

  • Darren Brown says:

    Come on Blues !
    Well Saturday afternoon at 3pm and not on tv so not a spare ticket available.
    Same team as of recent with the new signing on the bench.
    Let’s give the 23,000 noses a day to remember.
    An entertaining score draw would be a great result for financial reasons and
    maybe the replay on telly !
    CV7blue

  • Rupert thebear says:

    Let’s hope some of the fans come back against Norwich next week! Somehow I doubt it. Hope we don’t have to suffer the indignity of fans in the top blocks shouting at the visitors as they pass by to leave early! This is what happened against Derby

  • Dave Mann says:

    Buzzing with antisipation about today’s game where a sell out crowd and a rocking St. Andrews will generate what I think will be a barn stormer of a game where defeat is not an option or also not the end of the world so 3-1 to blues and I’ve got a funny feeling that Bournemouth will beat the vile and were draw them in 5th round and get revenge for that 8-0 drubbing and I for one won’t be one of those that will be disappointed because it could have been the vile but ime just clutching at straws with that one but getting ready to go out and enjoy the day now so sing your heart out and lets give the baggies a good going over, enjoy the day boys!!! Lol&kro

    • Geoff S says:

      Tough one for Blues today but I recall what may have been last 29,000-plus crowd for a match against the Baggies at St Andrew’s. Adebola and Ndlovu steam-rollered ’em and led Blues to a marvellous 4-0 win that day.

      Also, check out BBC Sports Teletext ‘gossip column’ section where it reads: ‘Sussex County League Division Two side Seaford Town, the only team in the top 10 tiers of English football to score fewer goals than Aston Villa, have challenged the Premier League outfit to a match to decide the most boring team in the country”.

      Challenged by an obviously failing non-league club to a game sounds like being “offered out” in the playground by the weediest kid in the whole school! How humiliating is that?

      Never let that lot forget that one and how loudly do you want to laugh at that?

  • Ribose says:

    Hope that Gary goes with his strongest team or very close to it. Maybe Doyle in goal and a debut for dyer at the expense of shinnie or gray but otherwise same as usual. Like you Dan I’d like to see an entertaining game and a great atmosphere. I reckon 2-2 draw (juicy 14/1 odds) and a replay would be decent all round. Notice cotterill is 12/1 to score first which looks good value too if he’s selected.

  • BhamCityJulian says:

    Let’s avenge the unjust 1968 semi-final defeat at B6

  • Steve says:

    Off topic I know but I had not realised that Jack Collison was out of contract, worth asking him in for a trial maybe, any thoughts?

  • richardm says:

    Dissapointing, for me that’s the first time Gary Rowett has got it wrong. Playing Dyer and Novak up front alone backfired and meant we were toothless for the first hour or so, very easy for the Baggies, whose defence could have sat down in the penalty area and enjoyed a picnic in the first half we were that weak. Gray and Zigic should have started for me, or even Thomas whose pace would have caused more problems.

  • Art says:

    Liviving in Cyprus it’s the first match I’ve seen live under GR.

    Really impressed with what he has achieved and a massive improvement compared to the Clark days.

    Ok we lost but it was a good performance.

    Win some -lose some.

  • Shirley Blue says:

    A good performance especially in second half but we gave them at least one soft goal. Wasn’t very happy about Novak startlng up front. Understand him wanting to rest Donaldson but would have preferred either Thomas or Zigic. Maybe he has genuine aspirations of making the play offs and if they go and win at Sheffield then fair enough but I would have liked to have seen our strongest line up from the start.

  • Shirley Blue says:

    I see Lee Clark is weaving his magic again. 2-0 up at Watford and lost 7-2. I didn’t agree with today’s starting line up but Gary Rowett is a massive improvement on that idiot. We are so much better it’s incredible.

    • Tony says:

      J ust reading Clarkys pre match talk, says they have to take more risks against Watford, OMG Looks like they did that al-right.
      Post match he said he was Embarrassed by the defeat now where have I heard that before?

  • Tony says:

    Didnt like the starting line up either, if you are going to play Novak put him out on the left wing ,for me Donaldson should always play.We deserved something for the second half display.
    Once again Randolph beaten at his near post, not for the first time either, far as I am concerned he can go never been happy with him..
    Cant believe Clarky boy done it again 2-0 up lose 2-7, If these owners never get one thing right they did getting rid of that prat.

  • Richard Granfield says:

    I thought Blues played very well today especially the second half. Robinson and Randolph should have done better for the first goal and Robinson was too easily turned for the second.
    All the team played well, particularly Shinnie, Cotterill and Grounds. Blues deserved a draw at least.

  • steve says:

    I suppose it had to happen some time,but i wasn’t happy with GR today. I don’t understand why he left Gray,Donaldson,ziggy and Thomas out. A full house in the FA Cup against local rivals,he should have picked his best 11. I didn’t think much of the Albion and i think our best team would have beat them. Remember the rumours earlier in the season about Pulis coming here ? Thank god they turned out to be only rumours.

  • Dave mann says:

    A draw would have been a fair result but I agree with what everyone’s saying about Novak up front,it was puzzling to most fans I drank with yesterday and for once i think rowett got it wrong but no embarrassment and now onto Sheffield.w and Norwich and six points there will certainly heal my woes from yesterday and keep us well in the hunt for a swashbuckling finish to the season….PS. Well done to Bradford, boro and in particular Blackpool !! Lol & kro

  • Gerald O'Neill says:

    I just watched the game again on BBC iplayer.
    Apparently in Robbie Fowler’s opinion in was a bad game?
    I can’t believe that the BBC didn’t even bother to report the Tribute to Jeff Astle?
    Well done to all our fans who were respectful to Jeff’s family and our former players.
    Proud to be a Brummie!! KRO

  • Davey says:

    GR seemed to be involved in a “heated” discussion with Clattenburg after the match, I wonder what that was about?
    KRO

  • Blue lizard says:

    No…. GR interview he stated that he was caught up in the moment and did what any manager would do when he thought the game had finished too soon as we were going for goal…as I said clutching at straws!!!!

  • chas says:

    On the highlights last nihht, Shinnie jumped high yo head at goal and their defender pushed hom in midair, no one has mentioned it, looked to me like a penalty .

  • doug says:

    what about the hand ball clear pen


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