Match Report: Birmingham City 0-0 Queens Park Rangers

A goalless draw on a Friday night in front of the new ownership at the end of a winless six days as goalkeepers were on top.

The Championship weekend started with a goalless draw at St.Andrews as Birmingham City and Queens Park Rangers cancelled each other out.

Both sides had decent chances to win the game but found experienced goalkeepers John Ruddy and Asmir Begovic in inspired form.

Eustace made three changes from the side that lost in midweek against Preston North End. Lee Buchanan replaced Emmanuel Longelo at left-back after serving a one match suspension, Juninho Bacuna started in central midfield for the first time in the league this season while Scott Hogan returned to lead the line, allowing Jay Stansfield to revert to a second striker role.

The game started in a chaotic fashion as both sides looked to beat high energy pressure. Sinclair Armstrong had the first chance as he headed over a cross before Blues had their turn, Keshi Anderson trying to be too clever in the box a moment before Steve Cook just about denied Hogan a tap in from a Stansfield cross.

While both goalkeepers were on top of their game, the save of the match arguably came from Sam Field. Blues broke down the left and a cutback was awkwardly bounced into the ground by Cook who was bailed out by Begovic's fingertips then Field's outstretched leg, the ball millimeters from crossing the white line.

Paul Smyth cut inside and forced a save from Ruddy before Lyndon Dykes headed a free-kick over. Again, a chance for the visitors woke up the hosts with Cody Drameh being denied at the near post before Morgan Fox, Field and Cook were on hand to block goal-bound efforts.

Begovic stretched his long arms to deny Krystian Bielik before Ruddy matched his counterpart at the other end, sharp to Field's deflected strike and push the rebound again Field and wide.

Very little happened in the second half. Oli Burke did his best to make an impact, firstly flicking on for Koji Miyoshi to set up Hogan for the best chance of the game, Begovic out well to deny him. The powerful wide man then set up Stansfield after a powerful run to force another stop with Bielik heading the resulting corner wide.

QPR did have a big moment of their own, Albert Adomah, who was booed from the moment he entered the field, crossing for Dykes. The Scotsman headed down with a free header but Ruddy read the bounce and used a strong hand to clear.

And that was that. Blues huffed and puffed late on but lacked the quality and energy to open opponents giving everything to the cause. It wasn't to be.


Lineups

Blues

Ruddy; Drameh Sanderson Long Buchanan; Bacuna Bielik; Miyoshi (Dembele 71) Stansfield Anderson (Burke 43); Hogan (Jutkiewicz 72). Unused: Etheridge; Aiwu Longelo Sunjic Gardner James

QPR

Begovic; Kakay Cook Fox; Smyth (Adomah 65) Dozzell Field Paal; Dykes Chair; Armstrong (Willock 75). Unused: Walsh; Clarke-Salter Dixon-Bonner Larkeche Duke-McKenna Kelman Kolli


Tactics

Blues lined up 4-2-3-1 with QPR in an asymmetrical 3-4-3-cum-4-2-3-1.

QPR set up in defensive play with Armstrong asked to press the Blues centre-backs. Chair and Dykes sat on Bielik and Bacuna with Smyth prepared to close Buchanan.

Like Preston on Tuesday, they were more comfortable leaving Drameh the spare man. When the ball moved to Drameh, Chair would shift across, Dozzell or Field would step up onto Bielik or Bacuna, whoever was nearest, and allowing Fox to cover the run of Stansfield into the channel.

Blues exploited this well. Miyoshi was happy to drift infield allowing Stansfield to race in behind Fox, a battle he often won. Paal was forced to step inside leaving Fox isolated and forcing Chair to defend the forward runs of Drameh.

QPR's approach was to do everything quickly. Every restart, QPR looked to play forward to Armstrong and get him running against the Blues centre-backs. This was the same in possession with Smyth and Chair asked to run at their man every time in order to deliver into a box often containing Dykes, Armstrong and one other - including the tall Field moving forward from midfield.

Blues defended the same way QPR did. Anderson had to track Kakay, who was stepping up as a right-back in possession leaving Buchanan with Smyth. Drameh would step onto Paal, the front two and Miyoshi would close Cook, Fox and whichever midfield dropped in to give QPR a way of playing out. Sanderson and Long would be aggressive in their stepping up against Dykes or Armstrong, whoever dropped off, with the midfield pair of Bacuna and Bielik stepping in to cover.

Blues' attacking outball diminished a little after the first substitution, which saw Stansfield move wide left, Miyoshi into the centre and Burke wide right. Miyoshi starting coming short to show to feet with Burke himself making the direct run down the flank to cause. This allowed QPR to change slightly, Paal now stepping onto Drameh more often rather than Chair.

Blues also started going more direct from the back aiming for the head of Burke against Fox or Paal.

A further change occurred with the second group of substitutions, Dembele moving to the left wing, Stansfield back in the centre and Jutkiewicz up top.

QPR made a change of their own, Willock replacing Armstrong with Dykes moving up top as the lone striker.


Players

Let's be honest, the keepers were exceptional. Elsewhere, starting with Blues...

Stansfield was his usual self for an hour, full of energy and our biggest threat. Sanderson and Long had nervy moments but coped well with the power of Armstrong. Buchanan and Drameh were steady and tidy in their work. Bielik was excellent. Bacuna was given time and space and used it brilliantly to create openings.

For QPR, Steve Cook and Sam Field led by example, superb in their work. Kakay had a steady game at right-back and was unfazed. Armstrong has all the physical tools to be a nuisance at any level. Chair had moments.


Conclusions

Three games, one point, one goal scored. That's ultimately how fans will treat the last week and it has certainly been quite the comedown after our unbeaten start. The talk around a managerial change during the international break certainly hasn't helped matters as far as Eustace is concerned.

However, it's not as if we've been poor and deserved the results we've had.

Against Watford we weren't at our best but limited our opponents to little while creating the best opportunity of the game only to see a red card be our undoing.

Against Preston, we were comfortably the better side, miscommunication costing us the lead and we somehow conceded twice from one shot.

And here, QPR proved a match for us but we were still the better side, comfortable on the ball, creating openings and failing to take them.

Why have results fallen? There are several reasons. The discourse around Eustace's job. Expectation and the pressure that comes with that. Injuries and the subtle change of shape necessary because of them. So many new bodies being blooded - Drameh, Burke, Stansfield, Miyoshi. Confidence - Hogan in particular.

And despite that, we're still a very good team, competitive in each game and playing some nice stuff at times. Dembele, Jutkiewicz and Buchanan are back now. Bacuna impressed on Saturday. Laird and Hall are due to return soon. Hopefully Anderson isn't hurt too badly.

It doesn't get easier. We travel to Norwich next, a place we never seem to perform at, before a trip to Huddersfield and a derby with the Baggies. But I've got faith that this group will turn up for each game and, hopefully, we get the results our performances deserve.