Match Report: Birmingham City 1-0 Leeds United
Ryan Deeney's first report of the new season breaking down a first home win, the tactical battle and early conclusions.
Sometimes, scripts are written and played out to perfection.
This was a day to celebrate a new era of Birmingham City. Tom Wagner, Jeremy Dale, Steven Knight, Hope Powell, Garry Cook, Andy Street and Tom Brady were amongst those in attendance as part of a sell-out crowd in a stadium that is finally being refurbished after years of neglect.
Yet as a new era begins, it was the man that has come to define the era that is ending that scored the winner - Blues' newly-appointed club captain and longest serving player Lukas Jutkiewicz hammering home from the spot in injury time to give Blues all three points.
John Eustace has been intent on making sure his side start on the front foot and the team he named was prime to do just that. Ethan Laird, Lee Buchanan, Keshi Anderson and Siriki Dembele started at St.Andrews for the first time while Dion Sanderson donned the captain's armband. Juninho Bacuna was the only change, replacing Tyler Roberts after scoring a brace at Cheltenham Town in midweek.
The first half was played at a good pace and both Blues and visitors Leeds United played some decent stuff to get into the final third but the final ball or decision was often lacking.
Pascal Struijk's searching cross-field pass for Luke Ayling led to the first chance, the cross finding Dan James whose effort was blocked by Bielik. They were in again not long after, James bursting in behind to return the favour for Ayling, whose cut back was blazed over by Ethan Ampadu.
Despite plenty of decent possession, chances were and far between. It took over half hour for Blues to muster a nearly moment, Bacuna unable to connect with Buchanan's cross before a corner was headed wide by Long.
The second half followed a similar pattern early doors. Anderson was twice inaccurate with the final moment, unable to play in Bacuna before seeing his shot from a Dembele pass deflected wide. At the other end, John Ruddy and Kevin Long were alert to cut out a teasing Dan James ball. Georginio Rutter was denied by a fine block and Scott Hogan volleyed over a Dembele cross.
As the game wore on, it was Blues that got stronger. Long had the best chance, not being able to turn home a free header having hot ahead of the ball. Dembele was rinsing Ayling and he found Bacuna whose effort was comfortable for Meslier. After Sam Byram provided a warning shot from a near post corner, Dembele and Laird both gave Hogan chances he couldn't wrap his foot around.
As the game entered injury time, belief was growing and the big moment arrived. Dembele again slipped away from his marker and spotted the run of Laird on the far side. The pass had just enough on it to leave James believing he could make it ahead of Laird before crashing into the right-back. Penalty.
Jutkiewicz stepped up, powered down the centre and saw the ball hit the net via the leg of Meslier. Job done.
Blues held out with relative ease, the arrival of centre-half Joe Rodon up top no issue at all.
Lineups
Blues (4-2-3-1)
Ruddy
Laird Sanderson Long Buchanan
Sunjic Bielik
Bacuna (88) Anderson (65) Dembele (94)
Hogan (88)
Subs: Miyoshi (65); Jutkiewicz (88); James (88); Longelo (94). Unused: Etheridge; Williams Chang Khela Cosgrove
Leeds (4-2-3-1)
Meslier
Ayling Cresswell Struijk Byram
Ampadu Gray
Shackleton (92) Poveda James
Gelhardt (67)
Subs: Rutter (67); Rodon (92). Unused: Klaesson Darlow; Drameh Hjelde Gyabi Bate
The tactical battle
Both sides lined up in 4-2-3-1 systems designed to play from the back and get the attacking midfielders involved and on the turn in dangerous areas.
Leeds was a bit more of what we expect to see from the system. When playing from deep, Charlie Cresswell and Pascal Struijk split with Ethan Ampadu and Archie Gray dovetailing as support. Luke Ayling and Sam Byram would stand out wide and stretch the pitch with Dan James, Jamie Shackleton and Ian Poveda dropping in to receive the ball or move opponents around.
Blues' initial approach was to line in a 4-2-4, Keshi Anderson supporting Scott Hogan in denying Gray and Ampadu possession with Siriki Dembele and Juninho Bacuna closing in on the wide centre back on their side and cutting the ball to the player that moved into a wide position.
To counter this, Poveda and Joe Gelhardt would drop into half spaces or out to the touchline to receive possession with Ayling and James often the players advancing and looking in behind. This would cause issues to the Blues press and drag Bielik or Sunjic out of position, then allowing for the pass inside and giving Leeds opportunity to play forward with space. This particularly worked early on with James getting behind Laird.
As for Blues, the nominal route was to play with a back four and look for an outlet via the full-backs and wingers, Laird and Buchanan often having the pass inside or their winger to choose from. Leeds opted a standard 4-4-2 press to go up against this, effectively going man-for-man.
At times, Blues would also move to a lopsided 3-4-2-1 approach with Laird and Dembele getting high and wide and Buchanan effectively becoming a wide centre-back, allowing him to take possession and look for Dembele either on the touchline or drifting infield on the half turn. Dembele would take Ayling with him and that sometimes opened the space for Anderson to move into the flank providing an alternative option.
Who impressed?
Dion Sanderson played like you want your captain to play. He won his battles. He cleared his lines. He showed composure with the ball. He made some outstanding tackles and a couple of brave blocks.
Long was solid beside him. Buchanan showed a strong passing range. Laird and Dembele could run for days. Sunjic and Bielik ran the midfield for much of the game. A real team performance.
For Leeds, I thought Pascal Struijk was strong. He snuffed out danger, won his aerial battles and has strong distribution in his armoury. Dan James showed signs of life early on. Ethan Ampadu and Archie Gray were fine and probably hampered by those around them.
Anything else?
Trevor Francis was serenaded on 8 minutes. A poignant moment to remember a true Birmingham City legend.
The conclusions
This is the Birmingham City we want to see. A fearless, brave, energetic, tenacious side that shows little respect for the opposition, galvanises the crowd and gets them off their feet. There's pace and power all over the shop.
This is close to what Eustace wants to build. A team more comfortable in possession. A team that plays on the front foot and is fit enough to get stronger during the game.
It's hard to pick faults on a day like today so maybe I'll save the more in-depth thoughts for another day, especially when at the moment, it relates to decision making of new players that are still gelling and depth with a couple of the window left to go.
We were fantastic today, and that's how we should remember it.
A new dawn is upon us.