Match Report: Blues 4-1 Shrewsbury Town
A comprehensive victory as Ben Davies, Ethan Laird and an Alfie May brace secure Birmingham City's second biggest win of the League One season against Shrewsbury Town.
Birmingham City returned to action with a bang as they put four past League One basement outfit Shrewsbury Town.
Ben Davies opened the scoring with his first for the club with Ethan Laird and an Alfie May brace adding gloss to the scoreline before a late Vadaine Oliver consolation.
Chris Davies made two changes to the side that laboured to a draw with Northampton Town prior to the international break as Ethan Laird and Marc Leonard returned to the XI in place of Alfons Sampsted, benched, and Paik Seung-Ho, injured. Krystian Bielik also missed out through injury.
Blues were on the front foot immediately with Jamal Blackman denying Jay Stansfield inside of a minute. Ryan Allsop showcased his ball-playing qualities by sending Keshi Anderson in behind to strike just over.
The chances kept coming for a dominant Blues. Willum Willumson and Kieran Dowell linked up to play Stansfield in but Blackman was equal to his effort. A minute later and Stansfield was at his busy best, nicking the ball off Nurse and finding Willumson to strike over.
Anderson found the run of Willumson who teed up Dowell for a sitter at the back post and the same combination were at it again but Stansfield was just about beaten to the ball at the near post.
When the goal came, it was from a surprising source. Anderson was fouled on the turn giving Dowell the chance to deliver. He got it spot on and Blues made a numbers advantage at the back post count as an unmarked Davies volleyed home.
Blues looked to add a second with Laird shooting wide before a gorgeous move involving Dowell, Willumson and Leonard ended with the latter having his shot deflected wide.
The second half started in a similar vein. Shrewsbury finally managed to broach the Blues final third and flash across goal to no avail before Alex Cochrane struck narrowly wide at the other end from a short corner.
Laird scored the second and his fourth of the season just after the hour mark. He was unmarked as Leonard delivered a cross and the full-back made no mistake.
Blues were ruthless thereon. Emil Hansson was having fun down the left and Aaron Pierre's decision to step onto Luke Harris vacated space for Alfie May to prod home the cross.
It was four with a few minutes to go. A smart turn by Hansson led to a pass to Dowell then into Luke Harris who found the run of May behind the visitors’ backline. He rounded Jamal Blackman and found the net.
Shrewsbury scored their consolation almost straight from kick-off. Jordan Shipley found Mal Benning who clipped the ball over Alfons Sampsted and into the path of the onrushing midfielder. Shipley crossed for Oliver at the back post to score.
That moment of annoyance inspired more Blues efforts on goal. Leonard picked out May with a gorgeous pass but Blackman was equal to the strike. Dowell tried his luck from distance. May then played Harris in but the loanee couldn’t connect cleanly.
Job done. Blues are nine clear with a game in hand.
Lineups
Blues: Allsop; Laird (Sampsted 63) Klarer (Hanley 87) Davies Cochrane; Iwata Leonard; Dowell Willumson (Harris 73) Anderson (Hansson 63); Stansfield (May 73). Unused: Peacock-Farrell;. Jutkiewicz.
Shrewsbury: Blackman; J Feeney Pierre Nurse (M Feeney 81); Hoole (Wheeler 46) Gilliead Gape (Oliver 76) Perry (Oliver 76) Benning; Marquis Lloyd. Unused: Young; Dinanga Stewart.
Tactics
Blues were as normal, a 4-2-3-1 shape in which Laird and Anderson held the width on either flank. Stansfield and Willumson had license to drop off their markers with Dowell and Leonard tending to flank Iwata, albeit there was plenty of rotation in midfield.
This is shown in the image below, where Stansfield has dropped off. The Shrewsbury midfield are drawn to the ball which allows Dowell, who receives the ball from Stansfield, to play out to Leonard.
Shrewsbury were in a 3-5-2 shape. They tried to play from a low block, allowing Blues to have the ball in deep areas and looking to close the pitch thereon. However, they were too slow to action this and left themselves open as the whole team didn’t step up together when somebody stepped out.
The strikers split wide of each other. Gilliead and Perry, the wide central midfielders, were tasked with stepping out to form a front three that blocked the pass into midfield. Hoole and Benning, the wing-backs, would be quick to step onto whoever was out wide for Blues, often Anderson and Laird.
But they were intent on keeping shape and struggled to deal with the rotations. The defence didn’t step out of shape for the most part and it meant that there was always a Blues player or two free in pockets between midfield and defence. Shrewsbury would then react to the situation and leave more gaps while trying to close the ball.
This is shown in the image above. But also here, where Willumson has turned Gape and Perry has left his man to close the ball, leaving Dowell to run free. Nurse gets himself caught between man and ball, commits to neither and Stansfield races in behind for a chance.
In possession, they wanted to try and play short initially, setting up in a back four with Benning higher and wider on the left. The aim was to beat the initial press by moving it quickly and playing into space, something they struggled with. Another option was to go more direct and find the head Hoole on the right-hand side, something else that didn’t really work out.
Appleton made tweaks during the game in an attempt to get his side up the pitch. They moved to more of a 3-4-1-2 late in the first half with Perry playing behind the front two. Lloyd and Marquis would be responsible for the wide centre-backs and Perry would have license to step off Iwata and close the ball. They did try and step up the pitch more.
Wheeler replaced Hoole at half-time and had license to stay higher up the pitch where possible, including being more proactive when it came to getting into the area.
Later on, they brought on Shipley and Oliver for Gape and Perry. Marquis stepped into the ‘10’ role with Shipley joining Gilliead in the middle of midfield.
Unfortunately for Shrewsbury, these changes resulted in Josh Feeney, the wide centre-back on the right, becoming more exposed and Hansson had a field day, Blues able to find him with regularity in space to go on the outside of him.
Players
It’s nice to have a game where we can focus on the more attack-minded players.
I thought Leonard was excellent and responded positively to Davies' death stare in the second half after a fairly needless flick went wrong by delivering a gorgeous pass for May. Both Dowell and Willumson looked full of life too, picking up pockets and exploiting space.
Hansson made a difference off the bench, willing to take his man the other way and getting an assist. And the same goes for Harris getting an assist for the fourth. May getting a brace was a big boost for him but also the team. Fresh, work done and those on the bench stepping up is what you want.
Elsewhere, we generally looked sharp and willing. There was a freshness and sharpness about the regulars.
For Shrewsbury, it’s a case of picking up those that tried to be brave. George Lloyd and Taylor Perry at least gave it a go trying to snap into tackles and commit.
Conclusions
The kind of ruthless display we perhaps haven’t seen enough of this season as we killed off a poor Shrewsbury Town side.
Two goals from set-piece situations. Two goals exploiting space towards the end. Giving almost nothing away in our half – we had more touches in the Shrewsbury box than they had in the Blues final third with just three touches inside the Blues box. This was complete domination from the first whistle to the last.
As noted above, it was great to see the lads stepping up off the bench and the scoreline meant we could afford to bring players off early, which is always a bonus. Keep players fresh ahead of what will be a tough five weeks or so, but particularly Wembley.
With the title almost sewn up, it’s all about whether we can break records. That includes:
Fewest goals conceded (29; currently on 25)
Best home record (Luton 16-7-0 in 18/19; currently 17-3-0)
Earliest promotion (39 games; Burnley 22-23)
Earliest title win (41 games; Reading 05-06)
Most L1 points (103; currently on 86)
Most EFL points 106; currently on 86)
I’m not 100% on all of those but pretty confident they’re correct. Please feel free to correct me.
I think we should continue to take it one game at a time.
That starts again with Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night on the road. One of the better fanbases in the division according to neutrals and a side who for all their faults have actually got a 9-4-6 record at home, which is okay for a team struggling.
Inigo Calderon is the man in charge, the former Brighton full-back. Since his arrival on Boxing Day, they are the 18th best side in the division, so not a huge improvement, and it leaves them just six clear of the bottom four. They need another couple of wins.
My assumption is that the team news won’t change, so we’ll likely line up with the same 18. It may be the same for the next two while the likes of Paik and Gardner-Hickman recover. I do wonder how far away Dykes is too.
Away days haven't always produced perfect displays so I'm in the camp of a win is a win however it comes. Another step closer to securing an immediate return to the Championship where we will apparently be in for another shock.
KRO.
Always a good read Ryan - currently researching the records BCFC can still beat. The Luton "16-7-0" record - where did you find this was the "best" home record? And is it League One, or EFL?
Thanks!
Thanks Ryan. Insightful as ever. Shrewsbury were poor but it's about time we made our dominance count. I suspect The Gas will be a better side than Shrewsbury but our team can go there with every confidence. May needed a goal desperately and the performances of Leonard and Willumson were spot on.