Are Birmingham still shot shy?

Looking at the league position of Birmingham City you might think that they are a team that should be doing better. Lee Clark would probably agree with you. They have certainly been goal shy and getting shots on target is something that they have suffered from, although they did well in their last game against Millwall. One clean sheet and two wins in the last 10 games tells you that Birmingham still have a bit of work to do if they are to creep over the finishing line come 3 May.

Birmingham City players at the Goldsands stadium earlier this season.

Last Saturday they were well in the game with Reading but were scuppered by an 82 minute second goal from McAnuff. Yet Birmingham had had 20 shots at goal themselves with just 6 being on target. For a team playing at home they are not taking their chances and it is coming back to haunt them.

But a few weeks ago they would probably have been pleased to score three at home against Burnley even if it only meant gaining a point. That day they were well out shone with Burnley having 22 efforts at goal to Birmingham's 11. So where are Birmingham slipping up? Their sharp shooters just haven't been that prolific. Lee Novak is top scorer for them but he only has 10 goals and the lack of a striker capable of getting 20 goals gives any team a problem. Nikola Zigic has been a real disappointment with just 5 goals this season, but one of those was against the Cherries at Dean Court. Chris Burke, and on loan Jordan Ibe and Frederico Macheda might be other goal scorers that Lee Clark plays.

The mid-week game of Millwall away was the ideal opportunity though for Birmingham to put some distance between them and the bottom four. They managed that in a 2-3 win which they had control of up until the 88th minute, when Millwall made it a tight finish. Birmingham only had five shots at goal all night but three of them counted. 

So Lee Camp may not be peppered with shots all day at St Andrews, but he'll have to be alert when he is called upon.

Birmingham Home form
DLLDL

AFCB Away form
LWWLW

I mentioned yesterday that I was asked about Tokelo Rantie by a Birmingham fan. In fact, I was asked several questions about the Cherries and if you are travelling to Birmingham to see the game look out at St Andrew's for a copy of the Made in Brum Fanzine that I contributed an article to this week. You'll have to save a few pennies for a copy so make sure you don't spend all your dosh in the pubs before going to the match.

Rival Lines also has an interview with  (Aka  Almajir)of the Often Partisan blog.