BRUM IS BLUE!

Blues are in action again today as we search for three successive victories for the first time this season. The road hasn’t been the best of hunting grounds for Blues this season but the last two performances give me faith that we can take all three points, especially with all the background noise for Middlesbrough.

First and foremost, Blues have shown they are capable of beating Middlesbrough no matter the situation. The last couple of games was no fluke, it wasn’t that our opponents didn’t show up, it was simply that the quality Blues have on paper was displayed in reality, everyone knows we now need to build on this.

Middlesbrough are going the other way after a strong start and are now looking for their first win in three with speculation all but confirmed that manager Rob Edwards will make the step up to the Premier League and attempt to keep the Dingles in the division, in fact I’ve just heard he’s been removed ahead of our game which is even more of a bonus. This distraction, the decline in Middlesbrough’s performances on the pitch and Blues finally clicking suggests to me I can be optimistic that Blues will end Boro’s unbeaten home run.

I expect Davies to once again name an unchanged 11 having found a formula that works along with not incurring any further injuries. It feels an ideal coming of events and if Blues can secure all three points it flies us up the table as well. If all goes our way we could see ourselves in 5th place after the weekend but the more important thing is to get a run going before we go into the break. It’s also probably a reverse of the last international break whereby I think we all were grateful it came, now I’m hoping it doesn’t derail any momentum we’re building.

There is one little shadow over this good spell, it’s not enough to darken the day but more a rogue little one that just besmirches the great day, that little cloud is Kyogo and his goal drought. You do have to feel for the former Celtic front man as he gets into decent space, he has an excellent football IQ but his finishing in front of goal just isn’t there. I do believe it’s confidence thing, he’s hit the net in the cup and had a couple of dubious decisions rule his League goals out. Can today be the day he breaks his duck and bangs his first League goal in? I reckon he’d then push on from there.

Head to head momentum is in Middlesbrough’s favour will be the bogey for us, in the last five fixtures Blues have lost every single one. 2021 was the last time we beat Middlesbrough but Blues edge it in total overall as we have beaten them 47 times compared to their 42, the remaining 36 fixtures have finished all square.

I think we will win, not as emphatically as our last two games but I reckon 2-0!