Slowly, but surely

Blues win over Blackburn Rovers was welcome, vital and a signpost.
It eased the concern about being dragged into what seems like a perennial Championship relegation battle – although by no means are Blues out of the woods – and ensured an upbeat atmosphere for Saturday’s eagerly-anticipated visit of Sunderland at a packed out ground.
It was just reward for the way Blues performed, as Andre Dozzell’s 77th minute goal came as a blessed relief for the missed opportunities that went before.
And it was done in an easy-on-the-eye manner. Whilst Rovers seemed somewhat stilted, nonetheless that was because of Blues display, which combined a considered, passing intent with a tighter oomph defensively.
That Blues had totted up a zillion shots, no goals and three defeats in their previous matches was worrying.
Tony Mowbray told us not to sweat it and that there would be adjustments. And there were.
Still, the game did show us a bottom line of how he wants his teams to play.
There was the impressive Paik Seung-ho, on his starting debut, who was given a standing ovation when he came off, and Dozzell, as the two in a 4-2-3-1.
That compared to previous incarnations this season containing Krystian Bielik and Ivan Sunjic as more traditional holders.
Both of the former were happy to take the ball and wanted to take the ball, and move it forward to build the attacking patterns.
It was a shame that Tyler Roberts didn’t finish off that move in the 18th minute, when the kind of intricate football that gets you purring enabled him clear. That is what Mowbray’s philosophy is about.
He might want his team to be pretty – but not pretty vacant.
Siriki Dembele, Juninho Bacuna and Lee Buchanan were axed, all the kind of forward-thinking players he covets. But not at the cost of doing the defensive side of things.
Under Mowbray possession is up, the type of chances created and shots at goal – all up.
It remains an ongoing process as, ultimately, Blues still need to get results like they did on Tuesday.
Mowbray has chopped and changed, as Wayne Rooney did. He made seven alterations for the Rovers game, which brought him his first home win in the Championship.
Whilst the general shape of the side has been constant, Mowbray has selected six different centre-half pairings in his first seven games and sent Bielik back to the future into defence, where he began his career.
Mowbray has spoken about the frailties of the squad, what he expects from players, as Rooney did.
But not in as blunt a way as Rooney.
Perhaps Blues have got the right man to alter the style of play in a roundabout way. The owners didn’t want John Eustace to be that man; they felt Rooney was and that did not turn out as expected.
Enter the experienced, avuncular Mowbray, who is more velvet glove with that hint of steel than Rooney’s forthright iron fist in approach – even though Mowbray wants what Rooney wanted, in terms of outcome.
I have written before that Mowbray is a football romantic. He loves ‘technicians’ (another of his West Bromwich Albion-era phrases I recall was him describing one player as a ‘curio talent’).
But there is a pragmatic edge to him, as well. If you saw him play as an uncompromising, nuts and bolts centre-half, that should not be a surprise.
His assistant and fellow centre-half, Mark Venus, wasn’t a Rio Ferdinand or Virgil van Dijk type, either. I saw a lot of his games when covering Wolverhampton Wanderers early in my working life for the Birmingham Mail where he struck you as a shrewd, consistent and underrated leftie.
Both perhaps had to do extra than their more gifted contemporaries and that did not stop them having very good playing careers.
Mowbray, and Venus, want those talented, blessed performers to work as hard if not harder than the rest, run as hard it not harder than the rest. And he is not happy if they abdicate their defensive duties, in the overall structure.
That balance between soldiers and artists.
Look at this Mowbray quote when at Albion, from May, 2007. It is similar to the comment he made in the wake of the Sheffield Wednesday defeat.
‘Teams are made of soldiers and artists and you need to get the balance right and that’s something we didn’t have right last season.
‘The warrior is just as important as the artist. We all saw it – supporters see a talented player beat three men and smash it into the top corner and become heroes – which is great because I love technical talented footballers – but I also need to try and build a team that will win week in, week out.’
Ideally, Mowbray wants a player to be both or at least have a bit of both, which is footballing utopia and only usually found at the top echelons of the sport. A Bryan Robson, a Roy Keane, a Steven Gerrard, an Ashley Cole, Alan Shearer or Vincent Kompany.
Blues are not at that level, but they are aiming that high. As a team, as a club, as an organisation.
One of the sub-plots from Tuesday’s victory over Rovers was the return of John Eustace.
I found this story from Alex Dicken quite remarkable.
https://twitter.com/alexedicken/status/1757668496756850899
Strangely enough, after a post-match pint in Bar 8 whilst killing time before my train, I spotted three people peering through the door to the press room in the Main Stand and thought it a bit odd. I wondered if maybe they wanted to try and nick a programme or team sheet. Or even the Beau Brummie costume . . .
But no, they had hung around until 10.30pm to burst in and say their piece.
Whilst everyone is entitled to their view and responsible for their own actions, can we just move on?
A group of fans in the lower Gil Merrick burst into a chorus of  ‘There’s only one John Eustace’ as he walked off the pitch towards the tunnel, on the final whistle.
I have nothing against Eustace and I have found him an amiable, decent guy who did a good job for Blues. I get why some people felt aggrieved by the way he was replaced.
But it’s football. It’s life. He is at fresh pastures, with his reputation intact.
Sometimes I feel some people are more comfortable lamenting what was and might have been through rosy-tinted specs rather than getting behind the here and now and embracing the possibilities of the future.
Support Mowbray, the current players, this ownership. Hold them to account when necessary, of course. But create that alliance. Stronger together and all that, rather than internecine point-scoring.
Blues went through a stage of going out their way to ‘please give a warm welcome on their St. Andrew’s return to player X’ via the PA when the teams were announced.
I once told the club’s excellent PA announcer Rich Goulding to stop doing it. It was happening every other week as so many players had been through the Blues revolving door. If fans wanted to clap, say, Tyler Blackett, when his name was read out in normal fashion, then fair enough. But what about the current players? Make a fuss out of your own, don’t big up someone – everyone – who has moved on and is trying to beat you. Check out what Ethan Laird says on the subject here.
Fortress St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park, or roll out the red carpet and roll over? It really used to boil my you-know-what.

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