Birmingham City player ratings as several disappoint in Blackpool bore draw
Birmingham City ended 2024 as they ended 2023 – with a bore 0-0 draw at St Andrew’s – but they are top of League One going into the New Year.
Blackpool had the better chances in a game where Blues didn’t threaten the goal until the closing stages. Blues remain top of League One after Wycombe’s defeat at Charlton earlier in the day.
Blackpool’s top scorer Kyle Joseph had the first chance of the afternoon after drifting in behind Blues’ defence to collect a pass. A combination of Ryan Allsop and Lee Buchanan thwarted Joseph but it came at a cost for Blues.
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Buchanan stayed down inside the six-yard box with what appeared to be a knee injury and required lengthy treatment before leaving the field on a stretcher. The defender has only recently returned from five months out injured and could now be set for another spell on the sidelines.
The game quickly became an end-to-end contest with both teams landing punches. Emil Hansson combined superbly with Paik Seung-ho before arrowing a shot towards the bottom corner from 20 yards that was superbly saved by Blackpool stopper Harry Tryer.
Ryan Allsop topped Tyrer’s save within 60 seconds to deny Ashley Fletcher. Fletcher won a tussle with Krystian Bielik to reach a long ball but his powerful strike was tipped over by Allsop.
Chris Davies was forced into a second change shortly before half-time after Hansson went down off the ball. Luke Harris got the call instead of Jay Stansfield and Ayumu Yokoyama.
Stansfield only had to wait until half-time. Davies introduced Blues’ top scorer in place of the ineffective Lyndon Dykes.
Marc Leonard and Ben Davies weren’t far behind as Chris Davies used all five of his substitutes before the 58th minute. Another chance for Joseph which resulted in the Blackpool striker hitting the foot of the post prompted the decisive move for the Blues manager.
Blues needed another 30 minutes to open Blackpool up. Stansfield was found by Willum Willumsson’s pull-back and his deflected shot was heading in before a recovering Blackpool defender cleared off the goal-line.
There was still time for one more chance for Willumsson. Paik’s cross from the left found the 6ft 4in Icelandic at the far post but his header was weak and off target.
Ryan Allsop 7
Allsop bailed Blues out with a couple of good saves from Joseph and Fletcher. This was a rare game where Allsop was just as busy as his opposing number so he will be delighted with another clean sheet.
Taylor Gardner-Hickman 5.5
Supporters were pleased to see Gardner-Hickman given another chance in the line-up but the utility man wasn’t as effective as he has been previously. Gardner-Hickman’s deliveries from out wide weren’t his best.
Christoph Klarer 6
Klarer’s return to the XI wasn’t as smooth as he would have liked. Blackpool’s front two caused him plenty of problems and the fact he didn’t see out the game was telling.
Krystian Bielik 6.5
The Blues skipper was strong in the air and good enough in possession, but Blackpool’s strikers had some joy running in behind him.
Lee Buchanan N/A
Buchanan’s game only lasted a few minutes due to a worrying injury but he did make one vital contribution to prevent Joseph scoring for the visitors. Hopefully Buchanan’s injury isn’t as serious as it looked.
Tomoki Iwata 6.5
Iwata came through another 90 minutes and battled well against Blackpool’s midfielders. Iwata tried to drive Blues on in the closing stages and retrieved the ball well to set Willumsson away to create a chance for Stansfield.
Paik Seung-ho 6.5
Paik wasn’t at his best but he did get some vital challenges in and battled on from cramp after Blues had used all their substitutes. The South Korean set up Blues’ best chance of the first half for Hansson and their best of the second for Willumsson.
Willum Willumsson 5
There were moments of quality, such as a chest down that teed up a chance for Stansfield late on, but Willumsson has been on the fringes in recent weeks. Willumsson needs runners in behind and Blues didn’t have that against Blackpool. He should have done much better with a header in stoppage time.
Emil Hansson 6
Hansson had Blues’ best moment of the first half before succumbing to another injury. Hopefully it isn’t another two months before we see the Swedish winger again.
Alfie May 5
May’s touch was poor on a couple of occasions. It let him down as he attempted to bring down a lovely long pass from Klarer at the end of the first half and a good chance went begging.
Lyndon Dykes 5
The Scotland international couldn’t impose himself on the game and didn’t appear to be on the same wavelength as May and Willumsson. It was no surprise to see him replaced by Stansfield at half-time.
SUBS
Ethan Laird (for Buchanan, 9) 6
Laird played well enough at left-back but the second half was crying out for him to get forward more. It wasn’t until the final 10 minutes that Laird ventured into Blackpool’s defensive third.
Luke Harris (for Hansson, 45) 5.5
Harris wasn't able to make an impact after being asked to stay wide on the left. Blues were crying out for some natural width in the second half but that isn't Harris' game.
Jay Stansfield (for Dykes, 46) 6
Stansfield tried to make something happen for Blues but he was well marshalled by Blackpool's impressive centre-backs. The striker had one sniff of goal in a frustrating cameo off the bench.
Ben Davies (for Klarer, 58) 6
Blues looked more solid at the back with Davies on the pitch and the centre-back had a sight of goal. If only he was an inch or two taller he might have connected with Leonard's cross.
Marc Leonard (for May, 58) 6
Leonard delivered one excellent free-kick that Davies couldn’t quite connect with and gave Blues more poise in possession. Playing Leonard as a number 10 is now a useful option.
Not used: Peacock-Farrell, Yokoyama
Attendance: 27,340
