Premier League - Countdown: Birmingham City

Eurosport - Mon, 27 Jul 09:25:00 2009

Eurosport-Yahoo! continues its countdown to the Premier League season with a look at newly-promoted Birmingham City.

FOOTBALL England U21 goalkeeper Joe Hart, who will miss the European Championship final against Germany after an appeal against a yellow card that earned him a suspension is rejected by UEFA - 0

Manager: Alex McLeish

Last 10 seasons in the Premier League (1999/2000 to 2008/2009) : -/-/-/13/10/12/18/-/19/-

POSSIBLE STARTING XI (new signings in bold):

Joe Hart

Stephen Carr - Giovanny Espinoza - Roger Johnson - Djimi Traore

James McFadden - Damien Johnson Lee Bowyer Keith Fahey

Christian Benitez - Cameron Jerome

Back-ups from: Maik Taylor, David Murphy, Martin Taylor, Liam Ridgewell, Sebastian Larsson, Garry O'Connor, Kevin Phillips, Gary McSheffrey, Colin Doyle, Jordon Mutch, Franck Queudrue, Stuart Parnaby, Marcus Bent, Lee Carsley, Krystian Pearce, Artur Krysiak, Mitchell McPike, Robin Shroot

POSITIVES: Birmingham's defence was miserly last season, conceding just 37 goals in 48 Championship matches. The Blues have strengthened further with the signings of Giovanny Espinoza from Ecuadorian side Barcelona and the highly-rated Roger Johnson from Cardiff, and the pair could well form their first-choice central unit. They have also got Manchester City's Joe Hart on loan between the sticks. Lee Bowyer's Premier League pedigree in midfield should add some bite and £6.5 million signing Christian Benitez could prove a surprise hit.

NEGATIVES: The Blues struggled to score goals last season and will be up against far tighter defences in the Premier League. If Benitez doesn't fire or gets injured, McLeish will be left to rely on the aging Kevin Philips.

VERDICT: Expect Birmingham to set up defensively for every game and look to hit teams on the break. The Blues will pack midfield and could prove hard to break down, but the real question is whether they have the attacking credentials to put points on the board.

PREDICTED POSITION: 18th

Eurosport

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  1. No.16 has a strong starting XI

    From wevegotelnino, on Tue 4 Aug 10:08AM

  2. HAHA no.16 IF THATS YOUR STARTING 11 YOUR GUNNER BREAK­ SOME RECORDS IN PREM NEXT SEASON LOWEST POINTS LOWEST­ GOALS SCORED MOST GOALS AGAINST CARNT WAIT @#$% ON THE­ DIRTY BRUMMIES

    From markhan1987, on Wed 29 Jul 5:11PM

  3. DO YOU AGREE THAT BRUM IS FULL OF @#$%

    From markhan1987, on Wed 29 Jul 5:06PM

  4. yep i agree with all who have commented pants article!

    From f.russell1, on Tue 28 Jul 10:04PM

  5. Call yourself a journalist? Who is the joker that­ posted this factually incorrect nonsense? It must be a­ mail on sunday football correspondent as I recognise­ the same standard of research, observation and football­ knowledge from their match reports. Can't travel­ north of watford due to nose bleed.

    From kopite, on Tue 28 Jul 4:33PM

  6. Probable starting XI (without injuries)­ 4-5-1
    ---------------------------------Hart------------­ ----------------------
    -----Carr ----- R. Johnson -----­ Espinoza ----- Murphy-----
    Larsson --- Ferguson ---­ Carsley --- Fahey ---­ McFadden
    -------------------------------Benitez­ -------------------------------

    Bench:
    Taylor,­ Quedrue, Dann, D. Johnson, Bowyer, Jerome, Phillips

    From Chris, on Mon 27 Jul 7:06PM

  7. the person who wrotr the article above is proberly the­ same person who does this web page under birmingham­ city, micheal johnson still has problems ( WHO) o yes­ aussie bowler and alsoan article on northants v aus.­ now i know i'm only a yam yam but the blues dont­ play for the ashes. still i suppose he's got to­ fill the page after all its only the blues. KRO

    From nosieblue, on Mon 27 Jul 6:21PM

  8. ferguson returned from injury last season and did not­ impress at ibrox, he looks to have lost a yard or two­ however if he is fully fit BC fans will enjoy his drive­ and determination which are top drawer.

    From MORNA, on Mon 27 Jul 6:11PM
  9. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    1.­ liverpool
    2.chelsea
    3.united
    4.everton
    5.arsenal
    6.man­ city
    7.fulham

    From boydkieran, on Mon 27 Jul 3:45PM

  10. i can't see how ferguson colud start with mcfadden­ and fahey in centre mid

    From SimonO, on Mon 27 Jul 1:48PM

  11. At the top of the page it says rate this article. 0 out­ of 10. Get you facts right. Expert.

    From Steve, on Mon 27 Jul 11:29AM

  12. how can you not mention barry ferguson in the teaM OR­ HAVING SIGNED ,dinlows do your reserch .

    From rory, on Mon 27 Jul 11:13AM

  13. Diabolical article. If you are going to publish at­ least check your facts first. I am not a BC fan at all­ and even i know that Ferguson will be guaranteed a­ start in virtually every BC match this season - McLeish­ knows him VERY well and I bet he is quietly ecstatic­ that he got him. You guys did not even list him above -­ call yourself professionals? It's a joke.

    From garyguly, on Mon 27 Jul 10:33AM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    1.Man Utd
    2.Liverpool
    3.Chelsea
    4.Arsenal
    5.Man­ City
    6.Everton
    7.Aston­ Villa
    8.Tottenham
    9.Fulham
    10.West­ Ham
    11.Wigan
    12.Bolton
    13.Stoke
    14.Blackburn
    15.Sunderl­ and
    16.Birmingham
    17.Portsmouth
    18.Hull
    19.Wolves
    20.Bu­ rnley

    From Adam, on Mon 27 Jul 10:31AM

  15. my team assuming everyone is fit,
    Hart
    Carr, Johnson,­ Dann,­ Queudrue
    Larsson,Carsley,Ferguson,Bowyer,Mcfadden
    Benit­ ez

    From REG, on Mon 27 Jul 10:19AM

  16. I think some of these teams are going to prove their­ critics wrong and stay put in the Premier League season­ again.

    From SP Chu, on Mon 27 Jul 10:05AM

  17. Hey, where can I find the former countdown teams like­ or is this the first team in this article?

    From Petko G, on Mon 27 Jul 9:59AM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    The only thing about this articule that is accurate is­ the league placing.

    From Paul C, on Mon 27 Jul 9:59AM

  19. Whoever wrote this needs to seriously do their­ research.... Djimi Traore was only on loan last season­ and went back to Portsmouth from where he has since­ moved back to France and Robin Shroot joined Burton­ Albion on loan a fortnight ago. And where is Barry­ Ferguson and Scott Dann? As for the rest of the­ selection, it is clearly selected by someone who only­ read about Birmingham City in the newspapers a couple­ of times last season and reluctantly wrote about them­ here. In my opinion, the team that will line up against­ Manchester United will probably be a 4-5-1 formation of­ Joe Hart; Carr, Johnson, Martin Taylor, Queudrue;­ Larsson, Carsley, Bowyer, Ferguson, McFadden; Jerome.

    From dpartridge13, on Mon 27 Jul 9:44AM

  20. you think Burnley will finish 20th & Birmingham­ 18th, I wonder who you are placing i 19th place?????? I­ bet the idea is not very original!!!!

    From Clive H, on Mon 27 Jul 9:43AM
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