Speaking to mcfc.co.uk, Manager Stuart Pearce gives his thoughts on the trip to the Midlands, and what City can expect from a Steve Bruce team.
After last week’s frustration at not being able to break West Brom down, Pearce hinted at a patient approach from his players tomorrow:
“We approach home games and away games slightly differently, there’s no doubt about that, I think you have to. At home you have to set a tempo, you have to get the crowd on-side, and you have to try and break the opposition down.
“When you’re away from home, that’s not always the criteria, you can be a touch more patient. There’s no need to be so gung-ho and hopefully our two forwards might find a touch more room on Saturday rather than they did last week when West Brom were camped in with two banks of four.”
With it being the Blues’ first away trip this term, the boss was asked if an opening day draw would affect his plans ahead of the game, he said:”Certainly in my mind I’m disappointed we’ve not won that first game, if you win that the pressure gets lifted slightly, if it can do.
“I think you have to be strong defensively. We’ve set ourselves internally goals for what we think will take us to a league position that we’re hoping to attain. So the more clean sheets you keep the more chance you have of winning the game.”
Tomorrow sees Pearce face his second English manager in a week, in the shape of Steve Bruce and his men, after pitting his wits against Bryan Robson. So does he know what City can expect Bruce’s side?
The Manager said: “I know his team will be very well prepared, they’ll be hard working, and possibly a mirror image of our side in some ways. I think Steve’s a good manager, he’s made a great name for himself in the game, and he’s a man I quite like.”
Birmingham opened last week with a 0-0 draw away to Fulham and yesterday sold striker Clinton Morrison to Norwich for £2m.
