Ryan's Blues Musings

Starting XI Two changes. George Friend and Jobe Bellingham replace Auston Trusty (ill) and George Hall (hamstring). Alfie Chang also misses out. Emmanuel Longelo and Jordan Graham step onto the bench. Game Blues started on the front foot and were excellent for about half hour. We picked the pocket of Millwall twice early on, but Bacuna couldn't find the head of Jutkiewicz before Chong was fouled by Cooper but no free-kick or penalty awarded with the Dutchman through on goal. It was the hosts that had the first big chance Saville shouldering the ball over the bar. Khadra later fired wide of Long's near post. Blues took the lead on 28 minutes. Bellingham, making his second ever league start, played a 1-2 before turning and locating the German, who changed the speed of the attack by seeing off McNamara and bursting into open space. With four Millwall bodies closing in, he slipped Jutkiewicz in behind. The Blues number 10 used his right Boot to round Cooper and Long before an effor...

Starting XI Completely unchanged from the Easter Monday draw against Stoke City. Game Sunderland started the better here, their fluid system catching Blues out, the visitors needing to get their communication right. Diallo cut inside and forced a save and he then found Gooch, who looked to have teed up Pritchard for a tap-in only for Marc Roberts to step across and deny him. Pritchard fired wide after a counter attack. Blues settled down and stemmed Sunderland's flow. Jutkiewicz headed wide before Chong cut inside of his man and forced a sharp reaction stop from Patterson. He was involved again as Blues took the lead, found by Bacuna and teeing up Hall for a simple finish. Jutkiewicz couldn't make the most of a loose ball, firing straight at Patterson before a Neil strike was deflected wide at the other end. Sunderland equalised in first half injury time, Batth making first contact from a corner and the loose ball flicked on by Patrick Roberts to an unmarked Hume. Chong start...

Starting XI Completely unchanged from the victory over Blackburn Rovers. Game A game with a lot of running and very little quality. Reading had the first clean chance of the game and took it, Casadei having acres of space to pick out Joao whose flick was perfect for Carroll to whip the ball beyond Ruddy, who had no chance. Reading had a decent spell for about ten minutes before Blues took control, Bielik seeing an effort from distance saved before the equaliser. Khadra's teasing cross found Jutkiewicz unmarked and his header was a bullet into the top corner. That was it for the first half and the second brought little in the way of consistent, attacking intent. Two long throws caused problems, Sarr blazing over before Hendrick couldn't connect to a loose touch. At the other end, Jutkiewicz couldn't quite connect to Bielik's back stick cross. The best move of the half involved Jutkiewicz, whose lay off for Hall allowed the teenager to drive beyond Holmes and Sarr befor...

Line-ups One change. Alfie Chang replaces Juninho Bacuna, who is benched having returned from international duty on Friday. Harlee Dean and Jobe Bellingham return to the squad after injury. Emmanuel Longelo and Jordan Graham are out. Game This turned into an open affair quite quickly with Blackburn dominating the ball and Blues looking to break quick in transition. The visitors had the early running but only had a couple of set-pieces and a tame Sam Gallagher header to show for it. George Hall sprung to life for the first big action point, beating three players over 60 yards before finding Tahith Chong, who teed up Lukas Jutkiewicz for a cross that his a defender, post and goalkreper but stayed out. Chong and Jutkiewicz linked up again shortly after, the former firing wide when he ought to have hit the target. Gallagher headed over a near post corner. Later, a free-flowing move set Ryan Hedges away but he fluffed the final decision. At the other end, Jutkiewicz came close twice, first...