Steve Evans lays ‘a touch of toffee’, but Rotherham United are devoured: the last word on the Millers’ League One home defeat to Birmingham City.
Cinnamon, an escaped capybara, was apprehended after nearly a week on the run in the Midlands, but halting Birmingham City will be a very other story.
In a week that saw the Brady bunch outclass Wrexham, the only side showing signs of keeping pace with them – for the time being – and Rotherham United, the team everyone is talking about appear firmly in the mood for more fun and adventure at League One’s expense.
Birmingham’s symphony orchestra sang ‘We’re going win the league’ barely 17 minutes in, enjoying themselves and relishing in the weather in the away end following an immaculate Tomoki Iwata opening. It may be September, but it is not arrogant.
Steve Evans prepared by ‘laying a touch of toffee’, as Liverpool hero Bob Paisley used to say. Specifically, praising an opponent in the hopes of inflating their self-esteem and encouraging a sense of complacency.
In fact, there was enough toffee to keep Cadbury’s, another Birmingham institution, busy in Bournville.
Evans ranked Blues as the finest third-tier side he had ever seen, comparing them to ‘Galacticos’ and ‘Real Birmingham’, and predicted that they would score a century of points.
After Saturday’s events, Evans’ effusive remarks appeared to be spot on. Unfortunately for him, none of the Blues players who decided to read his comments shown any arrogance.
After the game, he stated, “We were thoroughly trounced. They are a £25 million team with salaries to match. But I am not going in here to make excuses.
“Games versus Birmingham will not determine our season. I remarked on Monday that they are a squad capable of scoring 100 points. That was further approved. We’ve learnt many lessons.”
Given the weapons at their disposal, defeat to a Blues side that appears to be ‘on loan’ in League One for the season was maybe unsurprising.
The Millers failed to dominate their opponents, who lacked Krystian Bielik’s defensive leadership, which was disappointing and concerning.
They merely got in the tourists’ faces and interrupted them early on. It did not last. The elegant Iwata quickly settled in and was leading the game by the halfway mark of the first half, while wingers Willum Willumsson and Emil Hansson appeared all over the place.
To be honest, Rotherham was unable to approach them. Birmingham’s football was of the digital era, whereas the Millers were trapped in analogue.
It was difficult to play at the back, and the Millers were also intimidated in midfield, missing Liam Kelly’s leadership, nous, and grace.
Further forward, the hosts’ front three scarcely received a kick, and Rotherham’s lone shot on goal whole game was a glancing header from Jamie McCart.
They merely got in the tourists’ faces and interrupted them early on. It did not last. The elegant Iwata quickly settled in and was leading the game by the halfway mark of the first half, while wingers Willum Willumsson and Emil Hansson appeared all over the place.
To be honest, Rotherham was unable to approach them. Birmingham’s football was of the digital era, whereas the Millers were trapped in analogue.
It was difficult to play at the back, and the Millers were also intimidated in midfield, missing Liam Kelly’s leadership, nous, and grace.
Further forward, the hosts’ front three scarcely received a kick, and Rotherham’s lone shot on goal whole game was a glancing header from Jamie McCart.
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