Finally, Corberan goes to Plan B!

GIVEN that Coventry and Derby both lost and that Tuesday’s 1-1 draw keeps Birmingham below Huddersfield Town in the table, things could have been much worse.

With 12 games still to go, the Terriers remain in charge of their own fate, and that may very well have not been the case had they lost. That’s something to hold onto at least.

In light of that fact, perhaps notable than the result of this drearily forgettable game at the John Smith’s Stadium was that Carlos Corberan put on the greatest show of willingness to adjust his principles that we have yet seen from him - and he admitted we could expect to see more of this more direct style.

First and foremost it must be said it’s good to see Town finally try something different.

Corberan stuck with his tried and tested approach against Preston, and apparently needed that game as a reminded that his side has largely been absolute muck recently.

If he had stuck with that gameplan once again against Birmingham and still claimed a 1-1 draw, our concerns would be that much more serious.

But at least this was some acknowledgement that things have not been working and they are not going to turn their season back around by repeating the same old mistakes.

It was not pretty to watch – in fact, this was one of the lowest quality games of football you are ever likely to see at this level. These were two poor sides going head-tohead and both playing desperately poor football.

The second half was some improvement, but not much, and we doubt anyone could mount a strong argument that a draw was not the right result.

Corberan’s word of the day after the game was ‘comfortable’ – that he wanted his side to play a style they were comfortable playing, and that means not playing out from the back quite so much but instead putting balls into the corner for their quicker and more skilful or determined players to chase: Isaac Mbenza, Juninho Bacuna, Pipa, Duane Holmes.

That had mixed success, but it’s fair to say the right flank did better than the initial left-sided pairing of Pipa and Isaac Mbenza.

Mbenza was withdrawn early in the second half having had little impact and Pipa was pretty poor from start to finish.

The positive here – and results elsewhere allow us to look for them rather than once again pointing out Town’s miserable position – is