JOTA BE PERFECT Monk’s game plan for star works a treat
BIRMINGHAM 2 NOTTINGHAM FOREST 0
BIRMINGHAM celebrated the Chinese Year of the Pig with a dancing dragon and music.
For Martin O’Neill, though, it was just a pig of a day.
Not clever for Roy Keane, either, watching his first game as Forest No 2.
O’Neill (inset, with Blues boss Garry Monk) had not lost to Birmingham, in any competition, for nearly 25 years.
But Forest were rarely in this one.
Monk pulled off a masterstroke by switching playmaker Jota to a more forward, central role behind twin strikers Che Adams (right) and Lukas Jutkiewicz.
“I felt Forest might set up in a way where we could try and affect them by using Jota in that position,” said
Monk.
“That’s exactly what he did. We worked on Jota in that role since
Tuesday and the lads delivered with a strong performance, the perfect performance.” Forest were flummoxed. Jota’s goal in the 13th minute – his first since September – was beautiful.
Gary Gardner and Jutkiewicz set it up, with the latter glancing in a header for Jota to control, beat his man superbly with a flick and then drive in his shot.
“Fantastic goal, cracking goal”, was Monk’s judgement. Jota could have had another in the second half. But, free of everybody as the B Blues hit Forest a at pace yet a again, he fired h his 62nd-minute shot straight at F Forest keeper Cos te l Pantilimon.
It wasn’t until added time that Birmingham got their deserved second goal.
Yohan Benalouane was sent off for handling
Gardne r ’ s header from a corner and, before r egular spot- kick man Gardner could claim it, Adams took over and put away his 16th of the season. It was Adams’ fifth successive league goal – a roaring run that brought £ 10mil lion bids from Southampton and Burnley in the transfer window.
“Adams has not been affected by it,” added Monk.
“He is maturing as a person, both on and off the pitch, and I have been very open with him about what has been happening.”
Leo Bonatini’s wide volley was as close as Forest got to saving the game.
The last time O’Neill lost to Blues was when he was Norwich boss in the summer of 1995. And two defeats in his first three games is not
good enough.