Dean is captain marvel
AITOR KARANKA was delighted with the way his reshaped Birmingham team responded to criticism.
The Blues boss described the performance in a 2-1 home defeat by Barnsley last time out as the worst since he took charge.
He responded by making five changes, switching to a 4-2-3-1 formation, and saw skipper Harlee Dean (above) reward an excellent second-half display by heading home Jeremie Bela’s 80th-minute corner.
Karanka said: “This performance was so different to the other night. The character and the spirit of the team was so much better.
“We had a team meeting on Friday and what I stressed most was that we have a good group of players, if they believe in themselves and have the confidence to express themselves on the pitch.
“That was the case today. The formation is how I want us to play and when you win you are always pleased with the changes you make.
“Now I expect that attitude and character in every game.”
After a dull first half in which Birmingham’s Neil Etheridge made the only save of note to keep out Callum O’Dowda, the contest sprang to life.
Bristol City skipper Tomas Kalas had a shot cleared off the line by Maxime Colin and at the other end looked lucky not to concede a penalty for blocking a shot with an outstretched arm.
Birmingham then raised the tempo, with Ivan Sanchez striking a post and Ivan Sunjic forcing a stunning save from Dan Bentley with a curler from outside the box.
And it was no more than the visitors deserved when Dean powered home Bela’s corner and City chief Dean Holden had no complaints.
“There is so little between the teams in the Championship,” he said. “We came out on the right side of a close game at Queens Park Rangers in midweek.
“We couldn’t quite get our final pass right and the first goal was always going to be crucial.
“We have another home game against Blackburn on Wednesday and need to work on defending set-pieces.” 3 ........ Shots on Target .........3 3 ........ Shots off Target .........6 4 ................Corners .................6 6 .................. Fouls ................. 20 0 ............... Offsides ..................1 71.2.. Passing Success % .68.2 410 ....... Total Passes ........406 50.5 .... Possession % ..... 49.5 48.2 .Territorial Adv % ... 51.8
Bentley 8; Mariappa 6 (Hunt 78), Vyner 6, Kalas 7, Rowe 6 (Dasilva 87); Nagy 7 (Bell 87), Brunt 6 (Bakinson 64, 6); Wells 5, O’Dowda 6; Semenyo 6; Martin 6 (Diedhiou 78). O’Leary, Moore, Edwards, Massengo.
Etheridge 6; Colin 7, Roberts 7, Dean 8, Friend 7; Sunjic 7, Kieftenbeld 7; Sanchez 7, Toral 6 (Halilovic 71, 7), Bela 7; Hogan 6 (Jutkiewicz 82).
Prieto, Pedersen, Leko, Clarke-Salter, San Jose, Gardner, Dacres-Cogley.
Harlee Dean. The Birmingham skipper defended solidly and