Bowyer absence sets Birmingham City boss McLeish midfield poser
May 1 2009 by Andy Walker, Birmingham Post
Alex McLeish has spent the week deliberating over arguably the most important starting XI of his 17-month reign as Birmingham City manager.
It will be those 11 names that will be shouldered with the responsibility of coming out on top of Sunday’s make-or-break match-up with Reading at the Madejski Stadium – players who will be handed the responsibility of one final push for automatic promotion to the Premier League.
Obviously some places aren’t open for debate; goalkeeper Maik Taylor and right-back Stephen Carr for their reliability; defensive duo Radhi Jaidi and Djimi Traore due to a lack of options at the back.
Player-of-the-season Franck Queudrue and Sebastian Larsson would be on that list but both have niggling injury worries. Defender Queudrue has a groin strain, fast becoming a familiar problem for the Frenchman, while right-winger Larsson is still a doubt with the troublesome shoulder injury that forced him out of the final 36 minutes of last Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Preston North End. However, both are only slight doubts and should be fit for the important match in Berkshire.
It is further upfield where the real selection headaches lie for McLeish.
With the loss of his driving force Lee Bowyer to suspension, McLeish must decide whether he goes for the cautious yet solid central midfield pairing of Damien Johnson and Lee Carsley or something more creative and adventurous.
One option is to bring Keith Fahey, naturally a central midfielder, inside to partner either Johnson or Carsley and introduce James McFadden to the left flank.
In attack, the Birmingham manager may opt for Cameron Jerome and Kevin Phillips, a pairing that has been used as more of a ‘super sub’ combination in recent weeks with mixed results.
