00:01The transformation of Birmingham City over the last few seasons is nothing short of a blue rising.
00:06Since the 2023 takeover from Tom Wagner's Knights Head Capital and the high-profile
00:11involvement of Tom Brady, the club has transformed into a side-meared in stagnation
00:16to an ambitious outfit defined by technical dominance and elite infrastructure.
00:23After a record-breaking League One campaign that saw them storm back into the Championship,
00:27the Blues are no longer just making up the numbers.
00:30This shift in status was evident in their recent FA Cup fourth-round clash against Premier League side Leeds United.
00:38Though the journey ended in heartbreak of a 4-2 penalty shootout defeat, the performance told a different story.
00:46Players should be proud of themselves, the team.
00:48They gave a lot, every single one of them, to a man I thought could hold their heads up high.
00:55I think if we'd have scored that goal in the last minute of the game to win 2-1,
00:59there'd have been no complaints from anyone and that says it all really.
01:02But go to extra time and it's both teams digging in, some tired bodies out there and then obviously penalties.
01:08You've got to go for it as best you can and it wasn't to be.
01:12Clearances, you know, we've had a few games like that, but this one in particular against a good quality team,
01:17I thought we really showed what we're capable of.
01:18We were quick into the game, aggressive, tenacious, we were fluid with the ball, moved it well, caused them problems.
01:27We played through their press, over their press, set pieces, dangerous.
01:31I liked everything about us in the first half, gave nothing away and we looked really strong.
01:37You know, we should have been a couple of goals to the good.
01:39We conceded a really sloppy goal in the second half.
01:41They changed their shape to sort of try, I presume, to try to fix something that we were doing in
01:47there,
01:47but it didn't change too much.
01:49But the goal we conceded from our own goal kick basically was a sloppy goal.
01:54As the dust settles on the cup run, Chris Davies' side is 11th in the championship,
01:59firmly in the hunt for a play-off spot.
02:01To secure a strong finish and perhaps a second consecutive promotion,
02:05the Blues must find consistency on the road where their form has occasionally flickered.
02:10You know, reception they gave the players who missed the penalties as well.
02:14They were sort of applauding the players that missed the penalties and that says a lot.
02:18That does say a lot about a club and a fan base to do that sort of thing.
02:22You don't see it very often.
02:23And I thought that was a really nice touch, actually.
02:26And you see after the game the appreciation they have because they know what you want as a football fan
02:30is that the team's going to fight, give everything to all they have,
02:34give everything they have for your club.
02:37And the players did that today.
02:40With Jay Stansfield continuing to lead the line and additions like Patrick Roberts providing spark,
02:45the objective for the final months is clear.
02:47Clinical finishing, if they can turn dominant possession on into more frequent wins,
02:52the Premier League won't just be an FA Cup dream, it will be their next destination.
02:57The Leighton on the Reaction.
02:59The Leighton on the Reaction with Dweckers
03:00The Leighton on the Reaction with Dweckers
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