Kirovski likely to begin this match on the bench at Stamford Bridge against high-flying Chelsea. No guarantees to whether he'll play-- but then again, Jovan's gotten his way onto the pitch for each of Brum's matches for the last month or so... Kickoff's at 8 a.m. PT/11 a.m. ET (and 3 a.m. Melbourne time for me here). Live TV via PPV in the USA, and on Fox Sports 1 here in Australia. Past my bedtime, and no Fox Sports 1 for me-- not yet, wait until after our upcoming move-- so PbP duties are open to anyone who wants to do them. Anyone with webcast info, feel free to post that as well, although I think both clubs have an annual pay-subscription policy for their own webcasts. News update upcoming-- and permitting, since I am at work right now...
* * *I'm William, and this is the news* * * [*]Team news -- sportinglife.com Lists Jovan as merely being in the squad, which is the general rule of thumb being passed around [*]Bruce may be forced to rest Dugarry -- sportinglife.com [*]Match preview & form guides -- Soccernet [*]Bruce forced to spend -- Soccernet [*]Bruce pledges future to Blues -- Soccernet [*]Match preview & OPTA stats -- skysports.com [*]Match preview -- premierleague.com [*]Blues need Taylor's versatility: Bruce -- Yahoo's UK site, via TeamTalk [*]Dunn out of Bridge trip -- Yahoo's UK site, via TeamTalk [*]Boss welcomes Carter choice -- Yahoo's UK site, via TeamTalk [*]Forssell hope loan club beats old club -- Yahoo's UK site, via TeamTalk More to come later, as time and availability permits...
Looks like Jovan's on the sub's bench. Stern John made it in front of him. First time Steve Bruce has done this for a while. I'm watching this one on PPV, and listening to the BCFC (pay) site. Birmingham - from Sporting Life 12. Maik Taylor 2. Jeff Kenna 5. Darren Purse 4. Kenny Cunningham 32. Stephen Clemence 8. Robbie Savage 22. Damien Johnson 10. Bryan Hughes 26. Olivier Tebily 14. Stern John 19. Clinton Morrison SUBS 1. Ian Bennett (GK) 11. Stan Lazaridis {B}15. Jovan Kirovski{\B} 24. Darren Carter 27. Andrew Barrowman Chelsea 23. Carlo Cudicini 2. Glen Johnson 6. Marcel Desailly 13. William Gallas 18. Wayne Bridge 10. Joe Cole 8. Frank Lampard 4. Claude Makelele 30. Jesper Gronkjaer 22. Eidur Gudjohnsen 9. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink SUBS 34. Neil Sullivan (GK) 7. Adrian Mutu 11. Damien Duff 15. Mario Melchiot 29. Robert Huth
i was not surprised to see john come out of the tunnel with the starting XI, but i kinda thought kirovski would make the lineup... clinton morrison sucks
20' bridge picks out jimmy floyd, whose header is a little wide pretty good end to end action so far, match being played at a high level stern john working his a-- off, morrison largely invisible
Joe Cole with the best effort so far, hitting the outside of the post. Birmingham maintaining lots of possession and frustrating the Chelsea fans at least.
42' match pretty settled in now 0-0, play dragging here and there and man is stern john taking a beating out there
cole gets a yellow in extra time for trying to kabob kenna HT brummies badly miss david dunn i think JK should come on just so robbie savage won't fix his hair every time he takes a horrible restart stern john was slow to get up after a collision just before the whistle
Half-time 0-0 Joe Cole with a rash tackle earning himself a yellow just as the half was about to end. Birmingham not doing much with their possession. Chelsea defense playing well, as is the Birmingham defense.