Everyone Left Amazed About The “Terrible” Reaction Of Jay Stansfield After Full Time Play, Coach Smiles

Birmingham City are out of the EFL Cup after Premier League Fulham emerged victorious in the second round tie at St Andrew’s on Tuesday night – the Cottagers won 2-0, with both goals coming in the opening quarter of an hour thanks to Raul Jimenez and, of course, Blues’ player of the year and top goalscorer last year Jay Stansfield.

Jimenez converted a questionable penalty after just ten minutes after referee Keith Stroud adjudged Alex Cochrane of handball as he blocked Tom Cairney’s drive from the edge of the penalty area. Blues’ entire defence were then caught napping as Stansfield strolled through to seize upon Joachim Andersen’s long pass and finish beyond Ryan Allsop.

Blues, who won this competition in 2011, exit at the second round and now return to League One duties when they host Wigan Athletic on Saturday. Here are the talking points and the final words from Tuesday night.

Stansfield’s respect

It was inevitable, was it not, that Stansfield would score. There wasn’t much time between Blues becoming accustomed to trailing in the game that one long ball caught the entire defence out to give Stansfield the freedom of the final third. Granted, Christoph Klarer wasn’t here last season, but the hearts of Krystian Bielik and Ethan Laird would’ve sunk as Stansfield bore down on goal.

The modern trend is that a player scoring against their old club – a loan club or otherwise – refuses to celebrate their goal. It can often be a bugbear for some, especially when the player scores against a club that they achieved so little for, but in the case of Stansfield you know that the respect for Blues runs deep, as he fought back tears having conducted a clean sweep of the awards last spring.

At full time, he swapped shirts with Laird in the centre circle, as Blues headed for the Tilton and Fulham for their congregating fans in Gil Merrick, and held a brief conversation with Blues – and England – coach Ashley Cole, who he’s worked with in the 21s before now. Stansfield, prior to collecting his man of the match, applauded the Kop on his way off towards the tunnel. There mightn’t be a return, but the respect remains high.

Bit more bite

Chris Davies might’ve been coy about it after the game when asked to comment, but Lyndon Dykes was in attendance on Tuesday. A photo of himself posing with a young Blues fan circulated on social media as the Scotland international watched his soon-to-be teammates in action.

Dykes, if rumours are to be believed, will become the highest paid player in League One upon joining Blues, who will have had to see off competition from a clutch of Championship clubs to lure him to St Andrew’s and, even if hopefully only temporarily, League One football.

Alfie May worked tirelessly here for his part and we are already well versed in what he can do with the ball at his feet in the penalty area, but Blues – who have created competition across the squad this summer in almost every position – do require a further addition in the final third, something different to what they already possess. Dykes would appear to tick that box

Midfield moments

The best two performing players in a Blues shirt on the night were, for me, the midfield pairing of Paik Seung-ho and Marc Leonard. Taylor Gardner-Hickman, tasked with increasing the competition for places in the middle of the park, was cup tied but in attendance here and watched on as his midfield counterparts impressed.

On this basis, he has his work cut out getting into the side, for Leonard and Paik – in the face of the classy Premier League opposition of Tom Cairney, Harrison Reed and Sander Berge – really caught the eye. We know well of Paik’s ball-playing abilities, and his dink to create Keshi Anderson’s chance was divine. He looked comfortable in the company he kept.

Leonard, meanwhile, was arguably more impressive. Paik is an international footballer after all, and Blues remain lucky to have him, but for Leonard this was a new challenge in which he proved he could cut it against quality opponents. Leonard kept things simple, completed almost all of his passes, won his battles and offered bite. This was a really pleasing showing.

It’s so early into the Davies reign, but the intention to tackle their top flight visitors head on was apparent as early as 7pm when the team sheets were released. Fulham made 11 changes but still named a side of talent and experience, but Davies decided to stick rather than twist.

It gave his League One hardening side an opportunity to test themselves against a calibre of team they’re not likely to come up against all too often this season, and just in the embryonic stages of Davies rolling out his philosophy, too. It was pleasing to see a strong side sent out who, despite the score-line, did not disgrace themselves at all.

“This is an important competition, a major trophy the club has won twice and it was the team I felt we needed to play,” Davies reasoned. “It’s the next game, that’s the most important one. Credit to those who were picked and I thought the players who came on did very well.”