Monk confident Birmingham will get their first win sooner rather than later
Posted Thursday, September 20, 2018 by PA
Garry Monk insists it is only a matter of time until Birmingham’s luck changes after a goalless draw at Sheffield United extended their winless start in the Sky Bet Championship to eight games.
Substitute Omar Bogle fired over from two yards out, Connor Mahoney spurned a one-on-one with Dean Henderson and the Blues hit the post twice as they created the better openings at Bramall Lane.
And Monk believes his side will soon start turning draws into wins after picking up a point for the sixth time this season.
“We knew it was going to be a really tough game for us,” he said.
“I thought it was a very good away performance – first half we were very solid, then second half I thought we really stepped it up and were the most dangerous team on the pitch.
“If anyone was going to win that game it was us.
“Everyone wants to say it’s a winless run which we understand – anyone that’s seen us this season we’ve deserved a lot more than what we’ve got.
“We get asked if it’s affecting us but you can see again tonight that it’s not.
“The six draws that we’ve had, five of them we would have been deserved winners.
“We work since day one on finishing and the technical side of it, but I also feel we’ve been extremely unlucky. That luck has not turned for us.
“Do we think we can turn the corner on that? I think that’s clear from our performances.”
Lukas Jutkiewicz came closest to opening the scoring in a drab first half when he cut in from the right and drilled a 20-yard effort against Henderson’s near post in the 35th minute.
Birmingham should have nabbed a winner with 10 minutes remaining but substitute Bogle somehow bundled over Jutkiewicz’s cross from close range.
Four minutes later Gary Gardner curled a free-kick against the post with Henderson beaten, and Jutkiewicz shot straight at the keeper moments later when well placed.
Substitute Mahoney then saw his effort turned behind by Henderson after he was sent clean through with three minutes remaining as the Blades managed to hang on.
United manager Chris Wilder plans to raise fixture concerns with the English Football League after his side had a day less to prepare than their opponents, who played on Friday night.
And Wilder revealed that the swift turnaround was behind his decision to make five changes from the side that lost 1-0 to Bristol City on Saturday.
“Not a free-flowing performance,” he said. “I felt we had to because of the schedule.
“I could have changed it for Saturday but I went for tonight so maybe I’ll take a little bit of the blame.
“There’s an EFL meeting tomorrow so I think our club will raise the issue. I don’t know if we’ll get an answer but we’ll put a letter in.”
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