Alex McLeish made just one change to the side that had lost at Manchester City, with Joe Hart understandably returning ahead of Maik Taylor. What was less understandable, however, is why other changes weren't made to the starting eleven. McLeish had hinted that he'd make other changes, but they didn't materialise.
Before this game, Blues hadn't won in six games (which is up to seven now). Yes, some of those were tricky games, but at the same time, failing to win for six games is probably a fairly decent indication that it's at least time to start considering freshening things up a little bit.
In recent games, Blues have really lacked width. Craig Gardner isn't a natural wide player and nor is Keith Fahey. They can both do a job on the flank, but they both naturally drift inside. If you play one of them, on the other flank you need to have someone who keeps a bit more width, but by playing both of them you completely narrow your midfield.
Add to that the fact that, well, neither of them have really been in startling form either. Lee Bowyer too has struggled of late. With Michel and Seb Larsson on the bench, there were options available to McLeish to help freshen things up. Of course there was Christian Benitez too, who may have allowed you to switch James McFadden into a wide left role. None of it happened though, and Blues' current side who've been struggling for form struggled again. To be honest, it was baffling.
The result was, as I've said, that Blues toiled. Bowyer is beginning to struggle now. Barry Ferguson was far from his best. Cameron Jerome was wasteful with possession. Despite promises that Blues wouldn't take their eye off the ball as the season draws to a close, well, they appeared to take their eye off the ball.
I can't really say a great deal about the match, as it was that bad. It was just a bit of a non-event, with neither team doing enough to win. Given Hull's predicament though, and their current form (seven defeats in their last eight before this), it was incredibly frustrating that Blues just let this game get away from them and drift in to nothingness.
Even the substitutions made little sense. Kevin Phillips was brought on for James McFadden. Now, Phillips is a decent substitute if you're creating chances and need someone to convert one or two. Blues weren't though. Phillips is not a good substitute if you're hoping that he'll create something out of nothing though, which is what Blues needed. He's not capable of doing that. McFadden had, at times, been frustrating, but he'd generally played quite well. Replacing him with Phillips actually made Blues even less effective.
The other substitution that was made by McLeish was Larsson coming on for Fahey which meant Gardner went wide left. As above, Gardner's struggled a little wide on the right as it's not his natural position. Wide left is even worse. Again, it was a strange change to make. Larsson was fairly ineffective too.
And then, warming up but not being used, were Michel and Benitez. That Benitez didn't start the game was bizarre. That he wasn't brought on as a substitute was ridiculous. Even in his few minutes at Eastlands last week, Benitez showed that little bit of unpredictability that makes him a threat. We've seen it all season, and yes, we all know he hasn't got the goals that everyone would have liked, but he's still been a key player. His contribution to THAT run earlier this season is sometimes overlooked. Not involving him at all now smacks of stubbornness from McLeish. If you're not going to use him when you're chasing the game at home to Hull bloody City, you're never going to use him. If we're not going to sign him, fine, be honest and say so. If that's why we're not playing him, fine, don't put him on the bench. Don't leave it all so ridiculously in limbo though - it does nothing for anyone.
With Michel, I've said a few times that I'm not 100% convinced by him yet and I won't indulge in some of the over-the-top praising of him that's based on not a lot yet really. I still think he may be a luxury that Blues can't afford. In saying that though, McLeish spent a year wanting to sign him, kept trying to get him and then finally got him. Again, like Benitez, if you're not going to use him in a "meaningless" home game against Hull, even off the bench, then when are you going to use him? When will he ever show that he's worthy of playing?
The sight of the two of them warming up when it appeared that McLeish had no intention whatsoever of using them, well, it was sad really.
Naturally, it's difficult for players to put in the same sort of performances when there is nothing really riding on the game, but at the same time, you'd hope that the pride of the players would drive them towards a decent performance. You'd hope that, with a big game next weekend, they might want to warm up in style. In the circumstances, having a home game against a poor side, you'd expect a lot more than was delivered.
McLeish's "loyalty" to the players currently in the side is no longer admirable, it's bizarre. Of course, if you're doing well, you don't change things. It's now seven games without a win though - that's not good. Blues are bottom of the current Premier League form table. If you're not prepared to make changes then, when will you?
I've said many, many times (to the point that I'm boring myself) that it will be a shame if this fine season peters out. It is petering out though, which is threatening to put a real dampener on a season that should have been being celebrated. The squad needs lots of work, we all know that. There's still a squad there at the moment though, and McLeish's bizarre reluctance to use it to its full at the moment is baffling.
If this run continues and there's a couple of defeats at Villa and Bolton and another disappointing home game against Burnley, McLeish could find that people aren't talking about THAT run so much any more, and that it's another run of form that people are more concerned about.