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Blues boss ready to go it alone again
Nov 10 2004
By Colin Tattum, Evening Mail
Steve Bruce today admitted he might stick with his 'one off the front' formation.
The Blues manager dropped Dwight Yorke and recalled fit-again Muzzy Izzet to support Emile Heskey at Anfield last Saturday. And Bruce was pleased with the way the tactic worked as Blues ground out a vital 1-0 victory.
It's not the first time Bruce has used a lone striker this season to good effect.
Blues should have beaten Chelsea using it, it worked at Bolton Wanderers and David Dunn wreaked havoc against Newcastle United in the withdrawn role behind Heskey.
Dunn is usually Bruce's preferred choice to play as a deep-lying striker-come-midfielder.
But he is still nursing an Achilles tendon injury and with Clinton Morrison only having just returned to full training after surgery on his left knee, Izzet could stay put for Saturday's visit of Everton.
"It's certainly got me thinking because we've gone that way against the so-called bigger teams and we've done well," said Bruce.
"And, to be fair, in those games we've had chances. It's not a negative formation at all.
"Emile had a good chance at Anfield and if Muzzy's control had been better, he might have scored.
"The decision last Saturday was quite easy because I just detected with Dwight that he had played five games in a matter of a few weeks - he's never done that in years.
"I always wanted to bring Muzzy back into it after he was declared fit again, so that's the way I decided to go and, who knows, maybe we'll stick with it."
Bruce also said that, when he could, he would be more daring in his substitutions.
At Anfield he sent on goalscorer Darren Anderton for the more defensively-minded Stephen Clemence, and Stan Lazaridis in the 63rd minute with the game at deadlock.
"You've got to try and win football matches and maybe last year I wouldn't have made the substitutions that I did," he said.
"These are the type of players I've brought into the club that hopefully will turn games in our favour."
Morrison has reported no ill-effects after resuming work and could be in Saturday's squad.
