Birmingham City open the final season at Griffin Park on the back of a busy summer of activity both on and off the pitch.

Off the field, there has been a change in the dugout with one-time reported Brentford target Pep Clotet replacing Garry Monk, who was sacked in the middle of June after 15 months in charge of the club.

On it, their squad is much-changed from the one that finished last season in 17th place, following a nine-point deduction for breaching Football League profitability and sustainability rules.

Signings have included England Under-21 captain and centre-half Jake Clarke-Salter on a season-long loan from Chelsea, goalkeeper Moha Ramos on loan from Real Madrid, Croatian international midfielder Ivan Sunjic from Dinamo Zagreb, Willem II’s English midfielder Dan Crowley and midfielder Gary Gardner from Aston Villa in a swap deal that saw former Brentford winger Jota rejoin ex-Bees manager Dean Smith at Villa Park.

Among other players leaving St Andrew’s were striker Che Adams, who became the Blues’ record sale when he joined Southampton for £15m, and centre-half and former captain Michael Morrison, who moved to Reading.

Morrison’s departure meant a new captain was needed and the job was given to ex-Brentford skipper Harlee Dean, who followed the appointment by signing a new four-year deal with the club.

Dean and Maxime Colin are both still regulars in the side, following their move from Griffin Park, along with Jota, at the end of the 2017 summer transfer window.

This is the Blues’ ninth consecutive season in the Championship – they finished in the play-offs in the first of those, just avoided relegation once and have been in mid to lower mid-table the rest of the time.

They have had seven seasons in the Premier League over three spells with a best place finish of ninth in 2009/10.

They also won the League Cup in 2011, after beating us on penalties in the fourth round, but were relegated from the top flight at the end of that season.

WHO’S IN CHARGE

As mentioned above, Pep Clotet was named as Birmingham’s caretaker head coach in June.

Embed from Getty Images

He was assistant to previous boss Garry Monk at St Andrew’s, Swansea and Leeds.

His only previous managerial job in England came at Oxford in the first half of the 2017/18 season, but he was sacked in the middle of January after failing to win nine out of 13 matches.

WE’VE MET BEFORE

Last season’s two games both ended in draws.

The Tuesday night match at Griffin Park was notable for Josh McEachran’s first-ever professional goal in a 1-1 draw.  and for also being Dean Smith’s last home game in charge of the Bees.

Both goals came in the first half as Michael Morrison headed City into a 26th minute-lead from a corner, before McEachran equalised direct from a free-kick on the right-hand side of the area shortly before half-time. It was the former Chelsea midfielder’s first goal in 167 games in English football and 188 club matches.

Midway through the second half, Blues midfielder Maikel Kieftenbeld was sent off after an incident involving Neal Maupay.

The point kept us in the play-off zone in fifth place, but ahead of the three teams directly below us only on goal difference, while Birmingham dropped to 18th, five points above the relegation zone.

Both sides’ fortunes had changed dramatically by the time we met again in the first game after Christmas – and what was our last match of 2018 ended in a goalless draw at St Andrews.

The point – our fifth in three games after a run of eight defeats in 10 matches – kept us 18th in the table, while Birmingham remained seventh.

OPPOSITION VIEW

BBC Radio WM’s Birmingham City reporter Richard Wilford discusses Birmingham’s summer managerial change and transfer activity and analyses the Blues’ former and ex-Bees.

Q – It’s been an interesting summer at St Andrews. What is your view on the managerial change?

A – From a playing point of view it was a real disappointment to see Garry Monk leave. He had carried the club forward and brought a lot of pride back to the supporters, and weathered the nine-point penalty with good grace. However, off-the-field there were issues that the club simply were not able to ignore, and by late June his departure was inevitable. It’s not for me to go into the details here, but I do understand the club’s position.

Q – What does Pep Clotet appear to have altered so far in training or in the pre-season friendlies that you have seen?

A – Pep has been asked to start a transformation of the playing style, as the board are keen to see something more progressive – and a team that actually relishes being in possession. That will take time, but in the meantime that has meant a switch to a 3-4-1-2 system (or versions thereof) and a recruitment policy geared towards players who are more comfortable on the ball. He has also been able to bring in veteran Spanish coach Paco Herrera as an experienced foil for a relatively callow head coach.

Q – What do you make of the summer transfer deals, aside from Jota who we will mention separately?

A – Blues have learned from past indiscretions, and have tackled the market from a position of financial common sense. Youth, value and potential are high on the agenda. The sale of top scorer Che Adams was unavoidable – he was ready for the step-up to the Premier League, chose a sensible destination and drew a good fee. He’ll do well enough at Southampton to bring the add-ons into play too.

In terms of incomings, Dan Crowley is interesting – a number 10 with good vision and quick feet, the likes of which we haven’t seen at St Andrew’s for some time. Jake Clarke-Salter fits the ball-playing vibe at centre-back and new record-signing Ivan Sunjic is a continental-style number six. They need strikers, and that’s very much work in progress as I write this.

Q – What did you make of Jota’s time at the club, how surprised were you at his departure and will he be missed?

Embed from Getty Images

A – Enigmatic. Fleeting glimpses of brilliance amongst a large body of work that was otherwise underwhelming. I’m afraid I’m in the camp that feels they did well to get some cash for him and to move an extravagant salary off the wage bill. Unfulfilled promise.

Q – How important will Harlee Dean and Maxime Colin be again to the Blues this season?

Embed from Getty Images

A – Hugely. Both have had two very consistent seasons since making the move north and Harlee has now succeeded Michael Morrison as skipper. Max has been one of the best right-backs in the Championship over the last two years – he’ll now have to reprise the wing-back role he often found himself in at Griffin Park.

Q – What are the expectations for Birmingham this season – promotion push, mid-table or relegation battle and why?

A – Personally I suspect it should be an expectation of mid-table and the start of a significant change in playing style. The owners need to be patient having instigated the process this summer. But this is a squad that is going to lean on some younger talent over the next nine months, and the early months may not be easy.

Q – Finally can you give me a possible Blues starting line-up and formation?

A – This has been a work in progress pre-season, and is pending any late signings and international clearance for Sunjic. But here is my guess, in a 3-4-1-2 formation or thereabouts…

Camp; Dean, Roberts, Clarke-Salter; Colin, G Gardner, Sunjic or Davis, Pedersen; Crowley; Mrabti, Jutkiewicz

BEESOTTED SCORE PREDICTIONS

Some of the Beesotted crew have given me their score predictions for Saturday’s game.

2-1 to the Bees, who win thanks to a new found defensive solidity despite an undercooked front three. Greville Waterman

1-0 to Brentford. Solid performance met with a solitary goal from Canos to get the final season at GP of to a great start. Cham de Silva

Convincing 2-0 win. Several players making their debuts but the Bees pick up where they left off at home last season. Damo

1-0 Bees Brentford struggle to accommodate new players, and possibly a new system. It will be a tight game but you never know, a certain defender who shall not be named might make an error. Liberal Nick

2-1 Bees Brentford slow to come out of the traps to a rocking GP but eventually get into the game. Tight match with Blues right up for it as well. Bees quality closer to goal comes through. Edward the Headward

IAN WESTBROOK

MOST READ CONTENT