Shrewsbury Town boss Michael Appleton has delivered a frank assessment of his side’s 4-1 defeat to League One leaders Birmingham City, admitting several of his players “struggled with the occasion”.
In front of a 26,000-strong crowd at St Andrew’s, Salop slumped to their 24th loss of the campaign. The Blues, under Chris Davies, were clinical and dominant, with Ben Davies, Ethan Laird and Alfie May — who netted twice — putting the game well out of reach before Vadaine Oliver’s late reply.
The result leaves Shrewsbury winless in nine and just one place above the relegation zone, piling pressure on Appleton’s short-term stint at the club.
Set-piece woes continue
Two of Birmingham’s four goals came from dead-ball situations — a continuing issue that’s plagued the Town defence. The opening strike saw Davies pounce from close range after a poorly defended free-kick, while Laird’s header from a corner doubled the hosts’ lead.
“It’s been a bit of an Achilles heel as of late,” said Appleton. “Obviously, I’ve seen a lot of the videos and the goals that we conceded. So it is a little bit frustrating.”
Appleton also alluded to the psychological impact of the fixture, suggesting that the magnitude of the challenge unsettled some of his players.
“I think in the first half, there were two or three players who almost struggled with the occasion,” Appleton said. “Possibly looked a little bit too big of a game for them, which could happen, and I was aware that might happen, given the circumstances… I think there was certainly a fair amount of them showing a lot of spirit in that second half and were brave enough to take the ball in areas that they’ve probably not taken the ball in recent times.”
Despite the scoreline, the head coach believes there are positives to build on, particularly in terms of individual bravery and commitment shown after the break.
Shrewsbury have now conceded 66 goals in the league — the second worst in the division, only Crawley have fared worse. With fixtures running out, tightening up defensively appears to be the immediate focus.
Writer’s view
Appleton’s honesty is refreshing, but it highlights the fragile state of a squad low on confidence and cohesion. If the defensive frailties — particularly from set pieces — are not addressed quickly, Salop’s League One status may come under real threat. The second-half grit was encouraging, but with nine matches without victory, spirit alone won’t be enough to change their fortunes.
