Source: Team_Talk
Shay admits to slice of good fortune
The Republic of Ireland keeper denied James McFadden from the penalty spot as both sides took a point apiece from a goalless Premier League clash at St Andrew's on Sunday.[LNB]He said: "It was a bit of luck I suppose. It's a bit of a lottery, penalties, for goalkeepers, and luckily today I've gone the right way and got a strong enough hand to get it away."[LNB]The spot-kick, for Nigel de Jong's handball, was the first awarded against City this season, and Given quipped: "I hope it's the last as well![LNB]"It probably was a penalty looking back, I think Nigel's hand was a bit high and it was the right decision from the referee.[LNB]"Luckily for us we've managed to keep it out and we've kept a clean sheet. I think we can play better than we did today and we'll take a point."[LNB]But he continued: "We're disappointed, these are games where we're looking to pick up three points.[LNB]"Credit to Birmingham, they had good spirit today and a good workrate in their team. It's a hard enough place to come, they won last week and I suppose they took a lot of confidence from that.[LNB]"But we were coming here today looking for three points, and the same against Fulham last week when we threw away a two-goal lead, so we've been disappointed in the last couple of weeks."[LNB]Birmingham boss Alex McLeish was also frustrated by the outcome after his side created a host of chances, only to be kept at bay by Given.[LNB]"We're disappointed in there (the dressing room) not to have three points, and that's a measure of how our team played today," he said.[LNB]"James McFadden again today looked very sharp supporting the front two but just perhaps lacked that bit of composure in front of goal. I'm hoping that will come, I think it will."[LNB]Scotland forward McFadden was withdrawn shortly after his miss from the spot, and his fellow countryman joked: "Yeah, it was a hopeless miss wasn't it? He deserved to come off after that![LNB]"No, he was struggling a wee bit and maybe the fresh pair of legs in the end helped us - although maybe I jumped the gun a bit with James.[LNB]"He felt he could get better, but I thought 'how long is it going to take you to not limp any more?' I made the decision and it was a great team performance."[LNB]Barry Ferguson was needlessly sent off deep into injury time for impeding Pablo Zabaleta as the Argentinian took a throw-in, and McLeish admitted the experienced former Scotland captain should have known better.[LNB]"He should have, he's apologised to myself and his team-mates," he said.[LNB]"He'll be missing next week, which is disappointing because he's been exceptional.[LNB]"He had another influential game and it's disappointing to lose him, we can't afford the indiscipline over the season, especially with such a fragile squad, to go awry at any stage.[LNB]"Barry had a little rush of blood, maybe thought they could break up the park and score, but they had a lot to do from that situation."[LNB][LNB]
