Seven Points in Seven Days

7 Points From 7 days




A glorious week in the still early season for Nottingham Forest has seen them fly from obscurity to the edge of the playoffs.

After what some regarded as a mini crisis in September, where we struggled in several games including the Derby game, the results against Cardiff, Blackpool and Barnsley in the same week have catapulted the reds back up after the slide in form had been halted against Peterborough.

It’s one of those weeks that make you start to believe. The team is moulding slowly but surely into a unit, players settling in others finding form. Chris Cohen, although one of our longest serving players, is like a new signing since his return from injury. Billy Sharp has settled in, and has started scoring. The only problems remain the defence which is thin on strength in depth, and the discipline which has plagued us all season carries on.

The discipline is a strange one. Simon Cox had got booked in all his early appearance. Adlene Guedioura has had two red cards in consecutive appearances. There are needless yellows coming all round the team and further suspensions will kick in as these slowly accumulate for the likes of Halford, Harding etc. This has bought to us the need for Elliot Ward to be signed. Not just as cover for the injured Ayala, but also in case of the likely further suspensions at the back for others.

The win against Cardiff was particularly pleasing as I am not particularly fond of the south Wales side. I find them particularly abhorrent. So to see them play badly, and in their favoured blue kits of old was pleasing. We were good, make no mistake, but they were also awful. Reid’s free kick was expertly placed, the header moments later by Ayala to put us two up was also great, Halfords cross had been wonderful. And although we wavered at times, mainly after Sharp added a third, allowing Helguson to score and Guedioura getting himself sent off, we remained firm and took what could be a huge win against one of the top teams in the division.

It’s a benchmark to do so well against the likes of Cardiff. To say yeah we can beat the best teams at this level. But then also to getaway and scratch a draw at tricky Blackpool is also a positive. Yes we had the lead, and yes Blackpool were depleted, but we came back late on which shows a resilience that can be only a good thing. Sharps goal was instinct, the ball fired in which he merely manipulated and redirected into the net. Blackpool fired a quick salvo double to put themselves in the driving seat, only for Dexter Blackstock to keep himself in that frame. With Cox and Sharp on form, Blackstock could easily be forgotten, but if he carries on to chip in with goals when he can it’s nothing but a bonus.

And so Barnsley away. A place that hasn’t been the happiest of hunting grounds for Forest. In fact it’s been a bleak place for us. The capitulation under Megson always stands out to me as it illustrated almost a nadir, a low point of my following the club. A wet cold miserable day with a miserable defeat in what became an embarrassing Brazilian away kit.

Saturday though, a few of those demons were laid to rest with a 4-1 win. Make no mistake Barnsley are average at best. They exist to survive at this level. I can’t think of any of their players who’d get on our bench never mind in first XI. But we allowed them the lead. Harewood, who always scored had missed a couple and so was getting some semi playful abuse. It was always going to come back and haunt us. He was played in too easily, raced clear, rounded Camp and scored. Notably he didn’t celebrate at all, making a motion to the Forest fans that he was being understated. Fair play to the lad. He will always be Forest.

Then we woke up. The goals came fast and furious. Halfords poked shot deflected in. From the away end t was hard to tell what happened. The bright sun shining behind the goal blinded us and also put that end in very dark shadow. It looked like at first it had just evaded the keeper. No the deflection was obvious on TV. Then Cox netted from Sharps parried shot. And then very soon after Cohen had fired into the top left from 20 yards to put the game beyond much doubt. The quickness of the goal seemed to have sucked the enthusiasm out of the Tykes. The fans little cheering from a small turnout dwindled. They had a good chance to make it 3-2 in the second when Camp saved well, before what might be Jenas last action in a Forest shirt for now. He was played in, went clear to one on one with the keeper and deftly flicked it over the keeper to make it 4-1, finish the game off, and send half the Barnsley fans home.

So all in all very much a bonus. We briefly went to 6th in the table, before Hull won later in the evening. We are the edge of the top positions; we know we can beat those top teams. And we have come from behind a few times. There is a problem that we are conceding and needing to have to either come from behind or defend a lead. Neither of which make for happy viewing.

But consider a number of our promotion seasons or close seasons started with a blip. Under Frank Clark we didn’t exactly race clear to start with. We snuck under the radar under Calderwood. Even under Davies we never started up the top, starting slowly before steamrolling through the end of the calendar year, having a blip in January and limping through the Spring.

So it will be fascinating to see how this season pans out. We seem to have settled now on the 4-1-3-2 formation, which Gillette has been the fulcrum of. The defence would be settled if not for injuries. The midfield allows for rotation to stop players becoming jaded. The front two of Cox and Sharp look like being the chosen due. So all the moans when we limped through September of we didn’t even know our best formation never mind team seem to have been silenced. We at least know how we want to play, and we have a good idea of who, if only they’d all stop getting suspended, we might have a settled team. There’s still Lansbury to get fully fit yet, and he should genuinely show some class. All bodes well.

Jenas Loan Not Sean's Choice.

The gossip this week and news that many were discussing over pints before and after the game this Saturday as well as the game was what exactly is happening with Jermaine Jenas.


Jenas is well known for his problems with fitness these days so seeing him out the match day squad wasn’t exactly a surprise, but you’d think that a player of his ilk would surely walk into the squad.

Perhaps not. We all know the intricate game of politics that is often played at football clubs all too well, after all Billy Davies was our manager and everything was about politics with him.

It turns out that Jenas wasn’t signed by SoD, and that the al-Hasawi’s decided go out and get a big marquee signing to signify our intent. This is hardly a shock, nor does it overly worry me when you consider that they had a stated intent to bring in Kuwaiti players, we all know that this means they do have intentions to go out and get players that might not be in the managers mind. And as I say, when it’s a Premier League quality player who has played a number of times for England even better.

But, and there is always a but, they did say that ultimately the manager would have final say over any signings. This clearly hasn’t been the case here. Now it doesn’t look like they are going to interfere in team selection issues, and thus far I can have absolutely no complaints about the reign of the al-Hasawi family.

But it does sit there as a nagging doubt when you hear about something like this. It’ can’t make for great morale, when you have someone going out and signing a player above your head. I have no doubts that SoD knew that these types of occurrences could happen, and therefore won’t be a huge shock.

And these things happen all the time in football. Managers have players signed for them, but who didn’t want that player. . Look at the likes of Chelsea who have had success. Those players though that are seen by new regimes as huge new marquee signings often don’t work out. Look at Leicester’s policy last year, and the signing of Shevchenko at Chelsea is perhaps the most famous example. Trophy signings. Not that I am saying Jenas is a trophy signing alone, no doubt it was as I said before a signal of intent, telling everyone we have arrived. In a way that Bellamy at Cardiff was used, it might just put a few extra bums on seats and bring in that bit extra cash.

The fact that we were willing to apparently spend £15k a week to fund a portion of his wages also begins to illustrate the intent of the club. Some have accused us of trying to buy the title, but we have only spent as much as £4mill, and although signing fees and wages aren’t factored in, it’s still going to be less than Blackburn spent on Rhodes.

So I don’t worry too much that this regime is cherry picking in a couple of players ahead of the manager’s choice. It isn’t ideal but it is increasingly common. There is no sign of the Hasawi’s trying to influence selection, which was one worry before they came in, because there was a vague legacy of this with the team they owned in Kuwait. It does show maybe a little more hands on approach that what we thought had been happening. And does show why Jenas has only slowly been introduced to the team because he is not directly in the manager’s plans.

We haven’t had a full on Billy Davies tantrum that he had about players being bought in that weren’t his, that occurred with George Boyd, who Billy had never wanted, and so left him partly out the team. And it would illustrate the odd choice of another midfielder in already midfielder heavy squad. How long JJ stays around for is also completely unclear. But as long as we can afford him, and there isn’t too much dressing room upheaval, then it’s all fine in my book.

Loanee Watch - Karl Darlow

As part of this weeks series in the international break, we catch up with another Red out on loan and how he is doing.

The young goalkeeper is off getting vital match experience with Walsall this season, a step up from last season’s loan with Newport County. Regular football at League One is part of Darlow's development as a footballer, and he has been featuring in the Saddlers first team.

He has made 5 League appearances and one in the Football League Trophy since joining on September 21st.

Since joining, and when he was signed was said o be cover for Goalkeeper Grof as main keeper Jimmy Walker was injured he has started every game.

Walsall won those first two games, but have since lost their last 3 which leaves them in mid table. The Football league Trophy game ended up in defeat by Port Vale on penalties 6-5.

I have only seen a little Walsall action on the Football league show and it was of Darlow making an error, a poor kick out only reached around half way and the opposition were quickly on the attack and netted.

Even so it is a fairly decent level of Football for a previously reserve team keeper to be playing. The advantage of playing in a team that is largely mid table means he gets a bit of action in games. The fact also that it is a short term loan is a huge advantage as if things go badly he isn’t committed there for a while.

Darlow is getting vital experience, and by going there to be back up but actually becoming first choice cements that he is a good prospect,.

Progress Report - Oct 2012

What a difference a result makes. Had we not beaten Peterborough then maybe the tone and position of this piece may have had a different focus. Returning to winning ways has been key though.


The run of results from the Leeds away game, including the painful Derby defeat saw the club start to slip. With a fairly expensive array of players and with fan expectation renewed it could have been alarming. I had heard the first mutters of discontent at O’Driscoll. Why he was choosing certain players or not changing it up. These usually prove to be infectious amongst fans and spread.

Considering last season we were close to relegation, and considering two of the best players from that campaign are now both at Reading (Gunter and McCleary to the slow today) and that we had a large number of loanee’s and that Lynch too had gone, it’s progress that we even have a team at all, never mind one the fans feel can challenge.

Regard for one that we remain under most of the media’s radar still. Usually in our case there’s a bit more interest and though we have already have Clem from the Football league Show visit it us, they didn’t seem to focus on the renewed belief at the City ground.

So yes, an away victory at Peterborough arrested a run of games with no wins that was in danger of looking like a decline rather than a blip. That will be sorely tested on Saturday by the visiting Blue... oh wait Red Dragons of Cardiff City, who arguably have one of the best squads in the division. If we perform against them, and get a result this will be progress.

Our main problem remains that we still don’t know the best XI for the squad. Hell we aren’t even sure of the best formation. Do we go 4-2-3-1 or stick to 4-4-2. Both have benefits. I’d argue if w stick to 4-4-2 this needs to see McGugan jettisoned to the bench, and play Reid, Gillette, Guedioura and Lansbury, but that’s missing out Jenas who we have on loan and the resurgent Cohen. This is forgetting Majewski, who remains the second coming in some fans eyes for reasons that still remain unclear.

With a 5 man midfield, Cohen and Gillette can take the deeper roles, or Guedioura, with McGugan behind a sole striker, Lansbury and Reid getting wide. It still means players missing out, and I for one am glad this head ache isn’t mine.

What is obvious is Gillette remains key to this team. The most under stated of all our signings has probably had the most impact. He has quietly gone about his task but has garnered positive reviews in most games. Playing as the water carrier, the role and name made famous by Didier Deschamps in France 98, it’s a role many don’t understand as it does all the parts that don’t get attention. The quieter sides of the game. Moussi can’t do this role at all. He plays it more as an enforcer, strong tackling, like a De Jong, or in a Forest context Paul Evans. Like Evans he has terrible distribution once he wins the ball so is forced to tackle back again. Gillette plays it more like McKenna, drop deep, get ball, play the ball, look for the outlet again, and keep play moving, stop any stagnation we often saw last season, when Chambers or Morgan would get the ball, look up, see no options, pause, still see no option and launch the ball forward. Often to the opposition. Now the defenders always have an outlet and we retain possession. It’s a simple difference, but a huge difference.

It does mean that the 4-4-2 we play, is often more a 4-1-3-2. Meaning the 3 play narrower than a usual 4-4-2, so we don’t have the need so much for traditional wide men. This though has seen us get stuck in Cul-de-Sacs up the middle of the pitch, making it easier to defend a single pronged arrow, rather than a multiple pronged attack. The full backs do try and support but often end up exposed. This forced Gillette back more defensively at times, playing as a proxy centre half. And very narrow, meaning we can ironically get beat round the sides, as illustrated by derby’s goal so very succinctly, but also King’s goal for Birmingham.

So in essence, yes the football has been better but there are a few tactical creases that need smoothing out to enable us to get to the top of the table. This is a case of using what we have to our benefits. O’Driscoll might have seen Jenas someone who can do this. We have barely seen anything from JJ yet, but he is starting to get some fitness and form together. Cohen’s return has been a breath of fresh air in the midfield as he too is the perfect foil for Gillette as he can get box to box more than someone like McGugan or Majewski who doesn’t ever track back. Guedioura is a similar role but he has struggled for form. Whereas though Cohen is a ball player, Guedioura has a bull dog like approach, looking to get forward and power a shot in, or splay a wide pass. Cohen is a shorter game player.

Its funny, I have spent this entire article focussing on the midfield. But that’s where this team is going to make or break. Cox has shown he is class, and Sharp has good legacy in this division. Blackstock we know and love for what he can do. The defence, well the only real debate is Ayala in the middle or Hutchinson or Halford rotating at right back or centre half. Ayala had been a little wobbly but he looks like he’s coming good again. Hutchinson has long term injury issues so he is never going to be a long term fixture in the side. What role we will eventually see from Lascelles isn’t clear yet, but at this stage he needs football, so a loan again might be a good option.

All in all I am heartened by our start. There’s enough to be positive on even if there are a few problems with the team. But that’s the same with any team, there are always areas to improve and yes there are a couple of problems with defence and we still don’t know our best midfield configuration. This will become clear now that all the midfielders are fit. The likes of Coppinger look like square pegs here, and there are at least 3-4 surplus players in addition to the players out on loan. Moussi, Greening look to have served their time, Coppinger hasn’t found a role. Majewski to me still stands as a surplus luxury player.

All this said, I do think we will be up in the mix this season. I do think the two years the al-Hasawi’s earmarked might be an accurate reflection. Some said it was to deflect pressure away from the manager, but I think it’s an honest accurate marker of changing this squad into one that can compete and get promoted.

Loanee Watch - Robbie Findley

Findley in action for Gillingham

A quick check in with the various players out on loan right now starts with Robbie Findley.

The former (and I think we can safely say former) American international has played 5 times for the Gills in his loan spell in Kent. This includes 2 starts and 3 substitute appearances. He has failed to score so far.

He started in his first two games, though was withdrawn early in one match due to a midfielder being sent off for the Gills, so he was sacrificed after 35 mins. The next game he made way after 50 mins.

His last 3 appearances have all been as sub coming on in the last third if the game, and nearly netted in his most recent game with his first touch when he came on.

The Gills aren’t exactly struggling to make chances or score, as they lead the table, so Findleys lack of goals even in League Two is a worry really.

This is a guy who famously missed from half a yard once. I haven’t been able to see any footage of his in Kent, merely going off match reports, but as I say the fact he’s now starting on the bench in League Two speaks volumes.

As much as some said it might be good to try and get him firing lower down and bring him back, even this is failing, and I am starting to think he’s never going to make it over here, and will end up back in MLS within a couple of years. It’s not as if he’s a youngster.

Contracts

One of the main criticisms from fans aimed at the club was our largely tardy nature in trying to sort of contracts with players whose deals were expiring. We have seen too many players; both good and bad disappear for nothing because we never negotiated a deal. Earnshaw, Tyson, Commons, Wilson, Chambers, McCleary and Lynch in recent times all left because they’re deals were allowed to run down too close. We also nearly lost Moussi that way. And that’s just recently.

Cohen has signed a new deal.

The problem has always been we didn’t know where we were going. Chambers, Lynch and McCleary were difficult to sort out as by then the club was in financial turmoil and new deals couldn’t be budgeted for. But that situation shouldn’t have happened. You don’t leave these deals to the last minute, and further forward planning should have been set in place.

The problem with the Championship is no-one wants to be saddled with a long term expense that a contract can be. Look at Miller, Greening and Derbyshire. Hefty contracts we can’t shift, nor stomach. So we never offered players likely to be wanting substantial rises when we would probably still be in the Championship. On the other hand you get players like Robbie Savage, stuck in the Championship on a huge Premiership type wage.

There are aspects like Tyson simply wanting to be a bigger fish, and Earnshaw wasn’t worth what we were paying him anymore. Though still a good player, his form hasn’t been worthy of the supposed £15k a week he was warning. He also refused to take a pay cut.

Then there are Commons and Wilson, who frankly should have been sorted out sooner, but again, it was questions of the future. We didn’t know where we would play so we didn’t offer deals. That cost s when January came and they negotiated a way out. When Commons left we’d just gone up, but it seems obvious he’d signed for or agreed to sign for Derby before that, and Wilson, well we were in danger of relegation still, and why saddle a huge debt like that?

Is it a risk worth taking? Well the hope is now that we don’t have to get to that point, but there are plenty of cases of clubs ending up with players on their wage bill they can no longer afford due to relegation. Look at Leeds. The whole legacy of their situation is paying now against future earnings that never materialised. For years it nearly scuppered Cardiff, plus countless other Championship clubs who go from promotion contenders to League One obscurity too quickly.

When the panic sets in and the club is struggling against relegation, these long term expensive contracts provide no wriggle room at all financially. No-one else will take them on, you can’t shift them, and so you’re stuck.

In a similar regard players who play well when looking for a deal, get the deal and that perform terribly as they have their deal now, think Andy Impey for that one. 

But then you also get what you pay for. Cardiff broke the bank for Bellamy and he is arguably one of the very best in this division and can change games. That phrase break the bank or the pay structure for a top player generally signifies ambition and would also hopefully trigger in shirt sales and the like.

And so too though conversely is getting these players to agree new deals. Cohen’s new deal this week is excellent news, as is getting Darlow to stay. The whole sorry Bamford episode last season was significant in that we’d let a young player with great promise get down to a mere months left on the contract, rather than getting them on longer term deals. Admittedly we then offered him the best terms ever for a youth player, but it was too little too late. His head had been turned, we needed the cash (which arguably allowed us to bring in players that kept us up) but it should never get that far. We also seem hesitant with youth deals. Lascelles deal was mentioned as not being long term either, which if these players show the promise they purportedly do, then get them tied down. It enables us to get bigger transfer fees if they do demand to go.

All in all, it’s another side the al-Hasawi family have changed for the better at the club. And I applaud them for it. It is only an issue if their wells of money they give us dry up for some hopefully never going to happen unforeseen future incident. Then we’d really be in the mire.

Forest Draw Blank v Blackburn

Last night Forest failed to overcome Blackburn, spite having a lion share of possession in a crowded midfield. That possession failed to crystallise into clear chances, with actual clear cut chances being possible to count on one hand.

That said it was more than Blackburn, for all their expense and star names could carve out. Danny Murphy trying to orchestrate a midfield to give chances to £8million man Jordan Rhodes. That as well as former Portugal international Nuno Gomes.

We had one striker up front because after suspensions and sending players out loan (3 strikers currently contracted to us are playing elsewhere) we only had Billy Sharp as a recognised striker. The radio claimed the formation would be a 4-1-4-1, with Gillette sitting behind a flat 4. I’d argue it was more a 4-1-3-1-1. The midfield because most of them are central were largely interchangeable on wings or in centre. Lansbury encouraged to try and join the striker, as well as McGugan, Reid and Cohen getting forward. At times it looked a flat 4, and at others with Lansbury as said getting more forward. And at times wide. It was fairly fluid and would change as and when needed. More on formations tonight hopefully.

Sharp ploughed a lone furrow up front, and as a strong striker, he could play this role, winning the ball, holding it up to play into supporting midfielders. The problem lie when the ball gets out wide and we look to cross in to attackers we often had one man in there to 2 or 3 defenders. It makes life hard. Ok, so the advanced midfielder is asked to get there, but with the fluid midfield often he would be the man out wide, and the other midfielders would not be in position in time. Therefore wide play was almost a waste of time (nothing is ever a waste of time of course, mistakes happen in Football)

The first half was the most forgettable of the tow, but there were certain flash points. The game started slowly, but Forest crept into control as it progressed. Blackburn for all their spend on certain individuals looked distinctly average. That said I was still worried when they attacked each time, not because they looked dangerous, but more the previous few games have shown an underlying defensive frailty. So it was more anticipated mistake that had me worried. And early on there were. Halford for the first 20 minutes was woeful, failing to make simple passes or control simple balls. He has since apologised for this on Twitter, which is nice to see an acceptance of guilt.

As the half reached its final moments we had good opportunities, attacking the Trent End, having been turned round by Blackburn at the start, there was a similar scramble to the Derby game where shots were getting fired to be cleared by a defender. There was a bizarre slow motion long pea roller from McGugan which Robinson, maybe with flashes of Zagreb in his mind tipped round the post rather than gathering.

The second half and Forest were still the better team, though it became obvious that we would have to tinker. It was another of those days for Lewis, whereby he looks disinterested until it’s a free ball between 50 and 20 yards out. Then he wakes up, unless he’s doing some fancy footwork. Don’t get me wrong I appreciate it when it comes off, but he does at times seem a luxury player which is fine in a team playing well and confident. We seem to be lacking that confidence right now.

When Majewski came on, he did change the dynamic a little. He was a little more forward and direct. Often using his skill to drift in the channel on square. He did this on at least two occasions. The best chances as said fell to sharp and Lansbury, possibly the two least sharp (no pun intended) players in the team right now match fitness wise, and Sharp rather snatched at his, Lansbury was on his wrong side but forced Robinson to save.

The notable point of the game was the introduction of Jenas, and although in his 20 minute or so cameo he didn’t really do anything either wrong or particularly right, he was solid nonetheless. He too will need playing into form. I did comment that no doubt at some stage both Murphy for Blackburn and Jenas must have been in the same England squads if not same on the pitch at the same time, so to see them both in Championship is a step down for them. It will be interesting to see Jenas progress, and I think from the fact we eased him to action, and how he spoke after the game the initial month will be likely extended.

So for some fans, and they seemed to be in John pye Corner or whatever it’s called now, to boo to the team off seemed utter ridiculous. We didn’t play badly, we just weren’t great. It was solid enough against one of the likely contenders in this division. Yesterdays team had 7 new signings in the starting XI, and even amongst them players making their first start so for people to still expect them to hit the ground running is laughable. Already I see people smashing the panic button on the internet about results. 7 new players will always in a starting XI take time to gel, add in one of the others is just returning from a very lengthy lay off and it speaks volumes about that we can dominate a team like Blackburn.

This is a marathon, and teams who go up, often come through later rather than early. Fans upset with the results have short memories, this time last season we were in crisis mode, this is nothing, mountains out of mole hills and all that. I even heard my first anti O’Driscoll moans last night, though the guy I heard it from would criticise any manager to be honest. The problem is all the spend and bright start has ridiculously raised peoples expectations of the season, the al-Hasawi’s themselves have preached caution and patience, seeing this as not an immediate promotion campaign or else.

People moaning have very very short memories.

Derby Day Misery

Well this is difficult. 2/3 days on deciding where to start in looking at the Derby game.In fact pretty much the reason I m writing this is know I have to. In all honesty I'd rather pretend that didn't happen.

Blackstock is sent off

To be honest I won't be apportioning a lot of blame for the result on the ref. Yeah he was awful, yeah he made some terrible decisions, no it wasn't a red, but it can't help to dwell on that. This we can't take anything from, but the rest of the performance is there to dissect and see what can be learnt.

We played the same 4-1-3-2 as we have been lately, narrow midfield but with the players encouraged to move wide, but not actually positioned wide. Cohen came in to take the right midfield spot, whereas we though Jenas might have featured after coming back.

Formation

Well first off is that we need to make chances.One critique of the game was the lack of chances at either end, and save for a Gillette shot and the odd free kick there really wasn't anything.Nothing clear cut anyone.No-one getting behind the defence in for an attack.

The only person who did look like achieving that was that perennial thorn in our side Jamie Ward. As much as I dislike him he does what he does brilliantly. Tricky close foot work, questionable ethics, going down easy, sounds like Jack Lester and we loved him.

Now yes, the referee should have clamped down on Derby's physical play earlier. To not book their players early on for challenges which got increasingly strong played into Derby's hands.It meant we kept playing them at their game and Derby are better at being physical than we are.So we played into their hands. Rather than be creative and get on with it, we allow ourselves to start trying to out do them. To become angered and react. It worked. They won. But they were allowed to do this by a very poor referee.

The referee of course didn't stop us creating chances,lacking width, creativity and verve, the usual problems,no, but he did take focal point away from the them in sending off Blackstock.I don't need to dwell here, we have all seen it, we all have a view on it.

What did start to enrage me was that 6/7times he waved their keeper to hurry up and take kicks, 2/3times should be enough to book him,of course they will carry on doing this if there is no action. Why the ref didn't act is beyond me, so when Cox and then Lansbury tried hurrying up the keeper by hanging around him, they were the ones to be booked.It was laughable. Fielding was the one disobeying the rules yet the ref was complicit in allowing him to do this time and time again. It really was awful.

But then do was our defending at times. Ayala with a lapse nearly let them in. When it did come the left side of the team was carved apart with relative ease for the ball to come across and Brayford score the winner.

More negatives than positives for sure,but one huge bright shining positive was Chris Cohen, who on his league return was brilliant. Really pleased me to see him at his same best game. It creates head aches though now with what midfield to set out. Especially with two suspensions up front for the next game,which has bizarrely seen some calling for Matt Derbyshire to be recalled from his loan despite pretty much being one of the most disliked players amongst fans

A day to forget, and a day ruined,I had set a new personal best in the half marathon prior to the game which had me thinking it was a good day. Forest always know how to ruin that.