Capital One Cup: a Dilemma

To be honest I’ll admit from the outset that I couldn’t give a monkeys about this for now. In fact I had to be reminded this morning we were even playing. It has fallen down the priorities so much coupled with the fact we’ve not done anything much in this competition for so long that you just don’t contemplate a run.

That said, should we make it past and through a very tricky game tonight away at Burnley, then suddenly the realms of possibility open up. Obviously at this stage I will direct your attention at Bradford City. Bradford who of course were last years (heavily beaten) finalists. The journey and success of that run though will live long in many a fans consciousness; it is a League 2 team (at the time) on a fairytale story. It wouldn’t quite ring in the same way for us, but that said, it could add a gloriously nice touch to the season.

I assume we will ring the changes again tonight, Collins, Moussi, Lascelles, Jara, Miller and Tudgay and their ilk may well be implement, especially with the big derby with Derby looming. But writing this, and also considering what most people I speak to and immediate friends feeling are, this is all irrelevant. Irrelevant till we draw a big team, or make it to latter stages and then suddenly it’s all too relevant. Then we do care. Then the League Cup is a glorious opportunity to show what we can do, and (whisper it) a chance of glory or at least Europe.

That is making huge leaps of imagination, but let’s face it, half the teams in it think this is an annoyance and wield ‘B’ sides and exit the competition with a whimper. So by the time anyone takes it serious from the last 16 or 8, then a lot of teams have disappeared who may have been a risk.

That starts to ask the question well do you go for it, and try and get success. Well, the likelihood of finally winning the thing are remote, and so the weighing up of the benefits of a successful run versus potential injuries to key players keep the idea of resting players and using fringe players as a core idea. Why jeopardise the season’s main aim for a slim chance of success. The financial rewards of being in the Premiership far outweigh the benefits of a good cup run, an even winning the thing (even if it meant European football) and as I said, if we got so far as to take it seriously, as those other teams getting that start taking it seriously too.

However, in reaching Wembley as a gloriously huge underdog, Bradford had experience of the stadium; they had a chance to get that sense of being over awed out the system before their Lord Mayors show that was the playoff final. For them it had an air of familiarity, and rather than let Wembley over shadow them, instead they’d been there, bought the t-shirt, the novelty hat and the overprice hotdog. They won in the playoffs. I’m not suggesting that we focus on this competition as a vain hope to use Wembley failure as a springboard to playoff success. There are far too many other aspects to consider before that, but it is something else to even think about.

Winning causes morale to increase and increased morale increases peoples belief. Players feel better. So to try and cultivate a little success might do wonders. I just won’t be there to enjoy it until it gets interesting.

Two 2-2's

I’d like to say the lack of reports for either the last games has been down to me being busy, and although partially true, that isn’t the case. I’ve just largely been lazy.

That said Forest have managed to have back to back draws, both of which 2-2 and both of which saw us falling behind.

Against Middlesbrough, the game was marked more by Phil Dowd than much more else. That’s how it will be largely remembered save for a good come back when we looked dead and buried. Davies took a risk and stuck Reid and Lansbury in a deeper role. The whole structure of the side changed, moving from the more 4-1-3-2 formation we’d used to a 4-2-3-1 formation. It didn’t work.

For a start the midfielders in those 2 deeper roles are not players used to that role. Reid and Lansbury are not defensive players. Further forward it accommodated Majewski in a central role behind the front man, with Mackie going wide right and Abdoun playing on the left. The defence was untouched.

However that defence would need reshuffling not long into the game with the injury of Kelvin Wilson. His role at the back coordinating is vital, always was when he was here before and it’s arguable he bought the best out of Wes Morgan. Halford replaced him and he isn’t as good as marshalling the defence. It soon showed.

The main problem was the lack of the shielding midfielder who knew what he was doing. Moussi had done a mixed job against Barnsley, but due to him giving away the fouls which contributed Barnsley’s gals Davies removed him from that role. And a huge glaring gap opened up between defence and midfield which caused problems you could drive a bus through.

The first goal was simply Halford being turned easily, the ball getting centred and Boro taking the lead. The second was again just rank bad defending, standing off (which is to the point where the defence might do ordinarily) but without that shielding midfielder offering support, inviting Boro on and giving a lot of space. George Friend gladly lashed home the second, and finished well.

We looked dead and buried. I tweeted as much, saying that the change of structure hasn’t worked and we got it wrong. But then Davies redeemed himself. Derbyshire and Henderson both came on, and both scored, with close in finishes from crosses and we could have had more. Of course Reid had missed a penalty in first half and we should have had second half penalty for when Henderson was felled and then booked for diving, wrongly. I wanted t deliver a long vicious diatribe about Phil Dowd on Wednesday morning but bit my tongue.

So this weekend we came up against Doncaster and a lot of fans seemed to be assuming the win had already been decided before we kicked a ball. Donny away is always a tricky little customer of a fixture.
Macheda fresh from Manchester United would be our main tormentor in chief, scoring both the goals. Between these Chris Cohen had lashed in an equaliser, and after Reid scored.

Halford came in for Wilson and Chalobah the new signing made his bow for Forest, wearing Guedioura’s 7 shirt. It will take longer than 2 days for him to get to know us and blend in, but that’s all he had for this game.

To be honest a few people have said that this is a horrible result but that’s taking a game by itself and looking at it based on a resource and league position basis. That’s far too simplistic to judge an opponent, forgetting form, spirit and the basic fact that we struggle at the Keepmoat, which psychologically plays it part. To be fair getting a late equaliser is a good result in my book, we won’t be the only top team to lose points there this season, and so it’s nothing be ashamed of. I just tend to think a lot of our fans get far to built up on the idea of teams we will own and destroy, rather than realise some times you will struggle against perceived weaker opposition.

What it does, and forgetting the League Cup game, is set us up for the Derby game, whereby we aren’t on the best form, and yet here we are scoring a lot of goals. We don’t fail to net, but defensively looking like we are shaky. But that’s going to happen when you lose someone of Wilson’s calibre.

This season isn’t based on 3 games in September. It feels like some think it is. There are both plenty of positives as well as negatives to take from these games. Onward Forest, onward.

The Guardian Ban and Ongoing Media Relations

Well it’s not new news and I’m sure everyone has seen that this news has been revealed by guardian/Observer correspondent and Forest fan Daniel Taylor. It’s based on the fact that Taylor apparently wanted free tickets to the game on a Press Pass but as he wasn’t reporting on that game wasn’t allowed one.

Now this is where a lot of debate begins, and I didn’t want to wade in, but hey ho, it’s a slow news day. On the one hand I can see some fans view that why should journalists essentially turn up to watch a game for free. Furthermore essentially as a means to watch his own team. Taylor cites that as part of his job and for his profession watching a lot of football is necessary, and that is something I can certainly see.

However, when it’s to watch the team you follow things might seem a bit murky. It’s on the surface an abuse of a perfectly good system. That said I’m sure x amount of other club won’t mind, and at the end of the day you’d want to foster a good spirit between a journalist who supports your team as he will always more inclined to report favourably.

Well yes and no. Taylor hasn’t always reported favourably on Davies, and Jim Price for that matter. He has commented on some of the previous debacles of the Fawaz regime (the Brighton credit card, George Boyd etc) but I regard this as good. If he weren’t a Forest fan these might not get mentioned at all in the national press or if they were handled by some less sympathetic, and although it’s negative it’s still nice to get national attention. Bear in mind that on discussing many a matter at the top levels of football Taylor will frequently refer back to a Forest context, this I have seen on more than one occasion (and I make no apologies for explaining I am, if anything though still rarely, a Guardian/Observer reader.

But then there is how the regime under Price deals with the media, which until now I didn’t see as overly bad, but now is getting silly. When it’s a provincial row between the local rag and the local radio, I didn’t worry, but if you start getting the Nationals attention for you act then this is only going to affect how the whole nation perceives your club.

Now ok, right now some of you are probably thinking “I don’t care” well that’s all well and good, but if we have aspirations of top level football with it will come more attention and scrutiny from the national media. Again you might not care, but think on the pressure that might develop if everyone’s concentrating on crazy Forest and what mad japes they got up to this week, and how that could negatively affect the whole vibe within the club. If the world of football is laughing at you, then if things aren’t going right, then there is ammo to be chucked. The feeling will translate to the stands, to the players, and essentially it affects the whole persona and representation of the club. What I’m trying to say is think Blackburn.

Now, it shouldn’t be that way. We got bad press last season, some of it warranted for various bad decisions and odd ball moments. The whole McLeish era (and era feels an odd word to use for such a brief period) is basically pretty much the period I’m referring to, but also the not very well timed dismissal of O’Driscoll, the culling en masse of back room staff, this wasn’t well handled, and so the media represented it as such.

Now the club seem to be trying to punish the media for publishing negative news. I sort of get the angle they may have taken, that they think well top stop all this negative attention we’ll just cut off the head of the snake to avoid it. But that is so incredibly naive and short sighted as to be ridiculous. What the hell do they think the media will do instead, go meekly into the night with their tails between their legs? Of course not, it will in fact create a worse impression and create worse press. This is from a Forest fan in Daniel Taylor, what if he wasn’t a fan of the club, think of the negativity then? Ok Taylor had good links with the past regime which were largely culled, but he still would want the best for the club. He can’t enjoy painting us in a bad light as much as some Twitter trolls would have you believe otherwise.

I’m not going to quite go on a Vital-esque crusade of “truth” against Jim Price. I find that angle frankly ridiculous and unhealthy. I just want the club to realise the path it’s chosen in alienating and shunning the media is a ridiculously bad decision. A lot of people are saying well we can control that now with Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, we can put our own content out and not worry about the national media, it’s obsolete, but that’s again ridiculously short sighted. We don’t want some kind of nightmare world where only good press is published. Does this mean that us bloggers have to worry about having season tickets removed for writing bad things? How far would it go to an Orwellian nightmare? That’s a long stretch to go to, but it almost does feel like Price and Davies have the “Thought Police” out, and will ban anyone who dare publish anything anti club.

Again, I’m not anti Davies and Price, I’m just disappointed with the methods being taken by them in handling media affairs. What they have done has turned this club round into challengers, with Fawaz’s cash, and with Davies managing, Price clearly has done well in the transfer market, so I can’t criticise that side, but what I don’t like is trying to control a media profile of the club through careful manipulation of who it allows in. It’s a dangerous game. And one that doesn’t need playing at all. It just seems they think they are being immensely clever whilst actually very stupid.

King Darius Rises For Late Win

It isn’t very often in life I refer to an ancient Persian King in a title of a Nottingham Forest blog article, but there we go, that’s the beauty of this. Forest left it late against Barnsley on Saturday to seal the 3 points, with a win that was more than deserved. After all we hit the woodwork 3 times in this game additionally to the goals.
That maybe unfair on a decent Barnsley side that look better than last year’s model. Although their own goals were from dead ball situations they did occasionally look dangerous on the attack.

The main element of pre match conversation would be who replaced Guedioura, the Frenchman Moussi getting that nod. Some had thought we may go to a flatter 4 in midfield with Abdoun and Paterson wide with Reid and Lansbury pulling deeper than usual. But now, the narrow diamond remained, with Moussi at its base, Majewski spearheading it, with Reid and Lansbury making up the rest. Cohen remained at left back, and Cox replaced the auxiliary striker that was Halford up front.

We had the better early chances, Mackie getting in clear behind the defence seeing the veteran Pollitt save his effort, and Cox hitting the post from a lovely little move involving Lansbury and Mackie, which may also have been a save from Pollitt.

And then Reid from a free kick in nearly a copy of the Wigan goal curled it high into the corner, but that just little bit too close to the post, seeing it come back off and ricochet around before being cleared.

When we did take the lead it had been a good build up. Mackie gain getting that yard or two of space to shoot, and seeing his effort saved by Pollitt. The only person chasing up though was Simon Cox to give the Reds the lead. Pollitt was angry no defending was following in to tidy up, and his defence seemed to suggest he should have parried it the other way, but that’s neither here nor there as far as I am concerned, Cox showed instinct and quick reactions to follow the ball in and to finish, and put the Reds in front.

Barnsley to be fair didn’t cower though, and their reaction was quick. Perkins who had played well made a run into the box, and pushed the ball past Moussi who clumsily blocked his run and gave away a penalty. O’Grady netted the equaliser, and the lead was already squandered. At this juncture around me there were tuts and noises of derisions aimed squarely at Moussi who most saw already as a liability in that role. He had just proved us correct again.

A word on Moussi, he had his usual type of display where you’re not entirely convinced his arms and legs are reacting to the same brain waves, often careering into trouble and then back out of it. He wasn’t as bad as some will make out, but against a good team he would be found wanting badly, someone like Wigan would have had a field day with him against them.

We took the lead again with the last action of the first half. A free kick Barnsley weren’t happy about being give and Reid, with his usual great delivery caused Etuhu to put past his own keeper. Reid free kicks must be a nightmare to defend, as never sure if dipping in or someone ghosting at the back, defenders feel the need to flail something at the ball to clear it, and as in this case that can result in it going in their own goal.

Barnsley’s second half equaliser was a screamer. Unstoppable, and applauded by a good many Forest fans. It was one of those goals you just have to accept that was destined to go in from the moment Cywka swung his boot. A rocket from 30-35 yards, it was f course given away by Moussi for a free kick in the first place.

And so we toiled for a subsequent winner, and by changing our approach by bringing on Paterson and Abdoun the match was swung. Abdoun excites the crowds, many having seen his Youtube vids (that said I’m sure you could make Jason lee look ace from video highlights) These two started playing a bit more directly and the inter play down the left wing was exciting.

Paterson would hit the post, our third time with an effort from around 20 yards, at first I thought a pass better option but it wet so close. Then Cox had an effort that Pollitt spilled and it went narrowly wide.
And then came the introduction of Darius, fresh from his court acquittal the big man looked hungry and ready. Darius differs from our previous big physical presences in that he can play on the ground too, but his goal was pure aerial threat. A corner coming in he bulleted a header in low to give us a win. Barnsley’s defenders looked frustrated having let the one biggest threat from corners get a relatively free header 10 yards from goal.

It was a deserved win, that there is no doubt, but we were made to work for it. The happy change is now there are different types of options if things don’t go our way. Instead of last year, where we’d have done a relatively like for like change of McGugan for Majewski, this year we have a different type of player to bring on. As I said the interplay down the left filled me with a lot of hope about potential options down there. Abdoun Reid and Cohen seemed to reach a quick knowledge of how to use each other.

All in all a creditable result. It keeps us right in there after the Wigan defeat, and with Middlesbrough up next we look a hard challenge to beat at the City Ground, if we just sort out that DM slot.

Remember Them? Ross Gardner

Ross Gardner arrived with fellow Newcastle academy trainee James Beaumont with a bit of hype and high hopes. The pair highly regarded at Newcastle, and with Gardner having represented England at junior levels. The story was that they had fell afoul of Newcastle’s Academy boss Peter Beardsley, being accused of bullying the pair, which was a claim later dismissed.

Gardner in action for Forest

Gardner was a midfielder, born in South Shields, he was hoped to be a bit more of a box to box midfielder. Forest had had a good time with bringing through youth at that time, and with the club having missed out in the playoffs, would be hoped to come though in the wake of the likes of Gareth Williams.

However it was an incredibly turbulent time at Forest. Hart was the manager who signed them, and by the time Gardner left a short few years later we had rattled through a number of bosses, both permanent and care taker.

Gardner would make his debut as a sub under Paul Hart coming on as sub in a 6-0 demolition of MK Dons. Restricted to a few sub appearances, who got more game time under Joe Kinnear as the slide toward League One began. The team at this stage were losing the best players.

In the infamous relegation season, under Megson Gardner actually broke through and started a number of the last few games of the season in the run in.Maybe in preperation for the drop to give him match time, or because there was little else (Sonner and Gunnarsson for example) so he got game time.

As we dropped into League One under Megson, Gardner continued to feature sporadically, until the arrival of Calderwood who deemed him surplus to requirements and let the North East native go initially on loan and then permanently to Port Vale. His last games were as a late substitute against Brentford and Colchester. As we struggled on in League One before the McParland and Barlow renaissance and stormed up the table,it was also the signing of the likes of Sammy Clingan that pretty much ended his Forest career a well as getting injured just when he'd have got a run in the team.He never scored for Forest.

After a short stint at Vale, he ended up in the non league playing for both Eastwood and Shildon in County Durham. Now at the age of 28, when he should be at his peak, he is retired and works as a Gas Technician.

I always had high hopes for Gardner, I thought he looked like he was going to make it. Maybe had he been with a team on the up at the right time things would have worked out differently, as we often here that youngsters that emerge into struggling teams tend to get adversely affected. Neither Gardner or Beaumont for that matter are still in the game. and I think that merely illuminates thats throwing youngsters into a struggling team merely hinders them.


Ross is on Twitter @Rossygardner.

The Loan Window Is Open....

And already there’s been a whole host of names chucked out there as potential signings from the ridiculous to the... well frankly less ridiculous.

Starting at the less ridiculous scale is Nathaniel Chalobah, of Chelsea and famously played on loan at Watford last year, often making a starring role. It is said by some on Twitter, and maybe I’m making that horrendous error of blindly believing people on Twitter, that he and Lansbury are good mates, which might help oil the cogs of this move. He would be the man for the now infamous DM role that might soon become the new left back hoodoo slot for Forest.

Also linked in that role is Lee Cattermole, though was by a source so completely unreliable as to instantly ignore it. For one he is injured, and furthermore is not the type of DM player Billy prefers. If he wants that battling busting player, we have Moussi, no the guy he wants needs to be able to play. Cattermole plays football so agricultural that he’d better turning up at Southwell for its annual ploughing contests.

Matty Fryatt is also getting linked again, this is believable, we want that striker and we were believed to be getting close on Deadline day. This is a distinct possibility, despite many fans protestations.

Owen Garvan has had his name chucked into a ring based entirely on the fact he was cut from Crystal Palace 25 man squad, somewhat ironically at the arrival of Guedioura. Whether this is someone merely adding up 2 and 2 and coming up with some random answer, or whether there’s anything to it, I have no idea. For one I’m not even sure what type of player he is, and whether he’d be able to take that deeper role, as the rest of the midfield is already secure.

Steven Dobbie, again like Garvan is out of the 25, and for the simple fact he gets promoted, people want him in, and to be honest, it’s as good a criteria as anything else, the record speaks for itself!!

5 Things We Learnt This Summer

1. The Chris Gunter money goes a long way
the old fallacy that all the money that the al-Hasawi’s were using was simply the remnants of the Chris Gunter loan money and a lot of creative accounting seems to have finally been smashed. This summer we made largely actual signings, and the one long term is a means to an end on a permanent deal, but avoiding paying a fee.

2. Players are not always honest
A little bit harsh as Guedioura wasn’t ever really lying, as no-on ever asked the question, but after all the palaver about #nffcfamily and how he loves Forest the first sign of a Premiership club sniffing round him and he was in his car faster than you can say, well, Guedioura. So for me all the love he proffered feels a little cheapened, but I’ll still always have a high regard, at least he went for a higher level of football and not a sideways move.

3. Billy Davies is as cantankerous as ever
And that’s not a criticism by any stretch, but his time off hasn’t dimmed his ways. The media blackout, though maybe not solely his call, must have had his say in there somewhere, his recent reprimand by the FA for confronting the ref post Wigan match. These things point to the fact he is still a fiery little bugger.

4. Transfer Window Closures Under the al-Hasawi's are Eventful.
If it’s not George Boyd and his eyes, it will he won’t he Guedioura transfers and the 3 offers in place for people. In the past Forest fans could put their feet up on deadline day and rest at the rest of football as they all scrambled, in the knowledge we’d be doing no business, nor would we look like it. At least now when we do no business it’s dramatic and gets us talking.

5. If all else fails, sponsor yourself.
An ingenious approach to life by Fawaz after not getting sponsorship in the summer was simply deciding that he’d put his own Air Conditioning company on the front of the shirt. A company so well known and loved that before the announcement, its Facebook page had 200 odd likes. Hardly a super power of business. It is admittedly only up to 343 likes on Facebook, but that’s an increase in Facebook traffic of nearly 60%. So imagine for the corporate website! Fawaz is clearly a genius, rather than simply using a means to get round FFP by using his own company to sponsor his own football team.

Away Day Blues

Amongst all the excitement of deadline day I forgot all about the fact that I forgot about the fact we have now lost a game.
A lot has gone on since that game and not all of it good news. But there were still positives to be had from the 2-1 defeat at the DW Stadium by Wigan.
The first half was a mostly Wigan affair apart from when we scored the opening goal of the game with a sublimely taken free kick by Andy Reid. The best keepers in the world wouldn’t have saved it, and although the goal was pretty much the first time we got forward it wasn’t quite the smash and grab Wigan manager Owen Coyle has suggested.
Wigan then pretty much camped out in our half, and had singled out the left wing to attack down. Lichaj and Lansbury had both got booked and so Wigan took all their play down that wing knowing that the challenges wouldn’t be as fierce as on the side with an unblemished record.
Wigan for their part has some very dangerous players, and in Shaun Maloney have a player who should be top flight. Word is he wasn’t even fully fit. And this led to Wigan pretty much dominating the first half. We made vague in roads to their half and had the odd chance, but not clear cut, whilst Wigan created dangerous opportunities.
And no chance is more dangerous than a penalty, which we have away not a long time after scoring. Maloney dispatching it to Darlows right, and though the keeper got a fairly big hand on it, it still put Wigan level. I’d hoped we’d hold the lead for a long time but like often before an early lead isn’t something to defend. Had we held longer it may have been different.

And with a ref who was terrible to both teams it was never allowed to flow as a game, which I think helped Wigan more than us. There was simply no flow. The bookings mounted up. Which in turns means a player is less inclined to get stuck in fear of mis-timing and picking up a second? Allowing more space and time to Wigan.

Their second goal came after a wonderful shot was turned onto the bar by Darlow, it was a good save, and in a perfect world would have that extra inch or so of clearance be turned over. But alas it bounced out to a Wigan player, Jordi Gomez, who easily polished off for the Latics.

At half time we changed it up. Guedioura came off, Lansbury dropped deep, Cohen went forward and Harding came on into left back. The game changed. Forest had more of the ball, and we dominated the half. But for all the better possession, we couldn’t do anything with it. We didn’t create a scoring chance, and even after bringing on Paterson and Miller we still toiled away without making Scott Carson really earn his money. To be honest we didn’t look like scoring.

A word on the away support, where we pretty much filled that whole away end. Superb from Forest and our fans, and by and large we were in good voice, and as we drifted away after losing there was no angry words, no dismay, the knowledge that a narrow away defeat to a team who will be challenging isn’t shameful. There were the usual array of pockets of annoying idiots, more down to character than anything else, but that’s the same anywhere. The kids behind me in particular were partisan in their words, but you know without any action to back up their threats. In fact I’m sure I’ll get a few weeks laugh out of their “somebody send the ref a death threat” angry tirade from behind. Sorry to end on that, the support didn’t need it.

Guedi Gone

Well save for editing the last post which I put out there suggesting that if Guedioura is still a Forest player we should cut him a little slack, the basic sentiment remains around the Algerians decision.

Because it has been confirmed he has left the Reds for Crystal palace for £2.5m, which is a tidy profit all told, on a player signed a year ago, and who is 28 years old.

But as I said, you can't overly criticise a player for wanting to play at top level. The sentiments of what I wrote when unsure if he was still ours remain. I don't bare any ill feelings for this.

Transfer Deadline Confusion

I was going to try and update the Live blog on the deadline day yesterday at 11pm with a round up. That proved impossible. I think we all know why.

And the current word is that Adlene Guedioura remains a Forest player. This morning word was confirmation was being sought.

So where are we?

Well let’s confirm that Stephen McLaughlin has gone on loan to Bristol City. That much we do know. Guy Moussi and his move to Sheffield Wednesday didn’t happen. Any of the mooted departures for the “deadwood” of Greening, Gillett, Derbyshire and Miller didn’t materialise.

Then there was Adlene. Guedioura as any Forest fan not living under a rock for the last 24 hours knows had been to Crystal palace to talk through a move. It is said that terms were struck, and that all that which entails a transfer went through, save for the actual confirmation in time. Leaving Guedioura as a Forest player.

Now for the minute details. Guedioura “requested” a transfer. That much is true, but that doesn’t mean he tried to force though the deal in a desperate attempt to leave Forest. That merely means he would waive his bonuses and pay offs and any other smaller parts of his contractual arrangement should he be sold by Forest. It basically could have sped things up.

Does this mean Guedi wants out? Well, I’m certain the prospect of Premiership football and one assumes a pay increase appealed to Guedioura. He is 28. He is not getting younger. There is no guarantee we would go up. So he may see this as a last chance to “make it” at the top flight. And even more so in a World Cup year. Not that Algeria are there for sure, not that his place is under threat, he starts for Algeria, but it all adds up in a footballers mind. If he’s succeeding at the top level then his place would be assured. Should Algeria come through the remainder of their qualifying programme he will have a chance to shine in Brazil in a year’s time? Paying in the Premier League would not hinder his chances.

Guedioura as much as he loves Forest, and I think he genuinely does love our fans, wants to play at the top level as said, I am certain that pretty much any of our other players in the same situation would go through the same thought process. A year of Championship football with a good chance of Premiership football, or a move now with guaranteed Premiership football and higher wages. Furthermore the arguments that Palace are definitely down and in a year’s time the roles reverse argument isn’t as great as the kids (and its mainly kids) making it think. If you went there, and excelled and starred, and then Palace are relegated, but you proved yourself, then you’d score a move. Like Charlie Adam with Blackpool, Andros Townsend proved to Spurs he has what it takes despite being in a relegated side, and Taarabt scored a Premiership move too. Just because the sides relegated doesn’t mean they may stay. It’s a chance to prove yourself.

Additionally some people were criticsing Fawaz and Billy for selling a fans favourite, but I heard fee's in excess of £2.5mill suggested. If a club offers above what you believe a players value is, I'm sorry but you snap their hands off.

So for these reasons I won’t lambast Guedi. I won’t criticise. Yes he may have sought to move, but if he agitated for it (and the suggestion is he didn’t) then I’d think Ok, move him on. But an offer was made, it was put to him does he want to negotiate and he did. It just didn’t work out in time. I won’t boo him. I’ll still cheer his role with the team, and neither would I see him rot in the reserves. The territorialism of this makes me laugh, that the fact he entertained a notion of leaving Forest people think he is a Judas. Yet how many of these people have thought of moving up the career ladders. It bothers me with Football fans this idea that you can’t play for anyone else.
But, if, and it’s still if for me, Guedioura is a Forest player. Then support him. Don’t get on his back as then you give him a reason to leave, and ruins what’s been a beautiful relationship. I support anyone wearing the shirt, hell I’d even get behind Commons back in a Forest shirt. It’s the team that matters. Not the individual.

Transfer Deadline Day : LIVE (ish) (UPDATED 20.30)

Ok so not live blogging or update upon update, but when I can and where I can I will try to follow the latest news going on with the deadline day madness, seeing as we’re still meant to be in for people.

Will Sako, Holt, Leadbitter, Vaz Te, or Morgan sign. Who will depart. We will follow the news today

9am: So here we go first update... David Nugent is being linked, as is Liam Bridcutt at Brighton. Some wag is suggesting Benteke might be coming, forgetting he has a new contract and frankly would be as likely as signing Messi or Ronaldo. There is nothing concrete in either direction yet. No departures really being rumoured, though Blackstocks name is being bandied around


10.30 Update
Well, the usual names are being chucked around, Nugent and Sako are getting the most tweets and the most likely sounding also. Few others being thrown in for good measure include Aaron Wilbraham, Luciano Becchio, and Josh McEachran. I can’t see any of those 3 being likely.

Still nothing concrete, still just guesswork.

As for outs, nothing there either. For all of how breathless I thought this might be, it’s all rather... well. Quiet. It’s not going to be one of those deadline days again is it?


12 Noon.
And it looks like Guy Moussi could be out the door. Rumoured to be £500k for the Frenchman, which would be a profit and not a bad bit of business. Sheffield Wednesday looks like his destination. Say what you like, on his day the man is a machine and will be missed, if not only for the behind the scenes stories. There isn;t anything official yet though.

Adlene Guedioura is now being linked with Crystal Palace according to Sky. Not a huge surprise because Davies has been rumoured to be unsure on the Algerian. However at the same time he was influential in bringing in Abdoun, and was being used to market the club in Kuwait. It may be he is used to finance a deal for the the type of ball carrying defensive midfielder Davies clearly wants. However the rumour is Palace are in talks about the possibility. It might have been a very short conversation.

Again nothing official.

On the subject of in’s no further updates or news has sprung up. Unless you count what certainly looks unlikely in a loan bid for Obi Mikel from Chelsea.


1330 Update
No updates on Moussi to Wednesday and Guedioura to Palace. They both remain seemingly on. Although apparently Bannan going to Palace might see their Guedioura interest ended, there is also apparent chatter Palace aren’t alone in terms of Premiership clubs eyeing Adlene.

On any players at the start of the day being mentioned as departures, well no news on Miller, Derbyshire, Blackstock, or Gillett being off.

It’s all rather quiet, save for spurts of conjecture with no real basis.

This is all going to be rather anti climatic isn’t it?

Oh and if I see one more bloody eye joke I might scream.


1600 Update
In an attempt to at least have something salient, I tried leaving it an extra hour. Remember what I said about periods of quiet punctuated with a flurry of mental activity, well....

Liam Bridcutt has started to be wildly linked after a passing mention on Twitter this morning, this has either started to spread like wildfire with little basis, or there is some substance to this. Paul Taylor felt the need to mention on it, that in the absence of a Leadbitter deal it may be plan B. A plan B which would likely be expensive, and I really can’t see one of last seasons top teams selling a vital player. That said, you never know. Brighton have supposedly said he isn't for sale.

Adlene is still being linked with Palace, though after a few hours now the furore has settled. It also doesn’t seem to have moved on anywhere. So it’s still a little unclear. I’d argue the longer these go on without something more concrete that they might have been sheer speculation, but a lot of these rumours slow burn all day and if he was en route to Croydon, well that’s not an quick and easy journey to make.

Stephen McLaughlin is going out on loan to Bristol city, where he joins up with ex Forest boss Sean O’Driscoll. The exposure to regular first team football will surely show whether he will be able to make the step up, and have a huge impact on his future so he has a lot to prove. A lot of hopefully motivating factors for the Irishman.

And now Matty Fryatt is being strongly linked by Sky. Forest apparently with a loan move for the striker. The average reaction on twitter is one of indifference bordering on disappointment. This is before a player is even signed and pulls on a shirt. These same people also usually say trust in Fawaz or Trust in Billy, yet now are complete armchair managers. Anyway, he looks like being the latest solution to the striker issue.


20.30 Update
All very quiet. Doesn't look like anything happening. Not even confirmation of the supposed Moussi and McLaughlin deals. Same old Deadline Day Forest.Thing is we really don't need much anyway. What we have is good enough to be up there.