Top of the League

The old adage is don’t bother looking at the League Table till Christmas, and don’t be bothered till Easter. To hell with that, we are top of the league!!
But seriously, yes it is early days, but in as strong a message to all the rest of the league, Forest have gone top of the Championship following their third win of three games, with a third clean sheet. It’s almost perfect.
We defeated a strong Bolton team without at times appearing to break sweat. It was strange though, as apart from the 3 goals, we barely troubled Adam Bogdan in the Bolton goal.

Bolton still have a physical edge to their game, Wheater and Knight in defence will always be a strong physical pairing, and to counter we used Halford as an attacking foil. It’s not the first time Davies has used him in that role, with him being used up there last season (I forget which game) Halford similarly is strong and physical in the air, and Davies clearly decided that he would be the best foil up front, rather than Miller or Derbyshire to strike against the towering goliaths of Bolton.

And it was within a minute and a half that the Reds struck, with Mackie getting clear, and finishing past Bogdan. It had been a smart little manoeuvre, and free from his markers there was to be only result for the new signing from QPR.

What impact this had on the game plan I’m not sure. Bolton clearly has a physical defence. And whether the whole match plan was out the window and it allowed Forest more space we’ll never know.

Bolton had a very good chance to equalise however, hitting the woodwork, however Pratley had strayed off side from the free kick, and as they were poised to net, the whistle went and the chance gone.

Second half and early on we scored again, Reid being left free at the back post as the ball came across to finish slightly awkwardly but smartly. 2-0 was possibly a fair reflection. The game had entered a frustrating period whereby the ref let a lot of play flow for what could on another day be blown for. Perhaps it made it better, rather than potentially being very stop start. However it was a case of once they knew the ref was doing it; they’d simply be holding or grabbing more and stopping the playing of the ball. Some Bolton fans have suggested we were as bad, but that seems to overlooking arms clearly round players.

Halford toiled away up front well all afternoon, in a role though not completely alien to him is one he isn’t so accustomed too. The problem as we sign more specialised players in various positions is that the jack of all trades like Halford and others in the past gets pushed aside, which though it means a stronger team, must be disheartening to the player. Halford though, on the contrary, used this as a means to show what he can do, and it the midst of a potential striking crisis with various injuries, put in a shout to be used elsewhere.

The win was rounded off when Lansbury ghosted in back post, and though the finish was not like Reid’s, a diving header by the ex Arsenal player, the positioning and impact was the same. It was the cue around 100 Bolton fans needed to leave.

Pratley also managed to get himself sent off for a challenge that on a booking was frankly ridiculous. Pratley must hate the City Ground, after when playing for Swansea blatantly getting felled when about to score a goal and not getting anything. And that’s forgetting our incessant chase of him for over a year.
A comfortable win, which we ultimately coasted too. The manner of easing off will also mean the players don’t overcook themselves for a couple of hard away games to Watford and Wigan. Should we come out of these games with more than 4 points hell probably 3, then we truly are a force to be reckoned with this season.

Look out Premier League, here we come.

Six-Ual Healing

I was saving the Bolton game to be included with this, so although the title deals with Huddersfield, the main crux is both matches. But what a difference a week makes. I was a sceptic on the instant power of a change in managership, but wow, a huge change in the team that has to be simply down to management.

What is obvious following to heartening performances is that McLeish was a failed experiment and the whole thing is a huge relief all round. What wasn’t as apparent was just how much of a relief it’d be to the players. The way we played last night, and I turned to my friend and commented as such, was like the Leeds game. Right before McLeish. So what it looked like he was doing in that month or so he had control was ruin the heart, the passion and the desire. Ok, you’d expect to see maybe a change in formation, maybe a slight mixing up of personnel. But to see complete differences in people’s style, it’s remarkable.

The Bolton game saw us be more creative and makes chances galore. I initially thought the midfield set up looked all wrong, with no real defensively minded player in there to mop up, but Guedioura covered and when he got forward Lansbury or Reid or someone would cover.

We fully deserved the lead against Bolton when it came, and it genuinely felt like there could be only one winner. It was a good finish by Reid but more than that it was a quality move which he finished with aplomb into the bottom corner.

It was the old enemy though for us. Possession given away to easily and a cross with a simple finish. That goal has been conceded too many times this season, which means teams are doing their homework on us. Notably too it’s how we conceded against Huddersfield, and should have on more than one occasion as well.

Team v. Bolton

But what has changed in the belief and the drive. Under McLeish, and some games under O’Driscoll we’d have wilted, like we did against Watford. But no, in both games we didn’t allow that to happen, and although there wasn’t the time to sort it out v Bolton, though there were chances, against Huddersfield, we simply dusted off and got back at them.

And this is why I refer to the healing. It’s been like exorcism, of the previous month’s ghost. I’m not sure of the varying approaches but Billy seems to be able to coach his player’s minds. Whereas McLeish was probably drilling players on field matters and not much else, Billy gets in their heads, and makes them know they can do what they. Some say he gets that extra 10-15% out of them, but I think it’s more getting their ability out of them, whilst McLeish simple sapped their wills so they under performed.

Team v. Huddersfield

Moving on to the Huddersfield game, where simply to begin. Not only is this a sense of healing for the players, but what a galvanising shot in the arm for support is that. On a night with reduced entry prices bringing a bumper crowd, we impressed. This could see many of those come back, giving the support a boost in numbers. We usually with bigger crowds limp out in games. The crowd starts to turn quickly and there’s a bad blood, but even when we went behind it wasn’t an angry atmosphere, like we may have had under McLeish or Cotterill a year ago. No, this support waited. And got their rewards. Though the celebrations for the first goal felt kind of muted. Like half the fans were expecting the goal to be disallowed or suchlike, or just relief we hadn’t collapsed and died after going behind.

I have to say that when we 1-0 down, I was worried. I’d been running late for the game, coupled with the fact it was reduced admission which we always seem to lose. Mull of Kintyre went wrong in the build up, when the recording jumped into fast forward. All ominous signs.

There has been mixed comment on the array of scorers, with some very happy to see a whole team performance and the goals coming from midfield. Remember when we nearly made it last time under Billy, goals rained in from midfield, especially by McGugan, so to see a similar scenario now is good news. The team nature of some goals too was pleasing. Majewski’s second goal was a nice today move, culminating in a good finish. His third was just a great strike from range. Going back a moment too, Wards header from a set piece was also good to see us using set plays well, and getting the big centre halves scoring, like we used to do with Chambers, Lynch and Morgan. And those worried that the strikers have been mis firing lately.

On a personal level I was pleased for Lansbury’s goal. Not only to cap his best performances in red. But also because I have backed him to be a good player. His Arsenal pedigree and his previous promotion gaining experience made me think he’d be signing of the summer. Up till now he has disappointed, but now the fact I got him on my home shirt is starting to look justified. Davies seems to like Henri, and it was notable that Davies singled his goal celebration out and they had a personal moment together to celebrate that.

Finally, big Darius scoring helps. I’d like to have seen Cox get his goals scoring boots on again, but for Henderson to open his account with us been also important. I can see him being a late impact sub at home, and being used as a big strong target away, much liked Billy used Dele Adebola for.

All in all, very very positive movement from Forest. Not the 6 points some wanted, but still a massive stride in the right direction, and with some results going our way, the 6 points haven’t been as necessary. We are back in contention just about, and with a strong solid run, like Billy’s sides can go on, we might well be in the mix come May, which 2 weeks was frankly unthinkable.

It seems we are back to those heady days of Boxing Day. Via a very dodgy turbulent 6 week period where everything about the club was thrown into question and where we started to wonder what we were really in for. Exciting times ahead and all aboard the Billy Train. I for one am an unexpected willing passenger.

McGugan Wonder Goal Welcome Reminder of What He Can Do

I’ll make this abundantly clear at the start, I didn’t see the game, I was at Leeds festival so this isn’t a match report per se, however since seeing the goals, and especially McGugans (which Vincent Kompany felt moved to tweet about) I did want to comment that it’s been too long that we saw this side of McGugan.

Nearly 2 years, well maybe 18 months, I was compelled to put together a video for the website celebrating McGugans string of wonder goals. He was scoring one every other week. 8,9, maybe 10 goals worthy of any pitch, although the Ipswich free kick strike was most people’s winner of goal of season, the Cardiff away goal was my personal favourite, and this goal reminded me of it.

Not quite out of nothing, he had space, and a moment to adjust, it was still largely unexpected to shoot there and then, and with such precision. That precision is the key, shooting from such a range should allow the keeper a moment to adjust position, to read the flight, to react. Not though when hit with the precision and power, a very hard combination.

Yes he should be closed down quicker perhaps straight away, not allowing that second to produce what he can, but maybe Bolton weren’t as aware as many other Championship squads were. Was it that defenders were rise to him last season which restricted him? Was it the managers being unable to utilise him rightly, both McLaren and Cotterill. Probably an element of that too.

But that he was in the position, took the shot and succeeded bodes well. When McGugan is clicking and on form, so do Forest. He could be that focal point to succeed on, if only he was more consistent and didn’t go missing in games. The new passing should benefit him though.

It won’t work every game, you deny him space and he won’t get these chances, so a lot of teams deny him that time these days. That does however then free up our other power hitter Adlene Guedioura to fire at will from range, and we know all too well what he is capable of. Just seems McGugan’s efforts have that finesse, that precision in his shots, whereas Guedioura is all raw power.

I will say this about the goals I saw from Friday night, and that also involved looking at tactical analysis that our new Technical advisor provides. He has a YouTube channel on which I saw his analysis, and yes there were defensive lapses. People not picking up players, leaving their man etc. These need to be cut out. Invariably it is a more attacking player covering whose attention lapses for that second that defenders wouldn’t. This will happen, but the team needs to be a united unit. It’s not quite there yet, we didn’t have enough pre season games to have fully clicked, but it will come. And when it does with what we are building, we could blow teams away.