Cardiff Defeat Not the End of the World

By and large most fans seem to have avoided the hysterics of finally losing a game and falling out the playoffs. There will always be those who react to each and every result as if that result is indicative of the season as a whole, but on the most part fans are remaining somewhat grounded.


The true test will be the next few results. The next two games mainly because if we carry on in not winning (and if we fail to beat Barnsley on Saturday would we really deserve to be up there) then the faith will be lost by the fair-weather fans, and seeing as they all rushed out to buy those triple header tickets it may make or a strange atmosphere.

Cardiff are top for a reason. Let’s not forget they are a formidable opposition, so to lose to them was almost expected. And I say that because of the mixed reasons that we have been limping to last minute draws lately against weaker teams than Cardiff, and whatever they’re nickname is nowadays after all their image shifts. Additionally when I planned the remainder of our season in a previous blog I said we could afford two defeats and had that game down as a definite loss. So all is not lost.

However, the problem is the feeling of things could start snowballing. The feeling we could even make automatic was born out of that. A small movement that gradually builds a huge momentum before collapsing. That same momentum that carried us to being 10 games undefeated and people thinking we could go the rest of the season could easily move to the fact we haven’t won in 4 games now. It’s funny how one change in result goes and put a different light on the situation.

Make no mistake to be where we are and when is still a surprise to consider where we were in early February. So all is not lost. I always thought that if we could make it we’d sneak in on the last day and see where the playoffs took us. To have got up to 5th in early April was amazing to me.

We all cited the amazing form we were on as how we would beat the others to make it but remember that same run of form we went on could carry others in there, namely Bolton. Who at a similar time to us starting our run were flirting with relegation. Now they occupy what we could view as having been our spot. It’s theirs to lose now, and fate is no longer in our hands.

What’s perhaps the most risky part is that we conceded three goals, and the strikers are still remaining goalless. Tuesday’s game against Middlesbrough is huge now. Considering that palace and Brighton are away at teams in the lower reaches (though with this division as it is those games are potential pitfalls) and with Bolton and Leicester facing off versus each other (and those two being the main playoff rivals for us) if they were to draw that would help a lot. Middlesbrough have only won twice this calendar year, but the old feeling that of course the time they get it right will be against us. Mowbray has his back to a wall and is fighting for his job. This could cause us a problem. A draw wouldn’t be a complete disaster as at least it’s a momentum of points, but defeat could kill our morale. If we don’t Barnsley on Saturday regardless of the Boro result I think it could be extremely costly for our playoffs bid. The teams who struggled for form have started to turn it round slowly.

It will be a fascinating week regardless in our season and one that could sculpt it. Losing to Cardiff was almost to be expected, but we need to expunge it from our system and get back to winning ways, rather than the stunted draws that littered the last few weeks. The International Break as I worried would, has removed the wind from our sails a little, coupled with all the razzmatazz of Fawaz interviews and the exposes on Forest, things haven’t fired in the same way since that time.

Hopefully that feeling, and that momentum can be reignited.

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.

New Year, New Start

So a fresh year and everything changes. A win and goals with it to boot. 2012 is already a revolution.

Considering that we had just lot, although perhaps unfairly to Cardiff, morale must have been down. So to come out and hit Ipswich early and take a two goal lead with two very well taken goals.

Tudgays first was as good a goal as I have seen him score. McCleary when he scored, well we have seen him building up to it. A few times lately he has put the ball on his inside and strikes the ball. A couple have been tipped around the post, so he finally got his shot that went in past the keeper. A great goal and we know he has it in his locker from last season against Leeds.

I am pleased for G-Mac in that regard that he is getting his chances he's always been a player I have liked. Admittedly frail in the defensive part of his game, his attacking exploits are usually explosive and exciting. And he is putting in a good shout for himself to be first team ahead of Anderson, who has been the exact opposite.

Of course we couldn’t keep a clean sheet, that would be too much to ask, and the penalty looked perhaps predictable but also that he went down easily. We had of course been riding our luck. Thomas especially with wonderful long range effort bouncing off the bar onto the line and back out. Literally a margin of error of an inch between wonder goal and something forgotten by next month.

At that point I was worried. It sounded ominous especially with our form, but lo and behold Marcus Tudgay saved the day with a good looping header past the keeper from a Reid cross and the 3 points at that stage were never in doubt.



2 days previously it had been different. We again played well but just couldn’t finish. Whether in those intervening days someone recalibrated the strikers to be able to find the target I don't know, but something changed for the better. Against Cardiff we huffed and we puffed but we were never going blow the house down.

Cardiff for their part didn’t have as many chances either, but when they did they were clearer cut and they looked more dangerous. That said Miller had a great chance before he did score somehow missing from right in front of goal close in, his shot was shanked wide.

So all in all frustrating in hindsight that we clearly can score, but that it all came rather late. Had we got a few goals in that run of games and got some confidence back we might have had a lot more points and been a lot higher up the league. But that’s football. If's and Buts.

Back to Back Defeats....But Two Very Different Performances

The common consensus amongst the Forest fans I spoke to before this pair of games is that we thought we could get something out of them. Some fans speculated 4 points as being good, many would have settled for 3. One of two suggested we would lose both.

The truth is I don' think anyone expecting two defeats would have expected the abject performance of last night, maybe expecting that to occur more against Cardiff. Away at a high flying team, we only lost narrowly, with many suggesting we were unlucky to not get more from it.

What a difference a few days made. Leeds absolutely destroyed us. Whether somewhat influenced by the need to give Gary Speed a rousing good bye, or whether they really were at the races, what cannot be disguised is that barely anyone can come out of the game with their head held even remotely high. Maybe Joel Lynch, but then he was part of a defence that conceded 4, so perhaps not.

The man most around at me least singled out, including myself on twitter was Guy Moussi. Moussi had one of those games whereby he just looks useless. Directly responsible for two of the goals at least, but usually around the others, who was particularly woeful. The problem seems to be he can't play that deep role by himself. We are missing Paul McKenna big time in that role.

Lewis McGugan got a lot of flack, after being moved to his "prime" role, he simply didn't how nearly the requisite qualities to justify his reputation. McGugan tried flicks that didn’t work, seemed to think that instead of looking for the ball, that the ball should merely come to him. It was the performance of someone who simply was going through the motions.

The game was getting that bad that Andy Reid decided enough was enough and he'd go and take an early shower. Being on a booking he was lucky to have avoided a second yellow a few minutes before a challenge that was simply just late. He wasn't even close to the ball, it was just bad. And so bad you simply can't help to think that there’s no way he must have thought he'd get the ball.

Many would have missed that because half the ground emptied after Becchio netted Leeds third, of course one of the goals had to come from a header from a cross. It wouldn’t be Forest without that kind of goal. Hell that’s how Cardiff beat us. But the difference was at Cardiff many of us expected to be maybe turned over. The Leeds match we should have at least been competitive. Findley I don’t think once controlled a ball first time. Tudgay had one shot so hopelessly off target that I had to be told by two people that it was a shot and not him miss controlling. Miller when he came on was fill of drive, but he seemed so obsessed with scoring himself he ignored others. Both fullbacks were frequently beaten. Snodgrass beat Cunningham so often and outmuscled him.

I will admit the Howson goals was a great finish, but he had the space and time to compose such a finish. I am sat here trying to recall a good effort. Miller had a free header close in he put straight at the keeper, and McGoldrick had a smart shot turned round the post, but that’s about it. It was simply awful.

And if we play that again for much longer we will go down. I take solace in hoping that it was a one off. However, it could easily turn the fortunes downward. Heads drop. Morale affects us.

We need help and fast. We need new bodies. The current players are simply not up to scratch. We need a central defender who can also distribute the ball, and not aimlessly punt it. We need cover in the midfield that Moussi simply cannot do, at least not do consistently.

Worrying times ahead.

Forest Triumph Over Cardiff

Forest are jubilant today after a massive win against Cardiff sent them back into second place.

In a thrilling encounter at City Ground the Reds came out as 2-1 winners,with Forest goals by Wes Morgan and Robert Earnshaw. Peter Whittingham scored a goal back for Cardiff from the penalty spot in between.

Right from the outset this game had it all,both teams being dangerous on each attack. Early on Earnshaw had the ball in the goal, only for an offside flag to deny the Welshman a goal against his former club.

The best early chances both fell to Cardiff. Before this Bellamy had a pot shot saved by Camp. The best chance came to Bothroyd, who was set free, it looked offside from where A great chance for a recent England international, but missed.I was, but the flag stayed down, Bothroyd was one on one with Camp, and Camp saved. From the resulting corner Konchesky had to clear a Bellamy shot off the line. Not long later Parkin also found himself free, but his attempted lob was too high, he probably should have taken a more straight forward shot.

Not long later and Forest had the lead. A McGugan corner was sent over and Wes Morgan towered above all else to bullet header the ball back in and give Forest the lead. Not quite against a run of play, bit none the less, Forest had been Cardiff's equal, but had not had the clear cut chances the Bluebirds had.

Not long after Forest could have made it two, but the shot by McGugan came off the top of the bar to deny a good goal for the Reds which may have killed the match off

By and large that was it for the first half, save for a few half chances and cleared crosses. A cagey but entertaining first half, and Forest fans were elated, but many a worried conversation, we all knew we needed a second goal. One would never be enough in this game.

Early in the second half Parkin was replaced by Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and his introduction changed everything.The more mobile pacey forward changed how Cardiff chased the game.However, Forest had another close effort with a McGugan free-kick going close to the top corner.

Cardiff's goal came from a highly debatable penalty. For one the linesman did not flag, another barely anyone appealed, fans or players. But the referee thought it was and blew the whistle,much to Forest fans and player consternation. Whittingham, a long term Forest target duly netted the penalty sending Camp the wrong way from the spot.

Cardiff were not level for long. Forest went back in front when Anderson managed to feed in Earnshaw. He netted from the edge of the 6 yard box, and the Forest fans went wild. Earnie, of course having close connections with Cardiff didn't celebrate his goal. It was a good assist by Anderson in a game in which previously I thought he had done little,this more than made amends.

Camp was called into duty twice more in the second half, saving a viciously swirling effort from Emmanualle-Thomas and a Olofinjana effort. Both saves illustrated his worth to Forest, and skills soon to be on display to Northern Ireland.

Forest should have finished the game off when Tyson broke away in a 4 on 2 attack. With the keeper to beat, but with 2 men spare in the middle free in McGugan and McGoldrick Tyson chose to shoot at the near post, when a cut back would no doubt have netted. A mistake which could have cost Forest, but the Reds held on to a majestic victory that see's them rise above Cardiff in the league

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Forest Looking to Bounce Back

Forest will be looking to bounce back from the Scunthorpe defeat tomorrow in crunch match versus Cardiff. Forest hoped to go into this game with their unbeaten run intact but unfortunately must face Cardiff with a loss as their most recent stat.

Forest have lot lost two games in a row since last March, and with a highly enviable home run of form will be trying to make sure that stat remains the same. Forest of course sprang a surprise win at Cardiff away in November.

Of course Forest still minus Moussi, Blackstock and Findley through injury,and also Majewski to suspension. However many of the problems with the Scunthorpe loss were based on the very poor pitch being a great leveller. With the better surface of City Ground, Forest will be looking to get playing good football and sweep to victory.

Cardiff are dangerous opposition. They have a couple of extra players since the November game, notably our former loanee Aaron Ramsey. The likes of Bothroyd, Chopra and Bellamy need no introduction. There are still questions over Cardiff's back line howevr, and ex Bluebird Earnshaw will look to exploit that