Forest Look-a-likes 6

It's back!!! Forest lookalikes! It's been about 18 months since we did this. We have a new batch of lookalikes featuring Forest players.

So without further ado!!

Harry from Dumb and Dumber and Dan Harding

Adnan Januzaj and Chris Cohen

 

Jamie Mackie and Matt Damon

 Andriy Pyatov (Ukraine keeper) and Darius Henderson

Got any others? Then tell us below or go on our pages on either Twitter or Facebook and tell us there and we may include them next time.

Cohens Injury

Just when you think the left back conundrum has been answered the whole thing is blown open again. That for a moment doesn’t matter though, as the first thought is we wish for speedy recovery for Chris Cohen, who for a second time in 2 years faces a lengthy lay off on the sidelines with a knee injury.

I spoke yesterday in the match report that it was unclear what the damage was, within an hour of my publishing that we knew the truth. Another long layoff for an influential player. The captain.

Cohen though has been an integral part this season, and although not the influential role in midfield he usually displays, his willingness and his performances in a less favoured position speaks volumes of a guy putting the team before himself. Egotistical players may have complained or kicked up a fuss about being played in a less sexy role. Cohen just gets on with his job.

The dynamic down the left for me at times this season has been a joy, his lung busting runs to overlap Reid, or Abdoun or Paterson has been a feature of a lot of what we have done well. Now that’s removed from the team dynamic.

So where do we go now. There are options; thankfully, the loan window is still open. So we can seek to quickly get in a replacement. But that’s exactly the problem, quickly. We need someone soon. I am not as naive as to think that modern day Football Managers don’t have plans of action for this, that there isn’t a dossier of potential players that would be targeted for such eventualities. I am sure there is. Whether though we can sort those players out in the few days left to us before the loan window closes isn’t clear. We’d have to wait till January otherwise.

So that would leave Harding. Now I for one think he’s been given a fairly unfair time by fans. He’s not great, but nor is he awful. He is capable. And for now we just need someone in there who can play the role, which he can.

The wider implications are that the stretched defence is even further stretched. Another injury in the next two games would see a very hard Christmas period. There just simply isn’t anyone else with first team experience to play, and what a baptism of fire it would be for a kid like Kieran Fenton for instance. As aid before Chalobah can play in that role, which is another option.

We could recall Moussi from his loan who has been used as an emergency centre half before. This by any stretch isn’t a favoured option, but this situation isn’t an ideal one and sometimes needs must. These next few days are key in that regard, because both Collins and Wilson remain out for an extended period. Its leaves us very stretched.

So is it better to go for a more experienced expensive left back for the loan like we did with Konchesky? Do we go for the inexperienced youngster like with Greg Cunningham? We also need central defence cover to, so someone who can play both? It’s up to Davies and Fawaz to sort out. As I said, I have no doubt they have names in mind, its just time is against us.

Potential Forest Departures

With Billy now getting a transfer window to tackle his squad, there might be just as many heading out of doors as coming in them. Partially to free up wages, clear out some dead wood and just to get rid of players Billy simply doesn’t fancy.

Potential outs

Dan Harding
Ok so our recognised left back, but the fact simply looks like he’s not good enough, and Billy doesn’t rate him. Whether that means sticking with ever reliable Chris Cohen, or shifting him back to midfield and getting a specialized left back in isn’t fully clear. However you would think anyone with any sense would bring in a proper left back and get Cohen back to where he is effective. Harding didn’t have the greatest of seasons, and should there be much interest I could see him being moved on.

Gillett

Simon Gillett
Genuinely thought he might be a Billy type player, very much in that McKenna mould, but again, Billy tends to want his own men in roles he see’s vital, and he doesn’t much seem to like Gillett. He flattered to deceive in the second half of the season, and O’Driscoll may come a knocking again for his erstwhile side kick. Don’t imagine we’d demand much of a fee either.

Matt Derbyshire
Please god someone take this waste of resources off us. He didn’t do much on either loan, and just seems to be content taking vast wedges of cash for his wife to splurge in the cinema. Really hope he gets shipped on. The only nagging doubt I have is that Billy likes a poacher, he might see Derbyshire as one of those, but I think also board pressure would want to see players like Derbyshire out the club.

Collins

Danny Collins
Might be slightly controversial this one, but Billy didn’t initially seem to like the Welshman. Additionally, the captaincy was removed from him. In that regard he might well get told he’s not seen as first choice and his age he may decide he’s prefer to look elsewhere for action. A lot of fans don’t rate Collins, I don’t mind him, but he is cumbersome at times. I don’t imagine his wages are cheap either.





Stephen McLaughlin
It’s funny we all this focus on a winger when we have rough and ready one in reserve, admittedly on Reidy’s side, but we don’t much about the Irishman. Now I base this all purely on the McCleary evidence but Billy never gave him his chance, he only blossomed under Cotterill. Is there something about these unpolished diamonds Billy doesn’t like? He does tend to focus on players who are the finished article, not having the patience to see someone develop fully. Might see him go or at least loaned out for 6 months.

Miller

Ishmael Miller
Hardly set the world alight with Boro but could quite easily be on his way. Expensive and not getting the returns on the investment it might be best to cut losses, or just simply take what we can and accept the loss. Some have said Billy could get him playing, but I think the ship sailed a long time ago on Miller. Just get him off the wage bill. Him and Derbyshire alone are taking up the pay we could get 4/5 very good players for. Hungry players. m There has been a number on Twitter saying we should give him a chance. These people clearly only saw him for West Brom







Dexter Blackstock
Yeah he has only just signed a deal, but there have been numerous occasions there has been chatter he could be off. If we did sign Carlton Cole I’d expect to see Dexter go, and lets be honest his form last season was pretty bad. It’s also one player we could get a fee to reinvest from.

Guy Moussi
Moussi is not first XI by any stretch and is so inconsistent. After his contract negotiations the other season i don’t suppose he is cheap either. He’s the type of player we might look to recoup some money on, and Billy doesn’t seem to like him as much as he did before.

Jonathan Greening
Like Derbyshire and Miller on a lot of money for no real returns. Offloading him, for free probably, considering age and poor performance, and we could ease off that £12 k from the wage bill he is swallowing up. Nobody will miss him, he seems to only serve the purpose of keeping the dressing room entertained these days.



All of this would maybe free up some cash on the wages front, that we now have to consider FFP wise. Consider that supposedly Derbyshire, Miller and Greening between them are on over £40k a week, which s a little over £2mill a year of our turnover we have to pay out to crap. We can’t let that continue. Players sitting on fat long term contracts has to end.

Transfer Activity Round Up

Basically I’ve not been on the ball so to speak this last week, the Olympics have distracted me from keeping on the pulse transfers wise, as they wind down, so too do I start stop neglecting this.

We reported previously on the signings of Collins and Guedioura, so in essence I need not comment, however in the wider context of what we have done I shall evaluate them further.

Let’s start with Guedioura, or Guedi as I shorten it to save me time and squinting at the screen making sure I spelt it right. Really a must after last season’s starring role, he’s a box to box midfielder, and next to Gillett can provide the energy and enthusiasm, and that sht. He isn’t a lair player, like McGugan or Majewski, and I’d hate to see him pushed out wide to accommodate who I regard o be luxuries of Lewis and Radi. His role will be integral this season.

Collins, at the time we needed any centre half, but now having seen further business it’s easier to see the roles here. Collins is the physical ball winner, good in the air, strong, and not afraid to shirk a tackle. The balance of Ayala alongside means Ayala is the cultured ball playing defender, mopping up Collins interceptions and challenges. This isn’t to say Collis has no culture, but he is there as a Chris Morgan, a Steve Bould, he does the ugly. I am unsure still on either ones pace, so I can’t really comment there.

Next to him will likely be Daniel Ayala, on loan for a season from Norwich, highly thought of there hence only a loan. He first to England to Liverpool and had loan spell at hull. More a ball player central defender it clearly shows O’Driscolls intention for passing game lead from the back, rather than the Chambers/Morgan esque punts up field. Perhaps more in the Wilson guise. Norwich fans were quite animated at the thought of losing him so this bodes well this move.

Greg Halford is a direct Gunter replacement at right back, but he can play in the centre due to his height. My brother is a Sheffield United fan and he speaks very highly of Halford. He has an almighty throw which is an extra weapon. He can play all down the right so hopefully this means some marauding runs, which would mean we need a right winger who is more defensively minded than McCleary was to cover for these, that maybe Moussa, it maybe Coppinger. He is somewhat a journeyman, which speaks that he struggles to settle, perhaps age and maturity might let him do that here.

Harding is the new left back and I admittedly don’t know a great deal about him. Having seen the Villa game though he looked good, and again is a full back that goes for runs and can get in round the back, perhaps good as Reid doesn’t have the greatest mobility down the left and he can be used for link up play. He has a legacy of promotion with Southampton so he knows the division and knows how to win.

Simon Gillett in the midfield is another I know little about, but having seen his play he seems very Paul McKenna like. Dropping deep, collecting the ball and seeking to start build up play, often a role many don’t understand as it’s never one with gets glory and often leads to side of back passes as he seeks to create space. Many fans don’t like this, people round me for instance seem to insist that the ball should always go forward, these people are invariably morons who don’t understand the nuances of the game, and like crazed loons who kick players up in the air more than a cultured midfielder. Gillett can get stuck in though by the looks.

What remains to be bought in is unclear as I spoke about earlier we need a right winger; we need maybe a little extra cover at centre half. Whether al-Rashidi comes in as more experienced cover for Camp than Darlow, which I’d hope means Darlow goes out on loan, and to higher class than Newport County I don’t know.

We may see more departure but I reckon more short term loan deals for the likes of Derbyshire, McGoldrick and Findley. Emergency loans to struggling championship teams as many others couldn’t pay the requisite wages.

But in summary the transfers, though seemingly slow to those who wanted all business done in a week bodes well. We have waited for the right players, not panic bought and have looked to build a team. Last season we tried to chuck too many players together in a cobbled fashion. Derbyshire was signed because he was available, nothing more.