Derbyshire Wonder Strike Seals Deserved Win

It was harder to obtain that it really should have been as we bossed the game, but Nottingham Forest have an unlikely hero to thank for scoring the winner against Leeds yesterday in a game that should have been long tied up.

Step forward the much maligned Matt Derbyshire, so much of the periphery of not just the Forest squad but even this game when he was introduced for Abdoun. And i heartily mean that, when we brought Cox on for Mackie we had wanted them to bring Derbyshire back off, as the touches he had made in the 15 mins or so previously could probably be counted on one hand.

But no, that means nothing and what do I know. He was saving it all up to crush Leeds hearts and give Forest that deserved win. He got the ball around 30 yards out, went forward a few yards and from around 20 or so yards lashed home a strike Paddy Kenny had no hope of stopping.

One minute previously Forest fans were in the proverbial dumps. Leeds had equalised, and they looked like getting something out of a game they deserved nothing from. The goal itself perfectly illustrated it, a scrappy ugly goal, after Byram squared and Lascelles managed to get there first, but cleared straight at Darlow who deflected the ball straight to McCormack who scored the goal. It was almost a comedy of errors. Lascelles did everything right getting back and clearing, he was concentrating on the ball, and of course Darlow would would also try and help, but between them the highly rated youngsters inadvertently set up McCormack. Leeds levelled for a minute.

Previously of course we'd bossed it, from Halfords goal early on from a Reid free kick, and a word on Reid, whom everything went through in the team. So much of a fulcrum for the team that Leeds in typical fashion get trying to nobble him to take out or creative outlet. Everything went through the Irishman, and he dictated the play beautifully. Reid's free kick bent to the back post and Halford rose highest and nodded home past stricken Kenny, who was carrying a knock from early on (and if we as first thought was faking it, it was an elaborate long term act)

Reid also should have had a goal, when his range effort shortly before Leeds goal hit the outside of the post. We had other good efforts from Majewski and Abdoun at various moments.

Reid dictated play, but him and Lansbury ran midfield, with Mackie chasing anything and everything, and Abdoun putting in another performance (even if there were a few silly errors again) with the central defenders being towering. A good all round team performance and deserving of the 3 points.

Glorious Boxing Day Win

Forest got their first home win since September against QPR on Boxing Day with a spectacular and deserved win.

It could and should have been more than the 2-0 win we did have but I think every single Forest fan will no have no complaints about this game having won easily.

QPR it has to be said were not as good as you'd expect, and with a cavalier attacking midfield that offered nothing in defence, I felt it underlined the need for a deeper midfield that we play. Phillips often looked dangerous, but Zamora offered nothing, Kranjcar looked dangerous as he has obvious talent, but his ranged efforts were either wide or saved.

The goals, well to start on that is to overlook the renaissance of Abdoun. I have been critical of him in recent weeks as anyone who follows the Forest 24-7 twitter account will surely testify. But this game he was wonderful. So to describe the goal is to describe a wonderful piece of work from Abdoun. A well whipped cross after scaring the QPR right back and Halford headed in at the back post. It's the Abdoun we hoped for when we first signed him.

The second goal was also an Abdoun assist, and this is where the controversy comes. He played the long ball, and it bypassed Halford, however he didn't touch the ball and therefore didn't assist so Reid wasn't offside. The QPR players saw the flag and stopped, but as there was no whistle, Reid carried on and after a brief conversation the goal counted and QPR went in a rage. Pointlessly. You don't stop without the whistle, it was a basic taught to me as a 6 year old playing at school. Play to the whistle. And to see top professionals claiming otherwise points out how far removed many of these guys are from what we play. It also points out their complete knowledge they knew they were culpable and do not get to make decisions.

Even Joy Barton, suspended and presumably watching at home piped up on Twitter to support them saying their players stopped when the flag was raised. But again Joey, that's not the roles. Flags don't stop play. Whistles do.

And the QPR fans and players citing this as unfair need to remember we battered them. We had many many other gilt edged chances. Halford had a great opportunity, Hobbs had one stopped on the line. And that's just two, there were several others I have since forgotten.

It was great to see, and at home with a good crowd. I wonder what Leeds will bring tomorrow. We often have humdingers against them. Bring them on.

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.

Player of the Season

Player of the Season




My point in this exercise is really to discuss who the player of the season has been for Forest, which as I thought about this and planned what to say really has underlined a quite bizarre point. In a season which by and large has been successful save for the last few games (I think we’d all have been happy with this kind of season this time last year) that there hasn’t been a standout performer. Even in a struggling team last year Garath McCleary managed to stand out ahead of the rest. Whereas this year I have seen so much on the forum (which appears to have died) and on twitter that there is no real player of the season.

Well to analyse this let’s look at this logically and equate the leading players.

Karl Darlow

Ok only played for half a season but it’s been a steady set of performances. Not stand out like anyone but he has quietly done his job without huge fanfare. He is almost cultish like figure now due to how he got his chance and the fact we were so ready and willing for him to succeed. For that you have to consider that a youngster with little first team experience got chucked in the deep end and not only floated but immediately started swimming quite easily.

Greg Halford

has been chucked around all over the park and generally has performed well, but as with all nothing that leaps out. Weighed in with a few goals, and even has a spell as a makeshift (and effective) striker. Might have shone more had one spot been made his own. The fact he has played 6 positions screams volumes though, his variety helps, and so to his secret weapon of long throws.

Danny Collins

In and out the team under Davies but a mainstay beforehand he has a mixed time. I hear a number of fans around where I sit be hyper critical of him, and he can be slow and yes there’s been errors, but he isn’t that bad, not as bad as Chambers could be at his worst, but definitely not player of the season material.

Elliot Ward

Again not a full season, but he’s been here for the most part so I will include him. After a ponderous start and being fairly disliked by fans (remember when we announced we had signed him back after his initial loan, there were a lot of critical fan) he has slowly won the fans round. Still prone to slow errors and fouling back his man, he has improved immeasurably at Forest. Seems to like it here too.

Chris Cohen

Now has the arm band, playing out of position at left back and doing a fairly good job. Scored the goal at derby that gave us the lead. Did well when in the midfield too, Cohen has played well this season, which is heartening as frequently people with his type of injury he had aren’t the same player. For that reason his season was a late starter too. A definite contender.

Simon Gillett

included because for the first half of the season he was many people’s best player. Since then his form tailed off and now he is nowhere near the first team. He last featured meaningfully I believe against Derby, whereby he gave away the ball for their goal. A cynic would say his form tailed once his contract hit the renewal if he plays x games clause. Just saying

Adlene Guedioura

For me Guedi hasn’t hit the high notes he did last season> Still solid and impressive but quite prone to slightly wayward passes. It’s been frustrating in that regard, that and his slight disciplinary issues. Still more positive than not, but not a Player of the year performance and I’d think he’d agree.

Henri Lansbury

Took time to settle in at Forest and has really only shown what he can do since February. In that time his passing at times has been exemplary, clearly being on a different plane he can pick out pinpoint passes. On the other that person you’re passing to needs to be on the same wavelength. Clearly not a Player of the Year contender but could be next year on current trajectories of improvement.

Lewis McGugan

It’s same old Lewis, flashes of brilliance interspersed with long periods of average performances. Does things from the bench to get in the team, then doesn’t take that chance and is dropped again. We seem to have been having this conversation for as many years as Lewis has been around. He just seems like a Taarabt, or N’Zogbia figure. Obvious ability, just not consistently.

Radoslaw Majewski

Of the midfield perhaps one of the better. His purple patch when Davies arrived was wonderful. However as I suggested with my worst fears he can’t carry that type of form on over two months. If he could he wouldn’t be here, he’d have ended up at a better club than by now.

Andy Reid

Has been fairly instrumental in all that we do but has had a large number of very frustrating games. Reid is incapable of playing to the whistle and this really annoys me so instead of tackling back if he feels wronged he stands waving his arms around and it costs us. To some he is undoubtedly our player of the season, but for me there are huge obstacles for me to give him this accolade.

Simon Cox

Well there is the obvious issues with the lack of goals, but you can’t help but admire his effort. The fact that two of his goals pretty much would dominate a goal of the season poll, with his League Cup v Wigan goal and the obvious one then his returns been lame. For that you’d be critical, but as said he offers so much else to the team other than goals. Had the strikers been scoring though it’s easy to make the jump is assuming we’d be easily within the playoffs by now.

Billy Sharp

End this poll at Christmas and I think he might have won. He’d been banging in goals, got his own chant (in one of the shortest times for one of our players I’ve seen) and become a bit of a cult legend figure, especially by eating someone’s hot dog as a celebration at Blackpool. Since then though due to injury and being out of favour and his form dipping Sharps goals have dried up sadly. The second half of the season has been quite the drought (as with all strikers)

Dexter Blackstock

Clearly not a player of the season as for certainly the latter half he has been rather poor. His touch had completely deserted him, lack of any goals, and just generally bad performances. It’s a shame. It is also pretty much since he got his new contract. He really can’t be considered at all, his form has been so patchy.

The rest of the squad has largely been pitching in here and there with odd performances. A few have come and gone, and a few have been completely injury prone, but haven’t done enough of note to be mentioned overtly. Hutchinson has shown glimpses, Henderson got a couple of goals, Jara on his loan did good things, and Jenas, well Jenas was injured a lot.

So Who Wins?

To surmise I find it very hard to single out anyone ofrom the bunch as player of the season. you never know should we reach the playoffs an obvious candidate might ise above the ashes to see himself crowned. I'm going out on a limb and giving it two players, who have both had to show incredible senses of utility. They have been shunted round the park and have retained high levels of performance so therefore Chris Cohen and Greg Halford get my vote.

Podcast 2 Is Up

Folks, its time to download the latest Podcast with Forest 24-7, recorded with MyOnlyForest blogs Ben. Here we discuss the confirmation Billy is manager, the Bristol City Game, and the latest round of sackings



or from Youtube here

Derby Day Positives

Well, we didn’t win and so Derby still have the Brian Clough trophy, and a certain amount of bragging rights because it has been 2 years since we beat them. But all that said there are more positives to take from this game.


After the shaky start to McLeish tenure, and when arguably the team was more in SoD’s guise than his own, we struggled, and to be fair, as much as I defend SoD, there were times we lacked steel and the team looked idealess. With McLeish there does seem to be a bit more a mindset that if Plan A doesn’t work, there has at least been a Plan B discussed. Under SoD there never seemed that idea.

So anyway, there are negatives of course as well, we did draw after all, so it’ can’t all be plain sailing. There is of course the fact Gillett got dispossessed by Sammon, and although many demonised Gillett for that error, which happens all the time all over the field, it resulted in a goal. It’s easy to blame Gillett, he plays that role that always seems vilified by Forest fans, and when he makes a mistake it usually results in an attack. What is to forget is the fact there was still a lot to happen to result in a goal, the way the defence stood off and allowed a fairly immobile back man to waltz through, and for Ward to get space and score. So there were other elements to blame, though maybe not directly.

One thing that greatly worried my friend was the use of Darlow in goal, maybe harking back to the days of Barry Roche. He was worried that should he make an error and generally concede a lot of goals that he would in turn see his fledgling confidence shot to pieces and generally destroy his Forest career before it really began. We needn’t have worried, and although yes he didn’t have lots to do, generally what he did have to do he got right, tipping shots over the bar and kicking well, for me its kicking where you can a lack of confidence in a keeper, slicing ball generally indicates he isn’t getting IT right. Darlow had no such worries. And now the Post this Morning carries a headline saying he could be the keeper for years.

On a personal front, and I always do enjoy the more unusual aspect was the ironic jeers you can hear on replays when Cohen misjudges his first shot and slices it. Those ironic jeers all the more funny as they are soon replaced by Forest fans cheering as Cohen tucks it away at the second time of asking. No more than a good stalwart like Cohen deserves, especially with the role this fixture has played in his recent career.

For me Lansbury was good too, showing why he was rated. I have said he needs a run of games in the team, and for me he can be a more mobile form of Reid. His passing is finding its range. He takes a better corner than Majewski, McGugan or any of the other the usual suspects. Bodes well for the ex-Arsenal man.

Another pleasing aspect was the complete anonymity of Will Hughes, the great white hope of Derby, the “albino” as a few have tagged him was largely a passenger in the team, not showing any sense in the rumours of a “dossier” held on him.

Jara continues to impress at right back, and that looks like an astute addition. So much for the moron element on Twitter decrying his signing with “who?” He has been a breath of fresh air at right back.

However all these positives, I was informed by some friends, who are Derby fans that there was unsavoury element, with Greg Halford apparently having spat towards Derby fans. I can’t comment on the element of truth, but will say they aren’t the people who usually lie. A shame if it was true.

But a game we could easily have won, whether it’s Cox shot being 2 inches lower. Sharps last kick of the game that went in (though I don’t hold any doubt that derby had stopped, ergo, potentially making it that it wouldn’t have gone in) More so in the fact we didn’t crumble when conceding, but buckled down and took control of the game again. Even making really attacking changes late on, McLeish noting the importance of wins against your nearest and dearest and going for the jugular which was pleasing, he knows from Rangers days that winning such a game can rally fans and players, and unify them into a run of games. Fair play to him for that.

Had we lost, there may have been unneeded focus on the sackings last week, or a general negative feeling around the club. A commendable draw changes that, and moves us on to a very tricky but winnable game against Watford. It will be a challenge; they are a good side, but then so are we. Game On!

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.