F.A. Cup Glory

Well we all by now know the result and if you don't what rock were you hiding beneath for the last 24 hours, but a glorious televised 5-0 for Forest versus an admittedly under strength West Ham saw Forest sail through the Fourth Round.

Paterson

Forest saw the return of Moussi to the line up for Vaughan and Paterson of course in the team on the other flank to Abdoun for Mackie. Save for that the team was pretty much the same as played over Christmas. 

To say things started well is an understatement and from the off we looked the better team. We took a relatively early lead when Paterson was fouled in the area and Abdoun snatched the ball to take the penalty ahead of the likes of Reid and Lansbury who had scored penalties before this season.

Well I said to my friends when he stepped up that I was worried he'd try something stupid. He of course did. One assumes the keeper hadnt been aware of Abdoun or he might have guessed he'd try a "Panenka" penalty. It was almost predictable. Had it been saved he'd have looked monumentally stupid, instead he pulled it off and was acclaimed by some on the net as a genius.

The rest of the half was pretty much us having more of the ball and creating half chances, but the best other chance of the half fell to Ravel Morrison for West Ham whose free kick was well flicked over the bar by the hand of Darlow.

In the second half we overcame a dodgy period to go and complete the rout of West Ham. Jamie Paterson came of age on a Forest shirt with a hat trick of quality and a little bit of luck. His first was a low drilled shot into the corner from a Halford knock down, the second was deflected in from a defender into the bottom right corner, and his third and final goal he collected the ball out wide, ran across the edge of the area and finished into the corner again fora glorious hat trick.

Andy Reid finished the rout with a goal after a cut back from Abdoun and finished into the top of the net. This didn't flatter us at all. It was deserved and I felt sorry for the West Ham fans who must have started so early in the day to come up and watch something so abject. This lasted a short while. I know that when the tables are turned the sympathy is so slow in coming apart from the mocking. 

The attention is all more about Allardyce in today's media, will he hang on to his job after this? What does it mean for their transfer activity? It is less about what it means for Forest, or how good we are, but that's what gets the attention. Not the smaller club, but the Premiership sides travails.. That's the way of the world I guess.

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.

Forest Draw With Burnley - Dyche Snipes.

I actually quite like Sean Dyche as a manager, and although I have frequently laughed at his wheezy raspy voice, he has a decent record, especially working on budgets.

That said his comments post match against Burnley left me feeling he’s just a bit moany and every time an opposition manager says stuff like this it just strikers of bitterness that they don’t have the resources. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Well we’ll discuss this later after looking at the match,
We exposed last week that Burnley are a bit of a bogey club for the Reds, we don’t have the best record against them at all, but they aren’t the only club in that group. So going into this game against a club we do struggle against who now happen to be flying it was clearly a worry.

With the pre game news of injuries and viruses hitting the centre of defence there was a great many people commenting on the fact they thought we’d get battered. The usual array of positivity anyway, or those who either see triumphant win or resounding defeat as the only pre game possibilities.

Of course the truth was, as a number speculated that Hobbs would be fit. The problem with Billy Davies announcing these injuries in the way he did is that he’s tried it before; we all know when he says this he’s actually sure that he will have someone to play there. He’s a terrible liar! So many people kind of thought, well I bet that means Hobbs WILL be fit. Which he was. Lichaj came back in the side, and Jara moved into midfield to cover for Vaughan. The rest was as it was against Leicester.

Jara is starting to look quite an accomplished figure in that holding role, taking the ball down and playing it wide or forward. Rather than a Moussi figure of just putting his head on it or trying to get clear. Cox kept his place following his strike v Leicester, and with Majewski playing his advanced role in the gap behind the striker, it was quite an attacking shape.

And things went well, very well. We had the better of the game; with the highlight being a Lansbury free kick coming back off the bar which Majewski then put the rebound wide. It was a good effort and had the keeper beaten. It seems in the absence of Reid then Lansbury is the free kick taker extraordinaire.
But Burnley of course took the lead. A lot has been said, written and gesticulate about this decision. For me it’s a simple case of turning the tables. Had that been at the other end, had that been Forest crossing the ball and had that been a decision to be made at the other end, every Forest fan would have sure it was a penalty, and citing that his hand was in an unnatural position. That reason alone to me says penalty. The simple truth is if had your hand is anywhere outside of your body and it strikes it, there is a very strong chance it will be given. There will be days the same thing happens and nothing given, it’s just one of those things. What rankles is that linesman gave no signal at all and he had a better position and yet the penalty was given by the ref, behind play and not as well positioned. It’s a small point, but for me it is a little annoying. That said, for me, it was a penalty despite what anyone says. Jara had his hand raised, although only slightly, and that more than likely means penalty. And as I said, the strongly voiced opinions, those shouting loudest it shouldn’t be given would be up in arms had the same thing not been given for us had rules been reversed.

And for the next five minutes were extremely shaky. Heads had dropped. Visibly. It just seemed an air of “well we tried really hard, had the better, and yet we’re losing.... what can we do?” before after that period we rallied. And when we did, we scored. Laughably right after one reliable Twitter idiot, clearly never at games, claimed Paterson is useless and should be withdrawn. Because Paterson clipped in a delightful cross begging to be scored. There had been good movement around the area and slick passing on the right, in the manner we are used to on the left. Jara clipped it inside to Paterson who got past his man and sent the ball high to the back post. It was unmissable, and played on an absolute plate. Cox nodded home and we were level again.

The second half saw us retain the best of the game, and yet we still retained an element of risk and danger, Chalobah replaced Lichaj and Jara went to right back, but his first five minutes apart, Chalobah played very well. He even had a decent chance that at the time looked close and placed, but on a replay didn’t quite look as cultured and close.

Other close efforts fell to Hobbs, and Lascelles. A near post effort at the death was nearly back heeled in by Forest but was saved and then cleared. Had we scored it would be deserved, we nicked it, except we didn’t. It stayed level.

There was a dampener in that Cohen got injured, at first it looked horrific, a player staying down, not moving saving for waving frantically is almost always bad news. Cohen was doing just this, but after a couple of minutes he limped back in to play and tried to support Abdoun who had replaced Majewski. Paterson too had been replaced by Henderson, leaving us with no sub options, but that’s by the by, our captain and vital cog in the machine looked badly hurt, especially when limping off again after trying to play on. The news on that is still not clear at time of writing.

So all in all a creditable draw. For one a depleted team, a second we went behind, but furthermore we looked down and beaten and dragged our selves round and got the spirit flowing.

A word on Dyche comments. He was a bit snippy claiming he had a smaller squad which, yes he does, but he was taking a dig at Davies saying how despite our crisis, we still had 32 players to chose from, and how they’d offered only £4.99 for Paterson whereas we paid a million. Very clever and funny Sean, making you look like paupers. That £5mill for Austin must really hurt your pockets. Furthermore we didn’t have another recognised centre half. Chalobah can play there, but two 19 year olds a centre back? No. I’d like him to name those 32 players we could have selected from.

It just seems the wealth we have still seems to get resentment from other teams who can’t help taking digs. In attempts to big up their good achievement versus us, it’s now used rather than the illustrious past. Just celebrate your win/draw. Don’t start blathering on about each other’s wage bill.

Back To Winning Ways

Glorious. Quietly and insularly I had high hopes here. I had a feeling. I didn’t want to articulate it in case I cursed it but there we go. I made suggestions on Friday that this is the right type of game for Billy. He gets the best out of an underdog. The team which isn’t fancied to win, and after struggling against what some deemed lesser opposition we returned to winning ways away at not only a high flying team, but also a local (bit of a ) rival.


Goalscorer Jamie Mackie



Tweaks to the starting XI saw Jamie Paterson come in for a start any fans have been calling for online. Jara maintained his spot in the side following good displays.

David Nugent is partly to thank for his profligacy in front of goal. Missed gilt edged chances and a penalty brilliantly blazed onto the top of the bar (which in my book Drinkwater went down very easily for)

An icing on this cake was the goals for strikers. Cox netting is nice to see, he always scores v Leicester, but also Mackie weighing in with a goal too.

All very good news. But it does overlook we relied on bad finishing, but that’s football. 2-3 weeks ago we drew with Bournemouth despite battering their down with chances. These things will average out, so yeah there are days we have periods under the cosh that we go up the other end and take advantage of.

It does entertain me that that very unpredictable nature of the Championship sees us struggle against teams in the lower reaches of the division, only to then beat the high flyers. I alluded to the fact as I say this could happen the other day, and I feel justified, though I doubt I’d have felt confident enough to back it with actual real hard cash. To be fair I forgot to look up the odds on the internet.

And so we creep back up a spot, into 5th. I haven’t seen anyone suggest Billy should go in the meantime, though these views will be shelved for a while (the international break looms again)

What effect will the break have this time? It has often been a hindrance. I suggested it late last season, and recently Forest Boffin on his blog pointed it out too. However after a poor run, followed by a big win, we go into it with heads held high. The visit at Burnley could be perfect timing. For one we do well against the better teams.

So pride restored Forest fans, and both our nearest and dearest in the East Midlands have now been beaten. Bragging rights are ours, and further more the knee jerk stupid reactions of those who laughably said we’d go down have been shut up.

Dip Becomes Wobble

I always enjoy the different naming conventions with football on when things are a wobble, crisis, disaster etc. What was looking like a dip in form can officially it seems be upgraded to a wobble. These of course happen. Most teams will go through something similar. When and how it happens seems to alter the terminology.

The lack of form against Bournemouth and Yeovil has now stretched out to the game versus Blackpool. What is especially galling is that Blackpool had clearly come for a point and we still conspired to lose the game in injury time.

Ignoring the fact that the goal looks like it shouldn’t have stood. Ignoring the fact we feel we should have had a penalty (is that really such a bonus with our similar form with those) we still managed to let Blackpool score when they hadn’t really been pushing. Yes they missed an extremely poorly taken penalty (not very well struck, decent height and fairly central) but it’s not like they really pushed us.

It’s November now, and it really strikes me that even at this stage that Billy Davies isn’t sure what the best team is. That’s because we’ve never really had a fully fit squad for him to choose from. Never mind the best team but which best system to play. The 4-3-2-1 was favoured early on at times last season, whilst occasionally reverted to the 4-1-2-1-2 diamond formation we implement quite often.
So it was a frustrating game, but there is more then immediately meets the eye. My opinion, different from one or two other blogs is that we were unlucky to end up losing. It’s easy to look at things in terms of goal scoring opportunities, and Blackpool did have clearer ones, but they also looked less likely to score for periods of the game.

What was annoying was the way the striker’s role ended up being. You’d think with a big man up front he’d act more as a target man, especially with the set up of two wide men. The initial view would be that the Henderson would be the huge aerial threat from crosses from Abdoun and Mackie. In reality he was an increasingly deserted figure up front. Lansbury not getting forward as much as Majewski in the free role to play more behind the front line. Instead you see your target man often dropping deep to look for the ball. This isn’t what he was therefore. Unless his role was somehow to act as a role to gets the ball in to wide men cutting inside, but with Mackie on the right that is not likely. He’d need to be on his wrong wing to be cutting in side.

Is it the midfield the battle is being lost? Well some times. The strikers though and the midfield have a disconnect. The ball goes u the pitch and comes back when it is lost. Possession not being retained and the defence come under attack again. Chalobah was meant to seal that plug but he’s not working. Whether he prefers a different role, or as many say, he just isn’t bothered and knows what ever happens ultimately his success doesn’t rely on Forest succeeding.

But it’s more the manner against Bournemouth and Blackpool in consecutive home games we have conceded late goals to cost points. Is this complacency, or a lack of concentration, or just luck? Well that’s for Billy Davies to look into.

Bournemouth Match Report

Cherry’s Pip At The Last
Well I said it. I said that ridiculous Post piece could haunt us. And it truly did. I hope the author, the now infamous True Red and the Post can look at themselves for knowing that did play a part in rallying the Bournemouth fans and players into performing. They have admitted as much in a piece in Bournemouths local paper. I know one person was protesting (a little too) loudly that it was a joke, but even so, it gave Bournemouth a focus.

My friend turned to me during the game and said we’re going to be punished for these missed chances and truly we were. Although some have suggested the ref was bad, any decision he made didn’t truely affect the game for me, but merely added to frustrations of the fans at our incompetence in front of goal.

The match stats speak loudly. We had 21 shots to their 14, but had the same amount on target. We had the lionshare of possession. But the one stat that matters is that bounrmeouth “lowly little Bournemouth” left the City Ground with a point.
To be fair Bourneouth looked very good on the attack, hitting the post in the first half. I was extremely worried when Pugh and Pittman lined up a free kick, thinking yes they are going to score. When the Cherries did equalise I wasn’t as much shock and surprised as just frustrated that we had failed to kill them off.

This said I whole heartedly agree with the sentiments of Colin Fray post match when asked about the mis firing striker.s He said that two weeks ago no-one was suggested the team lacked firepower when Henderson had scored in a few games succession. As usual with the fans the last result is the only in mind, and we forget he bigger picture, you just see we toiled in that game and so we need new players.

I felt a little sorry for Cox, he was obviously trying, and looked exhausted when took off. He was taking shots when passes wre better because hes desperate to score and desperate to be that man we turn to for goals. But Saturday, and a lot of the last 6 months it just wasn’t his day.

Bournemouths offside trap worked wonders. It frustrated Henderson and Cox. Constantly catching us offside, again returning to the views of my friend, he was watching Cox at one stage when we had possession deeper and noticed for around 10-12 seconds Cox remained in an offside position had the ball been played long to him. I’m all for playing on the shoulder, and using that, but remaining offside and trying to step back at the last minute to be onside just sn’t effective for me.

Not with the high line Bournemouth put out, obviously looking at how we play, with
teams usually standing a bit deeper at the City Ground, allowing those balls to be played, they riskily wielded a high line that stopped us. I have no idea if this is their normal game.

To be honest had they not scored that late goal this debate wouldn't exist. We'd be talking about a professional win with a glorious goal by Lansbury. Instead we focus as always with Forest on the negatives. And yes thats what sticks in the mind, but at the end of the day had we held on 90% of peoples moaning and perception of this game would change.

Is the Post to blame? They didn't help, but at the end of the day they weren't missing the chances. It contributed in a sense that it focussed Bournemouths mind pre game. It enthused their fans. It's been pointed out since the game by penty that it was a rallying cry. But that said, had we been able to finish it'd be completely irrelevant. Whats to blame is a collective failing to score enough goals. But move on, these games happen and theres no need to beat ourselves up as much as some fans have been

Derby Day Delight

After 2 seasons of, well, I admit it, failure against Derby, Forest have turned it round to result in a victory in a game that always feels like it comes at vital moments in a season.

For instance this game came on the back of a run of games where we had toiled to get draws. Losing in the Capital One Cup, although no exactly painful still sits on the mind. Had we lost this game, form would start to look questionable. And with the prospect of two long away trips before the international break, it had all the possibility to turn the season the wrong way. Last season’s defeat felt like a big setback and 2 years under McClaren, well it took the wind from the sails of what might have been another kind of season.

So for me, this game felt higher stakes.

We all know the result, all know the scorer, I’m not going to break ground there, but hat surprised me, is that although Derby often looked dangerous on the attack, the seemed to almost go out of this game with a whimper. I’ve only ever seen Hughes against Forest and each time he has flattered to deceive.

We made changes, enforced changes. Moussi in the midfield, Chalobah out through injury. This both worried me and gave a new sense of what would happen as Moussi does have awful distribution and is prone to terrible errors of judgement. That said, with him in place the midfield had shape. The dynamic down the left with Reid, Majewski and Cohen was in place. With Moussi out and Cohen into midfield, and Harding on the left, it was still there at times, but just not quite firing in the same way. Collins was in for Wilson (and ultimately for Halford)

What was apparent is at set pieces Derby had clearly set their stall out defend against Henderson as the aerial threat. That’s the only way I can begin to describe the way that they completely ignored Hobbs, who despite his large frame went through the area unmarked and headed home with what would be the only goal of the game. It was absolutely criminal defending, and had they not being so obsessed with pulling Henderson’s shirt all over and stop him jumping they may have remembered other aerial threats exist.

The penalty was an interesting incident as from my seat I have near the back of the Trent End, anything that happens like that at the other end is hard to pick out and I haven’t seen the goals back. But Derby going down to 10 men is not always the best plan. I of course refer to 2 years ago and the whole “we only had 10 men” game. The resulting penalty was saved, and at this point I was worried. We should have buried the game there and then, instead there was this outside chance of hope, buoyed by the penalty save.

Indeed Derby had chances. Hughes with a free kick, and Sammon as their human battering ram. But their main worry all game for me, and always is when we play them was Jamie Ward, he’s just that hateful little figure of a player who antagonises and I could see him doing something. So I was delighted when they withdrew him.

Reid had a glorious one on one right at the death, and 2-0 would have been probably the right result, but it was saved. Henderson had earlier missed a glorious headed opportunity to finish, but his header went way off target.

A word on a number of players. Collins was superb, and it’s that kind of showing we bought him for. Henderson toiled as the target man, and for much was an aerial target after we shifted dynamic with Moussi out. Although he missed a gilt edge header and the penalty he worried Derby. Harding did his job when he came on, but Abdoun didn’t seem as confident when he came into action. Lansbury in the deeper role had a quieter game.

The win of course has since seen Nigel Clough dismissed and hilarious McClaren bought in. Maybe it will work out, but evidence from his last Championship job suggests otherwise. With Middlesbrough where he had success he had cash to spend. We know what he did with us, failed at Wolfsburg, Twente (in his second spell) and of curse England. This could be his last chance of a vestige of saving face in England.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Perfect Start

No doubt by now you’ll have read an official match report, maybe you even attended the game, like 23,000 odd other souls. But here we go anyway.

A win is a win, but with Forest who usually draws or lose the first game it’s a nice change and a nice start. To see a few new players bedded in the guise of Lichaj and Hobbs, with the rest of the side being more the “old guard” it was a pleasing performance.

We deserved to win, and although not convincingly by a larger number, we were still far far the better team, even if Huddersfield did have a good couple of efforts.

However, although it was good, there were a few worries. A Collins error later on could have let them in, these happen, but Collins does seem to be prone to one a game. Guedioura didn’t have his passing radar quite engaged and also lost possession a few times in dangerous positions. That and his usual hopelessly off target long range efforts were accustomed to.

The width provided by marauding full backs was good to see, and ultimately gave us the goal via Henri Lansbury. Lichaj gave a good account of himself after a few wayward early crosses. In fact Lichaj nearly scored when he drilled one across the area that started moving toward the goal.

You can also see how Mackie was well regarded by QPR, as he constantly chased and harassed for the ball. He has an excellent work ethic, and even when he was rotated position wise he looked bright. Derbyshire who was one of the pre game talking points didn’t do a lot wrong, but then he didn’t have too many chances to do a lot right. Cox who swapped with Mackie in the slightly withdrawn trequartista role, could have had a couple of chances, but he wasn’t there to play as a striker.

The game was also interesting as it featured the return of one Ishmael Miller to a red shirt. Someone who I remember as being a powerful striker like a Lukaku or Moses now seems more like a comedy Adebola. Just didn’t seem mobile, often failing to quite control the ball. Whereas Henderson when he came on looked very lively. Paterson also made his bow in a Forest shirt, and made a couple of attempts at mazy runs.

All in all I can’t complain about Saturday, True enough I heard people mumbling throughout the game, but these are more the type who has seen us splash the cash and are expecting miracles or amazing performances week in, week out.

For me the interesting factor was despite all the guess work and conjecture, we didn’t in fact play wide, with more a narrow diamond in the midfield. At times it didn’t always work but we clearly remember it did last year. And ultimately it did here by drawing their full backs forward and allowing us to get round the back. Lansbury ghosting in at the back post a free man was criminal defending almost. Their whole back line being drawn across to Cohen and leaving the free man at the back stick.

Whether we start to move to a new wide man system as Paterson beds in and Abdoun receives his clearance I can only guess, but the fact we have put some serious money into those positions suggests we will.

I expect heavy rotation in the Hartlepool League Cup game,

Some Things Just Aren't Meant To Be

I stood by the fact that even if we won I thought circumstance would rally against us and stop our promotion bid, and though I was wrong on that I truly hadn’t factored Leicester beating us. I had thought a draw extremely likely, and it would and should have been after chasing the game.


There is little point dwelling on the Leicester game. Well all know what happened and if you don’t, well what kind of fan are you? But there were things to look at. The fact the defence became so unbalanced with Harding at right back didn’t help. We rued the loss of Jara and then Halford. The midfield just didn’t bite in the way they have. We had that rarest of things though, a striker scoring, but it’s still too few and far between all season.

But we can be proud of even being in the chase, and having on the last day had a period of time where we had that berth in the playoffs. It was completely and utterly removed for any reality in early February that we’d even be in with a shout. And at the end of the day that top 6 were the top 6 pretty much when we embarked on that run, save for Middlesbrough’s hurtling down the league at an alarming rate. In that regard Bolton not making it either is slightly less galling that our run didn’t see someone else do the same and pip us. We both tried, we both just didn’t have enough. A crazy last dip for the line that was too early.

And so here we are again. Another season of much to mull over, but where very little changes. We remain a Championship club talking about getting to the Premier League and wondering how and why we will make it. That could be another article for another day, but it remains that nagging sense of “where did we go wrong?” It’s simplistic but not overly wrong to suggest everywhere. We started to build our team very late; the squad wasn’t right in its balance. The defence was often shaky, the attackers didn’t score, and the midfield didn’t overly settle. Bear in mind our player of the season is someone who spent 4 months playing out of position at left back. That screams volumes at me.

So after people previously said we needed to clear out and start again, well that approach still didn’t get us over the line. It will be interesting to see what Fawaz and Billy do over this summer. We can’t just go out and sign X player and Y player, because Financial Fair Play dictates we can’t. We are already on the cusp with wages, and we have Derbyshire and Miller coming back with their excessive wage packets.

Something else that also leapt out at me about Saturday was the fact the fans sort of accepted the position. No anger or annoyance we missed out, just a little bit of frustration. We started the day outside the playoffs, we finished there, and yes we would have succeeded had we won, but we truly were beaten by a better side. Hence why so many waiting for the lap of glorious adulation or whatever sheen they put on it not being one of “honour” also clapped off Leicester. They came, they saw, they conquered.

As we’ve said for a while now. There’s always next season.

Back On?

Ok we have to rely on a number of factors that you wouldn’t wish on your own team to happen to Palace or Bolton, whereby they go do a Forest style melt down and try their hardest to avoid promotion. It can happen, we’ve all seen the way the top of the table have tripped over this year, but it’s still more unlikely than seeing as pinch berth number in the play offs. That said, automatic promotion from League One 5 years ago seemed more unlikely.


You can’t help but notice the missed opportunity that is this season and this last month, the manager of the month curse really striking home hard on Billy, and how much we could come to rue those hit posts versus Barnsley a couple of weeks ago.

But following our first win in an age, we suddenly could make it again. I stress could. I still think it unlikely, and it means we can play a fairly reckless game against Leicester whereby it’s not in our hands so let’s just go and play a wildly entertaining game rather than making sure we don’t lose. After all, we do potentially need goals too depending on the various outcomes (Tonight with Palace playing Millwall being another)

I feel like after every game we lurch from emotion to emotion at the moment, never quite sure where this season is going to take us. It really has been a rollercoaster, and one we’re not sure yet where we get off.

But as I say it makes Saturday’s spectacle hopefully, yes we do need to win, but it’s all relative. We could do everything in our power and not make it, so let’s give the fans something to cheer, play with the blinkers off and go for it. It could be a thing of beauty. Maybe a striker could score.

I mean it can work both ways, we really shouldn’t be here. For one where we were 2/3 months ago there’s no way we should be discussing the playoffs. But then again, where we were 3 or 4 weeks ago, there’s no way we should we discuss not making the playoffs. It is exactly that kind of situation. And it’s one that no matter what occurs Saturday I don’t think the fans can complain. The dark days of McLeish in January is what cost us any chance of going up. Not anything in the mean time. Would we be up there with George Boyd, I doubt he’d have made the difference, but that said his none signing has made all the difference (as I said in the article “In praise of George Boyd’s Eyes, just search for it)

Beating Millwall was vital, as had we gone into these games with nothing to play for, it would have been horrible seeing Leicester turn up with at least something on their plate. They are even more unlikely than us to get into the playoffs, and with all their funding over the last 2 years that is laughable. £5 million centre halves, Sven, and all that. They shouldn’t be in this situation, but that’s the Championship, you can’t buy success. It’s unforgiving like that.

So yeah, in essence it is still all on and all to play for, but only if Bolton (or Palace twice) bottle it and we sneak in.

Playoff Hopes Hanging by a Thread

If anyone of 4 shots that hit the woodwork had been an inch or two in another direction the whole outlook of this piece would be different, for then we’d have fate on our side, and would only have to make sure we win and that would enough alone. Instead we now need to win AND for other teams to lose. This is now a tall ordeal with 2 games left.


That said it’s happened before. 2 games out when were promoted from league One we thought it an impossible task. Surely both Carlisle and Doncaster couldn’t slip up, but surely they did, and it allowed us for that most unlikely of promotions that sunny day 5 years ago.

It is by such margins that seasons are made or destroyed, that a shot bounces in; a keeper manages to keep the merest of finger tips to the ball. Both Reidy and Sharp crashed balls against the base of the right hand post of Luke Steele. Frustrating because on these occasions we had beaten a keeper playing well, but even then something denied us the glory of a win which would have changed every emotion.

And that’s the fine margin. We went home feeling deflated. Not angry like sometimes, not depressed, just deflated, like we all knew this was possible, but hoped it wouldn’t happen, but strangely acceptant when it did. For that reason I think the crowd never turned like it could. Yes it seemed to almost turn nasty, but sometimes we’d have heard boos, and yes there were a few, but mostly we knew the jig was up, that we should never even really have been in the mix for the playoffs and yes it’s all over (except most in the back on their heads say that in public, but in private retain a feeling of it’s still possible, but I can’t speak it aloud, or I’ll curse it)

Barnsley to be fair weren’t as bad as they were at Oakwell, which was pretty shocking, but they still barely offered anything. Every attack in the last 20 minutes I expected them to pox a winner somehow just to rub slat in wounds, but thankful the ignominy of losing to such poor opposition didn’t happen.

What scares me is the way our strikers have simply stopped working. No goals in earnest for a while. Now the middle can’t score either it’s all rather annoying. Guedioura had a few long rangers that were actually on target but they were relatively simple saves for the keeper. The close range headers from Lansbury, or Sharp were pretty much at him from point blank, but still needed to be saved. Yes they look good, but if your keeper concedes them it’s embarrassing.

If we miss the playoffs by 2 points, and that’s certainly possible, this will be chalked as a big miss. It really should have been a win. But to single out games as disappointments in that way is always a little foolhardy. You could say the same about other games. And what about those last gasp points we really never should have got in several games recently before the rot set in?

It just seems we peaked too early, but when we embarked on that run of wins it seriously didn’t seem like that was possible. That’s why I mention we shouldn’t even be there because the way the rest of the promotion chasing teams imploded at the same time was ridiculous. I do worry for the teams going up this year that they aren’t good enough. But consider the teams who came down. They haven’t exactly set this division alight, so how big is that gap? I’ve heard several national journalist say it’s a poor division because in the occasional game they’ve seen it’s been low standard, and I won’t lie it happens, but the same with the Premiership. Is Reading v Wigan any higher standard than Watford v Bolton? Probably not.

All in all yet again frustration reigns at the City Ground, and it looks like another year will pass where we don’t sit at footballs top table. It’s 14 years now since we were relegated. There’s a generation of our fans who have never seen us play top flight football. Never mind be competitive at that level. It’ll likely be at least 15 before they ever do.

Boro Defeat Ramps Up Pressure on Barnsley match

What was a run of mill league game on Saturday has a whole new load of pressure now. Following on from 2 defeats, W9which ironically as it follows our longest run undefeated of the season, now leads into our longest run with a win this season) means that the game has a new must win status.


For if we fail to win, and additionally everyone else picks up points our season would effectively be over. Should we win then we might find ourselves thrust back into the top 6 with everyone still on. The top of table is still that open.

The Middlesbrough defeat is frustrating for me because we are limping now. Boro have been in awful form in 2013 and had only won once since the turn of the year. Naturally they remember how to play versus us. But I identified this much on the forum saying this precisely the type of game we don’t want.

That crest of a wave we were on is now a wave that has broken. Now we risk drowning in our season and hopes. The Cardiff defeat always looked on. To be honest what we saw as triumphant late draws which symbolised that we just won’t be defeated were actual signs of the beginning of a down turn in form. Because we had been on that rich vein of form previously we didn’t see it like that, we were extending our great run, rather than embarking on what was the run of games without a win. The trouble is this seems to have been a change we didn’t notice.

As I said previously following the Cardiff defeat the international break was awful timing. I said it at the time of the break too, but [people shouted me down as being wrong. We were in fact going to be even better after a break. I couldn’t see the logic then, and now I laugh at it. “We will better after the rest, all the players invigorated” I was told. Well frankly why does that makes us more inclined to win? We weren’t the only team without a game; the whole division had the same so EVERYONE had a break. People couldn’t see this. They get so blinkered by Forest they only see the benefit to us. We will be rested, they will be rusty. Such theory is bonkers. As is the fact that people couldn’t see it breaking momentum.

The Middlesbrough game was the wrong match at the wrong time. We needed an easy home game (this Barnsley match) following the first defeat for Davies. But with a tricky away game, and question marks sneaking in came back to back wins. Now the challenge is to reinvigorate that morale. The players need picking up. If we don’t beat Barnsley, I don’t care about the point’s connotations, the morale will be spent. The players will have been defeated in mind and body. Should we win that game then the boost could carry us back up there. Even if we win and still remain outside the playoffs it would hopefully have gee'd us up to a point whereby we keep ourselves in with a chance going into that Leicester game.

I’ve said it, other bloggers have said, people on Twitter said it. To be where we were at the time was a victory itself, never mind had we made it by the last game. We really have no right to be in with a shout considering where we were, but lo and behold we made it to 5th. That said if we had no right, then Bolton are riding all their luck being in the top few as they were even further behind. Did we peak too soon? Possibly, but then the run of fixtures in late March early April would always be hard to maintain momentum over. Playing a number of teams chasing the dream was always a hard prospect. And so it proved. So I wouldn’t say we peaked too early, you can only do what you can against what’s put in front of you. It happened to be a run of out of sort’s teams, and teams struggling.

Considering our remaining away game is against Millwall whose season now they lost in the FA Cup semi final is over they have nothing to play for. Those teams can be dangerous. Playing with the shackles off, it is simply for fun. Bu tit can go the other way, how do you motivate players who had a Wembley performance recently and had the biggest game of their season at their feet and messed it up and have nothing else to play for? It is eminently winnable. And so we should. But it remains as I say tricky. Leicester have hard games so would easily slip up, and both Palace and Brighton are playing teams struggling against relegation. Those are notoriously hard games you want to avoid. Bolton’s looks the best run in, they play Cardiff who might well be in party mode and Middlesbrough and Blackpool who by then will have nothing to play for.

Last week I’d have said don’t look at other teams, we have fate in our hands, now we don’t, but we still just have to win our games and hope for the best. Remember when went up from League One? That was completely against the odds.

Forest Continue To Grind Out Draws To Keep Playoff Push Alive

So my ultimate plan of what we needed with 10 games left of 6 wins, 2 draws and 2 defeats is out the window. We now have 3 draws in that time. That’s fine because the playoff chase is not following any rules this season.


In normal circumstances drawing 3 in a row after sneaking into the playoffs including 2 home games would and should seen us drop out of the playoffs. Such is the constant tripping over of each other in this race, we actually look in a stronger position than before we got into 5th place.

The Brighton game always looked dangerous and Turf Moor is a place we never had much luck at. Blackpool was a team with a psychological hold over us. And so it came to pass. Blackpool although never really the better team despite whatever delusions Paul Ince tries to pass off as reality had the lead and forced us to break them down slowly. Ultimately it was another penalty when it came.

We seem to be getting that stroke of luck with late penalties at the moment salvaging us a point here and there, and how vital will they be come the end of the season? Potentially we will rely on them. And of course Lewis McGugan netting again, where 4 strikers on the pitch once again toiled to no avail.

A word on Blackpool though, they have capable players and extremely dangerous wingers (though Pauls, valuations of son Tom Ince’s value looked laughable on the strength of this game). That said the way the embarrassingly tried to waste time at all junctures after taking their lead was almost embarrassing. How their keeper wasn’t booked is beyond me, but we can forgive the ref as he gave us the penalty (albeit stonewall) and sent off briefly ex Red Isaiah Osborne for a rash tackle. Again Ince’s delusions came out where he claimed it was never a red, even though he was late, high and with legs up. Ince’s quotes mentions it wasn’t a red as they were on top. How does this work Paul? How is a red card offence not a red because which team has an upper hand? Even that negates the fact they clearly didn’t. Blackpool had around 2 shots all game, one a goal, the other hit the bar. In Paul Ince world that’s dominating a game. Maybe he was convincing the thousands at home this was the case, as Blackpool’s away support was for a team who have been top flight in the recent past miniscule.

For me this was a game where the midfield had a lot of the ball with no real end product. Reid’s passing deserted him, Majewski was quieter than usual. Guedioura at times was hit and miss some wonderful passing but then some ill advised attempts at dribbling in bad positions. The defence looked fairly firm, except when Matt Phillips had a couple of pacey mazy runs where he really challenged them, and it bothers me this misguided cries from the crowd of tackle him. You try and jump in that stage and you get passed, or you take him out and get booked. Jockeying for the right time to put your foot in is completely the right thing to do. But fans want you to jump in with a sliding tackle to win in spectacular fashion. You cannot touch especially from behind a player like Ince or Phillips in full flow, they will go down.

It was kind of depressing to see a familiar type of conceded goal that Blackpool scored. The midfielder with that extra yard or so of space to net with aplomb. I’d say it was a good goal, but we have seen a few guys do exactly the same goal. Liam Trotter for Millwall springs to mind. The defence sit off giving him the space to set his body to shoot without closing down. You’d think we’d learn by now but evidently not.

But my mind is split. On the hand the wins have temporarily dried up, just as we come up to a very tricky away day to Cardiff, (that said we do well down there) but on the other hand, these are games we could easily have lost, and have gained 3 points at the death from nothing. That same 3 points is currently our buffer for being in the playoffs. That connection has to be made. Additionally we have extended our unbeaten run now, and that can only be a good thing. If we are to fail to win, points at this stage add up, as shown by the last 3. If we did get a draw at Cardiff, which will go a long to helping us, we would definitely remain in the playoffs for another week, and all the psychological benefits of that, we’d have gotten over our biggest hurdle in the run in

The Team That Doesn't Know When It's Beat

Two games in a week where being behind at 90 minutes means nothing. This team will play till that final whistle and it is bringing us the chance of success. Whereas in the past we may have licked our wounds and whimpered about losing, they knuckle down and eked out a point in both games, which were both tricky propositions before we even kicked a ball.


And seeing as the rest of the Championship all seem like they don’t want to be promoted, tripping over each other and themselves in the run in, these 2 points although we could have hoped for more, may seem huge in the great scheme of things. Palace are way off form, Leicester seem to have imploded, and so what should have been us slipping in and out the playoffs (in reality with where we were 1 month ago, we should really be chasing the pack rather than being the pack) we sit in there with a bit of leeway.

It’s with strange emotions I review this weekend’s football. On the one hand the sheer elation that we got that point against Brighton, and the utter gift that it was, is coupled with the fact that we simply shouldn’t have been behind in a game we were the better team for in large portions.

That said I think any fan with any sense saw this for the dangerous tie it could be. The Seagulls may have recently had their wings clipped, but they have been near the top of the table all season for a reason, have a good manager, and have signed some extremely good players. The likes of Bridge and Upson have played at the very highest level so Brighton are no mugs.

Despite that, we could and should have been ahead at half time. Reid deciding to clip an effort to the back post rather than put his laces through it and let it go. It’d have had a better chance of going in, least of all ricochet to another player moving in to score.

Majewski for me though never got going and I just hope my worst worries and theories about him only being to play well in month long bursts isn’t coming true. McGugan looked far more likely to make something happen, as he ultimately did, to equalise after we fell behind. That goal was kind of contentious. The goal resulted from a corner which resulted from a free kick that was questionable. Therefore a bit of a moan, but it was one of those things. How long after anything happens in a game is the previous passage of play responsible. To use that argument you could go back any distance in any game.

There has been the flash point that had seen Lua Lua “raise” his hands, although how high you have to raise them appears to be the issue. There are a number who after seeing the incident later on TV decided that it probably didn’t deserve a red but for me once you motion aggressively towards another player you lose many of the rights to argue your case. Be it a motion with the head or use your body to charge them, if this is in a scuffle similar to what developed you run the risk of a red for sure. I do contend that sending him off might have made this a less enthralling contest but I also think it speaks volumes that he was then removed by his manager at half time, and forget any other excuse; it was to pull him out of any further confrontation.

Of course Ulloa would score, but for us to get back into it illustrated this team’s resolve. McGugan down the right flank, firing in powerfully but that took a deflection to take past Ankergram who seemed extremely annoyed with himself after the goal. At this stage we could have gone on and won it, but instead we let our guard down and Buckley gave them the lead back. I genuinely at this point couldn’t see us getting anything. Battling back to draw level as it was had took its toll and surely the emotion of going back behind would see spirits drop. Well maybe in the past but now, although it was a tame goal when it came, we just keep going. I’m sure by now we all have seen it that equalising goal, Lansbury’s effort was weak and straight at the keeper, to the point I sat down when he shot, thinking it saved, and so I didn’t see the keeper spill it till the roars came. Thank god for the new big screens.

2 days later we again very late on salvaged a point when all looked lost and again from the midfield. I didn’t see the game, and had to work so didn’t hear much of it either, so my analysis will be fairly weak. I will say this, McGugan took a brave penalty and to be honest you know McGugan will back himself every time in that situation. We might not always agree with him, and often he might fail, but he is on a crest of a wave right now, and so it continues. The midfield goals save us again.

What had been discussed before and during the game was our previously bad record at Turf Moor, especially scoring goals, so as well as getting a point, even scoring is a mild victory. What a difference a manager makes though. Under McLeish and probably O’Driscoll I doubt we’d have got a point in either game. We’d have wilted. Under Davies there is a tenacity to keep going until every clichéd and proverbial analogy can be made about the very end. They will always try. And it’s that tenacity that looks increasingly likely to be rewarded with a playoff spot. This isn’t down to just skill, ability, and luck. They all play a part, but if we we weren’t trying till the death and playing it seem’s for Billy, those characteristics wouldn’t matter a jot. We’d still have lost. But to keep going, to keep trying, even when for 96 minutes it hasn’t been happening, there is clearly something more to the team and squad right now than the traditional qualities. They demand to succeed. They won’t be beaten. And it’s this zeal and passion which is that difference a manager can make.

I’ve recently started reading the Secret Footballer, and he speaks about the manager can make that difference. For one guy they might not try as hard, or put that extra yard in to make something happen. It is clear Davies gets them to do that. Perhaps more than any other manager right now up there is getting. Because to see the way the other teams are slipping whilst we charge into the playoffs makes you wonder how far skill and ability has taken them and how much passion and desire and that grit needed has deserted them. Make no mistake, I remember the days previously under Davies where we would have the January February drop in form, so it’s clear he can’t keep it firing the whole season, no manager can, but for what we needed and at the time, he was the shot in the arm we needed between going for broke and wilting and fading. Mowbray doesn’t seem to have it, Pearson doesn’t either. Warnock probably does but that is where the luck and skill part also play their part, his Leeds team is just not good enough. Had Leicester or Boro had Warnock I doubt you’d have seen them fade away completely. Because when most have played their cards, or put it is all season, when it came to the vital parts of the season they were left wanting. We aren’t.

Whisper It No Longer, Promotion is a Real Possibility

Although I looked at the issue before and made certain projections and guesses about what we would need for promotion, I have tried to remain somewhat calmer on the issue than deciding that we are on the up. With some very dangerous fixtures coming up there were plenty of pitfalls and traps to stop our bid to reach the playoffs.


Well, things change. Not only have we overcome a very tricky fixture that I had factored at best as a draw, and a potential defeat, but the possibility of surpassing even the playoff aim remains very real. Not just real, but also within our grasp.

I scoffed not long ago at people suggesting we could make it. With 10 games left we’d need 31 points to reach the average points tally for promotion, and would need to win 8 games to reach the lowest over the last few years. But this year’s championship is a strange beast. Compare the points range to League One for instance and it is frankly scary. Anyone below 9th is embroiled in a relegation scrap. Above and it’s all open save for Cardiff moving clear at the top. 15 points spate the playoffs from relegation give or take. Derby in 9th would be the mire had they not beaten Leicester hovering 2 points above the drop in around 19th. The lower mid table is that tight. In League 1 the range is more like 30 points between playoffs and relegation.

What that suggests is 1, how tight the league really is, and 2 that such a thin spread of points means that the points needed to go up, might drop accordingly. Everyone seems so keen to slip up that it leaves the race wide open.

And now following that away win at Hull it is on. The race is open, and we’re driving a big tree shaped object right into that gap. I haven’t looked at the odds but over the last few weeks our odds must have tumbled quite dramatically. We still remain an outside by position and by our fixtures. But that forgets the momentum we have built.

Unfortunately the international break may well scupper that. Some are saying it will be a rest and a break to reinvigorate forgetting that we have our fair share of internationals that will be off representing their various nationalities. It’s only a break if you aren’t playing, and Guedioura, Cox, Lansbury and Majewski, all pivotal players in recent weeks will be off with their nationalities. I’ve tried to find out if Jara is away with Chile but the squad lists I found aren’t conclusive. But that’s an integral core of the squad who won’t be getting rests or having their feet up as many seem to think the international break is for, but instead will be busy.

Davies had spoke about the players looking leggy, but bear in mind he hasn’t rotated people at all to counteract that in the midfield or defence. Up front has seen various changes to combat injury, illness or specific targets the team wants. Bear in mind the one position struggling to hit the high levels expected is the one where we have been rotating. The strikers have struggled to net a lot, whilst the settled midfield went on a free scoring run of form. The defence have looked more secure. So the notion they need a rest for looking leggy is already looking slightly misplaced. The midfield was rotated earlier this season and didn’t reap the rewards of a settled structure and personnel.

The win against Hull has firmly established our credentials as promotion chasers, even for Claridge and Manish Bhasin to contend we are in there. Not just because of our form, but the fact the rest of the contenders seem intent on not going up. Watford, Leicester, Middlesbrough, Palace have all gone onto dodgy form, Brighton wavered until yesterday and we know about Hull. So not only are we hitting form, but everyone else is losing theirs.

The win on Saturday may well have been a backs to the wall job late on, and Bruce may rightfully claim they could and should have got more out of it, but you have to score those chances you get which Hull didn’t. It was always going to happen that Boyd scored for Hull after the whole Eye-gate thing at the end of January, but that episode bought about where we are today indirectly. And under McLeish we would have wilted. Instead we buckled down, got a goal through big Darius, and then snuck a winner and battled to a win clearing off the line in the last moments after McGugans goal. Radio Nottingham spoke of a slice of luck, and that occasionally you need to utilise it, and we surely did that on Saturday.

We could easily have only taken a point from that, and I think many would have been content with that, but as the wins continue to come so does the level of expectation rise, and I hope that doesn’t lead to pressure implosion we sometimes see with Forest, usually in the playoffs. We’ve played with the pressure firmly off of late. And we have reaped the rewards. The pressure will be on in a new way soon. And now we have to manage that. The fairweathers who demand wins for the few games they go to, as they only come out when we’re winning will be out in their droves. We just need make sure these legacies of the past; of imploding when the pressure and focus comes back to us doesn’t happen again. Maybe that’s why an under the radar, unheralded run has helped. No-one really saw us as contenders. Now they do, and so do we.