Transfer Rumour Roundup

Here is a roundup of the latest stuff doing the rounds… Ins and outs this time

Incoming

Graham

Danny Graham

Strong rumours are we are to sign Danny Graham from Sunderland currently on loan from Sunderland. Graham has had a tough couple of years in front of goal and Sunderland might think dropping a level will be able to instigate some form. Graham had better days with Watford and Swansea so has good form in the past and in the Championship. He would be a good signing, if allowed time to find his feet.

Chris Baird
Northern Irish defender who was on a short team deal with Reading which has expired. Due to injury Reading have delayed offering an extension. Therefore he is a free agent. What with a number of defensive injuries Davies might see him as more than adequate coverage in defence. It could mean Lascelles is off, but I think that unlikely.  Baird is versatile so can play in midfield and at all full back which would be of interest to Forest. For freebie he’d be a wonderful signing.

Bradley

Sonny Bradley
Sonny is a 22 year defender for Portsmouth who this week has been linked. He was released by Hull in the summer and has been playing in League Two for struggling Pompey this season. Being from the north (Hull) he may further a move from the south coast closer to home. To be honest I know nothing of this kid. It seems that maybe it’d been a lazy link, but it’s just so random as to surely have something in it, maybe a scout watched him.

Outgoing

Ishmael Miller
Following his loan at Yeovil it looks likely that the Glovers may well come back in for the big striker. Miller has only a short while left on his contract, but Yeovil surely can’t match what we are paying him (believed to be £16k a week) so it would possibly loan till the summer. At which point we don’t care as this waste of moneys contract will have expired.

Matt Derbyshire
Doncaster are being linked with the perennial sub. Derbyshire is getting quite a lot of action from the bench but like Miller he has high wages and an expiring deal. Should we get rid his wages might be able to fund 2/3 incoming players, or even a Premiership one. Despite that goal versus Leeds I would gladly see him move on. His time is up here.

Derbyshire

Karl Darlow
Being linked with a host of Premiership clubs, and supposedly going to be scouted by Liverpool this coming week. Darlow has been consistent, and we wouldn’t be willing to sell, BUT every player has his price and should a silly offer be received then we’d have to entertain it Also Darlow might lose his focus and have his head turned like Lee Camp formerly did.

Jamaal Lascelles

Lascelles

Like Darlow being linked with top flight clubs. Also rumoured to be getting scouted in upcoming weeks. Lascelles has been linked with the top flight for years (at same time as Bamford was) and could well be attract the interest of top clubs. Like Darlow we don’t need to sell but he might also have had his head turned or receive an offer of silly money. That said if we sell one we won’t sell the other.

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.

Strikers Strikers Everywhere, But Who Will Score Us Goals?

What we need right now.

The usual frenzy of transfer activity is of course focussing right now on strikers. It’s this year’s very in thing. Gone are the days of left backs being wanted, that’s so 2011 fashion.

But yes, this fabled 20+ goals a season striker which we need, and must have is top of everyone’s virtual shopping list. Sylvain Ebanks-Blake has had his name added to that veritable list. Of course what hasn’t helped this clamour is that Sheffield Wednesday just renewed one striker and got another in, and went and scored a bloody good but very overdue win.

With the summer demand for Billy Sharp to be signed (despite only having a 1 in 3 goal scoring ratio) and with him going to Reading, it’s been hard to judge if he’d have been the right man, he’s spent his entire Reading loan career injured just about, so whether he went there and banged them in, it hasn’t happened, but not that it might.

So now we cast that net around for a striker, and the talk was a week or so ago that we are looking wider and further, on the continent for that guy to put the goal in the net. It almost speaks not of desperation but exasperation to me. That we thought there’d be the quality in this country to get, but it’s just not there. Whether through availability or just not having the requisite quality around, or because there’s more value for money there.

A few people chucked around Patrick Bamford's name, after his impressive displays for MK Dons, and the fact to increase his development, Chelsea might see us as a good place for him to go from January. This negates some vital aspects. There is a rumour, and I stress rumour, that Bamford’s departure from Forest was somewhat acrimonious. The club angry that their talent they had nurtured was advised to move away, apparently by family. There is also the fact Chelsea might not be our best friends with the whole Chalobah thing. This forgets that Bamford fell out with the old regime, things have changed.

Of course previously we have seen plenty of other names in the past few months since Raffik Djebbours snub or whatever it was. Some of the names are hilarious (I saw someone suggest Adebayor), but others would seem good targets. Hooper and Austen always looked farfetched. And it seems any time any striker gets a brace now some fans scream he should and could be in our team.

And what I haven’t yet done is mention our current strikers. I have done in other blogs. I do think admittedly Cox is out of form, though the unfair fickle abuse many hand out is wrong. People who don’t understand form just saying we need to get rid when this guy has proved himself at higher stages than us. Tudgay and Henderson are Championship cloggers. Blackstock, well he’s not around now. Derbyshire remains on the fringes and you wonder what it’d take to just give him a bit more of a go, and Ishmael Miller is Ishmael Miller. It does certainly seem like it needs a little reinvigorating.

And it needs to happen soon. The longer the drought goes on the more it rests in the mind. The more it will affect form. Wanted; someone to score goals. When we went up in the past it was always with a bona fide goalscorer. We need one again. Maybe not in Collymore or van Hooijdonk’s class. But someone who knows where the back of the net is.

Potential Forest Departures

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

Potential outs

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

Gillett

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

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

Collins

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





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

Miller

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







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

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

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



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

An Odd Weekend of News

So I was busy for most of Sunday or all of yester not giving me a chance to contribute to the debate and gossip about the chairmanship. And now that all seems to have settled down I don’t really have much new to add to the equation.

The al-Hasawi's

But with Fawaz becoming the main man after the recent financial scandals, it does make you wonder what the actual reasons behind the moves were. There is mixed debate on this subject. Fawaz was embarrassed by the mishandling of accounts and bills being paid and wants to take direct control.

Or the other that this move was always planned for the New Year, with Omar having more expertise in the British world of business, and therefore business law etc, it would be better for a bedding in period before Fawaz took full control of what is essentially his baby.

I have no qualms with either reasoning. It isn’t to have the club splashed across the papers for being stranded without a working club credit card. Or for that matter the rumours of unpaid wages and agent fee’s, which on the surface looks appalling, but is actually quite common practice in most business for a lot of bills to have gone unpaid for a while (well everyone I’ve ever worked for anyway) But it makes good copy, especially for owners we still know relatively little about. We still aren’t sure just how wealthy they are after all.

Anyway, in the midst of all this, Fawaz announced when 24-7 had already speculated about the new big screens coming to the ground. It was a badly kept secret that these would be in for Boxing Day, all but confirmed anyway when the seats were missing in the Bridgford End last week, and pictures of cabling reading to be connected up.

This and the unconfirmed gossip about the fact we are now aiming for promotion not next season or the year after but immediately this campaign. Not sure why the change of focus. It could be they see the division as wide open and this is a good chance as any. Or it could be the much worse fact that yes, they aren’t as wealthy as we thought and it’s do or die now. If we don’t get up, we’re doomed. Which the doom merchants on Twitter love as a theory. Which is true? I don’t know. Good old conjecture though, never stops the Forest Twitter timeline churning; I don’t know the answer, let's make something up and treat it as gospel.

Stephen McLaughlin - apparently about to sign

And after all this comes the news of a signing near enough tied up. Derry City winger Stephen McLaughlin has all but been agreed it seems. The 20 year old was James McClean at Sunderland’s replacement, and he was at times a revelation last year. If this guy can do anywhere near that we may be laughing (even if McCleans form has dropped considerably) we need natural width, and if he comes it may well spell the end of Coppinger. He could, and I stress could, be our new McCleary. And by that I also mean he might take a while to bed in and get up to speed.

On that note, Coppinger, after his comments (I wanted to put outburst but it really wasn’t) that he is not enjoying his stay as he has always played 40 games a season. Well newsflash James, you just made a step up, and in terms of that you have to expect to maybe not always play. If you want to lack ambition and play every week at a lesser club then go on. Go back to Donny.

Matt Derbyshire has also said he wants to leave, which isn’t a shock in the slightest. The proof in the pudding will be if he does, where he goes. As surely it would mean a hefty drop in wages. Those trips to the Cinema don’t pay for themselves. Neither does his wife’s endless shopping trips.

There is a bit of talk around David McGoldrick too, seeing as McGoaldrought has found his scoring boots again, and is firing them in for Coventry. Another 2 this weekend, and in perfect time foe the transfer window. Surely a player isn’t improving in time for the shop window? How very cynical. If he does go, we can probably sneak a fee now as before I assumed he’d leave on a free this January. Again taking a pay cut maybe an issue, but goal shy Championship clubs might now be sniffing around. Barnsley love our ex players, why not them?

Oh and actual news where it matters, on the pitch, we drew 0-0 with Brighton. Good result on the face of it. Although apparently he performance was lacking somewhat

Cox-Less Pairs Options for Forest

With the upcoming news of just how long Simon Cox will be out for it could make life difficult for Forest in the striking options. Instead of the three quality up front options we have, we know the two main strikers, and that’s a problem. Obviously if Cox can be injure so can Sharp or Blackstock, and with the loan window now being shut there is no scope for bringing in a short term measure.

McGoldrick and Miller are tied in to long term loans and cannot be recalled, so they are no goes. Tudgay has just gone to Barnsley, he could be recalled, and Robbie Findley has been back off loan from Gillingham for a couple of weeks. Matt Derbyshire is still out on short term loan and could be recalled we could also maybe use McGugan as an auxiliary striker.

In the short term for the Ipswich game we could use both Blackstock and Sharp, but we do need back up options. Earlier in the season we played 4-2-3-1 often. The problem here is one we discussed in the Gillett piece whereby two players dropping deep are both looking for the same ball. However we did play well with it in the late summer sunshine before when Cox was injured after the Ireland game.

It would of course been an ideal opportunity for a youngster to step up, say a Patrick Bamford, this would have been ideal. No pressure in the team for a short burst of games through till we can bring someone in. Coming off the bench maybe, unfortunately that possibility was removed, and we can’t, as there doesn’t appear to be a 19-20 year striker coming through, and any younger than that would be too risky unless they were set to be a wonder kid.

Derbyshire or Findley could use this as a chance to re ignite their Forest careers. Fail, and it would be the end of them for definite. They would be in a confident team making chances, whereas last year it was in a struggling team, not making chances. It’d be hard for any striker to come into a struggling team, but one with the injury problems Derbyshire had would be difficult. It could be a chance that a few fans have said he could take. A handful hold on to the belief that he isn’t as bad as he seems, and surely eventually will come as good as his former pedigree suggests.

Findley has that one element the rest of the team lacks, pace. And although his finishing or passing and certainly control is questionable, if you had the kind of balls Lansbury has been playing, half the battle is won, and you don’t need to control or move your position, you just have to finish.

My preferred option would be re-calling Tudgay, but I am unsure on the caveats of his loan, with it being so soon since he went, and being with a view to a permanent move both parties might decide against it.

Whatever we choose we have the quality within the squad to cope till January. Then if Cox is out for a year as some have predicted, then we might need to re think what we are doing striker wise. As said McGugan would surely also be able to fulfil a more attacking role and this might suit him.

Where it will really tell is if we are chasing a game and need new options and right don’t immediately we don’t have any. Let’s hope Coxy isn’t out for months and it’s not nearly as bad as first feared. However planning for the worst can’t hurt.

Transfer Gossip - August 21

With the news after the game on Saturday that up to 3 players could come in and specifically a right winger, there have been a few names bandied about, mostly the same names, which tends to suggests there is credence to these rumours.
Here is a summary of where we are at in terms of gossip, rumour and guesswork, as always taken from around the net, and looked at entirely subjectively and ridiculed where fit.

In

The Kuwaiti’s
The long, ever running saga of work permits for Khalid al-Rashidi and Bader al-Motawa rumbles on. There is strong rumour that tomorrow is the big day we find out what’s happening. We shall see.

Adam Hammill
The Wolves winger is up for sale, and is the perfect fit for the fact we want a creative winger, coupled with Championship experience, and the fact we have expressed interest before it seems the perfect fit for the Reds. It is widely spread on the likes of Twitter, and people are expecting the now customary Fawaz tweet to announce the deal.

Thomas Ince
Whilst also being linked with Hammill, we were briefly also linked with Thomas Ince, a rumour the ever unreliable Paul Taylor suggested seemed unlikely, saying neither club had been in touch regards the deal, as far he knows anyway. He also knew that the Kuwaiti’s weren’t buying Forest. Suggests he doesn’t know a lot. Anyway, he would be an amazing acquisition, for me he is a very exciting winger good on either foot.

Morgan Ferrier
Never heard of him till checking Newsnow earlier, but he’s a 17 year old previously released by Arsenal, and now Watford and up for grabs. O’Driscoll has him briefly on trial at Crawley and has kept tabs on him, and appears to want to add him to our youth policy. Can’t hurt I guess, but I know as much as I have just written about him.


Out

David McGoldrick
Coventry have been linked for a move, whether it is loan or permanent depending on source. I’d say loan more likely as they are unlikely to want to saddle a potentially expensive player to a long term deal. Perhaps they have merely sounded us out on the possibility. We do have a glut of strikers, and IF Bader signs he would be a similar player, maybe that’s what we’re waiting for. McGoldrick simply hasn’t worked out here and perhaps it’s best he move on.

Radoslaw Majewski
Always seemingly linked with fringe Premiership clubs but with no real evidence or source, Majewski has now been linked with West Brom and Reading in recent weeks. A Fee of £1.5m as bandied around as likely, which sounds fair enough, more fair than the insane £4-5mill some people think he’s worth. I’ll never understand the people who worship him, yeah’ he’s handy but some make him out to be a world beater.

Matt Derbyshire
Unfortunately, no news here. Keep praying folks.

Our Strikers - An Appraisal

With the new signing of Simon Cox and the news we seemingly are also looking at Chris Wood and or Simon church, its begs the question what are we intending to do with our current stable of forwards, and where they fit in with the scope of the team and squad as a whole.

Simon Cox
As the big new signing and seemingly high cost involved it is almost certain Cox will regularly start. As well as playing front he can also get pushed to the wings too, as shown at Euro 2012 for Ireland. Apart from this Cox is somewhat of a mystery to me, I do not know a great deal side looking at his stats and what Wikipedia says, but that doesn’t always cast a true story. A lot of Baggies fans have told us we have a good player on our hands and that’s good enough for me, and the fact he was good enough to be in the Irish squad for 2012, although Ireland didn’t do a great deal, the fact he was there performing on a very grand scale footballing event speaks volumes.

Dexter Blackstock
The Antigua international was recently handed the captains armband in the Villa friendly. An indicator he is regarded as one of the senior pros at the club, and he is similarly well regarded by the fans. I see Dex as being the target man for Cox, holding up play and feeding the new man. But Dex has an eye for goal too, and can score a lot of gals at this level. He seems to love the club quite a lot, and is hungry after such a long layoff with injury to get back to the fore front. He will definitely play a role in the squad, and start more than he does not in games.

Ishmael Miller
For me this should have been his season to shine and lead the line. Maybe Cox is replacing him. Miller was definitely intended to be the power house forward and be a focal point, due to injuries and poor form it hasn’t happened. Whether this is down to managers not knowing how to implement him, or maybe the element of resentment of his inflated wages is true. Miller is on double many of team mate’s wages. Aside from this he struggled with fitness never able to be build a head of steam form wise and merely flit in and out the side regularly. Very much under used in the second half of the season he does though have a good record. Add to that though there was other clubs apparently interested and due to his hefty wages, and despite now having money we may look to move him on should the right offer come in. Maybe we were just the wrong club at the wrong time.

Matt Derbyshire
Where do you even begin? In and out of the treatment room, and apparently had been carrying a very long term injury when even in the side Derbyshire has said he is fully fit and raring to go, that may well have to be at another club. Like Miller he is on a hefty slice, more than many team mates and the fact he has done next to nothing to justify these wages, which have so well funded Vue and Showcase cinemas it seems. He gets a lot of abuse, probably unwarranted, he’s just doing his job, it’s just he’s so bad at it, falling over continually, seemingly unaware of the big net thing at the far end of the pitch. Most fans have been lost in terms of him, it would take an amazing turn in form for the fans to take him to heart, and the majority of McClaren signings are like this. Regarded with complete indifference, because frankly they have all failed. Derbyshire’s record in the past is mixed at best anyway, and it seems he isn’t quite in love with this club, always on twitter about Blackburn or Olympiakos, and seemingly on match days when Forest are on twittering about whatever else he is getting up to. The problem is on his wages he will be difficult to unload, either on loan or permanently.

Robbie Findley
All pace and no end product. He has scored a few goals admittedly, often in cups versus lower league opposition. His most famous achievement with Forest is missing from2 yards with an open goal. A clearing off the line any defender would be proud of, he was trying to score. Also for spending his first few months with the club permanently injured. I’m not sure he is as fast as people said he was, He doesn’t seem as fast as Tyson say for instance, and at least Tyson had a powerful shot, Findley doesn’t seem to have this. He also seems very much a confidence striker, which when you’re in and out the team is hard to for you build that. MLS fans on 24-7’s forums’ warned us he wasn’t that good. A warning that seems to have come true. It might be worth moving him on or loaning him to a League One level side. Or Barnsley, because they take practically anyone on, especially when foreign.

Marcus Tudgay
As I said last week he seems to have been bookmarked as Blackstock's back up for a target man to hold the ball up who can also finish well. Just as I thought his time would be up he looked good against Villa. The thing I’m not sure he is top Championship striker, he’s perfectly reasonable for some teams, but not if you want promotion as he can drift out of games. That said he has scored some very important and good quality goals in his couple of years at the club. Plus it’s always nice to have ex Derby players who have a bait of scoring against them. I see him as having a limited future; maybe see his contract out as a fringe squad player.

David McGoldrick
You don’t get nicknamed McGoaldrought for nothing. I genuinely would be elated to see the back of him as I can’t help thinking he must demotivated. He scored goals before us, but something is holding him back, as whenever he plays for us he is mostly anonymous. Occasionally a good game marks people saying he’s turned the corner only to not hear his name again for weeks on end. Needs to move on quickly, like Garner did once he was out the loop.

Transfer Gossip Update

I'd like to make it clear once and for all on this, these are not news report, but mainly taken from gossip columns whereby I cherry pick the likely, and the ridiculous. The rest I between I ignore


Ins


Billy Kee
Burton Striker Kee, an ex Leicester youngster has been linked. He has been scoring a lot of goals in league Two and is the sort of striker that wouldn’t cost much and potentially do a job. Kee is described as stocky on one site, which basically means a big unit who is strong, like a Grant Holt. It is potentially the type of player we could go after, what Burton would want fee wise is unclear, and therefore may be a stumbling block. On the other hand someone might just be plucking a young striker doing well in League Twos name out of a bag. Kee is a Northern Ireland u-21 international


George Elokobi
The Wolves Left back has been linked via Sky Sports, so for once it has as more reputable source. That said, we currently have Cunningham there for the rest of the season so why would we spend on wages of a Premier League player in the same positions? Plus he has a season on his contract so would potentially command a fee. The guy is a big strong player who’d take no crap, that said I simply don’t see this happening.



Stephen Quinn
The Sheffield United midfielder has been linked, again on Sky Sports. Seems potentially possible as Cotterill hasn’t really settled on a midfield he likes yet. Quinn could be just the type of player we need, not afraid to get stack in, can get wide and has good delivery. Basically Cohen, but with more hustle.


OUTS


Matt Derbyshire
Again. Being linked with Coventry and Sheffield Wednesday but I’d guess any deal would be a loan till end of season as no-one would want to commit long term. I liked him before he arrived, but it just seems we are the wrong club at the wrong time for him.


David McGoldrick
Word is the club are basically desperate to get rid of him. Get him off the wage bill and potentially get a fee back, but accept it would be nowhere near the fee we paid. McGoldrick would simply be no loss. Notts County have been linked, but how can they afford him?


Lewis McGugan
Linked with just about anyone below 8thin the Premier League seemingly. You name them; they’ve been linked with essentially a cut price £1mill deal for the mercurial midfielder. Simply isn’t nearly consistent enough in a relegation battle, in some eyes. Still would be a shame to lose one of our most exciting players, but if needs must.

Weekly Forest Transfer Rumours Update

As we career towards the transfer window I thought it'd be good to catch up on some of the crackpot rumours doing the rounds on the net, before looking at the more sensible rumours

Ins


One rumour has linked Kevin Phillips, the veteran striker playing for Blackpool. Phillips is on a one year deal at Blackpool, half way through. Phillips has had a great record and the rumour suggested that Cotterill see's him as the perfect foil for Blackstock. He would also largely be cheap.
Personally I simply can't see it happening. You never do know in football.


Kris Boyd has recently been released by Eskişehirspor in Turkey. Therefore he is of course free. That save for of course for his sizeable wage demands. He was on £40k in Turkey and even if he took a fraction of that we'd be unable to afford such wages, especially in these austere times.

Chris Riggott has also been linked in a valiant attempt to link us with any central defender who happens to be not nailed down, the player just released from Derby is on a free and looking for a deal. He has been linked on a couple of forums, and although it on papers looks good because he had a track record of top football, his career is blighted by injury, and frankly there’s a reason Derby released him.



Outs


Luke Chambers being linked left right and centre. He has a contract expiring, and the club may well seek to cash in on him whilst we can and avoid a Kelvin Wilson situation. Ironically therefore Celtic is one of the clubs being linked with him. I can’t see him going to a club like them, but I could see someone like West Brom being linked.

Chris Gunter and West Brom is a rumour I see also. But I think this is more of a case of people looking at players who could get a good fee and would have moderately high wages.


Matt Derbyshire, undoubtedly one of the bigger earners Paul Taylor referenced when saying new players not performing are on high wages. There are a number of Championship clubs being connected with him, and even a slightly odd rumour linking Blackburn with a move for a player they once had.


More rumours as they appears in the next few days.

As I say though, these are just rumours and may or may not hold very little truth.

5 Games Without a Goal

The 0-0 against Bristol City may have at the end of the day ended our losing run; however it now stretches to 5 games now we haven’t scored. 450 minutes. 7 and a half hours. That’s quite a record in its own right.

Now of course in that time there have been some baffling saves, and goal line clearences, but they happen all the time. The truth is we are completely misfiring in front of goal and that is beginning to get extremely costly.

Obviously Dexter Blackstock is somewhat above blame, he’s barely played in the run and has been out for a year. Miller got injured during the run. Tudgay remains goalless, and Findley only played half the run. The midfield hasnt weighed in with goals, and so far this season, save for Lynch’s strike v Ipswich the defence has barely contributed goal wise, which after the exploits in previous seasons of Chambers goal scoring runs adds up.

1 or 2 goals here or there in this run would have given us at least 4 extra points. That'd see us a few places further up the table (Around the same stage as Derby) Not that scoring in any of those goals would have resulted in points, it’s a churlish argument, but the fact remains, we need goals. Goals win games. And therefore points. And we need that quickly.

So what we need is a goal scorer. Tudgay has never really been prolific. Miller has been frustrating with injuries. Derbyshire has barely had a run and scored goals before, but when he has played he has looked so lightweight.

So do we need yet another striker? It’s the one position we don’t have dearth of players. It's just the ones we do have arent firing. So it’s easy to suggest shipping a couple out to bring some more in. I've argued before about taking a Premiership youngster on loan to give them a no pressure go. We aren’t in a position to snap up a lower youngster, we can’t pay much in fee's to bring anyone in. One of two people I know suggested Patrick Bamford from the youngsters has been fairly consistent scoring there, but I’m not sure trying someone completely untried at professional level would work.

But is it a case of not the right service to score the goals. You can have the best strikers in the world but with no service it’s not going to result in much. McCleary looked creative against Palace, but in other games there was not a lot of production in the midfield to make chances for strikers to prove themselves. We no longer have an Earnshaw esque striker who creates something out of nothing at times, so we need that service from midfield. Cohen’s delivery may be missing there and his drive and determination. We don't have a box to box midfielder right now. McGugan and Majewski don; drive into the box enough. So I'd argue he is a huge miss in the build up of goals as his runs distracted defenders from the attacker.

It is extremly frustrating and need remedying. If there was an easy answer, we'd be scoring. If it was easy we'd all be managers. Let’s just hope Cotterill gets them firing.

Derbyshire Signs

Barely news anymore as everyone has tweeted facebooked and posted it in forums it all. But hey I just want to throw my opinion into the mix.



This could be the guy to replace Earnshaw, I really rated him at Blackburn and thought he might go to a bigger club before making the bizarre move to Olympiakos.



The fact it is free is also a bargain, although it does have a 20% sell on fee clause in there, which also means someone at Forest has started playing Football Manager and has learnt the art of negotiation.



Whether he slots straight in, remains unseen. What I saw last night suggests Garner won't be there, though Findley impressed.



It is also notable that this transfer was revealed by the player himself hours before the club admitted to it. Maybe bitten by the Verhoek thing (which I missed blogging about as I was away on a stag weekend, ah well)



Oh and of course insert hilarious joke about who wants Derbyshire on their Forest shirt. Because apparently none of can differentiate between a player and a county.