Forest Close Out With a Win

And so the curtain falls on another season and one which most of us would sooner forget. However it will be one that lives long in the memory because just so much happened.

The end of season pieces will come in time as we reflect, but Forest sent the fans home with a glimmer of hope as a good second performance saw Portsmouth off. That being said some of the key players if not all the key players may well not be present next season. Again that’s another article for another day.

For now, we look at a game that sums up the season. Started so frustratingly, didn't look like we'd get anything, before late on finishing the job. 2 close range efforts for Dexter Blackstock won the day. Summing up Portsmouth’s poor defending at times, to be honest.

Portsmouth now they were relegated dropped the likes of Greg Halford. So in part a weakened team. Their fans had turned up in force though and remained in good spirits all game. It’s all you can do in their situation, potentially watching their club for the very last time. Hats off you Pompey fans, you were marvellous.

Guedioura as always was a power house in midfield, and when he was withdrawn, and it can only have been a move for the fans and bench to show their appreciation, it was a standing ovation all round. For a man that so much signifies the regeneration of a team destined for the drop. Kudos to Cotterill for getting him in. The man will always be a hero at City Ground, even if he never wears Red again.

And as for other players maybe appearing for the last time, Lynch looked strong as always along side Chambers, who has become the lesser of the two lights in defence. McCleary often so dangerous, perhaps has put too much weight on his shoulders, people expect fireworks every time. Even Paul Anderson went on a run and beat people. The first time I have seen this in quite a long while.

All in all, was a game enjoyable because of it being a win, but it still lacked a lot of class and showed we weren’t the best of ides in the division. It almost sums up the season, starting poorly but finishing with just enough. Not enough for what we wanted though. But we survived which was key.

Both goals as said we rather tame close efforts, but it summed up that we got in behind them twice. Although the second was from a corner, a rarity that we scored from one of those. The first was after we got in behind the defence and the ball was centred for Blackstock. Excellent work in the right wing channel was most of our chances came from.

The defence was largely quiet; Pompey did create some chances but few and far between. The midfield controlled the game, although it did require tweaking to get the goals.

So 2011/12 is over. Lets quickly move on

One Step Back After Steps Forward

Well after all the euphoria of the hard fought win on Tuesday, Forest fans were bought back to earth with a bump with what looks in result as a thrashing by Portsmouth, 3-0 at Fratton Park,that no doubt will have hurt Steve Cotterill as much if not more than Forest fans.

The scoreline of course doesn't always tell the full story,and had chances fallen differently we might have seen more out of this game , like the late points we have snatched against Pompey before.

Steve summed it best post match when he said "How on earth did we lose 3-0? We've dominated and lost 3-0. I'm lost for words." Although maybe not fully accurate the truth is that we were not 3 goals worse.

But how many times have we seen Forest do the same? These games exist, remember Doncaster in League One walking all over us and losing 4-1? Jonathan Forte was majestic that day, yet they got thumped, well it looked like they did. History remembers the result not the performance.

Also an irony is that one of Cotterill's last signings got both goals. Erik Huseklepp netted two goals to help defeat the Reds. Dave Kitson in between netted in between for Portsmouth.

Forests bright points came from a great effort by Findley that was very well saved. Morgan too went close when it was still a one goal arrears.

To believe the BBC highlights it all looked Pompey, but it just seems lazy editing.

The truth is Forest are a changed team under Cotterill. Confidence appears to be back. The game against Reading for instance, under McClaren we'd have lost our way and probably lot it.

Interesting comments have surfaced this week about players being frozen out, like Marcus Tudgay,told he had no future and then dragged in to play. It hardly inspires a player to play well when he knows the manager doesn't rate him, and maybe this was half the problem. Players really not being focused on anything because McClaren frankly wanted to replace them come what may after proving themselves before.

I've said it once, I'll say it again, I bore all the hall marks of Roy Hodgeson at Liverpool.