Miller Signing Spells the End for Tudgay and McGoldrick?

Firstly I was playing with bad puns to report the Miller signing along the lines of "call me Ishmael" quotes or Much the Millers Son. And decided all were unusable and really trying to hard. Besides everyone on planet earth knew this was coming so its hardly news. But yeah, welcome to Ishmael Miller. A big physical fast striker, possibly of the Marlon Harewood or King models of the past.



Its a type of player we missed in the past couple of years. Yeah we had Dele but his mobility was near negligible and so negated all his other work. I feel the strike force is coming together. We have replaced those guys who left us with players in my opinion as good or if not better. Derbyshire is the poacher in Earnshaws mode. Finley is the Tyson speedster. And Miller now the physical tough guy.



All this begs the question now what of Marcus Tudgay and David McGoldrick. Neither of whom have really flattered to deceive lately. McGoldrick to me has to be regraded as largely a failure since signing. An occasional goal, albeit wonder strikes versus Palace and bundling the goal in from close range from a yard haven't made me think he has it. And now there are more strikers vying for his place,it may be time to move him on,or try to fit in him another role. But where. He can sort of play wide, which he might be used as,and he can also sort of play in behind the striker, but he would never be first choice in either of these positions. Most fans would not be disappointed to move him on. True, he hasn't ever really had a chance to have a long term run in the team,but ask yourself whys this? You need to be good enough to get that shot,and right now,it seems Schteve doesn't think he's up to the challenge of leading the line.



Tudgay has never fully convinced me either,and I definitely think his time might be up. To me he was always, not quite a panic buy, but a short term solution to the Dexter Blackstock problem. OK he can hold the ball up,and he has netted a few goals, but as warned to me by a Wednesday supporting mate there will be long periods of him looking completely disinterested and going through the motions. I also think he is not aplayer to be at a top Championship club. His level is a little further down,he doesn't have that spark for me, that certain pazzazz that fills me confidence as well as mystery about what he could do. He's not a guy to make something out of nothing. Which is frustrating as he isn't a bad player. He just isn't great either.



Joe Garner too might well be thinking uh-oh time is up. McClaren seems to have a little more faith in him though, maybe illing to give him a go,and after all he did fairly well for Scunthorpe after going there on loan last season. But by god does he need to sort his attitude out. Against County it was embarrassing watching him have tissy fits, pick fights, and dive extremely badly. Like he wants to be that pantomime villain.



It will be interesting to see how the strike force evolves over the next few matches and who gets picked and who doesn't. What will McClarens choices be,and will he stick to the one up front with McGugan tucked in,or whether that was his repsonse to the squad he inherited. One thing is for certain. It is starting to take his shape more now as more players he has signed come in. Interesting times ahead.

No Game for Derbyshire

Matt Derbyshire won't be travelling with the team tomorrow as his fitness isn't quite up to scratch yet. That's not hearsay,thats direct from the players Twitter, as well the fact he is looking for places to live. This might be a front to fool Millwall but I doubt that very much



What will be interesting to see is who we go with up front. Findley after all played 120 mins in his first start in longer than he probably cares to remember. Whether this see's Garner or Tudgay starts remains to be seen. I Can't see a recall for McGoldrick to be honest. I could be wrong. I often am.



Apart from that Camp will return as will Gunter. There may be juggles in the midfield too after a number of players went the distance. McGugan was of course taken off so should be fresh,but Majewski may not be. What will be interesting is what happens with Anderson after he was dragged off on Tuesday.

Laughing at Those Who Left Early

The basic thing that Tuesday underlined to me more than ever, and something that has been a pet hate of mine for a long time is those that leave early. Ok I get that some people have buses and trains to get,but those leaving because we were losing so they just want to get to their car quicker, it really is an annoying.



Tuesday saw a number of people around me filtering out the ground "we're not going to get anything" being a common consensus. Of course they all came sprinting back in once they realised we had scored.



I have only ever left games early on three occasions and each time was frankly unneccesary and not my choice. And they were all years ago because I learnt my lesson.



Tranmere away in 99/00 season I left early. We were losing, playing awfully, and I had taken two mates (I was at Uni in Liverpool so it was convenient) They were complaining about it being cold,wet, poor football(bare in mind one was a Manchester United season ticket holder) and the fact our bus was due to leave at 4.45 and we were at the far end of the stadium. I say I learnt my lesson because I had forgotten that if you have a bus to get from a football stadium, chances are that bus will be delayed by all the match day traffic. I stood waiting for the bus, and heard the final whistle, saw everyone come out and get exactly the same bus back into Liverpool as me.



Another time I left early was going to a Mansfield match once with a friend. We left early to get a bus, of which we could have just got the next one, and missed a winning goal and hat trick by Phil Stant. For what? To get home a little quicker. I was at the football anyway,so why not stay later to get the full benefit of what I have paid for.



I think we have all known games where something happens right at the death that justifies in your mind that staying IS the right thing to do. We have all sat for a while maybe a few seasons next to someone who is ritually late, and how annoying it can be. Ok there can be odd occasions like you have somewhere else to be. But these people who do it all the time puzzle me. Surely you pay for the ticket and want to see it all ,no? I Don't get it anyway.





So what have you ever missed at a game you left early?



Tell us in the forum @ http://www.soccer24-7.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4027366

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.

Forest Make County Pay Penalty

To be honest, I had a bad feeling about this from the moment the draw was made.And when my mate asked me if I wanted a ticket I was a little reticent to go.



My blind optimism swayed me that surely we'd not let this lot beat us. But as yesterday approached there was nagging doubt in my head and walking to the ground,(well running really) I had decided I wasn't too fussed either way what happened.



Well what happened was one hell of a roller-coaster ride that although doesn't exactly send a strong message to rivals, we still went through and came back from behind twice. Yeah there was a lot of luck involved, but it still needed a kind of toughness to drag this match back from the brink.



Sat in a completely different part of the Trent End to my usual high Upper Tier perspective I found the early exchanges quite hard to follow. My brain adjusting to a more pitch level view. What view I definitely had is that Anderson should have put us ahead,but somehow early on contrived to skew wide from close in. A stronger touch would have won it. But Football is never that simple.



County began to turn the screw,and really piled on the pressure. Several close range efforts and Smith saves, a couple of scrambles, and then it came. A goal, from Mike Edwards. County deserved it,we hadn't looked our best.



But that goal seemed to wake us up a bit. Forest started to make some chances, and Reid got more of the ball on his cultured left foot to whip balls in. The equaliser though, was pure McGugan. A free kick was awarded and he put the ball perfectly into the top corner with an unstoppable shot put Forest level.



And straight after we had another chance,Majewski dispossessed (yes Majewski tackling someone, I struggle to believe it typing this now) and his shot skewed wide. 3Minutes later we had the ball in the goal from Findlay,only for it to be disallowed for offside,as he headed in Cohen's cross.



Second half and County started very strong and immediately kept us under pressure. Several more goal mouth scrambles and close calls had the Forest fans very worried, but those worries were allayed not long after when Robbie Findley scored his first ever Forest goal of hopefully many. From the far end it was hard to see what really happened as most at our end struggled to realise it had gone in at all. The cross he finished came in from Reid. He could have had another not longer later with an effort well saved by Nelson



And then it meandered for a while. County having a number of good chances again, and Forest having half chances. McGugan was replaced and that seemed to make Forest lose direction. And it was no surprise Forest old boy Craig Westcarr netted an equaliser, after a mixture of jeers and applause when he came on as substitute. The ground had an air of resignation before and after the goal,like we knew it was going to happen.



Extra Time,and without our key outlet Forest looked rudderless and idea less.So Lee Hughes scoring County's 3rd was always going to happen. It was a very well taken goal that despite what you think about him and what his past involves, his quality was there for all to see.



People around me started to filter out, we couldn't see a way back in,and as the board went up,it looked pointless. Then Wes just put his ball through the ball and and it flew like a rocket into the top corner, and we all went nuts. I was laughing at the guys who had left from next tome, when they came running back.That blast was the very last kick of the match before we went into penalties.



I can't really recall ever being at a shootout before, but it was tense. Especially as Greening missed the first kick. Until Hamza Bencherif stepped up it didn't look good. Bencherif didn't look confident and I always have reservations about the guy who is just going to blast it. They always seem to blaze it high, and he obliged. For Forest, Findley,Garner and Tudgay netted their kicks,and then the calm experienced head stepped up, and Boateng missed with a poor penalty. Hughes then approached. At this stage I though that's it, it's all over, he won't miss. He skied it too. Quite badly. And so sudden death, Chambers stepped up, netted and then Bishop, their captain took their next kick, and missed. We won,and that's all that mattered anymore. Not the crap performance,not the stress,the sheer relief that we had utterly got out of jail and in a weekend known for looting it felt like we had done the ultimate smashand grab and escaped red-handed.



It won't be remembered by us in the same way County would have they won. Had Wes not decided "right,screw this I'm going to belt this". Come May most of us will have forgotten this epic battle of the Trent Two. But by god it was entertaining.

Luke Chambers - Captain

Congratulation to Luke Chambers on being awarded the Forest captaincy for the season. It is more than deserved following last season.

It harks me back to the season before last when Chambers was interviewed following a run in the team and asked of his aims and he said captain.everyone laughed at the time but hey he has turned us all round. Well Done Luke.

Debate had raged over whether him or Greening would take the armband, but it seems the stalwart has beaten the veteran

Young Defensive Duo to Step Up?

Following the news that Anthony Gardner won't be signing for the club it makes me wonder what role the young central defenders Jamaal Lascelles and Karlton Watson will play for the Reds this season.

Anyone who follows Karlton Watson on Twitter knows that he is coming back from along lay off and is a long way off what he regards match fitness. He has been allocated squad number 30for the season,and yes, squad numbers aren't always something to be read into into,but it does possibly suggest he will be on the fringes of the team. Remember he was Academy Player of the Season a couple of years ago before his injury problems

Lascelles has been mentioned for a round 6 months now as the next great hope to come through our youth ranks (with the Arsenal interest being a significant factor in this) He has squad number 44 this season, which could suggest that the club expect this year might still take a while to mature.

One major reason is that we have moved back from 7 subs to 5, and therefore there are of course two less spots on the bench to fill. Therefore Joel Lynch would probably be a integral sub alongside Moloney as cover. Lynch's preferred position is centre back rather than the left back role he so often has been asked to fill in. We have barely seen him in this role and like Chambers, actually playing where he likes might allow him to blossom.

Apart from these players,there aren't many others looking like breaking through. Kieron Freeman looks like a best of the rest, alongside Danny meadows and Neill Byrne, but I expect these to end up like Mark Byrne and Hamza Bencherif, looking like maybe stepping up but disappearing (and often reappearing at Meadow Lane)

This of course forgets that the other likely angle the club will take is possibly young loanee's from the Premier League.You can't help but notice the roles Henri Lansbury and Fabio Borini played in Norwich and Swansea's respective promotion pushes. These are cheaper options than the like of Konchesky or Boyd on loan as wages are cheaper an the parent club positively crave giving these players fist team action.(if not for their club progression but also to improve market value to cash in on)

So all in all, it will be interesting to see how these players are used,if they are. And how they progress. I thought maybe Niall Rodney would have been offered a dealand that never occurred. There is also of course time till the window closes again,and there is time to bring in players, though the noises from the club suggest this is highly unlikely and that yes, Chris Cohen will indeed be left back.