Following some embarrassing defeats in the past few years, I never expect much from Forest when Sky are in town. The thought of a few hundred thousand watching seems to bring out the worst in the lads.
This horrible tradition, combined with the fact that we were up against a Premier League squad in the wrong division resulted in me being extremely wary of the match ahead.
McClaren said this would be out 'greatest test yet' and we would be able to judge ourselves following the game. He wasn't wrong.
For those who look at the result and see a 4-1 defeat will see a complete dominance from the Hammers and we simply grabbed a consolation.
For those who were at the game and/or saw highlights will know it was a completely different story.
I struggle to remember a game where I was so pleased with the performance, yet sat there 3-0 down.
If West Ham are the level in which everyone has to reach, then I fully expect us to be in a promotion push this season.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not brushing over the appalling defensive dipslay I witnessed. But the front six were superb.
Moved the ball with pace, one touch and a real air of confidence. Miller and Findley looked like they are really beginning to understand each other's game and Mcgugan and Majewski looked extremely threatening going forward.
The conceded goals were a disgrace. Lack of discipline, lack of concentration, a lack of urgency. It was so infuriating to see the front six working so hard to win the game for us when the back five looked disinterested.
As I've said before, work needs to be done. Obvious defensive work as well as finishing should all be on the agenda. But when was the last time we started a season well? It is extremely early days and if we attack teams like we did against West Ham, there will be plenty of goals to celebrate.
It seems we cannot have the best of both worlds. Under Davies, we always looked comfortable at 1-0, able to see the game out. Under McClaren, we look extremely dangerous going forward but incredibly shaky at the back. Where has the dominance and confidence gone from last season?
Chambers and Camp appear to be rocked by interest from other clubs which is a complete lack of professionalism, which is a huge shame from two vital members of the squad. We still miss a left back. I won't slate Gunts, because he consistently works hard and not sure if he can be at fault for any of the four goals.
It's just a huge craving for us to be able to combine a strong defensive unit with the direct attacking that we saw on Sunday. If we are able to do that, I have no doubts that we will get promoted this season.
Camp-Lacked dominance and doesn't look himself. Kicking wayward and doesn't seem to be controlling his box. 4/10
Gunter-Worked hard up and down the wing and defended well. Always an option and never lets his head drop. 8/10
Morgan-Was taught a lesson by Carlton Cole who ran riot all afternoon. Was marginally better than Chambers but it wasn't a good performance. 5/10
Chambers-Embarrassed by Cole and Faubert. Absolute rock last season but real signs of unconfidence at the moment. Unlucky for the first goal. Captaincy weighing on his mind? Very possible. 4/10
Cohen-Same old story. Has a brilliant engine on him and worked hard defensively but isn't a left back. Unfortunately, not sure how he can slot into midfield either. Selection headache for McClaren. 7/10
Majewski-Man of the Match. Always on the ball and terrorised the West Ham defence. A series of lovely through balls and was unlucky not to reap any rewards. 9/10
Greening-It was better from the midfielder but not good enough. Needs to start stamping authority in the midfield. Went missing at times on Sunday. 6/10
Boateng-Get the impression that many of the fans don't appreciate this player but I believe he is more influential than Greening. Strong on the ball and works box to box. Only negative is he gives the ball away a tad too much. 7/10
McGugan-Best game of the season so far. Isn't a left winger, but was able to cut inside and link up with the front two nicely. Head seemed to drop but still a vital player for us this season. 8/10
Miller-Again appeared to frighten defences and looked comfortable going forward and attempting to create. A shame he is so predominately left footed, but still rate him as a superb signing. 8/10
Findley-Nice partnership developing with Miller and fully deserved his goal. Is beginning to become a regular on the team sheet. Fast and direct, he scares defences. 8/10
Lynch-The only recognised left back at the club and following the half hour performance, could be odds on for a run in the team. Went missing for the 4th goal though. Lapses in concentration a worry. But good vision for Findley's goal. 7/10
Reid-Don't think it was Reidy's type of game. Fast paced meant Reid had to be up and down the wing and he isn't that type of player. Struggled to make an impact. 5/10
Derbyshire-Can maybe feel hard done by that he's on the bench but impossible to leave the front two out at the moment. Works hard, but isn't showing that striker's instinct at the moment. 6/10
Following the result, McClaren said transfers are vital now. I agree, we need faces. We need competition for places. But let's not go overboard. A centre back, a left back and a winger, job done. Also, the gaffer is too much of a disciplinarian to let that happen again.
Sunday was a big point in the season because McClaren will simply not let it happen again.
The international break gives us a chance to regroup and work hard and I look forward to restarting in a couple of weeks, albeit with a very tough game against Southampton. But no game is easy in the division, a few people seem to have forgotten that.
Tuesday 30 August 2011
Friday 26 August 2011
NFFC August Generalisation
With an away game in midweek that I was unable to get to, I was unable to post my post match thoughts.
However, I did see the highlights and was extremely pleased with what I saw.
We appeared to move the ball at a good pace and all looked comfortable with it. Miller's finish was superb and it's been a while since we've had a striker who looks confident in a 1 on 1 position.
Ishmael appeared to be causing havoc and Wycombe's defenders looked frightened to even attempt to challenge him. Won the penalty which McGugan dispatched...just.
For the second goal, Greening won the ball in midfield and played a sublime pass through to the striker. This is what he should be doing, week in, week out. I hope it continues but I'm not fooled that it was against league two opposition.
Findley's finish oozed confidence as he completely fooled three defenders before scoring and Majewski completed the rout with the easiest of finishes after brilliant work from Garner.
The striker's persistance to win the ball and then look up and play the right pass was vital. McClaren would be far more pleased to see intelligence from Garner and team qualities instead of the striker, who is desperate to open his account, to shoot and miss.
The only blotch was the penalty for Wycombe but that seemed harsh as Lynch caught the attacker's heels.
Very pleased to go through and it's nice to have a bit of cup success for once. I'd quite happily draw a lower league team with the hope of progression further rather than a money spinning tie against a Premier League time which results in a demoralising defeat.
As the first month of the season draws to an end, I would rate it as a reasonable success. Only one defeat along with the incredible comebacks against Notts County and Leicester City. The team is beginning to gel and with the acquisitions of Miller and Derbyshire, I believe we are a team on the up. Would like to see a left back and a winger brought in before the end of the transfer window but we'll see what happens on that front. I do hear Max Gradel is target. As a pacey, direct winger, he ticks all the boxes.
But I can't see how a move to a fellow championship rival would be appealing to Gradel or Leeds United. Just watch this space I suppose.
All eyes point towards Sunday now and the big clash with West Ham United. A team that had started the season very well. It will be after this game, that we really can judge ourselves and our hopes for this season.
I just hope we start from the very first whistle.
However, I did see the highlights and was extremely pleased with what I saw.
We appeared to move the ball at a good pace and all looked comfortable with it. Miller's finish was superb and it's been a while since we've had a striker who looks confident in a 1 on 1 position.
Ishmael appeared to be causing havoc and Wycombe's defenders looked frightened to even attempt to challenge him. Won the penalty which McGugan dispatched...just.
For the second goal, Greening won the ball in midfield and played a sublime pass through to the striker. This is what he should be doing, week in, week out. I hope it continues but I'm not fooled that it was against league two opposition.
Findley's finish oozed confidence as he completely fooled three defenders before scoring and Majewski completed the rout with the easiest of finishes after brilliant work from Garner.
The striker's persistance to win the ball and then look up and play the right pass was vital. McClaren would be far more pleased to see intelligence from Garner and team qualities instead of the striker, who is desperate to open his account, to shoot and miss.
The only blotch was the penalty for Wycombe but that seemed harsh as Lynch caught the attacker's heels.
Very pleased to go through and it's nice to have a bit of cup success for once. I'd quite happily draw a lower league team with the hope of progression further rather than a money spinning tie against a Premier League time which results in a demoralising defeat.
As the first month of the season draws to an end, I would rate it as a reasonable success. Only one defeat along with the incredible comebacks against Notts County and Leicester City. The team is beginning to gel and with the acquisitions of Miller and Derbyshire, I believe we are a team on the up. Would like to see a left back and a winger brought in before the end of the transfer window but we'll see what happens on that front. I do hear Max Gradel is target. As a pacey, direct winger, he ticks all the boxes.
But I can't see how a move to a fellow championship rival would be appealing to Gradel or Leeds United. Just watch this space I suppose.
All eyes point towards Sunday now and the big clash with West Ham United. A team that had started the season very well. It will be after this game, that we really can judge ourselves and our hopes for this season.
I just hope we start from the very first whistle.
Sunday 21 August 2011
NFFC vs Leicester City 20.08.11
Nottingham Forest vs Leicester City at the City Ground has proved to be an absolute cracker over the past couple of seasons.
Two seasons ago, the Forest faithful were able to see a masterclass from Robbie Earnshaw as he single handedly embarrassed the Foxes defence, scoring a hat-trick in a 5-1 victory. Last season, the game proved to be an emotional rollercoaster as Leicester pegged back the Reds twice before 'keeper Chris Weale let a soft volley from Paul McKenna slip through him in the 81st minute and gift Forest victory.
The meeting of the two teams is always a spicy affair and given the added sub plots of the amount of money Leicester have spent and their high expectations, the inconsistent start of the Reds and the meeting of two former England managers, Sven Goran Eriksson and Steve McClaren meant this game meant more than usual.
Initially, I was meant to be on holiday for this game, but the hotel messed up our reservation and it meant we would now go a day later. Twenty minutes into the game and I wished I was in North Yorkshire away from the debacle taking place in front of me.
I feel like I'm repeating myself every time I write this blog but every game shows no difference. The team looked lazy, tired, unenthusiastic and against a pumped up, energetic Leicester side, we were soon punished.
My feelings regarding Greening only continued to be negative as a simple pass to Chambers was too short and ex Manchester City midfielder Gelson Fernandes, nipped in, raced away and had the intelligence to lay in David Nugent to slot into an empty net. The goal was offside but it's no excuse. It was a ridiculous goal to give away.
To make matters worse, the usually reliable Chambers then gave the ball away and Neil Danns-who was hugely impressive and ran riot all afternoon-raced away and appeared to slot below Camp, before Gunter cleared off the line but it fell straight to Fernandes, who couldn't miss.
2-0 down to one of our rivals, who were quite frankly playing us off the park.
The first half team selection wasn't right. It wasn't even close. Moloney had a nightmare at right back, repeatedly giving the ball away and unable to handle Danns, Cohen and McGugan played on the wrong wing with neither being involved and two defensive midfielders playing alongside each other, with no creativity in the centre of the park. Just to top it off, David McGoldrick started upfront. As I've said before, I will back any player picked. But enough's enough. This guy is appalling, especially with Findley and Miller on the bench and Garner and Tudgay in the squad who could easily offer more. 'McGoldraught' must be immense in training because McClaren is seeing something that we definitely are not.
The gaffer got the message and brought on the American and the ex West Bromwich striker at half time for McGoldrick and Derbyshire. It immediately added extra impetus but still lacking a cutting edge. Majewski was introduced for Moloney and it was an inspired substitution. Gunter moved to right back, Cohen back to left back with Radi and McGugan allowed to roam in midfield. Finally, the team looked settled and began playing with pace and tempo.
With the game appearing to meander away, the game changed in a few minutes.
Following a scramble in the area, Leicester defender Matt Mills handled the ball and Forest had a penalty. Let's be frank, it's a soft penalty. The centre back isn't even looking as it hits his hand. What followed next was simply bizarre. Reputable 'keeper Schmeichel moved the ball after McGugan had placed it in preparation for the spot kick and was booked before Lewis powered home to give us hope. Straight from the ball hitting the net, the Dane held the ball before throwing it in the Brian Clough Stand. He was given a second yellow and sent off. Schmeichel looked bewildered and the City Ground had all of a sudden erupted into life.
It got even better for the Reds as Danns, who was easily man of the match with his direct attacking, was sacrificied to bring on Chris Weale.
What then followed was wave after wave of attack. With a minute of stoppage time remaining, Cohen exploited Weale's weaknesses as he lifted a cross over the goalkeeper and Boateng, bundled in.
Somehow, we had managed to get a point. But we didn't deserve it.
Camp-Couldn't do anything about the two goals and did everything that was asked of him. Tried to keep the ball moving. 7/10
Moloney- Not a good performance, consistently gave the ball away and was ran riot by Danns. 4/10
Morgan- Worked hard and won a fair few challenges. Also gave us an option up front as we chased the game. 7/10
Chambers- Dived in and sacrificed himself for the first goal before being at fault for the second. Seems to be lacking his dominance that he had last season. 5/10
Gunter- Always works hard and always impresses. Premier League experience shows. Much more comfortable at right back though. 8/10
Cohen-Similarly to Gunter, he always works hard but struggled to get involved in the midfield. In fairness, he isn't a right winger. Team looked far more settled when he was moved back into the left side of defence. 6/10
Greening- Hugely at fault for the first goal and just continues in failing to impress. He appears lazy and although, he's happy to have the ball, he rarely does anything with it. Maybe it's time to drop him for a game or two. 5/10
McGugan-Wasted on the left wing. Looked far more dangerous in his free attacking role. Cool head for the penalty as well. 7/10
Boateng-Relatively solid game. Works hard and is hard to push off the ball. But gave it away a lot. Much prefer to Greening. 7/10
McGoldrick- Made my feelings quite clear about this guy. He's had his chance. His effort is good, but it isn't enough. He has to go away and work very, very hard.
Findley-Harsh on the American to be dropped. Always comes on with plenty of enthuasiasm and has sheer pace that frightens defences. Looks good alongside Miller. 8/10
Miller-Full of praise for this lad again. Initially looked clumsy and heavily relied on having the ball on his left side but soon settled and added a huge threat to a defence that appeared content all afternoon. 7/10
Majewski-Says a lot that a player who only played 20 minutes of the game is my man of the match. But the Pole came on, got stuck in while also picking up the pace and adding creativity. Linked up well with McGugan. 8/10
A common phrase in football is that the best teams never know when we're beaten and this is a perfect example of this. But we wouldn't need to put ourselves under such pressure if we didn't take 70 minutes to start playing our game. McClaren must pick a settled 11 which, at the moment, includes Majewski, Findley and Miller who are consistently coming on and saving the day. Hard week's work ahead and we must be ready before West Ham arrive at the City Ground next Sunday, otherwise I fear we could be on the end of a very harsh lesson.
Two seasons ago, the Forest faithful were able to see a masterclass from Robbie Earnshaw as he single handedly embarrassed the Foxes defence, scoring a hat-trick in a 5-1 victory. Last season, the game proved to be an emotional rollercoaster as Leicester pegged back the Reds twice before 'keeper Chris Weale let a soft volley from Paul McKenna slip through him in the 81st minute and gift Forest victory.
The meeting of the two teams is always a spicy affair and given the added sub plots of the amount of money Leicester have spent and their high expectations, the inconsistent start of the Reds and the meeting of two former England managers, Sven Goran Eriksson and Steve McClaren meant this game meant more than usual.
Initially, I was meant to be on holiday for this game, but the hotel messed up our reservation and it meant we would now go a day later. Twenty minutes into the game and I wished I was in North Yorkshire away from the debacle taking place in front of me.
I feel like I'm repeating myself every time I write this blog but every game shows no difference. The team looked lazy, tired, unenthusiastic and against a pumped up, energetic Leicester side, we were soon punished.
My feelings regarding Greening only continued to be negative as a simple pass to Chambers was too short and ex Manchester City midfielder Gelson Fernandes, nipped in, raced away and had the intelligence to lay in David Nugent to slot into an empty net. The goal was offside but it's no excuse. It was a ridiculous goal to give away.
To make matters worse, the usually reliable Chambers then gave the ball away and Neil Danns-who was hugely impressive and ran riot all afternoon-raced away and appeared to slot below Camp, before Gunter cleared off the line but it fell straight to Fernandes, who couldn't miss.
2-0 down to one of our rivals, who were quite frankly playing us off the park.
The first half team selection wasn't right. It wasn't even close. Moloney had a nightmare at right back, repeatedly giving the ball away and unable to handle Danns, Cohen and McGugan played on the wrong wing with neither being involved and two defensive midfielders playing alongside each other, with no creativity in the centre of the park. Just to top it off, David McGoldrick started upfront. As I've said before, I will back any player picked. But enough's enough. This guy is appalling, especially with Findley and Miller on the bench and Garner and Tudgay in the squad who could easily offer more. 'McGoldraught' must be immense in training because McClaren is seeing something that we definitely are not.
The gaffer got the message and brought on the American and the ex West Bromwich striker at half time for McGoldrick and Derbyshire. It immediately added extra impetus but still lacking a cutting edge. Majewski was introduced for Moloney and it was an inspired substitution. Gunter moved to right back, Cohen back to left back with Radi and McGugan allowed to roam in midfield. Finally, the team looked settled and began playing with pace and tempo.
With the game appearing to meander away, the game changed in a few minutes.
Following a scramble in the area, Leicester defender Matt Mills handled the ball and Forest had a penalty. Let's be frank, it's a soft penalty. The centre back isn't even looking as it hits his hand. What followed next was simply bizarre. Reputable 'keeper Schmeichel moved the ball after McGugan had placed it in preparation for the spot kick and was booked before Lewis powered home to give us hope. Straight from the ball hitting the net, the Dane held the ball before throwing it in the Brian Clough Stand. He was given a second yellow and sent off. Schmeichel looked bewildered and the City Ground had all of a sudden erupted into life.
It got even better for the Reds as Danns, who was easily man of the match with his direct attacking, was sacrificied to bring on Chris Weale.
What then followed was wave after wave of attack. With a minute of stoppage time remaining, Cohen exploited Weale's weaknesses as he lifted a cross over the goalkeeper and Boateng, bundled in.
Somehow, we had managed to get a point. But we didn't deserve it.
Camp-Couldn't do anything about the two goals and did everything that was asked of him. Tried to keep the ball moving. 7/10
Moloney- Not a good performance, consistently gave the ball away and was ran riot by Danns. 4/10
Morgan- Worked hard and won a fair few challenges. Also gave us an option up front as we chased the game. 7/10
Chambers- Dived in and sacrificed himself for the first goal before being at fault for the second. Seems to be lacking his dominance that he had last season. 5/10
Gunter- Always works hard and always impresses. Premier League experience shows. Much more comfortable at right back though. 8/10
Cohen-Similarly to Gunter, he always works hard but struggled to get involved in the midfield. In fairness, he isn't a right winger. Team looked far more settled when he was moved back into the left side of defence. 6/10
Greening- Hugely at fault for the first goal and just continues in failing to impress. He appears lazy and although, he's happy to have the ball, he rarely does anything with it. Maybe it's time to drop him for a game or two. 5/10
McGugan-Wasted on the left wing. Looked far more dangerous in his free attacking role. Cool head for the penalty as well. 7/10
Boateng-Relatively solid game. Works hard and is hard to push off the ball. But gave it away a lot. Much prefer to Greening. 7/10
McGoldrick- Made my feelings quite clear about this guy. He's had his chance. His effort is good, but it isn't enough. He has to go away and work very, very hard.
Findley-Harsh on the American to be dropped. Always comes on with plenty of enthuasiasm and has sheer pace that frightens defences. Looks good alongside Miller. 8/10
Miller-Full of praise for this lad again. Initially looked clumsy and heavily relied on having the ball on his left side but soon settled and added a huge threat to a defence that appeared content all afternoon. 7/10
Majewski-Says a lot that a player who only played 20 minutes of the game is my man of the match. But the Pole came on, got stuck in while also picking up the pace and adding creativity. Linked up well with McGugan. 8/10
A common phrase in football is that the best teams never know when we're beaten and this is a perfect example of this. But we wouldn't need to put ourselves under such pressure if we didn't take 70 minutes to start playing our game. McClaren must pick a settled 11 which, at the moment, includes Majewski, Findley and Miller who are consistently coming on and saving the day. Hard week's work ahead and we must be ready before West Ham arrive at the City Ground next Sunday, otherwise I fear we could be on the end of a very harsh lesson.
Wednesday 17 August 2011
NFFC vs Doncaster 16.08.11
About four times a season, me and my dad make the decision to move out of our City Ground comforts and venture around the UK to support the Reds away from home.
Last night was one of these exceptions as we travelled to Doncaster's Keepmoat Stadium.
I made the short journey up the M1 a couple of seasons ago and remember the ground was only two thirds full and apart from a big drum at the other end of the pitch, there was very little atmosphere. Not a lot had changed.
Following Saturday's dismal defeat, McClaren made four changes. Maloney was brought in and Gunts pushed to left back with Cohen moving up into midfield and the debut of Derbyshire upfront. I must admit, I was pretty confident for the night ahead.
I shouldn't have been. As you know from previous blog entries, I don't believe in negativity unless it's deserved. But last night was not good. Granted, it was better, but definitely not good enough and I'd be extremely worried if I was a Doncaster fan, it could be a long, hard season for them.
Unsurprisingly, we didn't start well and Camp was called into an excellent save as he tipped over.
As the half drove on, there just appeared to be very little fluidity. We struggled to move the ball a simple ten yards at times and it just resulted in us going long to Derbyshire, the smallest man on the pitch. Safe to say, he didn't win many of the battles.
Then, very much against the run of play, we played a few one touch passes and the ball was moved wide to Moloney. He lifted a deep cross to the back post where Gunter rose brilliantly to power a header home. Finally we had a goal.
That lifted both the lads and the fans and we began to play some nice football. The kind of football that if we could produce over 90 minutes and the duration of the season, we would be a real threat in this division. But confidence seems to be at an all time low.
The second half didn't differ much from the first. Donny played some nice football and at times, camped in our half. The introduction of Findley lifted the team before he was told to go on the right wing as Forest changed the formation to 4-5-1 and attempted to see out the game.
New signing Ishmael Miller was a particular highlight when he was brought on for the last 15 minutes. Fast, strong, direct, he certainly looked a vital part of the puzzle.
Camp-Probably my man of the match. A couple of important saves including a parry from point blank range late in the game. Distrubution needs work though. 8/10
Moloney-Did well on his comeback and certainly did everything that was asked of him. May have been a different story if he had had a pacey left winger to deal with. 7/10
Morgan-Strong in the tackle, handled their striker well. Very little got past him. Probably his best performance of the season. 8/10
Chambers- As always, showed plenty of passion and grit as he led from the off. Couple of bad passes and hoofs forward but lack of options infront of him on both occassions. Defended okay. 7/10
Gunter-Works hard and won many tackles on a busy night for the Welshman. Also popped up with the only goal of the night. A decent night all round but is most definitely more comfortable at right back. 8/10
Majewski-In fairness to Radi, he isn't a right winger. And it showed. Lack of discipline in holding his place on the wing and was rarely involved. Worked hard for little reward. Left Moloney exposed a couple of times as well. 6/10
Greening- I expected him to be a brilliant signing in our quest for promotion but at the moment, he's hugely frustrating. Doesn't seem to impose himself in the middle of park and at times, can't seem to keep up with the speed of play. 6/10
Cohen-Back in his usual position of midfield but lost the battle for the majority of the night. Always has a good engine on him and ran all night but little end product. Lots of niggly fouls as well. 7/10
McGoldrick- Dear oh dear. After his first half performance, which was slow, clumsy and embarrassing, I would hope he had played his last game in a red shirt. Second half, he improved and to be fair, he's always full of running but it comes in fits and spurts. Not good enough is the bottom line. 5/10
Derbyshire- Exciting prospect. Lots of running and energy with a certain degree of pace. Flagged quickly though and is lacking fitness. Appears to be a good purchase though. 7/10
Findley- Lifted the team and always excites the fans. Was unfortunately moved to the right wing where he offered little to the game. Still believe it could be a good season for him. 7/10
Miller- Every Forest fan is hoping this lad gets fit ASAP. Played on the shoulder of the last man and won 90% of challengers, both arial and on the ground. A real proper striker and I hope his enthuasism and desire to impress continues as the season progresses. 8/10
Lynch-Keen to get involved and probably feels hard done by that he has been overlooked at left back. Came on for the final ten minutes and worked hard. Little time to make an impact though. 6/10
To be frank, it wasn't good enough and lots of hard work needs to be done. But a few boxes have been ticked. The first goal, the first away win and most importantly, the first win at all. Up to 12th and hopefully, confidence is a bit higher now. Let's kick on and destroy those dirty bin robbers on Saturday. I can't wait.
Last night was one of these exceptions as we travelled to Doncaster's Keepmoat Stadium.
I made the short journey up the M1 a couple of seasons ago and remember the ground was only two thirds full and apart from a big drum at the other end of the pitch, there was very little atmosphere. Not a lot had changed.
Following Saturday's dismal defeat, McClaren made four changes. Maloney was brought in and Gunts pushed to left back with Cohen moving up into midfield and the debut of Derbyshire upfront. I must admit, I was pretty confident for the night ahead.
I shouldn't have been. As you know from previous blog entries, I don't believe in negativity unless it's deserved. But last night was not good. Granted, it was better, but definitely not good enough and I'd be extremely worried if I was a Doncaster fan, it could be a long, hard season for them.
Unsurprisingly, we didn't start well and Camp was called into an excellent save as he tipped over.
As the half drove on, there just appeared to be very little fluidity. We struggled to move the ball a simple ten yards at times and it just resulted in us going long to Derbyshire, the smallest man on the pitch. Safe to say, he didn't win many of the battles.
Then, very much against the run of play, we played a few one touch passes and the ball was moved wide to Moloney. He lifted a deep cross to the back post where Gunter rose brilliantly to power a header home. Finally we had a goal.
That lifted both the lads and the fans and we began to play some nice football. The kind of football that if we could produce over 90 minutes and the duration of the season, we would be a real threat in this division. But confidence seems to be at an all time low.
The second half didn't differ much from the first. Donny played some nice football and at times, camped in our half. The introduction of Findley lifted the team before he was told to go on the right wing as Forest changed the formation to 4-5-1 and attempted to see out the game.
New signing Ishmael Miller was a particular highlight when he was brought on for the last 15 minutes. Fast, strong, direct, he certainly looked a vital part of the puzzle.
Camp-Probably my man of the match. A couple of important saves including a parry from point blank range late in the game. Distrubution needs work though. 8/10
Moloney-Did well on his comeback and certainly did everything that was asked of him. May have been a different story if he had had a pacey left winger to deal with. 7/10
Morgan-Strong in the tackle, handled their striker well. Very little got past him. Probably his best performance of the season. 8/10
Chambers- As always, showed plenty of passion and grit as he led from the off. Couple of bad passes and hoofs forward but lack of options infront of him on both occassions. Defended okay. 7/10
Gunter-Works hard and won many tackles on a busy night for the Welshman. Also popped up with the only goal of the night. A decent night all round but is most definitely more comfortable at right back. 8/10
Majewski-In fairness to Radi, he isn't a right winger. And it showed. Lack of discipline in holding his place on the wing and was rarely involved. Worked hard for little reward. Left Moloney exposed a couple of times as well. 6/10
Greening- I expected him to be a brilliant signing in our quest for promotion but at the moment, he's hugely frustrating. Doesn't seem to impose himself in the middle of park and at times, can't seem to keep up with the speed of play. 6/10
Cohen-Back in his usual position of midfield but lost the battle for the majority of the night. Always has a good engine on him and ran all night but little end product. Lots of niggly fouls as well. 7/10
McGoldrick- Dear oh dear. After his first half performance, which was slow, clumsy and embarrassing, I would hope he had played his last game in a red shirt. Second half, he improved and to be fair, he's always full of running but it comes in fits and spurts. Not good enough is the bottom line. 5/10
Derbyshire- Exciting prospect. Lots of running and energy with a certain degree of pace. Flagged quickly though and is lacking fitness. Appears to be a good purchase though. 7/10
Findley- Lifted the team and always excites the fans. Was unfortunately moved to the right wing where he offered little to the game. Still believe it could be a good season for him. 7/10
Miller- Every Forest fan is hoping this lad gets fit ASAP. Played on the shoulder of the last man and won 90% of challengers, both arial and on the ground. A real proper striker and I hope his enthuasism and desire to impress continues as the season progresses. 8/10
Lynch-Keen to get involved and probably feels hard done by that he has been overlooked at left back. Came on for the final ten minutes and worked hard. Little time to make an impact though. 6/10
To be frank, it wasn't good enough and lots of hard work needs to be done. But a few boxes have been ticked. The first goal, the first away win and most importantly, the first win at all. Up to 12th and hopefully, confidence is a bit higher now. Let's kick on and destroy those dirty bin robbers on Saturday. I can't wait.
Sunday 14 August 2011
NFFC v Millwall 13.08.11
Well yesterday was an anti climax.
Along with the anticipation of the Premier League kicking off, 3pm yesterday had a really positive feeling with it.
Back in the old routine of soccersaturday on one channel and Colin Fray on the radio. I was all set up for an exciting afternoon of football.
Well it lasted 7 minutes.
Inswinging corner from Millwall, backward flick from Henderson, 1-0 Millwall and so, so easy.
I don't understand where last season's dominance in the air has gone. Morgan and Chambers used to be ever reliable if a ball was put into the box.
Now this season, there's been the chance at Barnsley, we looked nervous the whole game against County and now this. Something needs to be done, sharpish.
At the other end of the pitch, it wasn't any better. As much as I was happy to see two up front in Garner and Findley, the emotion was short lived as either of them were rarely involved.
Fray and McGovern said it on numerous occasions yesterday of how slow we move up the pitch. Time and time again, we got the ball and played it nicely from left to right without making any progression.
Millwall were quite happy to get 11 men behind the ball and wait for us to make a mistake.
The one time we did move the ball with pace, saw Cohen get in round the back and drive a low ball across the area to which Findley chipped onto the post.
But 13 minutes from time, Millwall showed us how to do it. After keeping possession for a number of minutes, the ball was given away and four passes later, the ball was in the back of the net. 2-0 Millwall. A blistering attack on the break and we couldn't handle it. The ball was sweeped home by Liam Trotter who was superb for the Lions all afternoon.
McClaren said post match that we didn't look like scoring all game. He was spot on.
No disrespect to Barnsley or Millwall but I don't expect either of them to be challenging come the end of April. Granted, there's a long way to go and the first win will kick start things. But that first win isn't go to come if we can't score goals.
Cue the introduction of Matt Derbyshire and Ishmael Miller. Very astute signings in my opinion and I cannot wait to see them in the garibaldi red shirts. They've got a lot of pressure on them. But given the chance, they're proven goal scorers. They really do need to hit the ground running.
So, two games gone already. Bring on tuesday night away at Doncaster. Let's kill two birds with one stone as we can get our first win of the season along with our first away win.
Along with the anticipation of the Premier League kicking off, 3pm yesterday had a really positive feeling with it.
Back in the old routine of soccersaturday on one channel and Colin Fray on the radio. I was all set up for an exciting afternoon of football.
Well it lasted 7 minutes.
Inswinging corner from Millwall, backward flick from Henderson, 1-0 Millwall and so, so easy.
I don't understand where last season's dominance in the air has gone. Morgan and Chambers used to be ever reliable if a ball was put into the box.
Now this season, there's been the chance at Barnsley, we looked nervous the whole game against County and now this. Something needs to be done, sharpish.
At the other end of the pitch, it wasn't any better. As much as I was happy to see two up front in Garner and Findley, the emotion was short lived as either of them were rarely involved.
Fray and McGovern said it on numerous occasions yesterday of how slow we move up the pitch. Time and time again, we got the ball and played it nicely from left to right without making any progression.
Millwall were quite happy to get 11 men behind the ball and wait for us to make a mistake.
The one time we did move the ball with pace, saw Cohen get in round the back and drive a low ball across the area to which Findley chipped onto the post.
But 13 minutes from time, Millwall showed us how to do it. After keeping possession for a number of minutes, the ball was given away and four passes later, the ball was in the back of the net. 2-0 Millwall. A blistering attack on the break and we couldn't handle it. The ball was sweeped home by Liam Trotter who was superb for the Lions all afternoon.
McClaren said post match that we didn't look like scoring all game. He was spot on.
No disrespect to Barnsley or Millwall but I don't expect either of them to be challenging come the end of April. Granted, there's a long way to go and the first win will kick start things. But that first win isn't go to come if we can't score goals.
Cue the introduction of Matt Derbyshire and Ishmael Miller. Very astute signings in my opinion and I cannot wait to see them in the garibaldi red shirts. They've got a lot of pressure on them. But given the chance, they're proven goal scorers. They really do need to hit the ground running.
So, two games gone already. Bring on tuesday night away at Doncaster. Let's kill two birds with one stone as we can get our first win of the season along with our first away win.
Wednesday 10 August 2011
NFFC v Notts County 09.06.11
At one stage, it was rumoured that the mindless rioting may result in the postponement of the League Cup fixtures on Tuesday night. Thankfully, most police forces saw sense and placed trust in the football fans around the country that no trouble would occur.
Following last night's first round tie between Forest and our local rivals, Notts County, the city was hugely grateful for allowing the game to go ahead.
The 21,000 or so fans that took their seat in time for the 7.45pm kick off had no idea they were about to witness one of the most enthralling football matches for some time.
As an impressive 6,186 fans made the short trip across the River Trent to support the Magpies and completely taking over the Bridgford end, it was quite clear for all to see that they were pumped up for this game.
Judging from the opening 15 minutes of the game, it was noticeable that the team they had come to support, were rather pumped up for it themselves.
Paul Smith hasn't had the most illustrious career at Forest and it's safe to say, few are convinced by his overall goalkeeping ability, but he answered his critics, (myself included) in the perfect style as he kept Forest in the game in the opening stages.
A comfortable save from a Neal Bishop long range drive was just the beginning of a busy spell for Smith who saw a free kick deflect just wide before being called into action to keep out a header from Lee Hughes. Diving to his left, it was certainly a moment for the cameras as Smith somehow kept it out. Seconds later, Ravenhill struck a volley which grazed the top of the bar.
The inevitable happened in the 16th minute as Chambers conceded a free kick which, although initially cleared, was swung back in and in scrappy style, was prodded over the line by County defender, Mike Edwards.
It was the least County deserved, the goal had been coming. But more worryingly for Forest, was how uncertain they looked at the back. No player seemed to go and attack the ball and the back four seemed extremely shaky. Admittedly, this could be down to the fact that Forest had a new goalkeeper and Moloney at right back, replacing Camp and Gunter who were both on international duty, and hadn't adjusted. But surely, as a squad, they work on scenarios such as set plays and they should all be comfortable playing alongside each other.
The goal was a much needed wake up call. Following a small preview of it on Saturday, we began to move the ball in a very nice style. Quick, slick, one touch stuff that Radi Majewski was at the heart of. He has certainly given McLaren a midfield selection headache ahead of Saturday's game.
Hamza Bencherif did a stirling job on marking McGugan out the game but the one time he did get away resulted in a free kick 25 yards out. The midfielder curled the ball into the top corner and gave Stuart Nelson no chance as Forest levelled the tie on the half hour.
For the rest of the half, we were in the ascendency. Really pleasing to see the ball be moved around so comfortably and wave after wave of attack. Reid was kept out by a point blank save before Findley thought he'd opened his account for the club only to be ruled out by offside.
Safe to say, the half time whistle came at the wrong time.
But one thing I have come to learn about Forest over the years is their inability to start straight from the off. Last night was no different. County started the 2nd half just as they did the first. Credit to the defence as they held strong but it is frustrating to feel the opening ten minutes of every half is lost, as we await the lads to 'settle down'.
But on a rare attack in the 56th minute, Reid produced a sublime dink to the back post where Findley met it on the volley and guided it home from a tight angle. Fully deserved goal for the American who already appears to be a bit of a fan favourite.
With confidence at a high, he lashed a stinging shot goalwards which Nelson tipped over. It's taken a while, but Findley looks to be the real deal. Pace, strength, with signs of the ability to finish, he could easily be a main man this season.
I felt the time was right to bring on Boateng, a bit of experience and could see us through to the end. McLaren agreed and brought him on for Mcgugan. We were both wrong. We sat deeper and deeper and just invited Notts on to us. It effectively changed the game.
Notts brought on former striker Craig Westcarr in the 70th minute and after he spent many years at the club, coming through the youth system and making 23 appearances for the first team before moving in 2005, the home crowd greeted him with a generous applause.
I, for one, wish I hadn't bothered.
In the 75th minute, the striker lashed home a low drive to level the tie. Now, he was never a legend here so feel free to celebrate.
But after the fans of the club who gave him his first professional contract, applauded him as he entered the field and showed respect, I was hugely disappointed to see the striker not just overly celebrate, but run to A Block and celebrate around in front of them, knowing full well it would provoke a reaction. The frustration was that there was no reason to do it. He wasn't treated badly at Forest, to play 23 times and only get 1 goal, he's lucky we didn't get rid of him sooner.
It was immature and naive.
Lee Hughes had been lively all night but after a few opening exchanges, Chambers appeared to control him relatively well. That was until Boateng played the ball to Morgan when he should of just hoofed clear and Morgan, in no man's land, lost the ball and was out of position. The ball fell to the County striker who finished accurately, down low past Smith. 3-2 on the 100 minute mark.
The away team then sat back and soaked the pressure up as it became obvious yet again, that despite the ability of Garner, Tudgay and a tiring Findley, we don't have a typical goalscorer who can sniff out a chance in the 6 yard box. Garner lashed a volley wide of the post and the tie appeared to be over.
Following defeats to Macclesfield and Woking along with cup replays against Weymouth and Salisbury, it just felt as this was the next match to be added to the long line of embarrassing cup results.
That was before Wes Morgan came up with a 25 yard volley that rifled into the top of the net; with only 20 seconds left. Words cannot describe it. The way in which it was celebrated was the same way we celebrated at Pride Park when Robbie Earnshaw popped up with an 81st minute winner. Utter chaos. But fantastic to be a part of. The chance came out of nowhere and the centre back connected with it so sweetly. If you get the chance to watch the highlights, along with Colin Fray's commentary, seriously, it'll give you goosebumps.
Once it had all calmed down, it went to penalties. I hate to admit it, but I was backing Nelson over Smith. The first two penalties proved me right as Smith moved far too early on both making it easy to score. Greening missed and County were on top. But cool heads from Tudgay, Garner and Findley, combined with a miss from Bencherif made the score 3-3. Experienced Boateng stepped up and missed. Hearts sank. Who was going to bring this thrilling game to an end? Who else but Lee Hughes. Or so we thought.
He fired over. Chaos again round the City Ground. Captain fantastic Chambers stepped up and scored before Bishop missed. We were through. With the celebrations in full flow, Chambers ran to the Trent End and punched the air before passionately hitting the logo. It's a simple gesture to make and it's not something we see a lot of anymore, but for a stadium full of passionate supporters to see one of their players show the same desire was hugely pleasing. Long may it continue.
An incredible night of football and one that in the end I was ecstatic to be a part of. We had the clean sheet on Saturday and the 3 goals tonight, be good if we could combine the two things together in time for Saturday's game at Millwall!
Smith-Was far busier than he probably expected. Made some superb saves and seemed to have improved in many areas of his game. 8/10
Moloney-Was very shaky at first, then gained some confidence and looked like the right back of last season. Then we went behind and he lost all of his confidence again. Indifferent performance. 6/10
Morgan-His goal alone has supplied me and many others with the best memory of the Major Oak since he's been here. But he was at fault for Hughes goal. But showed real passion throughout and was always putting his body on the line. 8/10
Chambers-Seemed a bit ruffled by Hughes but soon settled. Led from the front and fought hard. Wasn't his usual imposing presence in the air though. 7/10
Cohen-Appears content to play at left back than not at all. Works hard and tackles hard. Only complaint is his lack of desire to stop the cross. But worked hard up and down the wing. 7/10
Greening-Again, very defensively minded but that may have been what he's been asked to do. Works hard and won the ball on numerous occasions. Also spread the ball from left to right very nicely. Showed good fitness as the match went on. 8/10
Majewski-Tough call with Findley but probably my man of the match. His composure and ability on the ball is a joy to watch and he revelled in the fact that he could run rings round the opposition at times who ultimately, just attempted to kick the living daylights out of him. 9/10
Anderson-Showing signs of more confidence under McLaren. Happier to go and attack a player rather than turn back and lay the ball off to the right back. Caused a fair few problems last night. 8/10
Reid-Lazy at times but when he's on the ball, he has got fantastic feet. Comfortable with the ball at all times, he enjoyed hitting the touchline or cutting inside. Cross for Findley's goal was perfect. 8/10
McGugan-Tough night for Lewis. Marked heavily out of the game, he struggled to make an impact. But still managed to be involved in the odd attack and his goal was vital and a fantastic sight. 7/10
Findley-What a night for the American. After a slow start, he seems to be settling in nicely on Trentside. Caused problems all night, not just with his pace, but his ability to hold the ball up and his movement across the backline. Deserved his goal. 9/10
Garner-Always adds a bit of fight and aggression to the pitch and he got into the right positions last night. Just needs a couple of goals to kickstart himelf. 7/10
Boateng-Not that he played badly, but his arrival changed the game. Worked hard and defended well but little else. Missed the penalty as well. Not a great night. 6/10
Tudgay-Similarly to Garner, he was forced out wide a lot. Worked hard and tried to create but never really had a massive opportunity. 7/10
Again, the football phone in was heaving with negativity, albeit less than Saturday but still overriding the positivity. One Forest fan rang up and said 'this is a team that's expected to be challenging for promotion?! Must be joking. Got played off the park by Notts County.' First of all, it's cup football. It's a whole different scenario. Look at the teams that were eliminated last night or struggled, Barnsley, Derby, Burnley, I could go on. Secondly, it was a derby match. It's common knowledge that form (which at the moment is very little due to how early it is in the season) goes out the window for these types of games and it comes down to who handles the occasion best. Just enjoy the win for once!
In other news, it was massively disappointing to see Verhoek's deal fall through. After a bit of research, the guy looked a real talent and really would have added to the squad. As for the homesick malarky, I'm a bit sceptical. I very much doubt whether he'll be in Holland come the end of the transfer period. I hope I'm proved wrong. Meanwhile, while I've been writing this, Forest have announced the signing of Matt Derbyshire. A good signing I feel and definitely wouldn't have been cheap in the wages department. Premier League and Champions League experience and knows where the goal is. A very good signing indeed and I look forward to seeing him. Seems to have gone a bit quiet on Miller and a couple of PL loanees. We'll wait with fingers crossed regarding them.
Overall, nice to have a cup victory and I hope McLaren is looking for a cup run. It'll equal a bit of extra money and wins can only increase confidence and team unity. Roll on Thursday's 2nd round draw!
Following last night's first round tie between Forest and our local rivals, Notts County, the city was hugely grateful for allowing the game to go ahead.
The 21,000 or so fans that took their seat in time for the 7.45pm kick off had no idea they were about to witness one of the most enthralling football matches for some time.
As an impressive 6,186 fans made the short trip across the River Trent to support the Magpies and completely taking over the Bridgford end, it was quite clear for all to see that they were pumped up for this game.
Judging from the opening 15 minutes of the game, it was noticeable that the team they had come to support, were rather pumped up for it themselves.
Paul Smith hasn't had the most illustrious career at Forest and it's safe to say, few are convinced by his overall goalkeeping ability, but he answered his critics, (myself included) in the perfect style as he kept Forest in the game in the opening stages.
A comfortable save from a Neal Bishop long range drive was just the beginning of a busy spell for Smith who saw a free kick deflect just wide before being called into action to keep out a header from Lee Hughes. Diving to his left, it was certainly a moment for the cameras as Smith somehow kept it out. Seconds later, Ravenhill struck a volley which grazed the top of the bar.
The inevitable happened in the 16th minute as Chambers conceded a free kick which, although initially cleared, was swung back in and in scrappy style, was prodded over the line by County defender, Mike Edwards.
It was the least County deserved, the goal had been coming. But more worryingly for Forest, was how uncertain they looked at the back. No player seemed to go and attack the ball and the back four seemed extremely shaky. Admittedly, this could be down to the fact that Forest had a new goalkeeper and Moloney at right back, replacing Camp and Gunter who were both on international duty, and hadn't adjusted. But surely, as a squad, they work on scenarios such as set plays and they should all be comfortable playing alongside each other.
The goal was a much needed wake up call. Following a small preview of it on Saturday, we began to move the ball in a very nice style. Quick, slick, one touch stuff that Radi Majewski was at the heart of. He has certainly given McLaren a midfield selection headache ahead of Saturday's game.
Hamza Bencherif did a stirling job on marking McGugan out the game but the one time he did get away resulted in a free kick 25 yards out. The midfielder curled the ball into the top corner and gave Stuart Nelson no chance as Forest levelled the tie on the half hour.
For the rest of the half, we were in the ascendency. Really pleasing to see the ball be moved around so comfortably and wave after wave of attack. Reid was kept out by a point blank save before Findley thought he'd opened his account for the club only to be ruled out by offside.
Safe to say, the half time whistle came at the wrong time.
But one thing I have come to learn about Forest over the years is their inability to start straight from the off. Last night was no different. County started the 2nd half just as they did the first. Credit to the defence as they held strong but it is frustrating to feel the opening ten minutes of every half is lost, as we await the lads to 'settle down'.
But on a rare attack in the 56th minute, Reid produced a sublime dink to the back post where Findley met it on the volley and guided it home from a tight angle. Fully deserved goal for the American who already appears to be a bit of a fan favourite.
With confidence at a high, he lashed a stinging shot goalwards which Nelson tipped over. It's taken a while, but Findley looks to be the real deal. Pace, strength, with signs of the ability to finish, he could easily be a main man this season.
I felt the time was right to bring on Boateng, a bit of experience and could see us through to the end. McLaren agreed and brought him on for Mcgugan. We were both wrong. We sat deeper and deeper and just invited Notts on to us. It effectively changed the game.
Notts brought on former striker Craig Westcarr in the 70th minute and after he spent many years at the club, coming through the youth system and making 23 appearances for the first team before moving in 2005, the home crowd greeted him with a generous applause.
I, for one, wish I hadn't bothered.
In the 75th minute, the striker lashed home a low drive to level the tie. Now, he was never a legend here so feel free to celebrate.
But after the fans of the club who gave him his first professional contract, applauded him as he entered the field and showed respect, I was hugely disappointed to see the striker not just overly celebrate, but run to A Block and celebrate around in front of them, knowing full well it would provoke a reaction. The frustration was that there was no reason to do it. He wasn't treated badly at Forest, to play 23 times and only get 1 goal, he's lucky we didn't get rid of him sooner.
It was immature and naive.
Lee Hughes had been lively all night but after a few opening exchanges, Chambers appeared to control him relatively well. That was until Boateng played the ball to Morgan when he should of just hoofed clear and Morgan, in no man's land, lost the ball and was out of position. The ball fell to the County striker who finished accurately, down low past Smith. 3-2 on the 100 minute mark.
The away team then sat back and soaked the pressure up as it became obvious yet again, that despite the ability of Garner, Tudgay and a tiring Findley, we don't have a typical goalscorer who can sniff out a chance in the 6 yard box. Garner lashed a volley wide of the post and the tie appeared to be over.
Following defeats to Macclesfield and Woking along with cup replays against Weymouth and Salisbury, it just felt as this was the next match to be added to the long line of embarrassing cup results.
That was before Wes Morgan came up with a 25 yard volley that rifled into the top of the net; with only 20 seconds left. Words cannot describe it. The way in which it was celebrated was the same way we celebrated at Pride Park when Robbie Earnshaw popped up with an 81st minute winner. Utter chaos. But fantastic to be a part of. The chance came out of nowhere and the centre back connected with it so sweetly. If you get the chance to watch the highlights, along with Colin Fray's commentary, seriously, it'll give you goosebumps.
Once it had all calmed down, it went to penalties. I hate to admit it, but I was backing Nelson over Smith. The first two penalties proved me right as Smith moved far too early on both making it easy to score. Greening missed and County were on top. But cool heads from Tudgay, Garner and Findley, combined with a miss from Bencherif made the score 3-3. Experienced Boateng stepped up and missed. Hearts sank. Who was going to bring this thrilling game to an end? Who else but Lee Hughes. Or so we thought.
He fired over. Chaos again round the City Ground. Captain fantastic Chambers stepped up and scored before Bishop missed. We were through. With the celebrations in full flow, Chambers ran to the Trent End and punched the air before passionately hitting the logo. It's a simple gesture to make and it's not something we see a lot of anymore, but for a stadium full of passionate supporters to see one of their players show the same desire was hugely pleasing. Long may it continue.
An incredible night of football and one that in the end I was ecstatic to be a part of. We had the clean sheet on Saturday and the 3 goals tonight, be good if we could combine the two things together in time for Saturday's game at Millwall!
Smith-Was far busier than he probably expected. Made some superb saves and seemed to have improved in many areas of his game. 8/10
Moloney-Was very shaky at first, then gained some confidence and looked like the right back of last season. Then we went behind and he lost all of his confidence again. Indifferent performance. 6/10
Morgan-His goal alone has supplied me and many others with the best memory of the Major Oak since he's been here. But he was at fault for Hughes goal. But showed real passion throughout and was always putting his body on the line. 8/10
Chambers-Seemed a bit ruffled by Hughes but soon settled. Led from the front and fought hard. Wasn't his usual imposing presence in the air though. 7/10
Cohen-Appears content to play at left back than not at all. Works hard and tackles hard. Only complaint is his lack of desire to stop the cross. But worked hard up and down the wing. 7/10
Greening-Again, very defensively minded but that may have been what he's been asked to do. Works hard and won the ball on numerous occasions. Also spread the ball from left to right very nicely. Showed good fitness as the match went on. 8/10
Majewski-Tough call with Findley but probably my man of the match. His composure and ability on the ball is a joy to watch and he revelled in the fact that he could run rings round the opposition at times who ultimately, just attempted to kick the living daylights out of him. 9/10
Anderson-Showing signs of more confidence under McLaren. Happier to go and attack a player rather than turn back and lay the ball off to the right back. Caused a fair few problems last night. 8/10
Reid-Lazy at times but when he's on the ball, he has got fantastic feet. Comfortable with the ball at all times, he enjoyed hitting the touchline or cutting inside. Cross for Findley's goal was perfect. 8/10
McGugan-Tough night for Lewis. Marked heavily out of the game, he struggled to make an impact. But still managed to be involved in the odd attack and his goal was vital and a fantastic sight. 7/10
Findley-What a night for the American. After a slow start, he seems to be settling in nicely on Trentside. Caused problems all night, not just with his pace, but his ability to hold the ball up and his movement across the backline. Deserved his goal. 9/10
Garner-Always adds a bit of fight and aggression to the pitch and he got into the right positions last night. Just needs a couple of goals to kickstart himelf. 7/10
Boateng-Not that he played badly, but his arrival changed the game. Worked hard and defended well but little else. Missed the penalty as well. Not a great night. 6/10
Tudgay-Similarly to Garner, he was forced out wide a lot. Worked hard and tried to create but never really had a massive opportunity. 7/10
Again, the football phone in was heaving with negativity, albeit less than Saturday but still overriding the positivity. One Forest fan rang up and said 'this is a team that's expected to be challenging for promotion?! Must be joking. Got played off the park by Notts County.' First of all, it's cup football. It's a whole different scenario. Look at the teams that were eliminated last night or struggled, Barnsley, Derby, Burnley, I could go on. Secondly, it was a derby match. It's common knowledge that form (which at the moment is very little due to how early it is in the season) goes out the window for these types of games and it comes down to who handles the occasion best. Just enjoy the win for once!
In other news, it was massively disappointing to see Verhoek's deal fall through. After a bit of research, the guy looked a real talent and really would have added to the squad. As for the homesick malarky, I'm a bit sceptical. I very much doubt whether he'll be in Holland come the end of the transfer period. I hope I'm proved wrong. Meanwhile, while I've been writing this, Forest have announced the signing of Matt Derbyshire. A good signing I feel and definitely wouldn't have been cheap in the wages department. Premier League and Champions League experience and knows where the goal is. A very good signing indeed and I look forward to seeing him. Seems to have gone a bit quiet on Miller and a couple of PL loanees. We'll wait with fingers crossed regarding them.
Overall, nice to have a cup victory and I hope McLaren is looking for a cup run. It'll equal a bit of extra money and wins can only increase confidence and team unity. Roll on Thursday's 2nd round draw!
Sunday 7 August 2011
NFFC vs Barnsley 06.08.11
It only seems like yesterday that I was travelling to South Wales, filled with secret optimism that Nottingham Forest could progress past a stubborn Swansea side and reach the Play Off Final.
Unfortunately, Darren Pratley scored a quite sublime goal from the halfway line to end our hopes of promotion for another year and the summer ahead appeared to be a long and miserable one.
But what a summer it has been for the Reds.
With nine departures, three new arrivals and a change of manager, it has been a hectic three months at the City Ground. But one factor that hadn't changed was come 3pm, there was that same old feeling of hope, that this season could be 'our season'.
I, for one, discretly feel it will be.
I can remember hearing Billy Davies was sacked and McLaren was odds on to replace him. Safe to say, I wasn't impressed. Billy was a fighter and said what he had to say. He was a tactician which was vital, he really scruitinised every detail of the upcoming opponents and I believe he had a plan for every game.
More importantly, he led the team to being relatively successful again.
In my 16 or so years watching the Reds, I've got more bad memories than good. The relegations, the play off defeats...need I go on?
I was a big supporter of Davies, but two failed play off attempts and the odd rumour of squad unrest probably meant it was time for a change and I hope the goodbye was 'Cheerio and thank you' rather than 'we're glad to see the back of him.'
Unfortunately for McLaren, he comes with a very heavy tag round his neck-'The Wally With The Brolly'.
It's doubtful whether anyone will ever forget it. But the more research I did, the more I was excited by the change.
He learnt from one of the best managers of my generation in Sir Alex Ferguson, he brought European football and cup success to Middlesborough, a team that were not expected to challenge, he has managed his country, admittedly failed but at least he had the chance to do it in the first place and this meaning he has worked with some of the best players England has had to offer, he brought Dutch success to FC Twente, again, a team that were never expected to challenge and has never won the Eredivisie before a short spell with Wolfsberg where the main reason he failed was due to lack of control over transfers.
The small minded will look at his England tenure and believe this is a terrible appointment, the rest of us will understand that this manager has a wealth of experience and an intriguing contacts book. Credit must go to the board for acting as quickly as they did.
A relatively successful pre-season followed with only two defeats, one against Premier League opposition and the other against dutch giants PSV Eindhoven, who were quite honestly on another level, the way they moved the ball around the pitch meant it wasn't a massive catastrophe.
So August 6th rolls round, a new season begins and we welcomed Barnsley to the City Ground.
As usual, both teams looked a little rusty for the opening day of the season. Barnsley were not there to make up the numbers and supported by an impressive raucous following, should probably have been ahead after 20 minutes as a free header was looped over the bar. Forest settled and began to move the ball nicely but with no end product and at the break, it was goalless.
The second half showed promise, every player wanting to be on the ball and create something and the substitutions of Garner and Majewski helped the cause. Forest camped in the Barnsley half but couldn't break down a stubborn defence and credit must go to the Yorkshire side, for defending excellently and frustrating us massively.
Again, the small minded amongst us believe we should be winning every game 5-0 but Barnsley looked tough to break down and showed real unity as a team for 90 minutes.
A new look team lined up for the Reds, with the ratings as follows:
Camp-Never really had an important save to make so was rarely involved. Tried to move the ball quickly and pass it onto our defenders rather than hoofing aimlessly. 6/10
Gunter-Always works hard and defended well. 2nd half, went forward a lot more and we looked more threatening. 7/10
Morgan-Was strong as always and won the war but not every battle with Barnsley striker, Davies, but seems more comfortably aimlessly hoofing forward rather than keeping possession and being patient. 7/10
Chambers-My man of the match. Absolute rock at the back when called upon, which to be fair, was a few times as Barnsley broke away, a couple of vital tackles and blocks provided Forest with a clean sheet. Looks to be loving his role as captain. 9/10
Cohen-Same old story, is he a left back? To be fair, he coped well today. Got stuck in and won headers while also adding a wing back element as he went up and down the touchline. Did the job that was asked of him. 8/10
Anderson-Frustrating day for the wingers. Whether it was tactical advice or not, neither Ando nor Reidy seemed to hold their position on the wing. When Ando did do so, certainly in the 2nd half, he looked extremely threatening with his pace and ability. Just needs a quiet word in the ear I think. 7/10
Greening- Admittedly cautious on his competative debut, but did the simple stuff well. Moved the ball quickly and made sure we kept possession. Little bit defensively minded at times. 7/10
Boateng- I wasn't sure of this signing when it was announced yet it could prove to be the best one of the season. A player filled with experience, he worked hard for 90 minutes, showing real strength and tenacity in the middle of the park. Impressed. 8/10
Reid-As much as its nice to see Reidy back in a Forest shirt, it was a frustrating day for him and the fans. We all know he's got ability, but he seems intent on 'showing it off' too much. After the opening half hour, he began to spread the ball beautifully but similarly to Ando, he was consistently in the middle of the park with no end product once he got the ball. It left Cohen without an option on the left and the play became very narrow. 7/0
McGugan-Following last season, big things are expected from the Long Eaton Lad. There were signs of his ability in the game. Little bit rusty but the odd touch and the 30 yard shot that skimmed off the turf and just past the post were a couple of highlights. Didn't link up well with McGoldrick, but to be fair, who does? 7/10
McGoldrick- I will always support whoever lines up for Reds, especially a Nottingham lad. But I must admit my heart sank a little bit when I heard he was leading the line. To be fair, he's got ability, we saw that with the screamer he scored against Palace last season and he's been successful elsewhere. Davies was also a fan of him, so he must be doing something right in training. Also, he was up there on his own and it didn't suit him. Ran a lot but was rarely involved. 6/10
Garner-Came on for McGoldrick after 55 minutes and was pleasing to see. Really hope this is his chance to prove why he was brought to the club. He's apparently the best finisher at Forest and we need to see it now more than ever. As long as he can control his temper, he'll be a useful player for us this season. Came on and ruffled a few feathers, never had a chance of scoring though. 7/10
Majewski- In a game where players had a decent amount of time on the ball and were able to move it quickly, the Pole should probably have been on sooner. When he did come on, Forest looked slicker on the attack and a lot more threatening. Radi should have a pivitol role to play this season. 8/10
Overall, I think an opening day point was the fairest result. We were certainly better than Barnsley, but they deserved to take something away from the game. There were positives in terms of the clean sheet in which Camp was rarely called up, the team already showed a bit more experience in the side with decision making and positioning and we created the odd chance through nice football, that on another day, the ball goes in the back of the net. I, for one, am certainly not pessimistic.
One negative point though and it was proven today was that the squad is not big enough. We need signings. But not many, I don't believe. Nine players left, but aside from Earnshaw, Adebola, Wilson and the infamous left back position, who do we need to replace? I completely agree that the summer, yet again, has been immensely frustrating. But under Davies, I felt it was all media spin, that NFFC were not signing anyone, even if they told us they were. This year has a different feel to it. I fully believe the board is backing McLaren, you can see that from 1) the player's we've signed-experience pro's who's wages will not be cheap and 2) the type of players we've apparently been chasing, in which we've had to battle with the never ending chequebook of Leicester City and the Premier League new boys, Swansea City. We are never going to be the favourites in that situation. Furthermore, signings take time. Agent's have a lot of say in deals and if one minor detail is not right, the whole deal can fall though. It was rumoured that the Routledge deal failed after Swansea offered him £10,000 more in wages. If that's true, then you cannot blame the board for not pursuing it. That extra money along with the transfer fee can equal in the region of £5m on one player over 3-5 years. If you still want to support NFFC in ten years time, then that deal has to be let go. I'm not defending anyone, but I would rather us chase real talent to bring to the club but know we are financially secure, rather than spend left, right and centre on a brand new squad that isn't guaranteed success for a team that has had previous financial worries. Make no bones about it, Leicester must get promoted this season or they are in serious trouble.
But let's not get on the manager's back before we've even begun, let's see where we are at the end of August when the tranfer window shuts. I, for one, feel there will be a few faces.
On a side note, I couldn't believe some of the rubbish that some of our so called 'fans' come out with. I passed one person as I was leaving the ground who said 'I'd rather have Moloney in midfield than Greening, at least he moves'. I couldn't believe it. There are so many reasons why this is a ridiculous statement to make that I don't even know where to begin. Unfortunately, it was only going to get worse. As I switched on my radio to listen to the post match report, I had the misfortune of hearing the football phone in line in which fans can leave their opinions. Now, don't get me wrong, everyone is entitled to their opinion, I mean, I'm voicing mine now, but some of the thoughts are so factually weak and almost comical, that is became embarrassing to listen to.
One guy spoke about how we never should have sacked Billy and we've made two steps backwards. A second rang up and just said 'one word after today, worried.' It's the first game of the season, you need to build form. Doesn't happen straight away. One person even rang up and said 'we lacked ideas, we were boring, need a striker, Doughty get your chequebook out' Well yes. Some of that holds truth. We do need a striker, but Findley is about a week away and Ishmael Miller may be arriving along with Blackstock back at christmas. Also, Doughty has got his chequebook out, on numerous occasions. How some people think football works is beyond me and at times, I think that unless you can find negatives in every performance, you can't be a Forest Fan. Yet, I would be willing to place my student loan on the fact that there would be a clear correlation between a happy, supporting ground and promotion. These so called supporters need to realise that their continous negativity isn't going to help the cause. Yes, there are issues, but I fully expect the majority of them to be resolved in the not so distant future.
To be fair, not everyone rang up with aimless thoughts. One man from Hyson Green rang up and said 'kept the ball well, pressured a lot higher up the pitch, just couldn't break down a very good Barnsley defensive unit. There's positives to take from the game and I look forward to the next one. Welcome Steve'. He was absolutely correct.
Thankfully, radio Nottingham then aired an interview with George Boateng who calmed me down relatively quickly. The dutchman spoke a huge amount of sense. When asked about the difference between PL and Championship, he admitted that there was a huge difference. That, we effectively panicked today and started hoofing the ball in when in fact, it's better to keep the ball and tire the opposition out. I hate to see the ball go backwards as well, but some fans need to learn that by doing that, it draws the opposition out, meaning there's more space to exploit behind the back four which is what we need.
Anyway, I'm ranting now. But overall, I felt the team showed positives in certain areas of the game, admittedly need a couple of new faces in and need to begin to gel as a team but that'll come over time. I look forward now, cautiously i must admit, to Tuesday night and the big game against Notts County. It's going to be a classic.
Unfortunately, Darren Pratley scored a quite sublime goal from the halfway line to end our hopes of promotion for another year and the summer ahead appeared to be a long and miserable one.
But what a summer it has been for the Reds.
With nine departures, three new arrivals and a change of manager, it has been a hectic three months at the City Ground. But one factor that hadn't changed was come 3pm, there was that same old feeling of hope, that this season could be 'our season'.
I, for one, discretly feel it will be.
I can remember hearing Billy Davies was sacked and McLaren was odds on to replace him. Safe to say, I wasn't impressed. Billy was a fighter and said what he had to say. He was a tactician which was vital, he really scruitinised every detail of the upcoming opponents and I believe he had a plan for every game.
More importantly, he led the team to being relatively successful again.
In my 16 or so years watching the Reds, I've got more bad memories than good. The relegations, the play off defeats...need I go on?
I was a big supporter of Davies, but two failed play off attempts and the odd rumour of squad unrest probably meant it was time for a change and I hope the goodbye was 'Cheerio and thank you' rather than 'we're glad to see the back of him.'
Unfortunately for McLaren, he comes with a very heavy tag round his neck-'The Wally With The Brolly'.
It's doubtful whether anyone will ever forget it. But the more research I did, the more I was excited by the change.
He learnt from one of the best managers of my generation in Sir Alex Ferguson, he brought European football and cup success to Middlesborough, a team that were not expected to challenge, he has managed his country, admittedly failed but at least he had the chance to do it in the first place and this meaning he has worked with some of the best players England has had to offer, he brought Dutch success to FC Twente, again, a team that were never expected to challenge and has never won the Eredivisie before a short spell with Wolfsberg where the main reason he failed was due to lack of control over transfers.
The small minded will look at his England tenure and believe this is a terrible appointment, the rest of us will understand that this manager has a wealth of experience and an intriguing contacts book. Credit must go to the board for acting as quickly as they did.
A relatively successful pre-season followed with only two defeats, one against Premier League opposition and the other against dutch giants PSV Eindhoven, who were quite honestly on another level, the way they moved the ball around the pitch meant it wasn't a massive catastrophe.
So August 6th rolls round, a new season begins and we welcomed Barnsley to the City Ground.
As usual, both teams looked a little rusty for the opening day of the season. Barnsley were not there to make up the numbers and supported by an impressive raucous following, should probably have been ahead after 20 minutes as a free header was looped over the bar. Forest settled and began to move the ball nicely but with no end product and at the break, it was goalless.
The second half showed promise, every player wanting to be on the ball and create something and the substitutions of Garner and Majewski helped the cause. Forest camped in the Barnsley half but couldn't break down a stubborn defence and credit must go to the Yorkshire side, for defending excellently and frustrating us massively.
Again, the small minded amongst us believe we should be winning every game 5-0 but Barnsley looked tough to break down and showed real unity as a team for 90 minutes.
A new look team lined up for the Reds, with the ratings as follows:
Camp-Never really had an important save to make so was rarely involved. Tried to move the ball quickly and pass it onto our defenders rather than hoofing aimlessly. 6/10
Gunter-Always works hard and defended well. 2nd half, went forward a lot more and we looked more threatening. 7/10
Morgan-Was strong as always and won the war but not every battle with Barnsley striker, Davies, but seems more comfortably aimlessly hoofing forward rather than keeping possession and being patient. 7/10
Chambers-My man of the match. Absolute rock at the back when called upon, which to be fair, was a few times as Barnsley broke away, a couple of vital tackles and blocks provided Forest with a clean sheet. Looks to be loving his role as captain. 9/10
Cohen-Same old story, is he a left back? To be fair, he coped well today. Got stuck in and won headers while also adding a wing back element as he went up and down the touchline. Did the job that was asked of him. 8/10
Anderson-Frustrating day for the wingers. Whether it was tactical advice or not, neither Ando nor Reidy seemed to hold their position on the wing. When Ando did do so, certainly in the 2nd half, he looked extremely threatening with his pace and ability. Just needs a quiet word in the ear I think. 7/10
Greening- Admittedly cautious on his competative debut, but did the simple stuff well. Moved the ball quickly and made sure we kept possession. Little bit defensively minded at times. 7/10
Boateng- I wasn't sure of this signing when it was announced yet it could prove to be the best one of the season. A player filled with experience, he worked hard for 90 minutes, showing real strength and tenacity in the middle of the park. Impressed. 8/10
Reid-As much as its nice to see Reidy back in a Forest shirt, it was a frustrating day for him and the fans. We all know he's got ability, but he seems intent on 'showing it off' too much. After the opening half hour, he began to spread the ball beautifully but similarly to Ando, he was consistently in the middle of the park with no end product once he got the ball. It left Cohen without an option on the left and the play became very narrow. 7/0
McGugan-Following last season, big things are expected from the Long Eaton Lad. There were signs of his ability in the game. Little bit rusty but the odd touch and the 30 yard shot that skimmed off the turf and just past the post were a couple of highlights. Didn't link up well with McGoldrick, but to be fair, who does? 7/10
McGoldrick- I will always support whoever lines up for Reds, especially a Nottingham lad. But I must admit my heart sank a little bit when I heard he was leading the line. To be fair, he's got ability, we saw that with the screamer he scored against Palace last season and he's been successful elsewhere. Davies was also a fan of him, so he must be doing something right in training. Also, he was up there on his own and it didn't suit him. Ran a lot but was rarely involved. 6/10
Garner-Came on for McGoldrick after 55 minutes and was pleasing to see. Really hope this is his chance to prove why he was brought to the club. He's apparently the best finisher at Forest and we need to see it now more than ever. As long as he can control his temper, he'll be a useful player for us this season. Came on and ruffled a few feathers, never had a chance of scoring though. 7/10
Majewski- In a game where players had a decent amount of time on the ball and were able to move it quickly, the Pole should probably have been on sooner. When he did come on, Forest looked slicker on the attack and a lot more threatening. Radi should have a pivitol role to play this season. 8/10
Overall, I think an opening day point was the fairest result. We were certainly better than Barnsley, but they deserved to take something away from the game. There were positives in terms of the clean sheet in which Camp was rarely called up, the team already showed a bit more experience in the side with decision making and positioning and we created the odd chance through nice football, that on another day, the ball goes in the back of the net. I, for one, am certainly not pessimistic.
One negative point though and it was proven today was that the squad is not big enough. We need signings. But not many, I don't believe. Nine players left, but aside from Earnshaw, Adebola, Wilson and the infamous left back position, who do we need to replace? I completely agree that the summer, yet again, has been immensely frustrating. But under Davies, I felt it was all media spin, that NFFC were not signing anyone, even if they told us they were. This year has a different feel to it. I fully believe the board is backing McLaren, you can see that from 1) the player's we've signed-experience pro's who's wages will not be cheap and 2) the type of players we've apparently been chasing, in which we've had to battle with the never ending chequebook of Leicester City and the Premier League new boys, Swansea City. We are never going to be the favourites in that situation. Furthermore, signings take time. Agent's have a lot of say in deals and if one minor detail is not right, the whole deal can fall though. It was rumoured that the Routledge deal failed after Swansea offered him £10,000 more in wages. If that's true, then you cannot blame the board for not pursuing it. That extra money along with the transfer fee can equal in the region of £5m on one player over 3-5 years. If you still want to support NFFC in ten years time, then that deal has to be let go. I'm not defending anyone, but I would rather us chase real talent to bring to the club but know we are financially secure, rather than spend left, right and centre on a brand new squad that isn't guaranteed success for a team that has had previous financial worries. Make no bones about it, Leicester must get promoted this season or they are in serious trouble.
But let's not get on the manager's back before we've even begun, let's see where we are at the end of August when the tranfer window shuts. I, for one, feel there will be a few faces.
On a side note, I couldn't believe some of the rubbish that some of our so called 'fans' come out with. I passed one person as I was leaving the ground who said 'I'd rather have Moloney in midfield than Greening, at least he moves'. I couldn't believe it. There are so many reasons why this is a ridiculous statement to make that I don't even know where to begin. Unfortunately, it was only going to get worse. As I switched on my radio to listen to the post match report, I had the misfortune of hearing the football phone in line in which fans can leave their opinions. Now, don't get me wrong, everyone is entitled to their opinion, I mean, I'm voicing mine now, but some of the thoughts are so factually weak and almost comical, that is became embarrassing to listen to.
One guy spoke about how we never should have sacked Billy and we've made two steps backwards. A second rang up and just said 'one word after today, worried.' It's the first game of the season, you need to build form. Doesn't happen straight away. One person even rang up and said 'we lacked ideas, we were boring, need a striker, Doughty get your chequebook out' Well yes. Some of that holds truth. We do need a striker, but Findley is about a week away and Ishmael Miller may be arriving along with Blackstock back at christmas. Also, Doughty has got his chequebook out, on numerous occasions. How some people think football works is beyond me and at times, I think that unless you can find negatives in every performance, you can't be a Forest Fan. Yet, I would be willing to place my student loan on the fact that there would be a clear correlation between a happy, supporting ground and promotion. These so called supporters need to realise that their continous negativity isn't going to help the cause. Yes, there are issues, but I fully expect the majority of them to be resolved in the not so distant future.
To be fair, not everyone rang up with aimless thoughts. One man from Hyson Green rang up and said 'kept the ball well, pressured a lot higher up the pitch, just couldn't break down a very good Barnsley defensive unit. There's positives to take from the game and I look forward to the next one. Welcome Steve'. He was absolutely correct.
Thankfully, radio Nottingham then aired an interview with George Boateng who calmed me down relatively quickly. The dutchman spoke a huge amount of sense. When asked about the difference between PL and Championship, he admitted that there was a huge difference. That, we effectively panicked today and started hoofing the ball in when in fact, it's better to keep the ball and tire the opposition out. I hate to see the ball go backwards as well, but some fans need to learn that by doing that, it draws the opposition out, meaning there's more space to exploit behind the back four which is what we need.
Anyway, I'm ranting now. But overall, I felt the team showed positives in certain areas of the game, admittedly need a couple of new faces in and need to begin to gel as a team but that'll come over time. I look forward now, cautiously i must admit, to Tuesday night and the big game against Notts County. It's going to be a classic.
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