Following the defeat to West Ham, I thought the international break had come at a relatively good time. McClaren could spent the upcoming couple of weeks, working really hard with the lads making sure a repeat of the Bank Holiday debacle didn't happen again. Combine this with a couple of new faces to arrive before the transfer window deadline and there was still that feeling of positivity around the place.
Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure neither of these things happened.
I was shocked to wake up to the news on Thursday morning that Steve McClaren had flown to Europe to be with his family and was 'considering his future'. I appreciate the defeat must have been hard to take and everyone associated with the club were disappointed but it takes longer than seven games to stamp your authority on the team.
Then more hearsay began to escape and the bigger picture became apparent.
It appeared McClaren was dreadfully unhappy at the lack of signings made in the transfer window. Yet again, a deadline day had passed with no new arrivals. Max Gradel flew to France while Wade Elliott chose rivals Birmingham City.
The only fans who I'll allow to be more frustrated than us fellow reds in a transfer window would be those who follow Everton. What a horrible time they've had this summer.
But following McClaren's post match interview in which he stressed, almost begged, that new signings must be made, we actually lost a player as Joe Garner moved to Watford. Disappointed to see him go, I always liked his tenacity and he never had a decent run in the team. I have no doubts he'll score a fair few for the Hornets this season.
Now I appreciate football is a business and in the economic state this country is in, money is tight. This, combined with the financial fair play rules that are coming in next season has resulted in chairman being a little less keen to spend.
I also will never say a bad word about Nigel Doughty. He has pumped millions of pounds of his own money to keep this club going, especially in the awful Platt era and always has the club's best interests at heart.
But to go out and appoint one of the best coaches in the game today and let's be honest, McClaren is going to be on a decent wage, to then have the gaffer 'thinking' about his future is hugely worrying.
We all know the saga's that used to occur under Davies, but now the same messages are occuring from McClaren. Something has to give.
Of course, none of us know what goes on behind closed doors. The board may have worked frantically hard on deadline day as we aimed to secure someone but it simply wasn't enough. The message is simple, we must back McClaren.
It appears the board have realised this and if press talk is to be believed, funds have been made available to sign three players in the loan window. Ryan Bertrand is expected to arrive, although Newcastle are rumoured to be interested. If true, the left back will obviously stay in the PL. Who can blame him? Andros Townsend is another rumour that's gathering pace. If true, it would be a superb signing. I've seen the odd appearance from the winger, most recently against Hearts and he looked superb. Direct, confident, skillful, a player with a real future at the highest level but where does that leave Andy Reid? Simon Cox has also been mentioned but a press release this morning suggested he's going to fight for his place at the Hawthorns. Not massively fussed, I believe Findley and Miller have the potential to be our top two this season, with Derbyshire and Tudgay waiting in the wings. Blackstock is also making great progress from injury so there's five strikers. I haven't forgotten McGoldrick, I just don't class him as a striker. Finally, we are reportedly interested in Standard Liege midfielder Reginal Goreux.
While I appreciate the board and McClaren are trying to send out a message that new signings will be made and competition for places will be key, am I the only one who is extremely sceptical over the fact no centre back has been rumoured?
Against West Ham, Leicester, Notts County and Wycombe, our attacking play wasn't the issue. We conceded sloppy goals.
Yet, we are trying to sign a left back who will face no competition as he slots straight in and despite their recent mistakes, Chambers and Morgan will know their place is secure as well?! It makes no sense.
It wasn't long ago that Anthony Gardner was training with us after turning down an offer from Crystal Palace. Rumour has it that we were happy to sign him following a pre season appearance against Lincoln. So why does he then sign a contract with Palace?
This is the frustration. Clearly, wage demands have gone up and while I don't expect Forest to become a welcome mat, we may need to address the times and realise more money needs to be offered to secure these players.
Don't think I'm suggesting we spend like Leicester, if they don't get promoted this season, they are in serious trouble. I'm just suggesting that IF (and I appreciate it's a massive if) the funds are available to be a little bit more daring, then we have to take that risk.
We employed McClaren because of his knowledge and experience. The board now has to trust his advice and aim to work with him as he aims to improve this squad.
As Saturday rolls round and a very tough trip to Southampton awaits, I hope there will be a few new faces on the team bus. I also hope the current set of lads have been working bloody hard on the training pitch. If they haven't, I dread to think what the scoreline will be at 5pm on Saturday evening against a free flowing Saints side.
Also, just a quick mention for the England team. Nice to see some new faces in there and settling in so well. Capello appears to have adapated his managerial technique and it's reaping the rewards. I hope it continues tonight against Wales.
If it does and we dispose of a good Welsh team in the same manner as we did in the tricky test in Bulgaria then Capello will soon be a shining light once more. But as he appears to finally be making progress as England manager, will it not completely defeat the point by asking him to leave and appointing someone else with new ideas? Back to square one?
Anyway, one mangerial headache at a time!
Showing posts with label Billy Davies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Billy Davies. Show all posts
Tuesday, 6 September 2011
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
NFFC vs West Ham United 28.08.11
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.
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.
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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