Those trees are tricky - Forest H

After a very good win at Hillsborough, when collectively we tried to play footy, we look to " entertain " Nottingham Forest in a quite important match for both.

This season is closer than I can ever recall in this league. After 16 games, there is ONLY a 12 point gap from 6th to 22nd. The ONLY 2 point gap from the play offs down is from QPR in 17th to Burton in 18th. It really is a " bonkers " league this time around. Many clubs are spending big £££££ however sadly for us and others Newcastle are already up, leaving only two spots for the others to fight over.

There have been calls for Evans to release the purstrings and back Mick, rightly so however what does ££££ really guarantee? Villa spent millions and are joint with us on 21 points, Derby love to spend and are a point behind with Wolves struggling even more and already sacking Zenga.

As for Nottingham Forest, they have some very talented individuals. We know all about Lansbury, Assomolonga is one of the top strikers in this league, Mancienne a very good CB, Carayol good on his day, with Fryatt and Bendtner all capable. How the hell they are 20th and really at the moment in a bit of a dogfight looking at their squad seems a little beyond me - however, I would assume all is far from rosy behind the scenes. Assomo and Lansbury apparently are both on upwards of £35,000 and I would suggest Forest may be better off going down, restructuring and potentially doing a Saints, Leicester or dare I say Norwich. I would expect they could fall foul of FFP, and along with Cardiff and Blackburn they are surely going to face a transfer embargo, 10 point penalty at some stage.

Anyway, as for the game. Webster out will be a big blow to us hopefully continuing with a similar brand to how we did at Wednesday. As well as we played that day, it was a near perfect away display. However, for a dictating the game home display I'd say we could be some way off that and may find Portman Road a tougher hunting ground.

I can see this being a draw, a result that would push us further away from what we require and not help Forest escape. Hope I'm wrong, 1-1 I'll go.

As for team, is Smith still out ? If so -

Bart

Emmanuell / Chambers / Berra / Knudsen

Ward / Bishop / Skuse / Lawrence

McGoldrick / Sears

Williams made such a massive impact at Forest and I'd love the kid to start inplace of Bishop, who sadly didn't really offer an awful lot going forwards or defensively however I wonder if Jonny may have to wait for final 30. We have a lot more options to call upon now and can change the game more on our terms. I just think we look quite short upfront even with Dids and Sears and wonder if we're going to score enough

Sidenote * appears Douglas playing days may from here on in be dramatically reduced....

COYB. Thoughts?

 

Assambalonga scares me. On his day, and fully fit, I think is probably the best striker in this league. If somehow we can keep him quiet then we'll have a very good chance of winning this one.
I think the team you've picked is more than likely going to be the starting XI, barring any late injuries.
I do prefer Williams to Bishop, although Williams could be a good plan b (we have one??) from the bench, as he's by far our only game changer on the bench.
On this note, i'll go for a surprisingly high scoring draw of 2-2 (although I was tempted to predict 3-3)

 

In an ideal world and Bish playing how he did 14/15 especially Derby away debut I'd have Bish / McGoldrick and Williams all in the side all day long, however at the minute Bish doesn't seem to be properly right. That said, at Wolves and when he came on vs Norwich he did well certainly in patches - just at Wendy didn't really have a massive positive influence for us. Still, fantastic to have him back fully fit of sorts and he's surely going to go from strength to strength if he can only stay fit.

The problem Jonny boy may well have is if we're going to go a 4-4-2, then it takes a very very brave man to start him CM alongside Skuse. Defensively at Hillsborough he left us ridiculously exposed, however going forwards he drove and created a massive problem for Wendy. If we were to go back to a variation of 4-3-3 then a 3 of Skuse/Williams/Bishop would be very good in my opionion with Lawrence/ Ward outwide and McGoldrick the main man. The problem with that system would be McGoldrick as a pure focal point - he's better off the striker. Sears in my opinion cannot lead the line as a sole striker. Pitman was PAINFUL trying to do so vs Villa, that said we had SKUGLUS on show that day with Freddy hiding wide left.... Best is probably the best ( no pun intended ) we have in this role on paper, he's quite quick, good at holding the ball and not a bad hold up player. Problem being vs Newcastle when he was given the chance he was sodding useless first half and didn't put himself around like I was hoping - like Lee / Kuqi or Murph would....

Anyway, this is a problem for Mick to solve!

I do like the fact we have options this season. I must confess to not being remotely impressed by Grant so far however he can improve and adds depth. I'm pleased Bru isn't starting games at the moment, however on his day he's a good player too. I don't think Dozzell's time is yet so I'm more than happy with how he's being handled.

COYB. Really need the points from this one.

 

2-0 Town

 

Town 1-2 Forest
Mick Out!

 

The curse of SKY

 

More like the curse of a sh!t team

 

With Fawaz looking to sell up they have been 'asset stripping' for some time and their squad is pretty weak and threadbare in comparison to other seasons (Take out lansbury & Assombolonga they are hopeless). The Fans appreciate that the manager is trying to play football, but they simply aren't good enough and the manager is being shown up to be what he is.. A low cost risk.

If we think we have issues with our owner then spare a thought for Forest who have been put through the mill with Fawaz and is seemingly going to take them into League 1 at the rate they're going.

We should win this and fairly comfortably in the end. 3-1 goals from McG, Lawrence and Berra (Lansbury for them)

 

Feck it, suddenly feeling really optimistic
Town 4-1 Florist

 

Apparently the line up -

Bart
Emmanuel / Chambo / Berra / Knusen
Ward / Skuse / Bish / Lawrence
McGoldrick / Sears

In my opinion that's definitely a lineup quite capable of top 6 footy this season. Only problem is probably another 15 clubs would list 11 players and think exactly the same!

If we click today and carry on in the same vain as we did at Hillsborough I think we'll be far too good for Forest today. The problem at the moment is we seem unable to string too performances together and were still incredibly shot shy up in Sheffield. However, if we can keep that lot fit, Bishop, McGoldrick and Williams can all get 100% match sharp then we can certainly climb that table.

Bru, Williams and perhaps Best to come on today / Varney. I wonder if Connor Grant who won't be featuring for us means Dozzell or Benyu could be in the 18. Have a funny feeling with the interview regarding Benyu he could be in the 18 sooner than Dozza and perhaps be the one to push on this season. For the record, I don't think Grant is remotely good enough and I'd rather Dozzell, Benyu or McDonnell be given game time.

Sidenote - I fly to Melbourne tonight! Setting off from Bristol to Heathrow around 2pm. Meeting girlfriend in the Hilton Bar so kind of hoping they may have the town game on.... COYB!!!!!!!!!

 

Have a great trip Westy and keep in the loop!

I am more positive too, and if we find the flow and confidence, could be our best home game for weeks. Promising line-up, I go for 3-0. So good to see our returning top players. Lets hope they stay fit!

 

Looks a decent attacking line up but will depend if it will all join up, under Mick when we have an attacking line up we tend to let certain players get on with it and others sit back, we should attack and defend as a team particularly as we don't really have a focal point in attack. i.e Skuse due to the attacking players around him won't bother asking for the ball just to keep moving he'll sit back and sometimes despite the talents of McGoldrick his positioning isolates the other striker or he tends to go it alone. It'll be interesting to see how him and Sears develop their partnership, in a progressive team it could be a fruitful one

 

What an absolute load of ****e, westy 'players capable of top six' mate they aint good enough for league ****ing two!

 

Why play a right back at centre back........Mick Oooot

 

He shouldn't be on the pitch and as for fecking Knudsen........bish looks like he has had all ability knocked out of him, Ward is crap and looks like a one game wonder.
Mick out!

 

We are so slow and ponderous, no commitment whatsoever

 

Knudsen is not good enough to play for a pub team he is fooking clueless!! This has to be by far the worst first half performance I have ever seen! No one looks comfortable on the ball and if not for Bart it would be 5 by now! McCarthy sort it out FFS! This is going to get embarrassing!

 

Keep keep it going boys!!!!

 

Warky, me ol mate olly got a result for qpr today

 

When I first saw Knudson not long after he arrived (0-5 or something horrific vs Reading) I said something to the effect that “if that’s as good as he gets we might as well pay off his contract and get rid now – risible”.”


Since then Mick has extolled his virtues and he’s held his place so I’ve assumed it was merely my lack of games attended or watched on the telly and that I should mend my ways.


After tonight I am beyond baffled as to what Mick sees in this useless waste of space and to what information on Knudson’s stats he’s provided with and what manner or utter moron compiles it.


At half time we made two substitutions and Knudson wasn’t one of them. A randomly placed series of earthworms affecting the bounce of the ball could do better than Knudson and would only cost the notional charge of the cost of the ground staff.


I’d rather lose tamely to Forest playing Kenlock and develop a promising youngster in the process (if he doesn’t make I, fine – at least we’ve tried) than persist with a proven liability.


I cannot support Mick McCarthy any more after this latest utterly embarrassing debacle.