Different though. We had to dig in and defend well at Burnley. Forest did the same but also threw in a sprinkling of ridiculously tactical fouls.
Another Forest fan in here, not here to cause arguments. Re: Our style, I completely agree that it can be filthy at times and when we're on the recieving end of it, fans moan. Yet at the same time, if someone is abouts to shoot from a good position, I don't blame anyone doing what they can to stop it, even if it's giving away a foul and taking a yellow, likewise if someone has just beat a man to get the ball in the box. In an ideal world, they wont find that space or beat the man in the first place. But the Championship is probably the most even and competitive level of football i've ever seen, so it is possible on any given day that a member of the opposition will find some space that may result in a goal, rather than you be able to keep them at arms length all day. Furthermore, as you admitted yourselves somewhere, you're not a side that usually threatens from set peices, so do not rule out Billy Davies' awareness of this and his encouragement to give fouls in such positions rather than allow the initial shot/cross/pass. Again, I don't deny this is seen as an ugly way to play, but ultimately, especially at this stage of the season, it's about winning and getting those 3 points in any way you can. On this occasion, it worked. We have played some great stuff in the previous 6 games, but we are horses for courses, and we adapt to do what we need to do. That's not me saying you are a dirty side, although you can forgive some biterness on the Forest fans side after McShane punched the winner into the net at the City Ground, it's Billy Davies recognising a style which will be suited to ensuring we have the best opportunity to get 3 points against you. Away from the game on Saturday, I don't know what to make of you as a side in general. I've seen you play some great flowing football at times, and on a few occasions on Saturday you opened us up very well. Yet i've also seen a couple of dour games where you packed the midfield and stifled the opposition. I think what you might have to consider is that some of the stick you were getting was that some people may only have watched a couple of games of you and come to that conclusion, football fans are always making generalisations about teams from a small observation. With regards to the league, it's a funny one. No-one seems to want to really take a hold on second place. Do I think we can do it? Yes. We have a chance. That's not saying I think we will, not at all. But you can forgice a little confidence in our team with our run of form. 8 points is a pretty large gap, but then we were 12 behind Leicester when Billy Davies came in I believe, and now we're a point ahead. So whilst it's improbable, it's possible and ultimately, all you can do is win your next game. Which could see the gap then down to 5... One final point, I very much accept the point about the 70/80's. However we did get to the then 'Uefa Cup' Quarter-Final in 1996 after a 3rd Place finish in the Prem in 1995. Many people dare suggest if we'd kept Collymore we'd have been there a lot longer than the following two seasons also, but that's how it is...
I won't whinge at all about what Forest did- they had a very clear objective and they achieved it, coming from behind away from home etc. That manager of yours has them running through brick walls right now - not sure if they will continue to respond to it. Not exactly dead cat bounce, but there is a limit to the number of times players can hear the same fiery team talk. You exposed our soft centre and slight complacency. For that we thank you. Hopefully it will be rectified in the remaining games where we have some real battles (Ipswich, Wolves, Barnsley, Bristol etc)
RE: The brick walls, I agree in a sense. But what I will say is it has worked to an extent with us, Derby and Preston. He got us to the play-offs two seasons out of two, Derby to the play-offs and straight up and Preston to the play-offs twice I believe. Once you're in the play-offs it's a lottery, and there's no questioning his record isn't brilliant there. But once you're in, you have a chance. Normally a two week break whilst you're in such good form can be a hinderance, but with how we play, in such a high tempo or with constant closing down, the break has come at a fantastic time for us, so Blackstock & Henderson can get fully fit and the likes of Ayala and Sam Hutchinson can come back into it too. One thing i'll say is that regardless of our impact on the top 2, it looks like it will certainly go down to the wire!
Maybe he fails in the play offs because the other team also run through brick walls in such important games?
You could well be right. Although from having been to each play-off failure since Sheff Utd, it has always been a case of cracking under pressure. We've found ourselves in reasonable positions, then do some crazy things. From the point of someone passing back to the 'keeper from the halfway line and it falling about 20 yards too short, to one player single handedly giving away 3 goals in one game. Although Swansea were just a better team, which is shown by how well they're doing now with plenty of the same players. This is the best and most experienced squad we've had available in the Championship i'd say.
Fair assessment and i met some equally fair minded Forest fans in town on saturday after the game. Cox should have put Forest 1-0 and Gedo also had that air shot when easier to score. So that cancels out each others. But yes a draw would have been fair overall and how Gedo missed the open goal at the death only he knows. But whilst i thought that Forest are one of the better teams we have played this season and ARE THE FORM TEAM AT PRESENT, Hull City played a very good game and with the fixtures we have left will see us over the line during the last 8 games IF they keep up the same level of performance. Forest should take a play off spot now and i can see it beiing along with Brighton as Watford and Palace have the other 2 spots. Lesta appear a busted flush. imo.
Thanks m8 - don't normally post on other forums but it's been enjoyable hearing other fans opinion of the game. In my previous posts I asked someone about the "we are not criminals" banner and after learning more I have spread the word amongst forest fans to ensure that this doesn't happen at other football games. We'd be annoyed if our tickets were limited for Derby or Leicester
This is a really good post and I've just quoted part of it for the sake of space. But RE the bit I've highlighted, I don't think we ever pack the midfield and try to stifle. We've definitely had some dire matches such as Burnley last week but I think it's more a case of other teams stifling us really. Maybe I'm a bit biased but I think we always try to play the right way, of course we can't succeed every week but we always try to play football and don't resort to just stopping the other team playing.
The confusion probably comes from the games where we've played Koren as the 2nd striker with 3 from Quinn, Evans, Meyler, and Bruce behind him. It makes Koren totally ineffective for us going forwards, and with 3 primarily defensive midfielders in the middle (I know Quinn is end to end, but he runs about and gets in people's faces so the perception will be more defensive) it could look like it was our plan to stifle it, rather than us just not having much other choice. We deserved to get beaten on Saturday though. I don't care how many chances each side made, or how disgusting the cynical fouling was (more so the fact the ref decided it was an offence after 70 minutes but hadn't been before that, what does he think was different about the tackles then?). We scored just before half time and we should have been getting 15 minutes after the break of us controlling things and destroying their morale. Instead, despite knowing Forest are in good form and our defence hasn't been we sat back on the lead when they were in possession. When Brady was getting the ball in the left back position of the pitch (ie dropped back to get the ball from centre back or keeper) he had two Forest players closing him down and getting between him and the easy pass, and they had players trying to pick up the midfielders as well. When their right back got the ball in the same position everyone buggered off back into our half except Gedo who was in the middle with the centre backs. We could not against a team like Forest expect to give them such an invitation to settle on the ball and come forward with it and not be made to pay. They scored the equaliser and then they had the momentum back with them. Hopefully it was a tiredness thing and the international break will let a few players come back as the players we know they are. Not singling him out for Saturday, but recently Quinn in particular hasn't been his usual self so it'll be good to get him refreshed. I'd also be tempted to rest Meyler against Huddersfield. 9 bookings he's on, and I'd rather him be available for Watford, although we do have the luxury of seeing other results before we pick our team so we can decide whether different scenarios mean different teams for Huddersfield and Watford.
NO PROBLEM. Enjoyable game if not the result (for Hull of course). Lol. As for the other point. Ticket allocation is a part of football sadly. Even a reduced allocation. But its the travel arrangements that have got everyones backs up most. It started last season with both the Saints Pompey games and has been used for both this seasons Blackburn v. Burnley fixtures. Now us. Who next ? What next ? Hopefully this will be the last time any club has to suffer such nonsense.
It did not start last season, it's been going on way longer than that. Otherwise you're totally ignoring WYP's hidden motives on this game being policed this way, we made them back down before and it showed them up.
