Nottingham Forest v Leeds Utd

please log in to view this image

Nottingham Forest v Leeds Utd
Sunday 5th February@14:00hrs | City Ground


A rejuvenated Nottingham Forest host Leeds Utd on Sunday lunchtime, hoping to extend their impressive run of late, which includes three wins and two draws from their last six games. Spending big this season is finally paying off for Steve Cooper, whose 29 new signings (this season) have helped lift them above Leeds to 13th place, three points above the Whites.

If there ever was a time where a club needed three points, this is it. Leeds are just a point above the drop zone, and face Manchester Utd both home and away after the trip to the City Ground. Leeds haven’t won any of their last 12 top-flight league meetings away at Forest, though to be fair, this is the first time they have met for 24 years (in the Premier League).

Forests blatant disregard towards FFP continued into the New Year with the arrivals of Danilo and Gustavo Scarpa, (both from Palmeiras), Chris Wood and Jonjo Shelvey (from Newcastle), André Ayew (Al Sadd) Navas, (PSG) and Felipe (Atletico Madrid). Chris Wood is ruled out with flu, though the other six are available for Sunday.

Taiwo Awoniyi (groin), Omar Richards (calf), Morgan Gibbs-White (ankle), Giulian Biancone (knee), Ryan Yates (illness), Cheikhou Kouyate (thigh), Dean Henderson (thigh) and Moussa Niakhate (thigh) also miss out for the hosts.

Leeds will be without leading goal scorer Rodrigo, who underwent surgery on his ankle, ruling him out until at least April. Fit again Patrick Bamford may start as his replacement, alongside record signing Georginio Rutter. Robin Koch serves a one match ban for picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Brentford last month. Having played 19 League games now, Roca and Kristensen (both on four bookings) are safe. The next caveat is a two match ban for any player who receives 10 bookings by Leeds 32nd game.

In Koch's absence, Luke Ayling may be forced to play alongside Max Wober, but all will depend on the fitness of skipper Liam Cooper. Coops has been carrying a knock, and only returned to training on Thursday morning. He and Wober. are both left footed, but would be the strongest centre back pairing by far. Marsch must decide whether to stick with Firpo at left back, or bring back Pascal Struijk. Firpo started the Cup game at the Wham Stadium, and scored; perhaps that gives him a slight edge.

Similarly, at right wing back, the Leeds gaffer has a difficult decision to make between Ayling and Kristensen, unless of course Cooper isn't fit. Tyler Adams too, is carrying a knock, but is expected to play. It remains to be seen, whether McKennie will be in the starting line up, or on the bench. We're hoping for great things from him, and can't wait to see him and Adams start to dominate the midfield.

 

Damn I’d forgotten about Koch missing. Our most consistent defender.

 

---------------------------Meslier-------------------------
Ayling----------Wober----Cooper------------Firpo
-------------------------Adams----------------------------
Harrison------------McKennie-------------Gnonto
------------------Rutter---------Bamford--------------
4-1-3-2 with Adams adopting the Phillips role, and McKennie more forward as an 8.

 

Gonna go with the following
Meslier
Ayling
Wober
Cooper
Struijk
Adams
Roca
McKennie
Rutter
Bamford
Gnoto

 

Evening all.
Meslier
Kristensen Ayling Wober Struijk
McKennie Adams Harrison
Sinisterra Bamford Gnonto

I don't think he'll risk Cooper if he's only just started training. training. I also think he's being careful with Rutter. Away game so Struijk for defending with Max behind him.

 

I'd rather have Struijk at centre back than Ayling.

 

He was bigging Firpo up today so maybe Firpo plays and Struijk/Wober with Ayling on the right?

 

I don’t care who starts, we’ve much more combinations and possibilities available to us and we’ll have game changers on the bench.

Nothing less than 3 points on Sunday

 

He does seem to like Firpo.

 

Struijk and Ayling for me wober will start and Firpo. Midfield i have no idea but we will see weston at some point. Gnonto will start and Bamford. The rest is down to the super tactics of the coach.

 

that would make sense… though he does seem to big people up in pressers before dropping them from the squad

 

We'll lose if Firpo plays.

 

Definitely. Keep him well out of the way.

Go with a makeshift back 4:

Ayling McKennie Struijk Wöber

or:

Kristensen Ayling Struijk Wöber

or:

Ayling McKennie Wöber Struijk

 

… you guys are so disrespectful of our latest goal scoring sensation

 

Orta’s reaction to a decent left back:

 

Having the team line up in one straight line won't confuse Forest for very long.

 

Well, what can I say. We all bigged up what a great transfer window we had yet we’re talking about playing a centre back at left back, a right back at centre back (or a newly signed midfielder at centre back) because of one suspension in a game that we must win. Suggests to me that we still have a very unbalanced squad.

 

We will do ok at Forest and not lose.

 

No hiding place
No excuses
We need this or else we really are in deep ****

 

Plenty of games left yet.