Match Day Thread Nottingham Forest v Swansea City

Nottm Forest v Swansea City

Competition - Sky Bet Championship
Venue - City Ground
Date - 15 July 2020
Kick off - 18.00

Following their heartbreaking 1-0 home defeat to automatic promotion ‘certainties’ Leeds United, next up for Steve Cooper’s Swansea squad is a tough trip to the City Ground for an encounter with Play-off contenders Nottingham Forest.

Victory over the Swans means that Leeds are within touching distance of ending their 16-year Premier League exile after a last-gasp victory at The Liberty.

Leeds marked the passing of club legend Jack Charlton before kick-off and then produced a solid, organised performance which leaves them needing just four points from their three remaining fixtures to clinch automatic promotion.

A game of few clear-cut chances looked set to end goalless until Swansea old boy Pablo Hernandez's low shot rolled in off the post a minute from time.

Leeds' return to the top flight could be secured when they host Barnsley on Thursday, if third-placed Brentford lose to Preston North End on Wednesday.

The Elland Road club have found form when it really matters, with this triumph meaning they have taken 13 points from their last five games.

Swansea are not out of promotion contention, although this painful defeat saw them miss the chance to climb into the Championship play-off places.

The day before, Preston North End missed the opportunity to move into the Championship play-off places after they were held by fellow promotion hopefuls Nottingham Forest at Deepdale.

Alex Neil's side would have climbed above Cardiff on goal difference and into sixth with victory, but were unable to find a winner against fifth-placed Forest, once Jayden Stockley's low finish cancelled out Lewis Grabban's early penalty for the visitors.

Preston shaded the first hour of the match, and might have added to Stockley's 15th-minute leveller had Ben Watson not got a foot to Patrick Bauer's header and Carl Jenkinson's lunge not blocked Brad Potts after he got in behind.

Forest's main threat came from Sammy Ameobi, who fired over from the edge of the box and curled another effort wide, and the introduction of Thiago Silva gave them extra impetus going forward but chances remained sparse.

Goalkeeper Brice Samba denied Preston's Sean Maguire with a near-post save, and Joe Worrall blocked Tom Barkhuizen's shot to ensure Forest a share of the points at the end of a close-fought contest.

Turning to Wednesday evening, given the Swans’ defeat to Leeds, Forest know that if they beat the Swans they will secure a Play-Off spot and I think that will be more than sufficient incentive for them to run out comfortable 2-0 winners.

For Cooper and the Swansea hierarchy, the focus then will have to quickly turn to building a competitive squad for next season’s Championship, particularly given that 10 of the squad at Birmingham last week will be out of contract at the end of this season.

 

I agree, a fairly comfortable win for the home side. Unfortunately.

 

Another superb write up Taff.
Thanks again.

3-1 Forest

 

Thanks 55

 

0-0 all over it.

 

Depends on how we react to Sunday. We are more than capable of coming away with at least a point but I think Sunday will have taken its toll. So 2-1 to Forest

 

Not sure why all the doom and gloom regarding this fixture ? we were undone by poor management rather than being overun by Leeds yesterday. Since the restart of the season Forrest haven't exactly been in scintillating form with only 1 win in four games. We'll win this one

 

And we'll have poor management for this fixture as well

 

He'll have learned a lesson from yesterday, I'm sure

 

Like he did from the first Millwall game ......

 

He'll have twigged by the next time we play them.... probably.

 

I wouldn’t bet on it .....

 

Well I’m going for an optimistic win 2-1 Swans!! That will put us in the playoffs places.

 

I like your style and I'm with you

 

Then probably lose to Brizzle on Saturday.

 

Mr Cooper could take us to the Premier League.

 

This footy seasons been a right ball ache ! Until we get some serious owners, talent spotters and field staff like we used to have it'll just be the same old same old imo.
May as well let them play how they like now, prob get a 4-1 win next !

 

Unfortunately clueless doesn’t learn from his mistakes yesterday was just another occasion when subs were needed to relieve aching limbs of some of the players but no way Jose..he preferred to comment post match about tired legs out there...
Being a positive sort of fan I will hope that we go to Nottingham and get a third win in this mini league....at least e can dream of Wembley still then

 

Now you’ve dampened the mood

 

I’ll dampen it a bit more.

We will then be beating Reading to head into the playoffs but concede in the 95th minute equaliser and ****ing Cardiff will take the playoff place instead of us. Arghhhhh