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This Will Be A Tough, Tough Game - Notes for Nottingham Forest
Friday, 13th Dec 2013 11:00 by HarryFromBath

HarryFromBath assesses the mood in the opposition camp ahead of Saturday's game by delving into their forums.

"There are issues that need addressing because our performances don't reflect our capabilities", "We did just about enough to win today, but we need to improve fast", "We were so poor today. Wednesday could have battered us if they knew what to do in the final third."

Forest come into Saturday's game having won a scrappy game 1-0 at Sheffield Wednesday. Their previous two results — a 2-2 draw at Millwall and a 3-2 home loss to Reading - are more indicative of their inconsistent form.

"We need more patience. We are the new Leicester, throwing some money around and frustrated we cannot get instant success", "We need to put these erratic performances behind us", "I'm amazed we're fifth", "We've been wobbling, yet we are only eight points behind the leaders."

Poor Quality Football

"We're not crap. We're just not very good at the moment", "Nobody can be happy with the way we play. We can't just blame this on our injuries. We have been pants even when we have had all our squad available."

Supporters widely agree that their team are currently playing a more negative and combative style of football, sharply contrasting with the stylish passing football they embraced when Billy Davies returned to the helm in the second half of last season.

"We're at the wrong end of the discipline table for a reason. We're a filthy team. The stats show we commit more fouls than the opposition in nine games out of ten. Our players gob off at officials in game after game and we regularly scythe down players on the break. Sir Brian would be disgusted."

"Stop playing this hoofball style of football. We are much better than that. Move it around on the deck quickly and positively and we'll score more goals", "We need to stop being so direct and play the ball through midfield."

"Our creative and flair players would all benefit from a formation and tactical set-up which is less about brute force and more about slick interchanges and off the ball movement", "We have no pattern or flow to our game."

Billy Davies

"It's frustrating watching a manager who has been given one of the biggest budgets in our league get nothing from this team", "Davies will never get a better chance than this season to get us promoted, and so far he's hardly taking his opportunity."

"Davies is good at making teams compact and hard to beat. It works for scrappers, but limits talented squads. You only have to see the meteoric rise of Luke Chambers who went from his natural useless state to a top six Championship defender under him."

"This league is hard, bloody hard. This team has to be on its mettle and not give an inch. Davies could be relied to instil this ethos without question. I'm not so sure he can be now", "Davies is a decent manager and will get us over this current blip. Give him time."

Defence

"Our biggest problem is our defending", "It is a pity our key defenders are currently injured", "Defensively we have been very poor since the first five games. We will miss (left-back) Chris Cohen, but the influence and experience of (centre-back) Kelvin Wilson is a huge loss."

"We have been conceding goals mostly since Wilson got injured", "The problem with the defence is that it now has no real leaders. Wilson was excellent at telling fellow members of the unit where they needed to be. None of the current set seems to communicate well."

"Karl Darlow is the best keeper in the Championship for me. His mistakes are rare and goals conceded are often deflections or pearlers", "He's more agile and slender than bulky, but this is helpful with the speed of the game these days."

The 23-year-old youth product is widely seen to be "as good as Jack Butland", "He can distribute it quickly, but Billy doesn't always want him to", "I feel confident when he comes for crosses and dominates the box", "He is far too often beaten from distance. It seems to be a real weakness."

There has been very little said about centre-back Jack Hobbs, who is on loan from Hull. The 25-year-old former Leicester man is praised for his consistency. "Hobbs is a good steady stopper", "He's brilliant in the air and at set pieces, and doesn't make mistakes", "He's an immense player."

Twenty-year-old youth product Jamaal Lascelles has replaced the injured Wilson as Hobbs's partner in the centre of defence. "It's nice to see Jamaal playing well", "He's a genuine diamond in our squad", "I'm glad Billy has given him a chance. He's doing us proud."

"While Lascelles is performing admirably he hasn't got the experience, knowledge, positioning and tactical awareness of Wilson", "Has Lascelles been booked in every one of his appearances for us?" "Jamaal has been a giant since coming in, but he needs to learn to be careful."

"It is a joy to watch Gonzalo Jara's technical skill", "He's technically the best player in the squad." The 28-year-old former West Brom right-back and Chilean international "fully understands the game. He never flaps", "His confidence and effortless control of the ball is truly delightful."

Gonzalo Jara

"I would have Jara ahead of Lichaj." The 25-year-old former Villa man and United States international Eric Lichaj "is good at going forward but is less effective as a defender", "It gladdens my heart to see that American rugby player dropped."


Former Portsmouth man Greg Halford has been selected by several fans at right-back in line-ups for Saturday's game. "Thank God for Mr Versatile. He can always come up with one piece of real quality in a game." He is seen very much as a utility defender.

Dan Harding

"We need have no worries about threats down our opponents' right wing with Dan Harding", "He does well in one-on-ones. His positioning needs work, but he's a decent full-back." The 29-year-old former ITFC and Southampton player has played in the last two games.

"He loves taking players on", "He looks committed to the cause but his play down the wing has been as substandard as ever." Many supporters think that he doesn't offer a left-sided midfield partner like Andy Reid the support which Chris Cohen offers with his overlaps.

"He gives away pointless freekicks and he's even slower than Cohen, and that's saying something", "Harding has proven to be a rabbit in the headlights under pressure. He'll rush a pass or do a ‘hit and hope' cross time and time again."

Central Midfield

"The defence needs more protection from the centre of midfield", "The lack of cover which the defence receives is going to have a negative effect on their confidence." This lack of protection has seen Billy Davies move Gonzalo Jara to a holding midfielder role in recent games.

"We play a narrow formation which reduces the space for strikers to operate in. If we played with more width and some fluidity in midfield, it would benefit our creative players."

Forest have altered between 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1 in recent games, "struggling" and "being over-run" with two in the centre, but losing width and a cutting edge up front when playing with a lone striker.

Welsh international David Vaughan picked up a hamstring injury on international duty in mid-November, and many fans are desperate to see the 30-year-old player, who is on loan from Sunderland, return to the side.

David Vaughan

"Vaughan being fit and coming back would be massive for us", "He has a calm head which we really need. He is always available for the ball when under pressure", "He's the good glue in the middle holding everything together."

"Nathaniel Chalobah doesn't look like a player that cares." The 18-year-old defensive midfielder has been a peripheral player since joining on loan from Chelsea this summer. "The signing of Chalobah was a complete waste of money", "I really don't think he's at one with his team-mates."

"I don't think we have seen the best of Majewski under Davies", "It takes a brave man to play Raddy in a rough game", "He's decent but fragile", "He has quick feet, a quick brain and the ability to spot a pass that even the experts in the stand hadn't seen."

Twenty-six-year-old Polish international Raddy Majewski was dropped after "he had an appalling game against Reading", "Maybe he'd be a bit more useful if the team played the ball on the floor. He can do little if he's watching the ball get lumped over his head towards Cox."

Henri Lansbury

"Lansbury has vision and mobility. He's got an eye for a pass and a fantastic shot on him. He's the sort of box-to-box midfielder we have not had for many seasons", "We should build our side around him", "Henri is our dominant midfielder. He seems to be everywhere and can score blinders."

"Thank you Arsene Wenger." The 23-year-old joined Forest from Arsenal in 2012. "Lansbury provides greater attacking and defensive options through the spine of the team", "He's pivotal to our best performances", "Our most influential midfielder, the lad is pure quality."

Wide Midfield

"Jamie Mackie works his socks off", "He runs through brick walls for 90 minutes which Davies loves", "He's will never say die", "Mackie gets into good positions and at least has the confidence to make runs into dangerous areas", "He's tactically very poor. He just runs around a lot."

Jamie Mackie

The former QPR player has played both on the right flank and alongside Simon Cox up front. "I think he's a great winger and a great worker, but he is not a goal scorer", "Mackie reminds me of James Milner. He's a good option, but is never going to set the world alight with bags of goals."

"Djamel Abdoun tries a lot, but he either doesn't get into positions, lacks pace or an end product." This assessment of the 27-year-old Algerian international left winger by former skipper and radio summariser John McGovern was widely agreed with by supporters. "He wants to go where he wants and impact a game in his own way."

"I lost count of the number of times Abdoun loses or gives the ball away", "He can get bullied out of games. He needs to get stuck in and push back as much as he gets pushed", "He's too lightweight and his body language looks uncomfortable."

"Jamie Paterson played well against Leicester but has been below standard in too many games", "He was abysmal against Reading and one of the reasons we struggled so much", "He has the one trick of cutting in and shooting from an angle which hasn't worked yet."

Twenty-one-year-old right winger Jamie Paterson joined from Walsall this summer and is seen as a work in progress. "He has plenty of creativity, but needs to bulk up and cut out the sloppiness on occasions, but the potential is definitely there."

Andy Reid

"Andy Reid can score, feather a pass and gets stuck in", "He's driving forward with the ball more often and his set pieces — particularly his corners — are infinitely better than last season", "He's moving the ball more quickly when he gets it."

The 31-year-old former Sunderland and Blackpool man has been recalled into the Republic of Ireland squad. "He's the fittest he's been for many years. He's much more mobile and seems to last 90 minutes when needed."

"He's more effective cutting in from the left rather than playing through the middle. He never has had much pace, but he opens the park up for us when he is slightly left of centre. It makes him difficult to pick up." "Cohen makes him better, as he's always overlapping and there for a pass."

Strikers

"The midfield only scores so many goals because of the work of the strikers. When Mackie and Cox are on the pitch in a front two, look at the runs they make to open up space for Lansbury, Reid and Majewski. This is a deliberate tactic which Billy Davies employs."

"Hendo is the one striker we can play in his own up front." Former Millwall target man Darius Henderson has been employed as an impact substitute in recent games", "He's a beast. We just need a smaller, faster beast to play next to him."

"Matt Derbyshire is, and always has been, a poor piece of business", "His only contribution seems to be to fall over and not get a freekick", "He's powder puff." "It feels like we are playing with ten men when Matt Derbyshire comes on, as you are losing Simon Cox's work rate."

Simon Cox

"Cox is in form. That's great news. He's scored four in his last five", "It's great to see Cox playing like the player we thought he would be", "He's finding solid form. He's getting into decent goal scoring positions rather than dropping deep to the wing."

The 26-year-old Republic of Ireland striker has greatly pleased fans with his current run of good form. "It's clear from the number of offsides he has had that he is playing further forward on the shoulder of defenders as opposed to his previous deep lying role."

The former West Brom striker "is blatantly not a lone front man. When Mackie joined him (last Saturday as a second striker) he looked much happier", "I always thought that Cox's problems was confidence or coming back too soon from injury."

Forest Supporters' Views on ITFC and the Game

"Ipswich are coming into a bit of form of late. We will need to play well and improve our home form," "It won't be pretty", "Which seems to be usual these days", "I can't see it being a spectacle", "I expect an ugly game that we might just edge."

"Going on form, a home draw looks most likely. I'll take anything as long as we keep another clean sheet", "With our current erratic form and weakened midfield, I'm not so confident. It will be tough. Ipswich are on a three-match winning streak."

"Ipswich will be well organised under Mick McCarthy", "They have been very good of late", "This will be a tough, tough game. McCarthy knows how to set up a team to be a bitch in defence."

"One thing for sure is that one of the old boys is bound to get a goal against us", "I wouldn't be surprised if Ipswich turn us over with a certain former striker scoring at least once", "McGoalDrought is going to be up for this one. I hope we give him a good kicking."

"I am nervous that McGoldrick will really be up for this one. He didn't do it for Forest, but he is a very talented footballer", "McGoldrick suffered due to fans negatively impacting on his confidence", "Forest's top forwards always seem to excel once they leave the club",

"I think that Chambers will get more stick than McGoldrick", "Hopefully Chambers will turn into ‘Calamity Luke', and gift us a goal, like he used to do for opponents when playing for Forest"

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BillBlue added 11:35 - Dec 13
Thanks Harry, in spite of I think this is a tough one!
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solemio added 11:57 - Dec 13
McGoalDrought.

Oh, how we all laughed.
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BigginBlue added 13:21 - Dec 13
I hate having players like 'McGoalDrought' who can only score 28 goals since last november.

I for one hopes he nets a hatrick. Is it just me that thinks that forest fans treat their players especially previous players like S@*t?
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Alwaysablue added 13:22 - Dec 13
McGoalDrought? The guy who has double the amount of goals any of their strikers have?
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emergencylime added 13:38 - Dec 13
Billy Davies does a good "riding an imaginary motorbike" pose...
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DanLyles added 15:25 - Dec 13
Great notes as alway Harry. I'm going to the game tomorrow with Forest fans who I'm sure will wonder how I know so much about their team! Imagine how much Lansbury would enhance our current team. I hope we poach him when we get promoted ;)
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Robbie12345 added 18:12 - Dec 13
Dan- remember Lansbury is former scum!
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DanLyles added 20:45 - Dec 13
An oversight on my part, sorry for any offence caused
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northernblues added 21:45 - Dec 13
I saw forest play burnley a few weeks back and thought they were the best championship team i had seen, they were all over burnley, sublime passing and movement, i'll take a point tomorow!
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