BFTG - Nottingham Forest

[SCIAG]

Things haven't been going our way this season. Last night they did.

Swift probably had his best game for us, Mannone looked like AAH, Aluko finally showed some quality.

It really shows what a difference a little bit of urgency in midfield can make.

[tidus_mi2]

I still find it bizarre Forest fans sing about being European Champions, pretty sure most who were at the game yesterday weren't even born when Forest last won the European Cup.

[SCIAG]

When they ask for the manager to be sacked after every loss, you'd think most of our fans weren't born when we got 106 points...

[Hound]

Things haven't been going our way this season. Last night they did.

Swift probably had his best game for us, Mannone looked like AAH, Aluko finally showed some quality.

It really shows what a difference a little bit of urgency in midfield can make.

It wasn't just things going our way - though of course luck always comes into it.

All three of our goals came from quick breaks from the midfield and the wingers actually being on the wing. None of those goals would have been scored by us on Saturday as we didn't break like that once, mainly because Beerens was scratching his arse on the half way line, and Aluko was following JVDB around in CM.

Was a big and obvious change to have Aluko and Barrow right on their full backs and it worked a treat.

[Tilehurstsouthbank]

Football is funny isn't it. We were in terrible form going into yesterday's game, now we've got 2 wins in 4.

It's kind of annoying we've found ourselves away from home next against one of the form sides in the league - could've done with another home game to back this result up.

It'll be a tough fixture no doubt, but the fact Derby will come at us will probably suit us better if we can keep things tight at the back there's no reason we couldn't pick up a valuable point.

[Snowball]

Football is funny isn't it. We were in terrible form going into yesterday's game, now we've got 2 wins in 4.

It's kind of annoying we've found ourselves away from home next against one of the form sides in the league - could've done with another home game to back this result up.

It'll be a tough fixture no doubt, but the fact Derby will come at us will probably suit us better if we can keep things tight at the back there's no reason we couldn't pick up a valuable point.

Pessimist!

[Lower West]

Edwards - 6 - Anonymous and was poor compared to the players around him. (he does look a bit like Gunter from afar)

Harsh assessment. You don't notice him like JVB for example. As he quietly gets on with the game. Doesn't hit passes without looking!
Second half he dug in and shielded the back 4.

For me last night was a team performance. Swift shone as was gven the platform. Not least by Smith. Who ran tirelessly. Pulling defenders all over the place. Creating space. Whatever his shortcomings as a striker currently. His mobility gave the team another dimension.

Only 43% possession. Must be the first time in a long while been this low.

Tough game Saturday. At least provides some breathing space for Stam.

[Ascotexgunner]

Did really well last night, was surprised how slow Forest were out the blocks but from the kick off we passed the ball forward for a change, Swift made some great runs, in fact several players did with the ball. I just wondered a bit though about when we play Kelly (I'm gonna regret this bit).......it seems to me that when he plays we always look for him and only him to carry the ball, last night everyone was looking for everyone.....and I guess my question is, when Kelly plays do we now fear the worse from now on as we know JS will return to the same s+it clueless football as before.
Just want to say also Bacuna, Barrow, Mannone and Swift were the standouts. I also liked Edwards in that role of breaking up the Forest play and making it hard for their midfield to gel.
Best we have played this season by a country mile.

[Platypuss]

It was noticeable that we also took some throw-ins towards the opposition end for once.

[Lower West]

and I guess my question is, when Kelly plays do we now fear the worse from now on as we know JS will return to the same s+it clueless football as before.

Expectations for Kelly are too high. Needs to play in a formation with minders. Too lightweight if Swift is in the team. Both will strengthen so their time will come.

Ideal replacement for JVB last night would have been Evans.

[Snowflake Royal]

Edwards - 6 - Anonymous and was poor compared to the players around him. (he does look a bit like Gunter from afar)

Harsh assessment. You don't notice him like JVB for example. As he quietly gets on with the game. Doesn't hit passes without looking!
Second half he dug in and shielded the back 4.

For me last night was a team performance. Swift shone as was gven the platform. Not least by Smith. Who ran tirelessly. Pulling defenders all over the place. Creating space. Whatever his shortcomings as a striker currently. His mobility gave the team another dimension.

Only 43% possession. Must be the first time in a long while been this low.

Tough game Saturday. At least provides some breathing space for Stam.

First time in a while we've spent much of the game defending a lead rather than trying to overturn one.

[3points]

and I guess my question is, when Kelly plays do we now fear the worse from now on as we know JS will return to the same s+it clueless football as before.

Expectations for Kelly are too high. Needs to play in a formation with minders. Too lightweight if Swift is in the team. Both will strengthen so their time will come.

Ideal replacement for JVB last night would have been Evans.

Kelly plays too deep as well most of the time. He spent a lot of Saturday holding hands with Joey, Moore and Macca. I thought Edwards did pretty well second half. He's not a natural DM but did alright.

I think my first choice midfield will now be Swift, Bacuna, Joey (or Evans) i.e. The same as last year with Bacuna swapped in for Danny Williams. Kelly is a good option to have as well.

I'm surprised Clement hasn't played more in Swift's role while Swift has been injured. Another technically very good player

[leon]

When they ask for the manager to be sacked after every loss, you'd think most of our fans weren't born when we got 106 points...

I have to say this isn't really what's going on at the moment. I think there's still a lot of good will and I think the majority really want Stam to get it right.

[muirinho]

When they ask for the manager to be sacked after every loss, you'd think most of our fans weren't born when we got 106 points...

I have to say this isn't really what's going on at the moment. I think there's still a lot of good will and I think the majority really want Stam to get it right.

There were a number of renditions of Yip Yap and Jaap Stam's barmy army early doors on Tuesday night, seemed to be a bit of a campaign from some of Y26 to show that not everybody is on his back.

Good to hear.

Speaking of chants - is there anything for Sam Smith (other than "he's one of our own"), or Vito Mannone?

[royalp-we]

Mannone needs a chant, anyone care to adapt "Volare" in to one of our own??

[biff]

Mannone, woahh, Mannone, woahh, he came from Italy, to play for RFC......

[stanmoreroyal]

I share Strap's frustration with Stam's post match analysis of games. Very often he talks a lot, but says nothing. I don't think this is about using a second language. Clearly his English is considerably better than my Dutch!!
BUT it is very hard to hear him continually talk up the opposition, express satisfaction with really toothless displays and then, when given a chance to take credit for what everyone could see on Tuesday was a tactical shift of emphasis, he tried to present it as business as usual.
The urgency and range of passing was totally different. The opposition were allowed to have the ball by virtue of the Reading players not stifling the game with endless passing across the back five (though there was still too much of this for my liking). The Forest players got the ball because sometimes longer ambitious balls turn over possession to the opposition...but hey...less than 50% possession and a 3-1 win.
I find it odd that Stam made many comments in his post match that just didn't ring true or reflect the game we'd just watched.
I don't want to change the manager but I do want the manager to change! He has to show he's learning, be honest about reviewing his approach and accept that tactically the style of football played on Tuesday was much more redolent of the Coppell and McDermott years than that which he has been forcing on the fans.

He is not bigger than the club.

The fans have every right to want to be entertained and when games go wrong it would be great to hear him take some responsibility for setting up the team badly. When it works he should acknowledge that the team tried a different thing not just say the opposition didn't 'park the bus'.

[SWLR]

Football is funny isn't it. We were in terrible form going into yesterday's game, now we've got 2 wins in 4.

It's kind of annoying we've found ourselves away from home next against one of the form sides in the league - could've done with another home game to back this result up.

Indeed. Derby pretty much the last game I'd choose at the moment

Said on another thread, if we'd beaten Boro, we'd have been 5 points off the POs with a game in hand. Pretty incredible considering how sh!t we've generally been

Not "pretty incredible" just the Championship

[NewCorkSeth]

Mannone, woahh, Mannone, woahh, he came from Italy, to play for RFC......

"When they shoot at the net and it's saved last minute, that's Mannone"

[Muskrat]

Football is funny isn't it. We were in terrible form going into yesterday's game, now we've got 2 wins in 4.

It's kind of annoying we've found ourselves away from home next against one of the form sides in the league - could've done with another home game to back this result up.

Indeed. Derby pretty much the last game I'd choose at the moment

Said on another thread, if we'd beaten Boro, we'd have been 5 points off the POs with a game in hand. Pretty incredible considering how sh!t we've generally been

Yep, and if your Aunt had bollox she'd be your Uncle. We didn't and were still 20th.