Match Thread: Big spending Forest Vs West Brom sponsored by bloody cricket | Page 6 | Vital Football

Match Thread: Big spending Forest Vs West Brom sponsored by bloody cricket

I think if Dawson can stay fit, then him and Fox are fine at the back, Darikwa showed us both sides to his game tonight with some excellent forward play but woefully sloppy passes when in possession. Os isn’t good enough at LB to make up for his lack of presence or physicality to be part of a defensive Unit, same for Dariwka. If we don’t inject more defensive aerial ability it will ALWAYS be an Achilles heel.....truly is a broken record.
 
Carvallho was very good, looks like he's got more time on the ball than he does. Grabban could be ok but needs the service, maybe should of scored tonight. Can't be too down hearted we played some lovely stuff when you think of the last few years it's miles better, need that killer instinct to put teams away. Defence still needs work mostly on set pieces, in play we looked pretty solid.
 
Given the fact it was the 2nd game of the season I'm delighted with that display.

Last ball needs sharpening but you hope that comes with a bit more familiarity.

Maybe move it more quickly, often they had numbers back when the final ball was played.

But some of the football was great to watch and definitely something to build on.

CP would have loved the commentator on Sky describing Fox's left foot as a wand.
 
Thought both our fullbacks distribution was crap tonight as was the goalkeepers. They purposely put Phillips over on Osborn.

The Portuguese tired. Felt karanka should have made changes much earlier.

We don't have a Dwight gayle and it will be our Achilles heel for the season. Grabban didn't look too confident going forward

I thought lolley was poor. His final ball left him down.

Guediora was outstanding. Cbs solid.

Carvalho needs to toughen up loses every 50/50 but can play some great balls.

2 games played well over 30 chances and 2 goals.
 
Keith Andrews and Johnno were getting excited about our chances but for all the money spent I don't think we're good enough across the back 4 for a serious push.

Still a striker short also - it doesn't matter how pretty the build up is if we don't put the chances away.

Not afraid of relegation this season though, and that feels great.
 
Whatever you might say, that game was fantastically entertaining.

We had them completely on the rack for over an hour. After we scored West Brom looked physically and mentally shattered, but unfortunately it was us that tired. The sheer intensity of our play for that took them apart but the problem is what happens when the players can't match that any more.

I agree with Jock; Karanka waited too long for fresh legs. He allowed the game to slip away from us for ten minutes before he changes things, and when he finally did the team seemed to lose all shape and organisation.

Defence never gave me any confidence and I never mentally felt we were winning as I was just waiting for the sucker punch. West Brom were putting some right old bombs into that box and every set piece I was waiting for the collapse. Too much headless chicken defending and we are appalling at fullback. In contrast, I thought Pantillimon was superb; he collected so much in the air even though he had no shots to stop.

The forward play was streets ahead of anything we have seen in years. Balls were being played that took apart a very good west Brom defence. What was missing was getting it on target. 5 shots on target looks appalling, but of our 15 that were off target I would say a large number were very credible chances that just missed.

Grabban is a superb lone forward and his hold up play was something else. He did fluff a chance and was unlucky with others. On another day he would have had a hat trick and he will be exactly what we need.

Lolley needs to learn to shoot. He made great runs only to take the wrong option every time and pass to someone in a worse position rather than hit it.

Guedioura was outrageous. His near goal from the half way line nearly put the goal of the season to bed. He was exactly what we need in driving forward.

I thought Darikwa was poor. I would say he managed to be average defending but going forward I felt his deficiency was exposed by all the new players. He offered nothing. In possession he took forever just to pass back to the guy who gave him the ball, while west Brom would get everyone back. No penetration, no unpredictability, nothing. Osborn was better going forward but once again, the lad can't defend. Phillips was told to target him, as will every decent winger.

This is what PL side's do- they defend well and then exploit your one mistake and walk away with points. It's disappointing to lose the win, but you have to put those games to bed and in the future we will.

I really fear for Reading on Saturday. I don't see them coping with what we offered tonight
 
I don’t think a lot of people on here actually go to the games,Toby & Fox did well tonight against a very good Striker and later on two strikers.
Don’t be mistaken West Brom are a very good side and in the end we nearly blew it but came away very excited by what I had seen and let’s get behind the makings of a very good team.
We still need two full backs ,benny tried very hard but cannot compete with the six footers sides are putting up against him and he is being targeted,Darikwa is still not the finished article but it’s early doors and two days left before the window closes,who knows what Santa may bring us ?..
 
I really enjoyed that game.
Felt we should have won really but we not getting that two goal cushion was key in the end.
Geddy was superb again and that long range effort was very unlucky not to go in.
Carvalho has fantastic vision and some of our approach play was a joy to watch.
Good performance all round really although Osborn did struggle to contain Phillips at times and Darikwa needlessly gave the ball away twice towards the end.
I've come away disappointed with only a point but very optimistic about this season after watching that.
This team will get better and better.
 
I would say fullbacks (although I think Osborn can grow in to the position) and striker (although I suspect Grabban's not 100%), and I wouldn't mind improving the centrebacks, but no real complaints, that's there or thereabouts a playoff side.
 
One of those games. Even early on, then Forest took total control with Geddy playing (mostly) superb passes to set us moving, and everyone working hard. Some delightful moves but trying too hard to create the perfect goal, and on half time WBA had a good chance which they fluffed.

Second half we carried on, but WBA came into it more. They always threatened down their right, though Osborn defended doggedly. Colback played well while Guedioura was superb, and put us in front by shooting from outside the box (to be fair, we did try a few from the edge of the box first half but they were all blocked - West Brom defended well apart from the short back pass letting Grabban in - a sharper Grabban would have tucked that away).

When Geddy shot from inside his own half their keeper just managed to touch it past the post, 2-0 then would have been fully deserved. But we tired, dropped deeper, they hit the post, and finally they scored with a cracking effort in the last 10 minutes. They then hit post and bar in the same attack, but Grabban's header from a corner nearly won it for us.

So we might have lost, but we were so much on top that it feels like 2 points dropped. Given that Dawson wasn't fit and Figz has hardly played pre-season, I'm not too alarmed by our defence. More concerned about the final ball and the finishing - we should really have had 4 or 5 tonight.
 
Seems to be a lot of criticism of Osborne for struggling to contain Phillips. I doubt there's a better winger in the division. He did pretty well with Dias' support. It only gets easier from here for him.
 
The red prophet said:
Seems to be a lot of criticism of Osborne for struggling to contain Phillips. I doubt there's a better winger in the division. He did pretty well with Dias' support. It only gets easier from here for him.
Click to expand...

He did fine. Excellent involvement on the ball too - in both games; I'd be surprised if any player saw more of the ball, for either team, in either game. If replaced the flair players in midfield will find it harder to get on the ball.
 
Love this from the Forest site:

"Adlene Guedioura gave Forest a deserved lead in the second half as he fired home from range but a late Matt Phillips strike meant that the shares were spoiled."

That Matt Phillips, spoiling our shares...
 
A game that I can summerize in two words: Gutted and Lucky
Gutted; because when you consider the way how we played, being in the lead for so long (and concceeding so late), we should have saw this game through.
Lucky; cause the game could have easily finish 4-1 to WBA. Pls keep in mind that WB hit the post 3 times in the last 10 minutes, in occasions that was easier to score than to miss.
We were the better from the 10 minute untill the 75th, yes, but my feeling was always that WB never went more than 3rd gear. Somehow they controlled us (to be honest their keeper wasnt that much troubles and dont think he had to do any super saves for all the match), and when in the last 10-15 minutes the upped their game, their quality and experience showed.
In games like these, when we are on the up we have to finish them off or else we will continue saying that we played a great game, we were a joy to watch but.... that but will remain.
I think we are all in agreement that Gueddy was MOM, he was everywhere, anything went through him. Dont understand why some complain on the defence, I dont think that Fox and Figi could do much better. The issues with the sides are well know, so I am not expecting that Dariwka and Ozzy will become Maldini and Cabrini overnight.
For me Lolley was a dissappointment last night, not because of lack of effort, but because he had chances that (if we are looking for a top 6 finish), he should have converted. There is so many chances that you can miss in a game and still win.
Expected a bit more from Grabban, but at least he showed himself and moved around (in comparison to Murphy).
A question mark is on Soudani. Considering all the fuss that we were making before he arrived, I cannot understand why he is so under used. playing him for 10 minutes or less is frustrating (for the player) and if this continues I dont think that he will be happy here. Ok, maybe upon signing certain players will say that they are happy with the competition etc etc, but at the end of the day, a player of his age and that came with some much reputation, wants to play and not sit on the bench. AK should have brought him first (instead of the other Gezzer-after all the other gezzer play almost a full game on Saturday).
Signing a lot of players looks nice from our side (fans) but every manager have to be careful cause in time and especially if these players are of similar standard, not playing them might disrupt the dressing room-its not as if we are playing Champions League football and we are going for 2 local cups.
to be continued...
 
The red prophet said:
Seems to be a lot of criticism of Osborne for struggling to contain Phillips. I doubt there's a better winger in the division. He did pretty well with Dias' support. It only gets easier from here for him.
Click to expand...

A lot of his criticism comes from the fact that he doesn't do the simple things very well - He's always looking to play the defence splitting champagne balls instead of the simple ten yard pass to a colleague - even then the simple 10 yard pass he can fcuk up.

Last nights goal came from his side and if you look at the highlights, instead of going out to Phillips who was left on his own Osborn ran back to mark the near post where Phillips stormed into the gap and blasted over Osborn's head at the near post.

He ain't no Full Back and never will be!!! Hope to see Robinson come Saturday.
 
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