Back From The Game - Nottm Forest

[Terminal Boardom]

FFS, it was the first game of the season. 19,500 or so on a warm summer day. New Manager in charge and a whole new philosphy to embrace. Considering the amount of experience the starting 11 have at this level I think to come away having dominated the game for long periods to be something to celebrate and get excited about. On top of that the nerves would have been something mental to contend with.

However, reading so many of the comments in this thread you would think that we had lost 7-1 at home!

Let's get the expectation down to a more realistic level. I agree with BR when he said that all that was missing was a goal. The last thing the kids need is over-critical keyboard warriors analysing their every move.

[Ian Royal]

They had the best chance. The one Federici miraculously saved.

Umm....I'd say the open goals that both Kebe and Davies missed were better chances.

I thought Kebe's was tough as it fizzed towards him very quickly. Don't recall any open goal for Davies, although he did waste one good chance.

But Forest hit the target with an excellent move that cut us apart and would have been a goal but for an outstanding save. Hitting the target with great save > missing the target

[Dirk Gently]

They had the best chance. The one Federici miraculously saved.

Umm....I'd say the open goals that both Kebe and Davies missed were better chances.

In fact, he missed it so badly that it went for a corner!

[rg6royal]

Overall I was pleased with the performance and I thought it was a fair result in the end. Was our first competitive game with our new style of play and I'm already liking the look of it. We still need a striker which hopefully we'll get before the Toon match. Scott Davies my MOTM, thought he was superb and on that performace can say he could be a big player for us this season.

[rg6royal]

Overall I was pleased with the performance and I thought it was a fair result in the end. Was our first competitive game with our new style of play and I'm already liking the look of it. We still need a striker which hopefully we'll get before the Toon match. Scott Davies my MOTM, thought he was superb and on that performace can say he could be a big player for us this season.

[BobKnows]

OK so taking one of those chances would have helped, but I cam out of that game smiling. To watch a seriously young team looking so confident can only bode well. This feels NEW and I think I am going to enjoy it

[rabidbee]

I'm not saying that I wasn't pleased, given the age and experience of the team, but 8s and 9s were silly. I didn't think we really dominated, both teams had spells of bossing the game, making it fairly even over all. It was a stale-mate because neither team really had much to offer up front.

Still, the kids look promising.

[leon]

I'm not saying that I wasn't pleased, given the age and experience of the team, but 8s and 9s were silly. I didn't think we really dominated, both teams had spells of bossing the game, making it fairly even over all. It was a stale-mate because neither team really had much to offer up front.

Still, the kids look promising.

on reflection i was overly critical. I think we could potentially pass to death some teams in the league, and with the right front 3 (ie not Kebe who couldnt hit a cows arse with a banjo) we could do some damage this season, we looked a different proposition when Long came on and church went to right side. Also this team really will get better in the next few months,

[Dirk Gently]

You could see them grow in confidence as the game went on - especially Karacan, for instance.

Think what a good result on Tuesday and Saturday could do for them - as kids they have no fear anyway, so add increased confidence to that and things could be very interesting.

[rg6royal]

I'm not saying that I wasn't pleased, given the age and experience of the team, but 8s and 9s were silly. I didn't think we really dominated, both teams had spells of bossing the game, making it fairly even over all. It was a stale-mate because neither team really had much to offer up front.

Still, the kids look promising.

on reflection i was overly critical. I think we could potentially pass to death some teams in the league, and with the right front 3 (ie not Kebe who couldnt hit a cows arse with a banjo) we could do some damage this season, we looked a different proposition when Long came on and church went to right side. Also this team really will get better in the next few months,

what has kebe done wrong now?

[Dirk Gently]

I'm not saying that I wasn't pleased, given the age and experience of the team, but 8s and 9s were silly. I didn't think we really dominated, both teams had spells of bossing the game, making it fairly even over all. It was a stale-mate because neither team really had much to offer up front.

Still, the kids look promising.

on reflection i was overly critical. I think we could potentially pass to death some teams in the league, and with the right front 3 (ie not Kebe who couldnt hit a cows arse with a banjo) we could do some damage this season, we looked a different proposition when Long came on and church went to right side. Also this team really will get better in the next few months,

what has kebe done wrong now?

Not being Glen Little (2006 version).

[rabidbee]

Think what a good result on Tuesday and Saturday could do for them - as kids they have no fear anyway, so add increased confidence to that and things could be very interesting.

Yep, but the corollory of that is that if they give away possession as easily as they did on saturday against a more dangerous team, we'll get spanked. It's nice to see players want to run the ball out from the edge of our own box, but sometimes they really do need to just spank it up the field. Not too often, certainly not all of the time, just when it's dangerous.

[Stranded]

Well during the first half I was bored senseless. It had the feel of a pre-season game, with Forest looking to get to know each other and us trying to come to terms with a new way of playing.

Second half, we improved as the game went on without ever really looking like finishing a move off - we desperately need a striker who can play the lone role up front but I thought Long did well when he came on (and Church was better from the right too) so perhaps worth a start at Newcastle.

Overall, good to see a plan but I can see us being this years Swansea or Doncaster, lots of pretty football but a lack of a real cutting edge - probably finishing 10th.

[Alan Partridge]

Did ok, he's made footballers of Cisse and Pearce which is good darts, Rosenior defensively was good, he tries to bomb forward, some of his passing/crossing was a bit dump but that's why he plays for Reading, Kanu didn't have a particularly good game which was a shame, thought tabb was ineffective, Davies and Karacan were quite good.

It was a so so kind of a performance, still the same problem as last year, it's a new look team dressed up differently but still with the cutting edge of plastic Playschool scissors. He's got to buy a decent centre forward if he's going to play one up front. Promising signs but not enugh in the final 3rd, they will all know that so expect something to happen soon.

[Dirk Gently]

Think what a good result on Tuesday and Saturday could do for them - as kids they have no fear anyway, so add increased confidence to that and things could be very interesting.

Yep, but the corollory of that is that if they give away possession as easily as they did on saturday against a more dangerous team, we'll get spanked. It's nice to see players want to run the ball out from the edge of our own box, but sometimes they really do need to just spank it up the field. Not too often, certainly not all of the time, just when it's dangerous.

Agreed - again that's partly a confidence and an experience thing, and what was really missing on Saturday was someone more experienced to direct things. All the instruments were there, but without a conductor it was a bit directonless at times.

But I do think we're going to see a team where everyone, including the centre-backs, is happy with the ball at their feet and can pass . BR already said that we'll see a lot more of that from Alex Pearce, who BR says started life as a mid-fielder rather than as a centre back, and it's significant that all the reports of Mills talk about how good he is with the ball.

[CMRoyal]

Now we've got the hang of the sideways passing game, we just need some better movement, that should change our play from dull and uninspiring, to exciting and incisive.

Agreed, although Church's movement was excellent, but our other youngsters are going to need some schooling in how and when to pick him out.

[CMRoyal]

I read three pages of players being rated at 8 or 9. 6s, I think.

Fair dues, scores do tend to hit extremes here. But that's always been the case. The general consensus seems to be pretty clear though. Pretty, but we need an end product: experienced 15-a-season forward needed pretty urgently.

Maybe we already have one, but he only got 25 minutes yesterday.

I hope you're right, I really do. He certainly looked very threatening.

[howser]

Sadly only managed to see the limited highlights on tv, but what a performance from such a young side, great comments about Davies, saw him a couple of times at Aldershot last season and he looked very good at that level, was off the radar a bit at the Mad Stad, while he was away developing with the 'shots, but has looked very competant every time I have seen him, maybe we have the "Sidwell" replacement at long last. This side will take time to develop, I hope that against Burton tomorrow we put the same line up, or as near as damn it, out again, and don't do this mass change thing we have done over recent seasons. We have a young side that needs to gain confidence and fluidity, and this is the only way we will adapt and get better. Hopefully this performance doesn't mean the cheque book is closed, a wee bit of experience at this level will be invaluable, as even the talent that the young players have, there will be times when its not all going well, and we need a bit of an "older head" around.

[ZacNaloen]

Did ok, he's made footballers of Cisse and Pearce which is good darts, Rosenior defensively was good, he tries to bomb forward, some of his passing/crossing was a bit dump but that's why he plays for Reading, Kanu didn't have a particularly good game which was a shame, thought tabb was ineffective, Davies and Karacan were quite good.

It was a so so kind of a performance, still the same problem as last year, it's a new look team dressed up differently but still with the cutting edge of plastic Playschool scissors. He's got to buy a decent centre forward if he's going to play one up front. Promising signs but not enugh in the final 3rd, they will all know that so expect something to happen soon.

Like in the chelsea tabb did a lot of good work off the ball closing off space for passes and the like, on the ball he was the least effective out him and Davies, but that's just a reflection of how good Davies was rather than anyhing bad about Tab.

[Alan Partridge]

I don't mind Tabb but I just felt he didn't have his best game saturday. Still a 6/10 but not his best.