Nottingham Forest (A) | PL | Post Match Thread

[East Level 2]

They were mediocre there is no disgusing that.

Some of them might have been a bit knackered having played 120 minutes midweek.

 

[HorlocksWalk]

We’ve got old. We need a squad refresh. That’s begun, but we cant do anything else before the summer.

We’re going to lose some of the games between now and the end of the season. It’s probably best to make peace with that.

What I won’t say though is that they’ve given up. They’re struggling physically, not because of effort, it’s just lack of mobility and it shows how much Rodri did for us.

Yeah but I get miffed keep seeing us undone by the same cross field ball where the left back is either too narrow or up the other end of the pitch, I could even live with that if he was up field creating chances, Every time Doku/Savinho got it it was two men on them.

 

[mind your car Mr?]

Great. We have a chance to make it 6 out of 6.

If you don’t have hope as a fan, you may as well give up.

wev'e all got hope but to sugest we have easier fixtures coming up doesn't make sense

 

[David White]

He won POTY last year, do you think he's had different coaching this year?

The midfield has grown old together. But a coach with as many titles as Pep doesn't win them by coaching the creativity out of his players.

They still all have that creativity, they’re just not able/allowed to use it in this system. Zero risk, slow, ball retention, play safe at all costs.

 

[North Wales Blue]

Still no end product though unfortunately.

Haaland was a passenger today. Part of that is his movement needs to be better and part of it is the service to him is not good enough. Neither winger today was able to produce a decent final ball

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Yeah but I get miffed keep seeing us undone by the same cross field ball where the left back is either too narrow or up the other end of the pitch, I could even live with that if he was up field creating chances, Every time Doku/Savinho got it it was two men on them.

Yep, that’s down to not enough pressure on the ball to stop that ball being played.

At our best, that ball never happened as we swarmed all around our opponents and all they could do is lump the ball up aimlessly.

The first half today was a bit like that. It wasn’t until the subs happened that the massive spaces appeared.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

wev'e all got hope but to sugest we have easier fixtures coming up doesn't make sense

However much you want to make the next set of fixtures seem as hard as possible, we’re playing weaker teams than we’ve just played.

We might not have done well against them earlier in the season, but that was then and this is now.

We’re much better than we were in December, but miles off where we were.

 

[RayCTID]

Some of them might have been a bit knackered having played 120 minutes midweek.

Still they weren't outstanding in the cup game either.

 

[YaYa's Left Peg]

Yep, that’s down to not enough pressure on the ball to stop that ball being played.

At our best, that ball never happened as we swarmed all around our opponents and all they could do is lump the ball up aimlessly.

The first half today was a bit like that. It wasn’t until the subs happened that the massive spaces appeared.

Spot on.

And I bet every City fan knew what was going to happen once he took Nico off and put Kovacic on!

 

[Roachy]

The old ones have not only lost their legs but also the winning mentality and desire
Not convinced all of the younger ones have it either
In pretty much any big game against decent opposition this season, or involving the slightest bit of pressure or consequence, we’ve generally wilted or collapsed.
Even cack like Orient and Plymouth were beating us
We can all laugh at arsenal, but the brutal truth is that we have been the biggest bottle jobs of the entire season

Food for thought, no doubt. I think some have tried to put a brave face on it, but the fall away from the team at the start of Nov onwards is absolutely shocking.

 

[paulchapo]

For me the three key areas to address in summer is left back, right back and creative midfield.

 

[IcriedwhenTueartleft]

Away form has been dire for months, Spurs away aside. Makes me less hopeful about our cup trip to Bournemouth, will need to play better than today to win that one.

 

[Bodicoteblue]

We’ve got old. We need a squad refresh. That’s begun, but we cant do anything else before the summer.

We’re going to lose some of the games between now and the end of the season. It’s probably best to make peace with that.

What I won’t say though is that they’ve given up. They’re struggling physically, not because of effort, it’s just lack of mobility and it shows how much Rodri did for us.

Exactly this.
We are now in a process of change, which up to now has been too little too late. But that will change too.
But change is needed and it can often be slow and painful but it’s necessary to bite the bullet and get on with it otherwise you end up like the sad old rags, living on memories of long gone glory.

 

[geoff hammond]

but he was, and then it's up to the GK to dig us out with a simple save, which he didn't

simple?
Eddy wasn’t the ready we lost.
He was the reason we weren’t already 1 down
I’m not his biggest fan as a shot stopper but he isn’t to blame today.

 

[whp.blue]

Too many players who are just not good enough period.
Too many top players who should have been let go before now.
Too many players woefully out of form.
Added to Peps bloody mindedness to just not buy real fullbacks
All adds up to our disastrous season.

 

[urban genie]

Sorry but in a season like this I would rather we had an Aguero than a Haaland striker style.

With Foden and Berny being ineffective we need a striker that tests the back four not wait to be fed


and I don't blame Haaland for this, the Attacking midfield are useless

 

[NorthamptonBlue]

Food for thought, no doubt. I think some have tried to put a brave face on it, but the fall away from the team at the start of Nov onwards is absolutely shocking.

We have been terrible since the start of the season imo. A well rested Erling carried us for the first 10 games.

 

[applecentral]

No creativity , no movement off the ball , Rico, Nunes, eddie ,kova not good enough , bernie , Walker, Stones, kdb thanks for the memories , got a big summer ahead

Apart from that ok?

 

[ysmsa]

Get your eyes tested, from the very start they tried to leave something on any city player they could. They were blocking and grabbing the shirts of any city player making a run. They were taking turns to hack at Doku and Phil.

Hack, Jesus.

It's a physical game and we were far too easy to play against today.

The one on Phil was bad but nothing else was OTT, pathetic performance by us.

Claiming we were bullied is clutching a bit, we committed fouls too (Nico and Nunes spring to mind).

 

[Palerider]

I thought we deserved a draw but not the win. Reminded me of Juventus away in the CL where both teams seemed to be happy with the draw but City somehow contrived to lose it. Obvious keeper error for their goal but overall I thought the defence played well. Haaland again not in the game but then neither was Wood for Forest so possibly not unusual?