Nottingham Forest - Wigan

[Strawberry Avenger]

Saw an interview with robert pires over xmas. He said you have to be able to give it in English football or you wont succeed. Carvalho clearly cant. I wouldn't pay 1mill for the lad

Cheers Jock.  As Clough once said, 'Get in there!  That's what I pay you for.'  or 'You're forwards aren't getting hurt enough if they aren't scoring goals.'

That's the Championship.  There is no should.  It's 'earn the right.'  Yes.  When it's dark and winter...a muddy pitch...when someone has slapped you up or kicked you  or shoved you on the back of the head (remember the big lad giving Ben Os' a right shove on the back of the head last season...and Ben' took it when he could have reacted...kept his cool.)

As Basset once said, 'It's a man's game.'  (Forest had been roughed up vs Sheff' Wed' I think, funnily enough. ;)  One of his players had been moaning about being shunted off the ball...  Dave told him you have to be able to cope with that.  i.e. the physical side of the game.  Probably Bonalair or someone moaning.  It seems we're still having the debate about this all these years later in the Championship.  ie.  Gainst Wednesday Forest looked outfought and out-athleted and out thought.  They have some of the missing ingredients we're after.)

Car' has the talent.  But does he have the will to win?

Yates.  Has the will to win.  And he isn't 'untalented.'  It's just not in that 'sexy' ACM position.

Still have to run.  Still have to win tackles.  Head a ball.  Still have to show a will to win even if you look like a 'headless chicken' at times.

Composure.  How many of Forest's 11 had that today?

SA.

We’ll beg to differ SA.
He has confidence, determination & even cockiness ( no bad thing ) in spades.
But he ain’t a championship standard player.
And his lack of pace ( I’m trying to be kind ) will be his biggest handicap at whatever level he finally finds himself in ( and you can’t coach that ).

He's taken to the Championship reasonably well.  And he's still under developed.  Probably a year or so behind Worrall and Cash in development(!).  Cash, Worrall (Who were both written off for CH and RB as early as this season.) The former of the two had Rangers on loan to really kick his development up the backside because he was crap and good in equal measure.  And fair play to Worrall, he withstood that cauldron.

As for pace.  It was noted by some quarters that Worrall wasn't the quickest and has got done for pace a few times.  Nigel Clough wasn't the quickest but had speed of thought.

So, yes.  Whilst you can't coach pace to outright lightning pace, it hasn't stopped Watson's experience from having a good season.  

Yates is still young.  in age.  And particular his development was coming along nicely before being indecisively railroaded by Aitor.  Given that colour, I felt MoN and Keane got him back on track last season.

Think there is more to come from Yates.  His will to win will secure further development.  He may end up better than Worrall and Cash. Character. Is sometimes more important than wasted talent. Is Character something you can coach? According to our Academy it is.

As for being a Championship player.  He's in a top 5 side.  (With many of the other 7 players highlighting by their own poor performances, that yes, Yates isn't the finished article yet.) His 'lack of pace.' Strange how he's managed to get into the box at times and get the odd goal for Forest when Forest's lightning paced forward line haven't scored. Being there is sometimes more important than getting there. In the games he's been off the pace I noticed that has been a malaise of quite a few of the team. The performance v Sheff Wed' was an example. The whole team seemed to be ball watching and off the pace not closing down the 2nd ball. Maybe the whole team isn't quick enough?

It's a team game at the end of the day.  If the forward line aren't doing their job it puts a lot of stress on Yates and Watson. Youngsters often look better and perform better in a team that has battle ready and quality talent with some experience. Worrall, Yates and Cash have been somewhat wragged at various stages of the season seeming to 'lack pace.'

It's taken this long for Forest to 'master the press' and they still haven't. Ie. Mastered the press. And that's because they lost Sow. They don't have enough players like Sow to hang the responsibility at the floor of Car, Yates, Cash or Worrall if I'm going to be even handed. It's not just about Yates. That's a symptom of recruitment.

And Forest are behind in that regard. That's why they got battered by Wednesday. And it had been coming if we're being honest.

If Sow is fit?  Yates is on the bench, where, realistically, he (and Car'...) would be.

SA.