Nottingham Forest - Reading

[tugger2018]

The team I picked with 3 at the back had 3 good ball players in defence the full backs / wide men were lolley and Sammy who can both defend ok . A strong midfield base of sow and Yates with garner floating then 2 up top Murray as focal point and Taylor running channels and what a bench
Figs Christie ribs Cafu colback mighten knockeart grabs

[ThePromisedLand]

Reading are decent but nothing to be afraid of. They had a great start where everything they hit went in - I think P7 Pts 19 from memory. They weren’t great, but like I said everything they hit went in, a huge outlier compared to xG for the stats fans.

Since then that would make them P28 Pts 41, a little less than 1.5 pts per game. Play-off chasing standard, but not play-off makers. They’ve looked about that level when I’ve watched them too.

We should be at that level if we take the hand-brake off, but I know you won’t all agree on that - note the bookies actually have us as slight favourites though.

I’d like to see 2-1 to Forest, Carvalho with a goal and an assist.

COYR!

They’ve won their last 3 - no goals conceded.

[Strawberry Avenger]

The team I picked with 3 at the back had 3 good ball players in defence the full backs / wide men were lolley and Sammy who can both defend ok . A strong midfield base of sow and Yates with garner floating then 2 up top Murray as focal point and Taylor running channels and what a bench
Figs Christie ribs Cafu colback mighten knockeart grabs

Some might say that Forest have had too many 'floaters' this season.

I'd be quite happy having the energy of Yates, the power of Sow and the ball playing of Garner. 4.3.3? With Ameobi and Lolley on the wings and Murray up front. It would mean we'd lose Krov'. But we'd have either Garner or Yates to play the passing pivot or box to box player. I think that would be interesting. Krov' could be introduced later off the bench.

I think we miss what Yates and Sow bring to the midfield.

I think we miss McKenna (Worrall in his natural position), Sow in the middle and Grabban up front. That's a spine of a team right there.

SA.

[Joe Baker Legend]

The Boys are here...

[Strawberry Avenger]

regarding Tuggers comment '' Hughton explaining his 'twin pillars' of Consistency and Durability.''

could translate as sameness, herein lies the problem, herein lies the reason i haven't bothered listening to Chris's pre match stuff this week

i'd completely forget about 'consistency' for a while, maybe play really badly, lazily but come to life for a few key moments and win 3 nil

i'd like to look for differant ways, several in a game, to win the game, yes the foundation would be long durations of resolute defending, maybe ultra defence for 80 minutes

but i'd prefer attacking players to not expend all there energy chasing back, i'd prefer most of our attacking players to not even appear on the pitch for an hour, there has to be times where we create an advantage, overloads and gamble

i want to move on from seeing the team competitive, all over the pitch, all game and lose 1 nil

we have perfected consistency but that doesn't translate to winning games unfortunately, if anything you could argue it has cost us 30 points this season alone

‘Consistent’ isn’t the word, we’re predictable, and that’s generally not good in sport, unless you have a big edge.

'Consistent' is the word.  It came from Hughton's mouth.  And it's been a huge part of form over the last 17 games.  (Yes, we lost the last two games.  Narrowly.  Otherwise it would have been only 2 lost in 17 games.). The 'C' word ;) is what you want from your back line. And yes, it would be nice to have consistent 'scoring' from the attacking players.

Predictable.  I see what you're trying to say.  We don't have energy, pace or guile.  And that's not down to Hughton.  He went after those things in January (a band aid to last Summer's dartboard recruitment, again, not down to Hughton or the lack of fitness training pre-season.)

The element of 'unpredictability' will be fully addressed in the Summer as we likely let the 'posers' go.  I'd say players like Arter, Car' and that other lad we have on loan will be sold for whatever we can get for them.  And bring in players like Yates, Brennan and Mighten full time and save 'big' on wages in the current footballing climate.

As an aside.  We're so predictable that no team has spanked us in the last 17.  We're competitive, compact and tough to beat.  That's prudent.  It's practical.  It's going to get us safe or more likely to.  Given the train wreck start to the season.  I'd call that a result.

That little bit of a gap opened up with mid-table. 4 points off Luton. We have a game in hand on Blackburn. A win today puts us within reach of mid-table 'safety' again. Good news is alot of the 'games in hand' against Forest have been used up bar Rotherham.

SA.

[Strawberry Avenger]

The Boys are here...

Nice to see Bong and Lolley smiling.

The 'walk in' seems to say alot about each player.

There's Grabban 'on his phone.'

Figs looks pensive.

Good to see McKenna in there along with Mighten.

They should be jumping for joy. They're on at least 16k a week.

Speaking of humility...

Hope Yates is fit again. Our energetic water carrier was off his game last time out. He looked ill and off the pace to me.

SA.

[ac_vodka]

No worrell

[Strawberry Avenger]

No worrell

:O

Injury? Rested? Or did he upset Knocker or ruffle feathers for saying players aren't running hard enough in the interview last week.

SA.

[ThePromisedLand]

No worrell

Ok so no Samba, Murray, Taylor, Knockaert, Garner, Krovinovic etc - if we’re basing this on the players walking into the ground.

[ac_vodka]

might not be good news but will wait for confirmation

[Duncan Mckenzie]

No worrell

Ok so no Samba, Murray, Taylor, Knockaert, Garner, Krovinovic etc - if we’re basing this on the players walking into the ground.

:D That's what I was thinking.

[ThePromisedLand]

might not be good news but will wait for confirmation

Fair enough AC