Captain Joe

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

Come on TPL. Hefele was chosen by karanka. Are we not supposed to back our managers now?

[Knocker West]

Fun fact for the day: Michael Hefele earned more money than Joe this week.

Zach Clough made as much as Brennan Johnson or Alex  Mighten, & Zach Clough's not even on our books, & not even a starter for Wigan, now that's how to waste money!

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

Back on track:

No doubt in my mind that CH has improved Worrall.

[Salvatore Matrecano]

I agree Sniffer, some of signings Karanka made were more than questionable, made far too many aswell, being found out for it this season with Brum. AK did get us Joe Lolley though.

Worrall is our player of the season by a country mile.

[Strawberry Avenger]

Back on track:

No doubt in my mind that CH has improved Worrall.

Agreed.

SA.  :cool:

[Reds73]

I agree Sniffer, some of signings Karanka made were more than questionable, made far too many aswell,  being found out for it this season with Brum. AK did get us Joe Lolley though.

Worrall is our player of the season by a country mile.

100% 

I don’t think there’s even a debate to be had there.

If we could keep Worrall and McKenna together for next season, then that’s 1 of the boxes sorted. We would not concede a lot of goals.

If we could somehow sign the players to get us the goals then we would be up there.

How do we fund a striker, winger and midfielder ?

[Knocker West]

AK did get us Joe Lolley though.

I'm glad that Lolley is still appreciated on this forum, some corners of the internet & our fanbase have been quite abusive to him over the last 12 months & I think it's unfair & unwarranted, yes, at times we've seen massive dips in form from him, but we know the reason why & that reason why existed when we bought him, so I don't see how it can be held against him & perhaps more positively for me, while some have written him off, I still believe we'll see the "old" Lolley again sometimes.

His career to date has followed the same pattern, he'll play for a while, the muscle problem will kick in, he'll struggle for a while & then come back for another good run.

When we signed him he had just been through a difficult patch, we saw what happened the next season, & there is no reason to believe things won't continue to follow that pattern.

I think he's not been to bad lately & I think as his rehabilitation continues his form will improve further & I think next season could well be a flyer for him.

Let's hope so, because peak Lolley is just what we need for a promotion charge.

[Strawberry Avenger]

I agree Sniffer, some of signings Karanka made were more than questionable, made far too many aswell,  being found out for it this season with Brum. AK did get us Joe Lolley though.

Worrall is our player of the season by a country mile.

100% 

I don’t think there’s even a debate to be had there.

If we could keep Worrall and McKenna together for next season, then that’s 1 of the boxes sorted. We would not concede a lot of goals.

If we could somehow sign the players to get us the goals then we would be up there.

How do we fund a striker, winger and midfielder ?

Worrall and McKenna have tantalised when playing together. Imperious together.

Car, Grabban, Tyler.  Offloading Arter and out of contract pretenders.

SA.

[ThePromisedLand]

AK did get us Joe Lolley though.

I'm glad that Lolley is still appreciated on this forum, some corners of the internet & our fanbase have been quite abusive to him over the last 12 months & I think it's unfair & unwarranted, yes, at times we've seen massive dips in form from him, but we know the reason why & that reason why existed when we bought him, so I don't see how it can be held against him & perhaps more positively for me, while some have written him off, I still believe we'll see the "old" Lolley again sometimes.

His career to date has followed the same pattern, he'll play for a while, the muscle problem will kick in, he'll struggle for a while & then come back for another good run.

When we signed him he had just been through a difficult patch, we saw what happened the next season, & there is no reason to believe things won't continue to follow that pattern.

I think he's not been to bad lately & I think as his rehabilitation continues his form will improve further & I think next season could well be a flyer for him.

Let's hope so, because peak Lolley is just what we need for a promotion charge.

You’re clearly new here Knocker - he’s had his fair share of stick on here.

[Strawberry Avenger]

AK did get us Joe Lolley though.

I'm glad that Lolley is still appreciated on this forum, some corners of the internet & our fanbase have been quite abusive to him over the last 12 months & I think it's unfair & unwarranted, yes, at times we've seen massive dips in form from him, but we know the reason why & that reason why existed when we bought him, so I don't see how it can be held against him & perhaps more positively for me, while some have written him off, I still believe we'll see the "old" Lolley again sometimes.

His career to date has followed the same pattern, he'll play for a while, the muscle problem will kick in, he'll struggle for a while & then come back for another good run.

When we signed him he had just been through a difficult patch, we saw what happened the next season, & there is no reason to believe things won't continue to follow that pattern.

I think he's not been to bad lately & I think as his rehabilitation continues his form will improve further & I think next season could well be a flyer for him.

Let's hope so, because peak Lolley is just what we need for a promotion charge.

You’re clearly new here Knocker - he’s had his fair share of stick on here.

I think alot of people don't understand that when you're injured.  You're injured.  Or when you're body is knackered with the intensity of football that eg. Lolley had following a similar problem at Huddersfield(?) that sooner or later, you're body burns out. As Lolley himself said, 'I've play alot of games...' He was quite candid about where he's at fitness wise.

Lolley and Grabban were thrashed under Sabri.  We didn't have the depth to rest either.  One of those player is now top side of 30 and the rest.  And Grabban has suffered hip, hamstring injuries.  And he had his head turned by Sabri this year in addition.  The service hasn't been great either.

3 have three strikers over 30.  And I doubt anyone here can run as fast as they did when they were 20.

As Hodge mentioned.  Your body takes a battering in elite sports.

We've had our list of players who have arrived injured.  Didn't play following an injury.  Didn't have 1st team football.  Suffered 'burn out.'  Or long standing fitness issues.

Freeman.  Colback.  Grabban.  Lolley.  Sow.

Even Worrall had an injury and it wasn't until he and Sow were restored to the side that things began to improve.

Even Yates.  Calf.  Arter.  Calf(?).

This 'over play' congested schedule hasn't helped things.  It's only compounded things in Forest's attacking third.

A lot of teams have younger players in the main.  Younger.  More energetic and athletic strikers.  With a bit of pace.

Eg. Barnsley.  I'm guessing their manager is asking them to run for 60 minutes and then bringing on players to do the 'same' for the last 30.  Perhaps they've got the players to do that.

But Forest didn't look like they had that much running in them v Watford.  Pedestrian.  Static at times.

RE: Lolley.  He looked something like his 'old self' as both Cafu and Lolley helped Forest wake up from their 1st half slumber to rattle Watford.  I thought we were unlucky not to get a draw.  (Yes, the lack of on target.). But the off side wasn't that far away and a couple of shots that weren't too far away as well.  And Watford had to KO Samba to get a goal.

It's been telling that Hughton has been incisive with the rotation of certain positions. Players will get tired and their form drops. Hughton will rotate them for matches. It seems. Not all. But 2-3. Some players can be ever present other's can't. That's up to recruitment. Forest weren't fit in the 1st place due to a crap pre-season.

I don't know what pre-season Barnsley had. But didn't they have their manager installed to begin with? Ie. They must have had a pre-season with him at the outset. We didn't get Hughton until...?

And Barnie's manager subs strategy seems to be different and related to the high octane press play style they have?

I think Freeman kind of sums up the 'catchup' season Forest have had to endure. You're not doing Wed/Sat Championship football if you're not fit. Or if you're injured. I've never had a hernia...but I can't imagine running with one is easy. I do know with even a slight adductor strain that Power Lifting (eg. Squat) is something you have to be careful with.

And then you've got recruitment of players who 'buy in' to what you're doing and who you can trust.

Knocker is Hughton's player. And clearly speaks for himself going forward. (Like to see him put more incisive delivery in and score more goals.). But his one moment of not tracking back cost us a goal. And that only exacerbates the drought of goals.

SA.

[Knocker West]

Lolley and Grabban were thrashed under Sabri. We didn't have the depth to rest either.

We've not had proper depth for years & as you highlight that brings it's own problems.

It's not about having a big squad, it's about having the right squad, the right combination of players to get the job done.

Every season we carry far to many passengers & it's something that has to change.

[tugger2018]

Given a choice between knockeart or lolley
Who would you choose guys ?
It’s Lolley for me everyday he creates and scores more and is a team player