Our Recruitment Policy

[Strawberry Avenger]

I think it will be different this summer. Before, we need improving everywhere to avoid another relegation fight but since then we are significantly improved. MON and RK know that we need a keeper, another winger to reduce our reliance on Lolley, a dominant central midfielder and a mobile forward who can hold the ball up and well, scores goals.

Last night we can up against a team that has spent nigh on £200M and it showed. This highlights the injustice of parachute payments when the likes of Forest have to compete with such opposition spending power. So our recruitment team have to get it right. The two consolations we have this summer is MON and RK and that we can concentrate on 4 positions rather the whole team.

Against Villa.  Against Stoke.

Teams that have had Premier funding.  Our performances in both ran dry.  We haven't had Cash and Grabban.  We just don't have the depth to roll with those punches.

SA.

[Salvatore Matrecano]

We have 9 players in the squad who can play central midfield, only one of whom is injured, which is Cash. We could have chosen last night from: Guediora, Colback, Watson, Carvalho, Bridcutt, Yacob, Pele, Yates. I’m not including Osborn and Lolley who can both play there too.

How many of those could compete against Villa’s central 3 of Hourihane, Grealish and McGinn? Colback did his best, the others were outclassed. Harsh on Yates and to an extent Carvalho who both have bags of potential. But our recruitment strategy has mostly been reactionary and gone for quantity over quality. I would willingly swap at least 4 of those players for just one of McGinn’s ability.

[Maltared]

We didn’t really spend much this Jan at least. Still didn’t sign a backup LB though or another winger. Both have cost us

was referring to January 2018 ... AK signed almost 10 players in two weeks...(between loans and permanent)

[Maltared]

We have 9 players in the squad who can play central midfield, only one of whom is injured, which is Cash. We could have chosen last night from: Guediora, Colback, Watson, Carvalho, Bridcutt, Yacob, Pele, Yates. I’m not including Osborn and Lolley who can both play there too.

How many of those could compete against Villa’s central 3 of Hourihane, Grealish and McGinn? Colback did his best, the others were outclassed. Harsh on Yates and to an extent Carvalho who both have bags of potential. But our recruitment strategy has mostly been reactionary and gone for quantity over quality. I would willingly swap at least 4 of those players for just one of McGinn’s ability.

Salvatore...the midfielder that did the most damage was the one Colback was supposed to take care of. Grealish did nothing out of this world, apart from taking the piss. The danger mostly came from the flanks, where Villas defenders were running towards our defence un opposed. They were only intercepted once at the edge of our box... a very dangerous place ...
Villa came with a plan, they knew that they had a day less of rest, so they gambled everything in the first half hour. If they didnt score early on, I doubt that they could have continued playing on the same tempo. We just needed to control the came for a half and then up the tempo ourselves in the second period. Scoring first should have helped us, but it gave us the illusion that we were going to have it easy ...Villa had other thoughts...

[Strawberry Avenger]

We have 9 players in the squad who can play central midfield, only one of whom is injured, which is Cash. We could have chosen last night from: Guediora, Colback, Watson, Carvalho, Bridcutt, Yacob, Pele, Yates. I’m not including Osborn and Lolley who can both play there too.

How many of those could compete against Villa’s central 3 of Hourihane, Grealish and McGinn? Colback did his best, the others were outclassed. Harsh on Yates and to an extent Carvalho who both have bags of potential. But our recruitment strategy has mostly been reactionary and gone for quantity over quality. I would willingly swap at least 4 of those players for just one of McGinn’s ability.

Ironic given we were after McGinn & bought half the others instead.

Aye.  The irony is not lost on me.  McGinn...

It reminds me of Malta's point that we have 'half a midfield'.  He often talks about the midfield area.  And when we have McGinn stick it to Colback (our player of the season) then it tells you, we're ultimately short in that department.

An area where games are won and lost and we definitely lost it in that area last night against Villa.

I feel very grumpy about last night's result.   :(

SA.

[Strawberry Avenger]

We have 9 players in the squad who can play central midfield, only one of whom is injured, which is Cash. We could have chosen last night from: Guediora, Colback, Watson, Carvalho, Bridcutt, Yacob, Pele, Yates. I’m not including Osborn and Lolley who can both play there too.

How many of those could compete against Villa’s central 3 of Hourihane, Grealish and McGinn? Colback did his best, the others were outclassed. Harsh on Yates and to an extent Carvalho who both have bags of potential. But our recruitment strategy has mostly been reactionary and gone for quantity over quality. I would willingly swap at least 4 of those players for just one of McGinn’s ability.

Salvatore...the midfielder that did the most damage was the one Colback was supposed to take care of. Grealish did nothing out of this world, apart from taking the piss. The danger mostly came from the flanks, where Villas defenders were running towards our defence un opposed. They were only intercepted once at the edge of our box... a very dangerous place ...
Villa came with a plan, they knew that they had a day less of rest, so they gambled everything in the first half hour. If they didnt score early on, I doubt that they could have continued playing on the same tempo. We just needed to control the came for a half and then up the tempo ourselves in the second period. Scoring first should have helped us, but it gave us the illusion that we were going to have it easy ...Villa had other thoughts...

I wish I could summon up the will to talk about our midfield.

But MaltaRed, not for the first time, calls it right regarding our midfield.  Our 'flawed' midfield which goes back to our 'flawed' Summer recruitment policy...and back years, if we're being honest.

Psychologically, Villa did a number on 'us.'  Forest just needed to hold it together for the first half an hour.  They didn't and the game was lost right there and then.

I felt, MoN starting with Car and Ani' undermined what we needed to do for the 1st half an hour.  It's not often he gets it wrong.  But I felt starting with those two against Villa didn't help.  Perhaps our options were limited against a Villa side with class and depth.  And again.  You have a non LB at LB unbalancing the side with no protection in front of him.

Enjoyed your post, Malta.  Plus 1 to you.

Very frustrated with our midfield last night.  Colback got done for the 1st goal.  However, is he supposed to do it all on his own?  Our play of the season?  Maybe it would have been better having Watson behind him last night to given McGinn the old 'ave it'...?  But if Pele, a £6 million player couldn't cope with McGinn and Colback, a £2-3 million player couldn't cope with McGinn...

We got away with a draw last time and we had our top striker on the pitch.

SA.

[Salvatore Matrecano]

Salvatore...the midfielder that did the most damage was the one Colback was supposed to take care of. Grealish did nothing out of this world, apart from taking the piss. The danger mostly came from the flanks, where Villas defenders were running towards our defence un opposed. They were only intercepted once at the edge of our box... a very dangerous place ...
Villa came with a plan, they knew that they had a day less of rest, so they gambled everything in the first half hour. If they didnt score early on, I doubt that they could have continued playing on the same tempo. We just needed to control the came for a half and then up the tempo ourselves in the second period. Scoring first should have helped us, but it gave us the illusion that we were going to have it easy ...Villa had other thoughts...

Interesting viewpoint Malta. I think we simply came up against a better team all round last night. The thread is about recruitment, Villa could put out a better (and far more expensive) 11 but I reckon with just a few missing they would be like us with far too many squad fillers which is why they are still outside the top 6 and not storming the league.

[Salvatore Matrecano]

Pele, a £6 million player

£6 million player, my arse! Bizarre signing in my book and sums up our recruitment.

[Strawberry Avenger]

Pele, a £6 million player

£6 million player, my arse! Bizarre signing in my book and sums up our recruitment.

Played very well vs Hull.

But Villa are a different proposition.  We effectively, have another evolving area of the team, i.e.. midfield against a classy sports engine of Villa.  Forest were dizzy getting after them for the 1st half an hour.  Damage was done.  Too late.

Same as £13 million Car who seemed anonymous last night..?  £6 million Pele..?  They're just numbers.  How did our £19 million worth of talent do against Villa's midfield last night?  At times it seemed that we didn't have a midfield and we couldn't deal with or stop McGinn?

SA.

[Strawberry Avenger]

Salvatore...the midfielder that did the most damage was the one Colback was supposed to take care of. Grealish did nothing out of this world, apart from taking the piss. The danger mostly came from the flanks, where Villas defenders were running towards our defence un opposed. They were only intercepted once at the edge of our box... a very dangerous place ...
Villa came with a plan, they knew that they had a day less of rest, so they gambled everything in the first half hour. If they didnt score early on, I doubt that they could have continued playing on the same tempo. We just needed to control the came for a half and then up the tempo ourselves in the second period. Scoring first should have helped us, but it gave us the illusion that we were going to have it easy ...Villa had other thoughts...

Interesting viewpoint Malta. I think we simply came up against a better team all round last night. The thread is about recruitment, Villa could put out a better (and far more expensive) 11 but I reckon with just a few missing they would be like us with far too many squad fillers which is why they are still outside the top 6 and not storming the league.

That is a fair point.

We drew against Villa with stronger players in the team.

Where was Grabban, Jack and Cash last night?

Out.  That's where.

See if Villa could take the same hit.

or any team.

SA.

[Strawberry Avenger]

I wish I could summon up the will to talk about our midfield.

But MaltaRed, not for the first time, calls it right regarding our midfield.  Our 'flawed' midfield which goes back to our 'flawed' Summer recruitment policy...and back years, if we're being honest.

Yes, this season it's on the poor recruitment, but it's been an issue since Reid & Cohen got injured v Derby under Psycho.

Psychologically, Villa did a number on 'us.'  Forest just needed to hold it together for the first half an hour.  They didn't and the game was lost right there and then.

I felt, MoN starting with Car and Ani' undermined what we needed to do for the 1st half an hour.  It's not often he gets it wrong.  But I felt starting with those two against Villa didn't help.  Perhaps our options were limited against a Villa side with class and depth.  And again.  You have a non LB at LB unbalancing the side with no protection in front of him.

It's his mistake & he has to wear it, but in his defence if Murphy was knackered did he have options?

something, something, something, recruitment...

Enjoyed your post, Malta

He's generally consistent on his comments

I know, NG, I know...it goes back along way.  You can hear it in Malta's 'voice.'  

It's the frustration. I feel, about last night.  We were never going to fix it all in one Summer window.  But we could have helped our case more.

Aye.  Maybe his hands were tied.  Last night, a gamble?

And for Ipswich?  Let us see...

SA.

[Jasper Scarrott]

The recruitment of our Goalkeeper's has also been shocking.

I would take Smith over Pantilimon and Steele.