Nottingham Forest - Derby County

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

To be played at the world famous City Ground on Saturday 8 November.

Kick off 12.30pm.

[the jock]

will be looking forward to this all week.

[Mcforest]

It’s Derby game and this makes it incredible difficult to do a team report, as we know form and style go out the window for these matches but here goes.

Derby’s form has seen them pick up in recent games although they haven’t gone on a real run of results as of yet. What we have seen however is better performances and them picking up points to steer them away from a relegation battle to mid-table security. Confidence and belief is beginning to grow with the rams making this weekend a much different proposition to the last match. This rise in the rams coincides with the return to the team of Martin as their pivot point upfront. Martin is proving to be what derby had been lacking in their preferred formation of 4-2-3-1 (but do also use a 4-3-3 now and again) and that is a player who when the ball goes long he is able to hold up play to bring others into the game and stops the team becoming stretched.
This has also allowed Marriott to take an inside forward role and it seems to suit him. He is now able to make dangerous runs from a deeper position onto through balls from martin’s held up play.

When attacking they do play a very narrow team and even though they have more touches out on the right hand side of the pitch than any other area they do tent to attack through the middle of the pitch as described above. Derby’s attacks are normally based on moving the ball up with direct passes then hold possession while the team moves up and then to repeat the process each time getting closer and closer to the opponents goal. This caterpillar movement build up allows Derby to create high volume of long range efforts. 12 of their goals have come from open play and they have converted 3 pens already this season.

When defending Derby rely heavily on the two defensive midfielders to press hard and steal the ball from the opposition while the main front three block the easy pass back between the opposition midfield and defence. The aim of this tactic is to make the team pass forward to areas in which they are outnumbered (4 defenders v 1 or 2 attackers) and thus more difficult to retain possession and build up an attack again.

So how do you get at them?
When defending Derby most teams have good success when defending in a condensed team formation as it makes it harder for them to break through and forces derby to go wide and crossing has been an issue so far this season for derby as well as bring fullbacks forward and out of the block of 4 defenders derby prefer to have in place at all times.

As holding the ball up is the main way of derby moving forward it is important that forest win that second ball before they get in under control and can move it forward again.

When attacking Derby they have been incredibly weak when dealing with counter attacks especially if the full backs have been dragged forward to support the wings because they have been forced wide while attacking. Teams have been able to move the ball at pace down the wide areas avoiding the two defensive midfielders to create chances often.

Derby are also prone to giving away dangerous free kicks away against players who can control the ball in tight areas.

Match Prediction: Get an early goal and derby will open up to chase this and then it falls into forests hands to counter attack at will, against a team who will get more and more desperate not to lose. The longer the game goes on the more it becomes and even match and it will then become about the use of subs and fitness. I’m hoping for a forest win 2-0 but as with all derby games more likely a draw.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

Thanks McForet, always an interesting read.

[the jock]

marriot has 1 goal in 12 for them this season. do people still wish we bought him instead of grabban?

[Salvatore Matrecano]

Thanks for the preview again Mcforest, a good read. Always hate to predict these matches, rarely goes as you expect but our recent record is good.
Regarding Marriot I think both teams are guilty of patchy recruitment (and poor ownership decisions)which is why we have both been stuck in the Championship far too long.

[Paplane]

Their away form is dire but I fancy they'll be a little more determined to perform well after the drubbing we gave their kids a few weeks ago. They've picked up a few wins at home of late but from what I can see and from what I hear, they've not been playing well to get those wins. But keep winning and confidence builds in a team, no matter what the performance is like, so they are dangerous.

Davies, Lawrence and Martin have experience of the fixture, and Clarke played in the drubbing I think, so they'll be ready and know what to expect.

But at home, I'd rate our 11 against any of their current 11 any day. I've said it before, if we fancy ourselves to do something this year, we have to be getting 3 points at home against a team that's currently 15th in the table. Yates is our little Jack Russel in midfield and was buzzing around in last year's game and got in their face (oh how I'm going to miss Keogh). Yates might make the difference by adding a bit of needle, energy and physicality in the middle.

On paper you've got to fancy us to get an easy win but who knows, a red card, an injury, or maybe a poor ref decision can make the difference in these games. So, not wanting to tempt fate, I'll go for a 1-1. They'd be delighted with that I'm sure.

[Username]

Big game this, we need a win ahead of three tough games against Bristol City, QPR and Cardiff.

I’m feeling calm but nervous.

[Duncan Mckenzie]

Big game this, we need a win ahead of three tough games against Bristol City, QPR and Cardiff.

I’m feeling calm but nervous.

That describes how I am feeling ^

[Mad Mel]

Confident of winning this, Derby are poor away from home. COYR.

[Madforit]

Potential banana skin awaiting with this one, it all depends on which Forest team appears that day, if it's a team that thinks that this game is a formality, then we will most definitely lose.
But if it's a team that wants to put their neighbours to the sword, then touch wood, we will all leave the ground after the final whistle with very big smiles on our faces.

[Paplane]

Potential banana skin awaiting with this one, it all depends on which Forest team appears that day, if it's a team that thinks that this game is a formality, then we will most definitely lose.
But if it's a team that wants to put their neighbours to the sword, then touch wood, we will all leave the ground after the final whistle with very big smiles on our faces.

It is a banana skin but for me, a lot depends on how much the sheep players are prepared to put on the line for the club.

If they dont go out there as one, and lay everything on the line for their fans, then after all their recent shenanigans I suspect the sheep fans will be in revolt mode if they're beaten again.

Are they up to it? We will be.