Player Ratings After 12 Games

[GaribaldiRED]

I agree SA, that Pants is "good enough" for now at the "defending" part of the game but I still believe that he's not good enough at distributing the ball and for me that is extremely important in how Forest want to play football. I also think you are right that he will keep his place for the time being.

---

I agree with most of what is being said above in regard our keepers. Problem is that we are stuck with Panti, as a signed a couple of year contract-if not more-so whatever happens we have to pay him off or sell him (doubt many teams- at least at our level will take a punt on him).
In regard Steele I havent seen much of him apart from the Newcastle game and the highlights of the other two up games, so I cannot comment much, but from what I hear in here , many are saying that worst then Panti is not, so if AK decides to give him one or two leagues games, I guess no much harm can be done.
And for Smith, what a wasted season for the boy. he didnt deserve it. If AK was planning to have another back up keeper for Panti that wasnt Smith, he should have let him go on loan at least. As things are, he is throwing away a year of his professional development.

Yes, I really feel for Smith and I don't quite understand why he's not involved at all. Same go for Yates, Worral and Brereton. Hopefully both Smith and Yates will get loan deals in January in order to continue their development in the best possible way considering the circumstances.

[the jock]

goncalves is going to find it very hard to get into the squad going forward I feel.

[Camms]

goncalves is going to find it very hard to get into the squad going forward I feel.

He is one player who we can't really give a proper rating to yet.

I am sure he will get his chance though.

[Strawberry Avenger]

Pants was a God send last Jan, everything we was crying out for. Decent shot stopper, comes for crosses, talks to his players. However i do feel he's off form this season so I ask why, I believe it all stems back to when he didn't play towards the back end of last season due to personal reasons. Can anybody shed any light what these problems were as I'm convinced his heads not right. We only have to look at Murphy when he had troubles, he's a totally different player from then.
I do like Smith but he had to much pressure for a young kid.

:cool:   Very insightful.  Where did that player go, eh?

Personal troubles can make shadows of good players...

SA.

[ThePromisedLand]

Goncalves has 2 goals to his name in the first hour of Portugal’s U21 game tonight. Poor opposition but will hopefully give him a lift.

[Duncan Mckenzie]

Pants was a God send last Jan, everything we was crying out for. Decent shot stopper, comes for crosses, talks to his players. However i do feel he's off form this season so I ask why, I believe it all stems back to when he didn't play towards the back end of last season due to personal reasons. Can anybody shed any light what these problems were as I'm convinced his heads not right. We only have to look at Murphy when he had troubles, he's a totally different player from then.
I do like Smith but he had to much pressure for a young kid.

:cool:   Very insightful.  Where did that player go, eh?

Personal troubles can make shadows of good players...

SA.

NG3 mentioned on the goalkeepers thread that his personal problems were due to his daughter being ill.

[GaribaldiRED]

Seems like we all agree that Pants has his weaknesses but that we probably are stuck with him for this season at least. So, no big expectations of getting a new keeper in January. Steele will get his chances in the cup games and Smith's best option is probably to hope for a loan deal in January as he needs game time in order to continue his development. 

And with that short summary the keeper position has been assessed. Now we move on to the next position which is right back.

Darikwa: 6
I have to honest and I'm not sure about Darikwa. Well, I'm sure that he is not a great defender but he offers quite a lot going forward and he does have great pace. His performances have however been too much up and down. He came in for Janko against Middlesbrough and had a great game both defensively as well as in attack which must be a real confidence booster. He is now away on international duty with Zimbabwe which should hopefully boost his confidence even further. Maybe I shouldn’t give up on him just yet.

Janko: 7,5
I have been impressed by Janko. He has come in and straight away hit the ground running. Hopefully he will be able to maintain that high level of performance. For me he hasn't shown any apparent weaknesses yet. Good at defending and good going forward and a bit of pace about him as well. Let's hope that he doesn't fade away after the initial flurry of games as we have seen so many other players have done before him.

Byram: 7
From the early games it was clear to see that Byram do have the required quality to do well at right back but unfortunately he got himself injured which was what we all feared when we first got him signed. He’s now back at West Ham and I don’t believe we will see him at Forest again which is a real pity.

So, as it stands now we should be fine at right back with Darikwa and Janko fighting it out. Well, I'm not sure how much "fighting" it will be as Janko at present looks head and shoulders above Darikwa but you never know. If Darikwa can build on the Middlebrough game and find some kind of consistency it could be interesting but it will be difficult for him to be considered the number one right back at the club. But stranger things have happened.

[ThePromisedLand]

Some big IF’s here!

If Byram gets back to full fitness.
If Byram’s ongoing fitness can be assured.
If Byram wants to come back.

He is the one for me.

[the jock]

if we were to push on and make signings in January where would everybody like to strengthen?

[GaribaldiRED]

I agree TPL, Byram has huge potential but I'm afraid he's too injury prone. No point in having a player that breaks down at regular intervals. We have tried that before.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

I agree TPL, Byram has huge potential but I'm afraid he's too injury prone. No point in having a player that breaks down at regular intervals. We have tried that before.

This ^ I like Byram a lot but we have hopefully learned a lesson from injury prone players of the past.

Anyway else think we might offlaod Darikwa and sign another right back in January or is it just me?

[Maltared]

We cannot comment on Byram, he didnt even finish one whole game !!!! ... Janko slightly better then Dariwka at the moment, by not much to be honest...