22-08-2018, 02:52 PM
(This post was last modified: 22-08-2018, 03:04 PM by Strawberry Avenger.)
(21-08-2018, 10:51 AM)the jock Wrote: for sure SA! some are young men in a new country with a new style of football. will take time.
Aye. That's why, I wonder...if the swirling rumours for Ojo, Swaiss and even Oli' refuse to go away.
They're in 3 positions I don't think we have enough power, energy, pace or finishing.
I don't think Project Forest is finished yet. Still missing 3-4 really good players with the above characteristics to dominate the top 6 and push for the top 2.
SA.
(21-08-2018, 10:59 AM)redreni Wrote: not sure ive ever seen AK look particularly happy! the key early in the season is to be in the mix. which we are. need to keep in the mix and then kick on around christmas.
I have. Sometimes he laughs and smiles in the interviews or pan faced dry humour. But he's given to a dour, serious demeanour. All part of this passionate mystique, I guess.
SA.
(22-08-2018, 02:30 PM)NG3 Wrote:(21-08-2018, 10:59 AM)redreni Wrote: not sure ive ever seen AK look particularly happy!
I don't think he can afford to be happy, he'll know the pressures on. The target is promotion, if he falls off that pace he'll be in danger. He'll know that. It is all very clear cut this season.
I'm still pretty cool about things, as we've still got half a dozen games in which to get going yet, despite some worrying concerns.
There does seem to be a lack of faith though, amongst many, the old telltale signs are there, denial, anger, & bargaining.
Denial, where some ignore obvious issues, instead immersing themselves in soothing narratives & flawed statistics to tell themselves the problems don't exist.
Anger, where they shout abuse at individual players & fellow fans.
& bargaining, where they propose different players & formations, usually at complete odds with that managers history, in the hope that if the manager changes completely we won't have to change the manager.
Denial, anger, & bargaining have always been a good barometer of where the fans really stand.
Win against Birmingham & you'll see less of those things, lose & you'll see them ramp up.
To my mind Birmingham is an important game, it's our last "easy" game for a while. We've had quite an easy opening fixture list, so far, 3 teams tipped to be bottom half & lower league Bury, with only WBA as our only opponents, to date, tipped to be top half.
Birmingham is another team tipped for the bottom half, so it would be nice to get a win for confidence & momentum, not least because the 3 games after that are a step up, with Premier league Newcastle in the cup, followed by 2 tough away games at Brentford & Swansea, both fancied for the top half this season.
Forest fans can only go on what they experience per game.
Pre-season, Forest looked very good. But life in the Championship is very different for young(!) new recruits like the Portuguese contingent. They aren't playing velvet football, they're being exposed to kick and ruck, high pressing, high octane muck and nettles football.
Forest have soft fullbacks. Being targeted by the opposition. Not sure our wingers are tracking back that well so far against said teams. ...and other teams will notice that. DCM. Not sure we have the final solution with Watson's legs about to give out, Geddy injured, Yates young and Liam not fancied by the manager. Who is providing the drive chain to the side going forwards? The energy? To stop the opposition and get it going in the opposite direction?
Left side seems to being targeted by the opposition, behind the wings in front of the fullbacks(?) Danny Fox had 3 on him. So is he commanding in the air? He's played out of his skin though. Car', does he hold the ball up well enough? Hot and cold? Can he last 90 minutes yet? Can Grabban score? Can he head? Can he try? Does he get the service he requires?
If Dawson, Watson and Soudani don't play to begin with. Who provides the steel to Forest's spine?
Lots of questions.
Forest brought in 23 players over Jan' and Summer. Sounds great. But that only highlights how far behind Forest were in competing with e.g. Villa in the top 6 last season. ...and I still think Forest need another 3-4 powerful, pacey and energetic players in the left wing, DCM, ACM and a striker who offers a combination of Murphy and Bre' as both are over or under the 'prime'. Greedy or not.
SA.