Opposition Fans Comments

[zicorice]

Fair comments.

Genuinely feel for them in one way. The older fans who have watched them come up from Non league might not get the chance to watch them live in The Championship. 

A bit opposite of Forest...the ones under 27 unlikely to see Forest play at Wembley......

[Strawberry Avenger]

To the Chairs...

Oh sit down...oh sit sit down...sit down next to me...sit down...down, down, down...

SA.

[Tricky]

Thanks for posting these Joe.

Respect to the Wycombe fans. No bitching about 'we were robbed by the referee' etc like we usually see from fans whose side we have beaten.

I wish them well and hope it isn't too long before we see Wycombe in the Championship again (here's also hoping that we wont be playing them as we will have got into the PL!)

[Joe Baker Legend]

Bournemouth Fans Pre Match Comments.....

Looking For First Win At The City Ground

With our club entering the Quarter Finals of the FA Cup for the second time in our history, with a 0-2 victory at Turf Moor against Premier League Burnley on Tuesday night, with our goals from Sam Surridge in the first half and the normal Junior Stanislas ‘special’ from the penalty spot towards the end of the game, we are away again, this time with league action Live on Sky at 12.30 pm on Saturday.

The Cherries will be making the trip up to the City Ground the home of Nottingham Forest our next opponents, we have never beaten them there. Forest had plans at one time to move away from the City Ground to a new site, but with one thing and another, these plans never materialised and their latest plans are to redevelop the ground. There have been changes in the Forest personnel camp since our last 2-0 victory against them at Dean Court, with a goal in each half from Junior Stanislas, the second from the penalty spot. Chris Hughton has added another ex Cherries player to his squad in Glenn Murray from Brighton on a free transfer, to join Harry Arter, Lewis Grabban and Lyle Taylor.

Nottingham Forest after losing at Dean Court had two home games on the bounce, first they lost to Swansea 0-1 and drew with Watford 0-0. In further home games they lost 1-3 against Brentford and then beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1. Then followed a 0-0 draw with Birmingham City, 3-1 win over Millwall, 1-2 defeat against Middlesbrough and in their last home game a 0-0 draw with Barnsley. Away from home since we played them, they have W 3, D 2, L 2.

The last time we played Forest at their ground was in our Championship winning season of 2014-15, they did the double over us, winning 2-1 in the February at the City Ground, our goal coming from Andrew Surman after only 3 minutes to give us the lead, but they scored two goals before half-time which were enough to win the game. The game at Dean Court also ended 1-2, again AFCB scored first but in the second half from Callum Wilson in the 58thminute, they put the game to bed in a five minute spell, with two goals in the 67th and 72nd minute. They were only one of two teams to do the double over us that season, the other was Leeds United.

In all our league away games against Forest, AFCB have W 0, D 3, L 4.

In all league games, we have never met in the cup, AFCB have W 5, D 4, L 6.

Nottingham Forest Team News
Lewis Grabban was left out of the squad for the Wycombe Wanderers game because of a slight hamstring problem. Another player to miss that game because of injury was Sammy Ameobi. Other injuries, Samba Sow, Harry Arter who has had a calf problem, another player with calf injury is Ryan Yates.

Nottingham Forest Player To Watch
Glen Murray did well in the Championship the last time he played there. I know he is 37, but he had a good game away at Wycombe Wanderers scoring a brace. Anthony Knockaert his teammate at Brighton will be playing alongside him.

AFCB Team News
Still waiting for news about how long Solanke will be out. Otherwise will be a strong squad to pick from and a difficult decision after his two games in charge where the team won. Did Surridge do enough to guarantee a starting place on Saturday?

AFCB player To Watch
Hoping Ben Pearson will start this game after a positive start in his first game at Burnley. Jack Wilshere will be another, had a good game against Birmingham and was rested for the cup game.

Second double of the season coming up

Looking for a confident and dominant performance first and foremost, then the result should be in our favour. If we go back to looking like we did in the Birmingham game then last night's performance was obviously a false dawn.
But I sincerely hope and believe that it was not !

I'm sure we HAVE won at Forest before - in League 1. I think it was a convincing scoreline too. One of three visits there.

No I was wrong. One defeat and 2 draws on my 3 visits!

Grabban rested as a precaution for their last game so should be involved on Saturday

Need to start on the front foot on Saturday . Players should now be fighting for their places .
Dominate the midfield straight away

Team Prediction Time (my favourite time of the week!)

Solanke remains out for an unknown duration, but apart from that we boast a fully fit squad, assuming that Stacey is fit after coming off at half-time against Burnley.

I'll also take it that Travers coming back was only as a precaution and that Bego is alright to start...

Begovic
Smith CCV Cook Kelly
Cook Lerma
Wilshere
Stanislas Surridge Danjuma

Bench: Travers, Stacey, Mepham, Rico, Pearson, Billing, Brooks, Riquelme, Long

It's so great that we have this amount of squad depth and quality on the bench. Harsh on Pearson and Billing but Lew and Wilsh deserve to keep their league place.

Stacey on the bench to avoid any further injury and Kelly coming back despite a reasonable Rico performance mid-week.

I think Brooks needs to be dropped to hopefully fire him up and, quite honestly, Junior's getting goals so needs to be in there.

Lastly, Sam deserves a league start after all of his efforts, including a goal and assist. Long to make an impact off the bench if needed.

Pearson is must starter for me ...

I do agree mate, he looks like a real talent but I also don't believe that Cook, Lerma or Wilshere have done anything to warrant dropping to the bench.

We've definitely had worse problems

Between Long or Surridge supported by all our creative players who chip in, I think we have enough goals in us, as long as we keep the back door closed a little better than we have of late.

We'll need to wrap Smith up in cotton wool a bit as our only right back. I guess if needs be we try moving Lerma there now Pearson is an option.

Based on the recent couple of games, I'd be happy to let Begs have a game or two rest if it clears up his knock. Better to have him rested for Travers for a short while, then come back fully fit and back on his earlier form.

I think with woodgate the position he is in , results count. He will want to win games which looks good for him and therefore will pick a strong team.

Big game for Woodgate tomorrow, if we win and play like we did against Burnley, with the options we've got, I'd give him the job until the end of the season.

Forest...oh yeah ..Christ its on us..back to the grind... almost an anti - climax...can't get the Cup Derby off my mind. .quite the biggest game in our history by a country mile.
I'd happily forfeit promotion if we can crack that bast@rd !
Kinda think though we could beat Zamp'n and Win the Cup and Go Up....you have to think it.. cus its compulsory to do so !

[zicorice]

Bournemouth Fans Pre Match Comments.....

Looking For First Win At The City Ground

With our club entering the Quarter Finals of the FA Cup for the second time in our history, with a 0-2 victory at Turf Moor against Premier League Burnley on Tuesday night, with our goals from Sam Surridge in the first half and the normal Junior Stanislas ‘special’ from the penalty spot towards the end of the game, we are away again, this time with league action Live on Sky at 12.30 pm on Saturday.

The Cherries will be making the trip up to the City Ground the home of Nottingham Forest our next opponents, we have never beaten them there. Forest had plans at one time to move away from the City Ground to a new site, but with one thing and another, these plans never materialised and their latest plans are to redevelop the ground. There have been changes in the Forest personnel camp since our last 2-0 victory against them at Dean Court, with a goal in each half from Junior Stanislas, the second from the penalty spot. Chris Hughton has added another ex Cherries player to his squad in Glenn Murray from Brighton on a free transfer, to join Harry Arter, Lewis Grabban and Lyle Taylor.

Nottingham Forest after losing at Dean Court had two home games on the bounce, first they lost to Swansea 0-1 and drew with Watford 0-0. In further home games they lost 1-3 against Brentford and then beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1. Then followed a 0-0 draw with Birmingham City, 3-1 win over Millwall, 1-2 defeat against Middlesbrough and in their last home game a 0-0 draw with Barnsley. Away from home since we played them, they have W 3, D 2, L 2.

The last time we played Forest at their ground was in our Championship winning season of 2014-15, they did the double over us, winning 2-1 in the February at the City Ground, our goal coming from Andrew Surman after only 3 minutes to give us the lead, but they scored two goals before half-time which were enough to win the game. The game at Dean Court also ended 1-2, again AFCB scored first but in the second half from Callum Wilson in the 58thminute, they put the game to bed in a five minute spell, with two goals in the 67th and 72nd minute. They were only one of two teams to do the double over us that season, the other was Leeds United.

In all our league away games against Forest, AFCB have W 0, D 3, L 4.

In all league games, we have never met in the cup, AFCB have W 5, D 4, L 6.

Nottingham Forest Team News
Lewis Grabban was left out of the squad for the Wycombe Wanderers game because of a slight hamstring problem. Another player to miss that game because of injury was Sammy Ameobi. Other injuries, Samba Sow, Harry Arter who has had a calf problem, another player with calf injury is Ryan Yates.

Nottingham Forest Player To Watch
Glen Murray did well in the Championship the last time he played there. I know he is 37, but he had a good game away at Wycombe Wanderers scoring a brace. Anthony Knockaert his teammate at Brighton will be playing alongside him.

AFCB Team News
Still waiting for news about how long Solanke will be out. Otherwise will be a strong squad to pick from and a difficult decision after his two games in charge where the team won. Did Surridge do enough to guarantee a starting place on Saturday?

AFCB player To Watch
Hoping Ben Pearson will start this game after a positive start in his first game at Burnley. Jack Wilshere will be another, had a good game against Birmingham and was rested for the cup game.

Second double of the season coming up

Looking for a confident and dominant performance first and foremost, then the result should be in our favour. If we go back to looking like we did in the Birmingham game then last night's performance was obviously a false dawn.
But I sincerely hope and believe that it was not !

I'm sure we HAVE won at Forest before - in League 1. I think it was a convincing scoreline too. One of three visits there.

No I was wrong. One defeat and 2 draws on my 3 visits!

Grabban rested as a precaution for their last game so should be involved on Saturday

Need to start on the front foot on Saturday . Players should now be fighting for their places .
Dominate the midfield straight away

Team Prediction Time (my favourite time of the week!)

Solanke remains out for an unknown duration, but apart from that we boast a fully fit squad, assuming that Stacey is fit after coming off at half-time against Burnley.

I'll also take it that Travers coming back was only as a precaution and that Bego is alright to start...

Begovic
Smith CCV Cook Kelly
Cook Lerma
Wilshere
Stanislas Surridge Danjuma

Bench: Travers, Stacey, Mepham, Rico, Pearson, Billing, Brooks, Riquelme, Long

It's so great that we have this amount of squad depth and quality on the bench. Harsh on Pearson and Billing but Lew and Wilsh deserve to keep their league place.

Stacey on the bench to avoid any further injury and Kelly coming back despite a reasonable Rico performance mid-week.

I think Brooks needs to be dropped to hopefully fire him up and, quite honestly, Junior's getting goals so needs to be in there.

Lastly, Sam deserves a league start after all of his efforts, including a goal and assist. Long to make an impact off the bench if needed.

Pearson is must starter for me ...

I do agree mate, he looks like a real talent but I also don't believe that Cook, Lerma or Wilshere have done anything to warrant dropping to the bench.

We've definitely had worse problems

Between Long or Surridge supported by all our creative players who chip in, I think we have enough goals in us, as long as we keep the back door closed a little better than we have of late.

We'll need to wrap Smith up in cotton wool a bit as our only right back. I guess if needs be we try moving Lerma there now Pearson is an option.

Based on the recent couple of games, I'd be happy to let Begs have a game or two rest if it clears up his knock. Better to have him rested for Travers for a short while, then come back fully fit and back on his earlier form.

I think with woodgate the position he is in , results count. He will want to win games which looks good for him and therefore will pick a strong team.

Big game for Woodgate tomorrow, if we win and play like we did against Burnley, with the options we've got, I'd give him the job until the end of the season.

Forest...oh yeah ..Christ its on us..back to the grind... almost an anti - climax...can't get the Cup Derby off my mind. .quite the biggest game in our history by a country mile.
I'd happily forfeit promotion if we can crack that bast@rd !
Kinda think though we could beat Zamp'n and Win the Cup and Go Up....you have to think it.. cus its compulsory to do so !

They have some serious talent. Going to need to be at it from the first whistle to the last.

[Strawberry Avenger]

A lot of money in that Bournemouth team?

Forest neutralised it.

SA.

[Joe Baker Legend]

Bournemouth Fans Match Comments.....

Just for balance really.......i think 4231 is our most effective formation ....it's what we played when we beat Forest earlier in the season during a period where we looked a really good team........i thought about playing Billing in the 10 role and Stan on the right but Stan's not as effective there and i wanted Wilshere in behind Danjuma.
Brooks has been poor but they're were signs against Burnley that he might be starting to turn the corner.....i wonder if that might be due to having Pearson and Lerma behind him .....it certainly had a bearing on the improvement in Billing's performance.

not long til ko now....

COOOMMMEE ONNNNN UUUUUUU REDDDDDSSS

JJONNNYYY WOODGATES BARMMMMYYY ARRRMMMMMYYYY

Different way to advertise the game.

Also see the two football teams grounds, closest to each other in England, around 300 yards.
Like the comment about Grabban

 Good team! Surprised no Surridge starting but apart from that

I like it. No sentiment. Picking the right team for the job at hand. Woodgate exerting authority.

Want to stop Murray getting a sniff around goal.

Our other two ex strikers Grabban and Taylor are on their bench.

Great line up for us.

Cookie off already, injured. Kelly on. Looks like a groin strain.

Bugger! Our no:1 man off injured.

Kelly for Cook. Better hope we can outscore them then....
Oh wait we have long upfront ffs

We havent really got going yet, a bit like the tech

Shane Long isnt 'long' enough to get his head on anything

Team looks ok, but still so many poor passes and crosses. Why?

Surridge will leave us and tear it up somewhere else because of our bizzar reluctance to play him

Need to bring Danjuma into the game - he’s hardly had a touch.

Looking pretty solid through to the final third where were completely toothless

The Forest commentary is incredibly fair.

Wilshere very quiet today - too many moves breaking down as Forest hustle him.

Dull first half.

Snorefest

The whole side needs to up the workrate and tempo. Too many players ambling around or stood like statues whilst Forest buzz around.

Just glad to see we are not 1 down.

Forest are there for the taking, but we need to move the bloody ball forwards.

Billing and Surridge need to come on soon. Danjuma has barely had a touch. Playing wide will open forest up.

Stanislas and Danjuma not in the game so far, forest crowding them out whilst Long hasnt got on anything. Need Surridge for me.

We have nothing in midfield again. Lerma giving stupid balls away as per. Get him off for Lewis who can open up defences with his vision and creativity.

Sam must be scratching his head as to why he's behind Long in the pecking order. He would've buried that header.

Woodgate looking like he doesn't want the job, maybe he's been told he's not here after today.

BBC live text describe it as "an entertaining affair". I wouldn't. Forest happy to hold us off, we are not able to land a blow.

Looks like a mid table league 1 game in the middle of April.

Pretty dire all round but forest are there for the taking

Thought we were 3-0 down judging by this board. And what a dull graphic.

Houghton putting a wall up to stop us playing. If we commit forward that will be their only chance. Tricky for Woodgate, stick or twist?

HT thoughts
+s
-nowhere near as bad as many performances this season.
-Pearson is everything we have needed in a midfielder for a long time.
-CCV very solid.
-Smith finally putting some crosses into the box.
-s
-not nearly enough goal threat. A lot of pretty football with very little penetration. Need to get more bodies into the box if we want to score.
-related to the first point, Wilshere, as good a player as he is, is not suited to playing as a ten and doesn’t provide enough goal threat. Have him playing deeper or not at all imo. Would personally like to see him and Pearson as a midfield 2 with a proper number ten.
-Danjuma. Barely touched the ball. Blows very hot and cold.
-Shane Long. Will clearly work his ******************************
off but we badly need someone who will actually provide a threat in the penalty area. Don’t understand how he is a better option than Surridge tbh.

Not a shot on target so far.

Like the look of Pearson makes it simple so not to lose the ball.

Need to get a goal second half and up our game.

Pity losing Steve Cook early on with what looks like a groin injury

Last 4 league games we've conceded in the first half. Getting to half time nil all is a step up. They've only lost one of their last 7 league games, 5 wins in that time. Far better form team than us.

Ponderous and dull

I've heard of being forced to play with your back to goal but we're playing with our back to the centre forward.

Could play all day and won't look anything like scoring with Long there...

“ The 25million pound man Lerma “
I think the commentator can’t quite believe we paid that for him ...
Fair commentary though ....

Up against a typical Houghton team. Well drilled and boring.

Kelly!! Stupid free kick to give away.

it must be hard not to punch or kick that knockhaert bloke tbf

Slowly does it zzzzzzzz

I wonder if Forest will allow us to swap Long's loan contract for Grabs?

We could really do with Solanke anyone know when he is coming back?

Surridge finally warming up!

Has their keeper made a save ??????????

....... Nope

We could well lose this by being so ponderous

78th minute and Long is still on.
I don't understand!

Yet another ball in we can't defend.

Pearson then Bego off the line.

Thank **************** for that

We just can't break down defensively set up teams.

We’ve obviously had some poor games this year performance wise, probably quite a few worse or just as bad this. However, is this the most boring game we’ve had for quite some years? I’m struggling to remember one so dull.

What a dive Knockhaert

absolute wankerrrrr

How does Knockaert get away with it ffs.

Oh no another corner for us, just give them the ball.

Game over, seems only having a goal threat on the pitch for 10 minutes isn't enough to win a game....

Disgraceful

Well done lads sterling effort against a top four side.

Awful game. Awful performance.

Utter shite.

[Joe Baker Legend]

The Aftermath......

On current form that's a very good draw. First clean sheet in league since 2/1.
Too many players still not performing consistently enough. Too many poor passes.
Willo. 'It's always great to get the nil.'

Reported missing Danjuma and Brooks.

How many times did the ball bounce in their box and someone pull out of a challenge with a defender or keeper. Danjuma at the end there a classic example. If there were fans in the stand they would be going hopping mad at all these pulled challenges.

Cannot believe we waited until the 80th minute to bring Surridge on. At least he isn't getting the job full time

We look a very poor side at the moment.

Blimey, I thought the sheet soakers might have given the team a bit longer to turn things around, but it appears not.

Woodgate got everything wrong today!
- wrong starting lineup!
- wrong shape, I mean why to god did he play Lerma there?
- substitutes came far too late!!!
Very disappointed

Hey, we might get Jurgen straight swap for Woodgate.

2 successful crosses out of 24
sums it up really

... and not one single shot on goal...FFS. Embarrassing given the players we have.

That was a painful watch..

Never getting out of this league with this squad and set up.

Beat me to it. Some many promising positions but rico and smith were dire. Not sure where danjuma was second half.

Mind you, give forest credit though - that’s how Hughton plays so it is hard to break through.

It looked like with 20 minutes of normal time to go Surridge was ready to come on, then Pearson received an injury and even though Pearson was ok, Surridge put his jacket back on and we had to wait another 10 minutes before he came on.

Didn’t see the runs from Danjuma we are used to either.

Biggest disappointment for me was we didn’t test their keeper with a shot on target, you don’t shoot, you don’t score.

We didn’t concede against Forest who are one of the form sides at the moment.

Hughton seems happy to get a point and made no substitution.

One plus is that we didn’t go for Hughton at the start of the season. What awful football and clearly happy to settle for 0-0 at home.

Imagine the meltdown if Tindall was in charge? Very poor game. I'd like to understand the reason why Surridge didn't start as I don't think Long contributed much (more than Danjuma though, I admit)

Couldn't understand why Jack Wilshire was more up front as there appeared to be so few options for him to pass to.

So defensive, very hard to break them down, Hughton with a clench fist at the end showed they were very happy with the point.

More able to counter the threat from a resurgent Forest side?

I don’t think that’s the case, the only threat they carried was one slightly larger than ours, which was pretty much zero. They showed little ambition. We should have taken the game to them. The 3 points were there for the taking if we’d have been braver.

Forest set up not to get beaten and we didn't break them down but emerged with point that might be important come the final mix.

Extremely disappointing that some players went missing in the game. As has been said poor full back performances and one up at the top didn't work. Midfield was good defensively but no spark going forward.

For all our alleged top quality players getting the right mix to make a side that works week in week out is the million $ question.

Viv Anderson; "I think they(us) could get in the top two and maybe even the automatic spots"

...... Headed too many balls.

Is it me or is that not a bad point in fact? Credit to Hughton, he knows how to set a team up, Forest much improved under him. Draw your away games, win at home. Simples. Now let’s do it Wednesday!

We always seem to struggle to break down sides who show little ambition and just get players behind the ball. If we score early the game changes. I’ve seen written somewhere else that sides are more happy to do that at home this season as they don’t have home fans baying for them to “have a go”. Could you imagine the Forest fans being happy with them just setting up for a point and possible steal?

On Tuesday we fizzed the ball around better whereas today we looked way more pedestrian. I’m not sure I would have changed that side much for today. In the absence of Dom, I think Sam did enough to start and whilst I see him as being a long way from the finished article he does make himself a nuisince.

On the plus side, I was really worried when Cook went off so early, so a clean sheet was good. CCV continues to look like a player and Pearson looks like he can give us more steel.

on the plus plus side, Murray didn’t score against us and the other ex players weren’t given the chance to.

[Strawberry Avenger]

They paid 25 million for a lama?

Whicha whinin' Bournemouth fans...

SA.

[Paplane]

They paid 25 million for a lama?

Whicha whinin' Bournemouth fans...

SA.

There was only one £25m player on the pitch today. Wozza.

[Strawberry Avenger]

Cardiff under Mick have shown what three straight wins can do.

How tight it is midtable.

I'd like to see Forest get three straight wins...

SA.

[Joe Baker Legend]

Swansea Fans Pre Match Comments.......

EFL Championship
Wednesday February 17th 2021
Liberty Stadium
Kick Off 7pm

Match Officials
GEOFF ELTRINGHAM
Richard Wild and Mark Pottage
Fourth Official : Kevin Johnson

Geoff Eltringham last officiated a swans game on Saturday September 26th 2020 when Wycombe hosted the game.The swans won 2-0. He booked two Wycombe players.

History
Swansea City v Nottingham Forest
Games won: 25
Games drawn: 16
Games lost: 26

On the 16th May 2011 the swans beat Forest in the championship play off semi finals at the Liberty 3-1.

The last meeting in the FA Cup saw the swans win 5-1 a few weeks ago at the Liberty.

Andre Ayew on Forest
“The next game will be a hard one,” said the 31-year-old. “We know there's 19 games left and so many points. “It's a marathon and we need to keep going to the end. The team who is going to be strong mentally and physically will be able to do something great. “But with so many games to play, I think it’s important that we only look at the next game. And we will do that for the rest of the season. “We are doing good but we won’t get carried away. We must keep working and work harder because we've got 19 games left and there are a lot of points to play for and get before we can think about anything.”

Forest man to watch

Joe Worrall

Defender Worrall is catching the eye of numerous premier league sides including gravelly voiced Burnley. He has only enjoyed being one of the first on the team sheet last and this season. Before that he was on loan at Glasgow Rangers and Dagenham & Redbridge where he scored his last competitive goal. Worrall is from a place called Hucknall.

Bristol City will have a big say in if we are still 3rd when this game kicks off.

Put man city behind us and move on.
Come on my lovely boys

Yes,I too remember that chap with the squeaky voice saying that at top volume. Takes me back a good 50 years possibly

Can you remember the bugler on the North bank?
Who used to play fall in?

Not right now but I remember that screech.Cumon....my lovely boys.

Happy days so thanks for that

Forest will be smarting after the recent drubbing, so will come straight out of the blocks.

They'll be looking to physically dominate and bully with their preferred 4231 formation (like Norwich but without a Cantwell). We can easily outmatch them with formation, and with the right team selection.

Which is why having Bennett back for Cabango is vital, as is omitting the hapless Dhanda.
2-1

I wonder if Korey Smith is fit yet?

Had he and Bennett played against the Bees it would have been a very different contest.

Our defence would have been so much higher, Grimes wouldn't have been on his own against a marauding midfield, our WBs would have been on the front foot - totally negating their ploy.

A doubly whammy where our expected source of strength became our Achilles heel with Cabango floundering badly, clearly targeted by their astute manager. Hence our backline and midfield so deep and on the back foot.

As Clive Woodward so famously says, 'it's all in the selection' (when Fitness, Set-ups, non-negotiables are primed). Selection of starters and selection of sparse finishers (only if needed, to drive home Plan A, there is no Plan B).


This will be no easy match on Weds, take out the FA Cup result and Forest are on a good run - they've only lost 1 of their last 12 games, with 6 wins and 7 clean sheets.

Let's put them to the sword, and send out a massive statement of intent.

We are going up, We are going up!

Plus - an early goal for us and I’d fancy us in any game. Forces the opposition to come on to us then we hit them on the break

Over the last few weeks (since our last defeat) you could sense a hardening of mentality- I think the squad not only doesn’t countenance defeat but as Hourihane said won’t even countenance conceding any goals! A great sign.

Let's keep unbeaten run in the league going. I would take a scrappy 1 0.

I don't go on these WhoScored ratings if I'm being honest but I'm unsure why Cabango is getting grief by certain people on here though. Each to their own I suppose.

Nottingham Forest are the visitors on Wednesday night as we play catch-up in the promotion race with two postponed matches recently knocking us off course.
Resurgent Forest have lost only once in the last 11 matches. They drew 0-0 at home to Bournemouth last Saturday, their best chance a header cleared off the line from 37 year-old veteran striker Glen Murray, who scored a brace on his debut in last week’s 0-3 away win over Wycombe.
Swans players will be chomping at the bit to resume league action after a rare Saturday off.
With Brentford losing yesterday, Swans have the longest unbeaten run in the Championship and they are the only side yet to lose a league game in 2021. Their last defeat was away to Derby on 16th December.

Form Guide last 6 matches:
1 Swans DWWDWW F10 A3 14pts
8 Forest WLDWWD F9 A4 11pts

Last 6 home matches:
5 Swans DWDWDW F7 A2 12pts

Last 6 away matches:
4 Forest LDDWWW F8 5 11pts

After an enforced weekend break caused by the postponement of the Swans trip to Sheffield Wednesday, it is the Liberty Stadium on Wednesday night for which we turn our focus as Steve Cooper looks to continue our unbeaten league run and, more importantly, an unbeaten run in the league at the Liberty that stretches back to our only home league defeat of the season against Huddersfield.

It feels familiar opponents as we line up against Forest for the second time in a month after they were beaten 5-1 in the FA Cup towards the end of last month and of course we will be aiming for a league double having beaten them at the City Ground at the end of November as well.

Forest will arrive in South Wales a little bit too close to the relegation places for their own comfort but the Swans will start as clear favourites and this is one of those games that we have to have pencilled in as a win when we take a look at remaining fixtures and points needed for promotion.

As ever on Planet Swans we have for you some of the most comprehensive pre-match coverage in our matchday thread that will bring you all we need to know over the next few days as well as all the chat during the match together with every post match follow up you would wish to read (and maybe even more!)

Geoff Eltringham will take charge of the Swans for the second time this season after being appointed as the referee for the midweek clash with Nottingham Forest. He was in charge of our 2-0 win over Wycombe earlier this season and has 17 Championship appearances under his belt so far this season - 51 yellows and 4 reds being his card count for the season.

He first up the whistle at the age of 15 and progressed through the ranks before being appointed to the National list of referees for 2009/10.

Geoff last season completed his 3rd year as a SG2 referee and he aims to build both actively as a referee whilst continuing his role as a FA Core coach and Durham FA academy director.

He has refereed over 400 games in the EFL, with his first a 2-2 draw between Morecambe and Hereford.

Eltringham was shown a yellow card himself last season by Swans striker Rhian Brewster in a draw at Preston and also has the unfortunate disposition of being a Sunderland fan even turning to refereeing so he could give up his season ticket at the Stadium of Light.

"It was hard," Geoff recalled. "At the time, I was devastated. Yet only in the short term, really. It was the best decision I've ever made and I've never regretted it for one minute. I hadn't been taking refereeing that seriously over the first few years but that had all changed.

"I was refereeing a park match and an assessor, Malcolm Langley, turned up to watch a different game. He watched a bit of my match as well and, when we got chatting afterwards, he said that maybe I should go for promotion. He set me on my way and we've become very good friends."

Not going to be an easy one... Forest are one of the form teams in the league.
Forest got Glenn Murray

I’d take a 1-0 win.

i'd hardly class beating Wycombe and Coventry as being labelled as " in form"

Surely we’d all take a 1-0 win in every match between now and forever? We’d be European and world club champions.

Surely still not as good as Brentford though?

Andre Ayew believes Swansea City must show endurance and energy to face up to the challenge of a marathon Championship campaign.

Steve Cooper’s side were due to face Sheffield Wednesday last Saturday, but a frozen pitch at Hillsborough meant the game was postponed.

That was the second game this term involving the Swans that has been moved to a later date, with a trip to Blackburn called off last month due to a waterlogged pitch.

It leaves the Swans likely facing another midweek match pencilled into a season that is already congested due to the coronavirus pandemic.

And Ayew feels a cautious approach, with minds set on only the next fixture ahead, will be a key factor to how the Swans’ season unfolds.

“The next game will be a hard one,” said the 31-year-old. “We know there's 19 games left and so many points.

“It's a marathon and we need to keep going to the end. The team who is going to be strong mentally and physically will be able to do something great.

“But with so many games to play, I think it’s important that we only look at the next game. And we will do that for the rest of the season.

“We are doing good but we won’t get carried away. We must keep working and work harder because we've got 19 games left and there are a lot of points to play for and get before we can think about anything.”

Ayew didn’t feature in the FA defeat to Manchester City last time out, but his goal against Norwich City was crucial as it sent the Swans on their way to a 2-0 win over the Canaries at the Liberty.

That goal ended a run of five games without finding the net for Ayew, who is the Swans’ joint-top scorer alongside Jamal Lowe.

The Ghanaian captain is now on nine goals for the season, but he insisted team results are far more important than personal satisfaction.

“It didn’t really bother me that I hadn’t scored for a while because the team has got good results,” he added. “What’s important is the results, not if I score or not.

“I aim to bring my best to the team in each game – I must do everything I can to help the team, and whoever finds the net then that’s great.

“It’s a real team attitude here, and that’s what has served us so well this season.”

This will be no easy match on Weds, take out the FA Cup result and Forest are on a good run - they've only lost 1 of their last 12 games, with 6 wins and 7 clean sheets.

Got to be winning these though, if we really want to threaten the top. Need to dominate lower table teams and put them away.