Stoke City - Nottingham Forest

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

Grabban getting pelters on the Sky commentary.

It was bad. 

I understand why he left it but he shouldn’t have done.

Why did he leave it?

I have watched it about 50 times and I am still scratching my head, so why did he leave it?

Grabban is on the near post for one reason only and that is to head the ball away yet he chooses not to do it.

Disgrace.

[Sabricadabra]

HUGHTON IS NOT THE PROBLEM - NOR WAS MON- NOR WAS SABRI...

He has a squad of nearly 35 players and is averaging just over a point per game

He has a squad of 25 (plus youngsters). Exactly the same as every other manager in the Championship.

[Sabricadabra]

The second half performance was as good as we’ve seen since Hughton arrived. The first half would have been ok if Grabban hadn’t effed up. Overall very encouraging. Four games unbeaten. Onto the next.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

The second half performance was as good as we’ve seen since Hughton arrived. The first half would have been ok if Grabban hadn’t effed up. Overall very encouraging. Four games unbeaten. Onto the next.

I agree. Stoke were 7th before kick off and I thought we bossed them for most of the match.

At half time my mrs. said why don't you switch it off and come to bed (we are 2 hours in front). I said no because we are gonna get something from this game and that's how it proved to be.

Not a totally convincing performance by any means but the best so far under CH against a good side away from home.

[Username]

Grabban getting pelters on the Sky commentary.

It was bad. 

I understand why he left it but he shouldn’t have done.

Why did he leave it?

I have watched it about 50 times and I am still scratching my head, so why did he leave it?

Grabban is on the near post for one reason only and that is to head the ball away yet he chooses not to do it.

Disgrace.

I’ve said on the Grabban thread, it was obvious why he left it. 

Was it the wrong choice? Absolutely, yes. 

Did it contribute to costing us three points? Absolutely, yes. 

Is he the devil incarnate? No mate

[Username]

If the players only start playing when we are behind or in the second half something is wrong with how we are being managed.

[audiosmee]

I think its instructions from the bench- the 2nd half from the off was an obvious increase in tempo and urgency. There is no dictator of tempo organising on the pitch

[Madforit]

What I cannot understand is why we only seem to start playing when we have gone behind, surely CH can see that, so why don't we start every game like that, and not wait until the opposition have scored.

[wassy04]

Grabban getting pelters on the Sky commentary.

It was bad. 

I understand why he left it but he shouldn’t have done.

Why did he leave it?

I have watched it about 50 times and I am still scratching my head, so why did he leave it?

Grabban is on the near post for one reason only and that is to head the ball away yet he chooses not to do it.

Disgrace.

I’ve said on the Grabban thread, it was obvious why he left it. 

Was it the wrong choice? Absolutely, yes. 

Did it contribute to costing us three points? Absolutely, yes. 

Is he the devil incarnate? No mate

Yeah this Grabban reaction is crazy, it was just a mistake. He didn't turn round and volley into his own goal. Yates handled it on the line, that was much worse than this one.

[zicorice]

It's going to be OK. Tough game tonight, but I believe we will match them. Result will be tight. Get the clean sheet lads, the rest will look after itself then. COYRs.

But for Grabs weird decision we would gave got the clean sheet. I watched the game and then when my daughter returned at 10pm ended up watching it again (I know I should get a medal).. 

What struck me was that watching it in real time I was worried every time Stoke came forward, but their defence all looked like giant Des Walker Kenny Burns composites when we went forward. Then when I sat through the repeat I could see that we were much better than7th placed Stoke across 90 minutes.

Even in the 1st half we were actually the better side, putting in dangerous crosses, forcing their huge centre backs into errors and desperate clearances. Also, there was a handball that would have been given by VAR no doubt. Another stupid goal undid all the good work and got us all fuming about what was actually a solid 1st half (check the comments if you can be ar$ed.)

Second half was one way traffic basically. This brings  me to Knockeart. I am his biggest critic, but for all his ball greedy sh1t lazy play and poor decisions,(and the fact he should have been sent off again) he does also conjure up moments of sheer quality. The goal being an obvious one, plus deadball delivery was on the money too. He attracts defenders (at which point I wish he would pass..) and can smash it with that left foot. Never motm but maybe if he gets into a rhythm he may be useful...

A mention for Worrall who on second viewing looked a class above. Any neutral scout not biting finger nails every time the opposition attack Forest  (as we supporters tend to especially this season) can not have failed to be impressed. In the current climate it will be tough to hang onto him. Compared to the "highly rated" young Stoke CB (Collins?), their Aussie and Chester, Worrall was head and shoulders above them (at times literally). To think they had Shawcross on the bench too!  

Early days, but that's 2 solid games from Figuerado, maybe he has come out of his slump in form too.

We could / should? have won against a side in 7th spot. 4 games unbeaten. I'm feeling more positive than for a while. Hughton is slowly turning this oil tanker around...

Now if only Grabban had headed the f@cker....

[Username]

Some HT numbers for you:

- Cafu has managed the 2nd fewest touches (11)
- 1/17 "good crosses" - OPTA
- 1/11 "good open play crosses" - OPTA
- 2 shots only, both from Yates.
- Less than 50% duels won

[wassy04]

It's going to be OK. Tough game tonight, but I believe we will match them. Result will be tight. Get the clean sheet lads, the rest will look after itself then. COYRs.

But for Grabs weird decision we would gave got the clean sheet. I watched the game and then when my daughter returned at 10pm ended up watching it again (I know I should get a medal).. 

What struck me was that watching it in real time I was worried every time Stoke came forward, but their defence all looked like giant Des Walker Kenny Burns composites when we went forward. Then when I sat through the repeat I could see that we were much better than7th placed Stoke across 90 minutes.

Even in the 1st half we were actually the better side, putting in dangerous crosses, forcing their huge centre backs into errors and desperate clearances. Also, there was a handball that would have been given by VAR no doubt. Another stupid goal undid all the good work and got us all fuming about what was actually a solid 1st half (check the comments if you can be ar$ed.)

Second half was one way traffic basically. This brings  me to Knockeart. I am his biggest critic, but for all his ball greedy sh1t lazy play and poor decisions,(and the fact he should have been sent off again) he does also conjure up moments of sheer quality. The goal being an obvious one, plus deadball delivery was on the money too. He attracts defenders (at which point I wish he would pass..) and can smash it with that left foot. Never motm but maybe if he gets into a rhythm he may be useful...

A mention for Worrall who on second viewing looked a class above. Any neutral scout not biting finger nails every time the opposition attack Forest  (as we supporters tend to especially this season) can not have failed to be impressed. In the current climate it will be tough to hang onto him. Compared to the "highly rated" young Stoke CB (Collins?), their Aussie and Chester, Worrall was head and shoulders above them (at times literally). To think they had Shawcross on the bench too!  

Early days, but that's 2 solid games from Figuerado, maybe he has come out of his slump in form too.

We could / should? have won against a side in 7th spot. 4 games unbeaten. I'm feeling more positive than for a while. Hughton is slowly turning this oil tanker around...

Now if only Grabban had headed the f@cker....

Ha maybe everyone should watch the games twice. I said at HT that I fancied us for something out of the game and we'd played fine. I think everyone's emotions are running high but we're playing OK. That said the league table does still look quite intimidating, we do really need to start turning this draws into a few wins.

We seem to have settled on a shape/starting 11 too which is good. Get Mckenna back in, mighten in for Ameobi and thats probably our best team. 

Anyway we'd have won if Cafu had just scored that sitter in the last minute. 

Worrall is a class above though agreed, maybe we should start criticising him aggressively to put opposition scouts off