Nottingham Forest - Cardiff City

[Username]

Did anyone catch the interview with Dane in the programme today?

[Plymouth red]

Alan Nixon:

“ If you look at the players on the pitch today they are not the worst in the league. So somebody needs to sort out that puzzle.”

Perhaps not the worst.  But we don't have a new shiny striker to help tip the balance in our favour.

Great 1st half.  Great goal.  Full of promise.

2nd half, we got done in by veteran Championship tactics by Veteran Mick.

SA.

Got to actually create for that shiny new striker. Got to still get players across the half way line and in the opposition's box. You could have a top striker up front but if they have to drop back to the half way line in order to get the ball because noone dares venture up the pitch then its pointless. 

We saw today that when given chances, our strikers can score. But how many other chances did they get today. Grabban is perhaps not the player he was two years ago but nor do i think we should write him off - we can't afford to. 

Are you telling me that if we had had the cardiff striker up front we would have won? There was nothing and nobody in that cardiff team that was necessarily better than what we have. 

We can't keep blaming what we haven't got and start getting the best out of what we do. Our squad is not great but should not be this bad. There is no excuse for our position.

[Strawberry Avenger]

Sorry but that was a typical relegation performance. Bright start, had a go, got away with a few mistakes and got our noses in front. Then got bullied, conceded, all confidence evaporated and never in the game from that point on.
More worried about this team than I have been in the last 15 years. Some parallels with the Mclaren season when Cotterill eventually turned it around, not sure we have the team to play that attritional style and grind a few results out though.

We could do with 2-3 robust and experienced players.  They don't have to be top side of 30.

But just in a few key positions.

ACM.  More niggly animal.  Striker.  Somebody who can rough up defences.  And somebody like Ben Watson in midfield (But not as old.)

Need that bit of authority and command in strategic positions.

Reminds me of when we needed a fulcrum like Gueddy to drive the team forwards.  Someone stout, progressive and robust.  We've got a couple of kids in CM.  And you go up against Manly Cardiff with that?  What do we expect?

SA.

[Username]

Alan Nixon:

“ If you look at the players on the pitch today they are not the worst in the league. So somebody needs to sort out that puzzle.”

Perhaps not the worst.  But we don't have a new shiny striker to help tip the balance in our favour.

Great 1st half.  Great goal.  Full of promise.

2nd half, we got done in by veteran Championship tactics by Veteran Mick.

SA.

Got to actually create for that shiny new striker. Got to still get players across the half way line and in the opposition's box. You could have a top striker up front but if they have to drop back to the half way line in order to get the ball because noone dares venture up the pitch then its pointless. 

We saw today that when given chances, our strikers can score. But how many other chances did they get today. Grabban is perhaps not the player he was two years ago but nor do i think we should write him off - we can't afford to. 

Are you telling me that if we had had the cardiff striker up front we would have won? There was nothing and nobody in that cardiff team that was necessarily better than what we have. 

We can't keep blaming what we haven't got and start getting the best out of what we do. Our squad is not great but should not be this bad. There is no excuse for our position.

15 shots, 4 on target

[Strawberry Avenger]

Alan Nixon:

“ If you look at the players on the pitch today they are not the worst in the league. So somebody needs to sort out that puzzle.”

Perhaps not the worst.  But we don't have a new shiny striker to help tip the balance in our favour.

Great 1st half.  Great goal.  Full of promise.

2nd half, we got done in by veteran Championship tactics by Veteran Mick.

SA.

Got to actually create for that shiny new striker. Got to still get players across the half way line and in the opposition's box. You could have a top striker up front but if they have to drop back to the half way line in order to get the ball because noone dares venture up the pitch then its pointless. 

We saw today that when given chances, our strikers can score. But how many other chances did they get today. Grabban is perhaps not the player he was two years ago but nor do i think we should write him off - we can't afford to. 

Are you telling me that if we had had the cardiff striker up front we would have won? There was nothing and nobody in that cardiff team that was necessarily better than what we have. 

We can't keep blaming what we haven't got and start getting the best out of what we do. Our squad is not great but should not be this bad. There is no excuse for our position.

Well.  We did for the 1st half.  Looked promising.  

But it's 'new' and not nearly galvanised to overturn a seasoned Cardiff.  They used their street smarts to overload that familiar area of goal knowing the keeper will not command his area.  They'd done their homework with the subs.

A bite of reality sandwich for our recruitment.  Which is short of certain characters in certain positions.

We've been a bit 'green' with our recruitment.

SA.

[Strawberry Avenger]

Don't they clean the seating areas before matches?

SA.

[BadDog]

Did anyone catch the interview with Dane in the programme today?

No what did he say?

[Username]

Don't they clean the seating areas before matches?

SA.

I’ve mentioned it above mate. 

Shocking. 

You could say that the Club are treating their fans with contempt

[Strawberry Avenger]

Did anyone catch the interview with Dane in the programme today?

I'm listening.

Anything we should know?

SA.

[Username]

Did anyone catch the interview with Dane in the programme today?

No what did he say?

I’ve only seen snippets.

[Georgecloney]

Hughton is said to be a pragmatic manager. The pragmatic thing to do today was play three central defenders against the biggest team I have ever seen. We knew we were going to get bombarded with long throws and set pieces. We just about managed to keep them out in the first half but Kiefer Moore was one big man too many for us to cope with. If we were a quality side creating lots of chances we would not have to be quite so concerned about how to defend against the opposition threats but we have not been that team for a long time before Hughton. Granted we have got worse under him. We just don’t have the attacking threat to hurt teams. Grabban and Taylor do not provide any threat and those so called flair players that play behind them are either overrated, shorn of confidence or inexperienced. The diagnosis is not good and I think we need a miracle to get out of this mess. Sacking Hughton might help a little bit but I don’t think it will be enough to save us.

[Paplane]

A few random points from me re yesterday:

I thought the Taylor & Grabban idea worked well generally. Taylor was not generally winning but competing for high balls to such an extent that we were winning 2nd balls. And having 2 strikers on the pitch was refreshing. Id like to see it again on Wednesday.

Max Lowe did very well after a tentative start. If he continues like that then he'll be a great addition and much better than I thought. I can see why Warnock dumped Spence. Hes looks a bit of a timid and quiet lad. Hopefully he'll gain some confidence and get better. A sound debut without pulling up any trees.

Im hoping Garner's performances will imprive as he gets match fit. Remember he's only played 2 games now since he left us last season.

I think their introductuon of Moore really knocked us. Its like we were beated before he even touched the ball. And then when we conceded you could see the energy drain away as their fears were confirmed. Cardiff were on top from about 35/40 minutes as they pressed on looking for an equaliser. Our paper thin confidence prevented us from pushing back. We were on the back foot and got bullied out of it from that point.

Lolley made an impact when he came on. Ch obviously told him to get a goal and he took every opportunity to shoot. I sense hes getting back his confidence and fitness.

Samba had clearly been prepared for the aerial bombardment but you could tell he was imtimidated by it. Other keepers have reacted the same way (Pants v Millwall). He looks completely flat and out of sorts. Hes obviously a confidence player. Id see what the other guy can do now tbh.

Brennan was pretty anonymous for the most part I tbought. We just see flashes of talent from him. He needs to be coached carefully to bring him up to level but do you keep perserving by auto selecting him when the new players are available or dip him in and out like Mighten?