Forest 3:1 Swansea - Sep 30 2006
This game sums up exactly the frustrating side of being a Forest fan. You know the team can play well, you know the squad of players is probably the best in the division and you know that the level of support far surpasses anything else at this level, yet the team still plays inexplicably badly for the first 45 minutes of the game. No midfield, no clear cut chances on goal and if Swansea had had a decent centre forward, we would have been dead and buried before the half-time oranges were dealt out.
The referees whistle was the cue for the standard negative crowd reaction and much half-time grumbling.
The Forest team that took the pitch in the second half hadn't changed personnel or formation wise, yet within 10 minutes had not only levelled, but gone in front with the type of overlapping wing play the 3-5-2 formation demands to be successful. The first two times in the game the make-shift left-wing-back ventures across the half way line, we score.
At 2:1 up the passes get shorter, crisper and more incisive. A cracking through ball set Junior 'wake me up before' Agogo clean through from 40 yards. I'd had a conversation on Friday night asking why Mr Agogo had moved from being cover for the injured Nathan Tyson to suddenly first choice striker, my argument being that if you spend £125k on a fourth division striker, you get a fourth division striker worth £125k. As he sprinted through on goal, I could see him blazing over, blazing wide or blazing it straight at the goalkeeper. Blazing it anywhere but the onion bag. What he DID was wait until the keeper committed himself before delicately chipping it into the empty net. A fantastically sublime finish for this level. Mr Agogo, I apologise profusely.
So 3:1 up, foot off the gas, gently saw the game out, good stuff and still top.
A good foundation for a Saturday night out, spoiled somewhat by the blinding headache that only Budweiser's chemical content can deliver.
At least I got home in one piece, I could have fell asleep somewhere embarrassing. All together; "Wake me up before Agogo ......"
posted by Lucky Col at
7:33 PM
2 Comments:
You'll get a lot more performances like that I reckon. I was in town on Saturday but couldn't get to the game (long story) but I listened on the radio. The most striking thing was that all the players attributed the change-up to a bollocking at half time.
They've got a real motivation problem there. Anyone who has joined in the last six months is being paid more than anyone else in the division and Forest are the big club who are favourites to go up.
It's not a attractive place for the players to be in at the moment. I think Forest's problems since Harty's demise (and even before - all that happened was that he lost a loosing battle in the end)stem from the problems in motivating the players.
Megson's shouting didn't work. Kinnear's crazy-ganging didn't either. That Calderwood can take the players on constructively is a good sign.
I saw an article in the paper the other day saying that this was precisely the ability that Martin O'Neill has in abundance.
By
Paul E., at 12:23 PM
This demonstrates a shift in what makes a good manager. The old days of Clough & Shankley, of making a team play better than its constituant parts, is over.
Now days, to be a good manager, you need to be able to persuade players to actually be bothered performing in the job for which they are handsomely paid.
From that point of view, the Forest job is possibly the most difficult in the division, more than likely having the highest average wage, and something Kinnear & Megson failed at. I would classify both as old school managers.
Once we are promoted alongside the Sunderlands & Wolves of this world, our club will look a lot more progressive, and I reckon in 5-6 years time, we will be on a more solid foundation finance wise than a lot of clubs above us.
Fingers crossed.
By
Lucky Col, at 3:24 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home