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One match ban enabled
Who else has watched Aitor Karanka's latest video on the NEP website? Is the guy about to crack? I was shocked by his appearance in front of the media and the potential to unsettle his players.
The table is starting to shake itself out; Leeds and Norwich are looking strong and establishing a modest break away from the pack, can they maintain their form through the challenging Christmas period?
That leaves the pretenders on 35/34 points all of whom are about to be overtaken by Villa the inform team of the moment.
Only ourselves and Villa haven't dropped three points over the previous five games.
Birmingham City ended Preston's nine-game Championship unbeaten run as Declan Rudd's error set Garry Monk's side on the way to all three points.
The North End keeper completely misjudged Maikel Kieftenbeld's overhit pass for Che Adams early in the second half and allowed the ball to dribble between his legs and into the net.
Jacques Maghoma added a second for Blues when he brought the ball down on his chest and fired into the bottom corner.
Adams sealed the win for Birmingham when he cut inside and slotted home on the counter attack.
Before that North End have drawn with the Smoggies and beaten Blackburn & Bristol City.
Preston have lost Callum Robinson with a hamstring injury during their win over Blackburn Rovers, he is likely to be out for three months.
Alex Neil on Preston's injury crisis;
“We had put a good run of results together and were looking at this next batch of games in a confident mood - when you lose two, three or four players it is really tough, but when you lose five, six, seven or eight then it becomes even more difficult," he continued.
Forest will have to field a makeshift defence as it looks like both Dawson & Fox are still injured.
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Forest V PNE Match Thread
posted on 9/12/18
I wouldn't read too much into yesterdays result; every team has a game like that, I expected it to be last week.
Preston lulled the players into thinking it was easy; Neil wouldn't say that some of those inured players would be back and they couldn't play that badly again.
Pants was unsighted with players in front of him, I don't think Karanka is about to drop him anyway.
The bench mark for our season to date comes next week. I you have to lose a game and all teams will, then do it by one goal and not three!
posted on 9/12/18
*if*
posted on 9/12/18
Still confident about next week. We seem to be much more suited to playing away from home.
The Muttonheads can't be any more difficult than going to Villa, Leeds, or Middlesbrough.
I'm looking forwar to it.
posted on 9/12/18
Hardly anyone this season is excelling at home, I believe whoever’cracks’ the home form will be the ones who gain automatic promotion. Unfortunately the likes of Norwich and the Dirties still seem able to ground out results.Villa however are for me the ones to watch.
posted on 9/12/18
It’s a real surprise that a young academy graduate can out perform seasoned professionals.
posted on 9/12/18
I agree about top ten. Not quite at the level where they are able to switch their styles against teams that park the bus. Don’t seem to have enough forwards who naturally gravitate towards the penalty area when Forest are going forwards. Grabban wants to step out a lot but there isn’t a Hodge type player making those late runs other than Cash.
posted on 9/12/18
The defence look jittery on set pieces. My guess is they are aware that unless the ball is delivered straight down Pantilimon’s throat, he isn’t going to make a move to attack crosses. Defenders will feel that extra bit of pressure to make a decisive clearance. This leads to players who aren’t relaxed.
posted on 9/12/18
In Pantilimon’s defence, he has kept nine clean sheets which is nearly one in two games. Just seems to be that when Forest concede a goal, he looks a little startled and static.
posted on 10/12/18
The next month will show everybody just how good we really are. We don't have an 'easy game' until Reading at home on 12th January!
We could be midtable by then; Derby away is a bigger fixture than it normally is because of the games that follow. It's vital to get some sort of a result, otherwise a slide might well set in...
posted on 10/12/18
Karanka has been fairly good at ensuring one defeat doesn’t follow another. I imagine he will be quite defensive at Derby. I think the teams are as evenly matched as they have been for a number of years. It’s a hard one to call.