Fulham (A)
Well...that was nervy! Against a dogged Peterborough side we managed to prevail 1-0, cutting the gap to Bournmeouth to five points (and a solitary goal in GD), keeping pace with Huddersfield and putting ourselves firmly in the play-offs (unless there is a 21 goal-swing).
Fulham are of course promoted, but that last-minute equaliser means that the title isn't quite theirs yet. They need just three points from their remaining three games to guarantee being promoted as champions.
It will be a tough ask to get anything at Fulham, but Coventry and Huddersfield have proved it possible in recent months by both winning there, and yes, Mitrovic was on the pitch.
League Form (last 10):
*Form Table: 1st v 4th
*GF 23 GA 4 v GF 17 GA 9
*2.5 PPG v 1.7 PPG
Over the last six:
*Fulham: W4 D0 L2 Home - GF 12 GA 6
*Forest: W3 D2 L1 Away - GF 8 GA 3
Our last game at Fulham was a 4-0 mauling, with only Spence getting on the scoresheet. Grabban and Lowe started that day in an otherwise unchanged line-up to yesterday's starting 11, with Garner missing out and Surridge stuck in Stoke.
It looks like Grabban will be added to Davis and Lowe on the sidelines, so we will likely see Silva drafted back into the squad.
I wonder if we will see Dale Taylor start this season? His solitary goal saw off Stoke and kept us 5th in the PL Northern table. What an amazing achievement for our academy in our first season at U18 level.
In the U23s, Larsson celebrated his new deal with his eight of the season in a 1-1 draw at home to Boro. A win in our final game this season would put us in the play-offs, to be promoted to PL 1 U23. We currently sit third.
Prediction:
Fulham don't need to win this, but winning the title in front of their own fans will be strong motivation. Luckily for us they have Luton at home in their next game, so sticking it to another Southern club might be all the more sweet.
A draw would be great, but an all important win could put us just two points behind Bournemouth, if they slip up again. What a game that would be, travelling to Bournemouth knowing a win puts us above them into second!
We still have a long way to go yet though, so the play-offs are more than enough to make it seem like weeks instead of days between our remaining games.
1-1.
COYRs!!!!!!
Fulham v Forest - Match Thread
posted on 26/4/22
Hope we beat Swansea and Blackburn win and then we need 4 points to be back in the Promise land ..
posted on 26/4/22
This season really is one to cherish
posted on 26/4/22
Here’s hoping Colbacks injury is only a knock, I don’t think we’ll see Lowe again this season. Zinck’s had lumps kicked out of him, but I expect him to be ok for Saturday. Agree with Bournemouth comment, on the other hand could their luck run out. I’m still not ruling ‘udders out of the equation, but our destiny, and Bournemouths is in our own hands. These are going to be three very nervy games, not sure I could stand the pressure of the play offs, never mind the players though atm they are absolutely loving it. Incredible season, even if we should come up slightly short. We’ve got too tie Cooper down to a new contract soon, he is absolutely essential.
posted on 27/4/22
Game 43 April 26th 2022
Cottage People 0 v 1 Nottm Forest
Zinckernagel (15'minutes)
FT
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the day of reckoning, it was not the day of reckoning, it was some other day. It was a must win game if we won, it was not a must win game if we lost. If we don't win, we lose. Or draw. Whatever. Let the chips fall where they may. Usually on the floor, where the dog snaffles them up. Greedy sod. Que sera, sera, as the Welsh say.
posted on 27/4/22
Stress and Pie 2022
www.stressandpie.co.uk
You know it makes sense.
posted on 27/4/22
comment by Redforever (U10360)
posted 19 hours, 51 minutes ago
comment by ForestofFleet (U15852)
posted 4 hours, 2 minutes ago
Here is a dilemma. As I live near London a friend who is a life long Fulham fan just called to say is friend who is a season ticket holder can't go tonight but did I want to join him in the home end. The challenge is will I be able to keep my emotions in check. I've only sat in the opposition end for 1 game and that was at Reading but as they have almost no fans it did not really matter. Fulham on the other hand I could see being a bit more of an issue if I suddenly cheered when we score.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I would advise against it. I did it for the Leicester fa cup match and despite the performance and result was the worst experience I’ve ever had. Never felt so sick
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Glad to say that its was fine. The Fulham fans were very complementary about us and our game plan for nullifying their main threats. The also fully expect we will join them in the auto spots. Amazing night the Forest Fans in the away end were incredible. By the mid point of the second half there were the only fans you could hear and you saw how it helped the team. Good night all round.
posted on 27/4/22
That result made up for Luton! Keith Stroud redeemed himself.
posted on 29/4/22
Hold up - there's been a re-think (probably after the single malt induced haze lifted!)
posted on 29/4/22
Game 43 April 26th 2022
Cottage People 0 - 1 Nottm Forest
Zincks (15)
FT
The fluttering supporters in The Grand Mitro Hotel were left speechless last night as the champions elect were faced down and knocked flat by Steve Cooper's blood and custard army. With AFC Muffs scraping a desperate draw at Abertawe, Forest now lie three points behind them with three to play - one of them against the Muffs themselves. Who could have even imagined after seven games of the season, when Forest had amassed one point, that thirty six games later they would not only secure a play off spot but give themselves a real chance of automatic promotion?
Well I could, actually. And I think a few others did too, the ones who listened to Cooper talk about a "big club" mentality and saw him instil a fiery belief in the players from the word go. It has not been a miracle. It has been a plan.
The Cottage People seemed uncertain in their approach from the start. They were either playing slow motion show-off football in the sure and certain knowledge that they would ease to a win, or their lethargy was the result of nervousness. Forest didn't bother with any of that mental stuff, they just attacked. A blast from Colback and a Johnson shot across goal left the Cottagers so rattled they ended up gifting Forest the winning goal after fifteen minutes.
A through ball to Zincks seemed to be covered by clumsy local farmer Tim Ream, but as he tried to smuggle it back to goalkeeper Rodak, Zincks took advantage of their hesitancy to poke it into an empty net. While the Forest players hared off in celebration, Ream and Rodak engaged in a bout of angry verbals, and Marco Silva did his angry puppet routine. Soon afterwards Carvalho's namesake Carvalho fired a disappointing effort into Samba's arms, and it was game on.
It became an end to end contest, with the Cottagers' defence looking ropey and their midfield looking expensive. Their defence always looked vulnerable to Forest's breaks, but the real stars of the night, as the pressure grew, was Forest's defence. The Grand Mitro is used to bullying his way through the opposition, but on this occasion McKenna and Cook left him bruised and bewildered and whining like a mardy-arsed brat to his good friend referee Stroud. And even if they got through or behind Forest's mighty defence, they had to beat the Almighty Brice Samba, which seems to have become an impossible task.
Clumsy local farmer Tim Ream offered Forest another opportunity to score when he allowed a long ball to reach Johnson. Johnson's cross to Surridge was perfect, but the striker couldn't lift it over Rodak. Yes, Surridge failed to score - perhaps the most surprising thing to happen on a night of not that many surprises really.
Samba pushed away a Carvalho effort and cleared from the ensuing corner as The Grand Mitro tried one last battering ram effort to equalise. The game veered into uncharted nail biting territory as news came through that the Muffs had equalised, and nobody could concentrate on anything meaningful any more at all. Then the game ended amid joyous Forest celebrations, as if beating the Cottage People was some kind of miraculous bonus.
It wasn't. I told you before, it was all planned. Just as hammering Abertawe is planned, Blackbum hammering the Muffs and us hammering the Muffs is all planned. And the party at Ull. All planned. You can take that to the bank, as somebody once said.
Hasn't Tom Cairney got enormous feet?
posted on 29/4/22
Stress and Pie 2022
www.stressandpie.co.uk