I'd like to see Pato at some point. Harding at LB rather than Osborn.
That is an interesting idea regarding Osborn. Would be brilliant if it worked but could also shatter a young player's confidence If it all went wrong for him. I would go with Harding as I rate him more than Fox for a start and don't understand why he was dropped for Huddersfield anyway.
Front four looks good but there must be a place for Burke as he is the only senior player pulling his weight consistently at the moment IMO.
Osborn at LB would be a big risk, he would spend 45 mins within earshot of some of the A block mongs, would need to hit the ground running.
I agree with Will about a place for Burke, maybe even make him Captain and give Wilson the responsibility of vice captain.
The youngsters that SP has brought in are all keen enough but they need that experienced guidance on the pitch.
Burke has the experience and has played at a decent level throughout his career. Pearce needs to consider whether he could be a better influence on the pitch as captain than Mancienne, who doesn't appear vocal enough for me.
Pearce has been talking up Patterson in the NP so hopefully that means he will get his chance tomorrow v Norwich. Patterson doesn't lack confidence when getting on the ball so hopefully he can help get the rest of the team to calm down and pass the ball rather than panicking as they have been recently.
For Me Burke has lacked the ability to take players on, steady player who works hard and is clearly a cultured footballer but his lack of ability to beat his full back, and therefore draw the centre backs out of the middle has been a big problem. Get Patterson on the left, Osborne overlapping, two runners who can both beat a man which will stretch any team and open things up for Britt in the middle and Antonio attacking the far post.
Burke was dovetailing nicely with Hunt earlier in the season as the full back was very quick to overlap. Bit like some good combinations in the past, such as O'Neill and Viv Anderson, Crosby and Charles/Laws. His strength is being able to deliver decent passes into the front men.
Agree that Forest aren't troubling opposition centre backs at the moment and they are double marking Assombalonga, who is having little room to manoeuvre. That needs to change. Agree Patterson could be a key here but not so sure about Osborn at left back.
I think anyone who thinks Burke has been anything but consistent is missing the point of him. He does a lot of great work, but he does it subtly. Been one of the only players to perform in the last few games.
The back four will probably pick itself tomorrow after injuries to Hunt, and Harding.
I think 4-4-2 has to be the way to go. The central midfielders should be of the defensive variety which means 2 from 4 (Tesche Lansbury, Osborn, Vaughan) with 2 from 4 wingers (Burke, Antonio, Paterson, Ince) who will run at defenders. Two strikers.
My team would be
Darlow
Lichaj Mancienne Wilson Harding
Ince Lansbury Vaughan Paterson
Assombalonga Antonio
Darlow
Lihaj Mancienne Wilson Osborne
Antonio Lansbury Vaughn Patterson
Ince
Assombalonga
Got goals, protection in Lansbury and Vaughn and energy, Patterson, Osborn, Antonio. I'd even consider Dexter. Dex and Assa up front would be a handful for anyone providing they get some service.
Blackstock hasn't had a sniff from the bench snce the Spurs game, which says he is either taking his recovery very steadily or he hasn't looked up to it in training. We all remember the striker he used to be but it has been three years since he was last playing regularly by my reckoning, other than that loan spell at Leeds.
If it wasn't for that four year contract he was awarded the other year, I think he would've been released last summer by Pearce in all honesty. Don't know how committd he is going to be when he is going to be one of the higher wage earners but isn't getting a look in.
With Osbourne and Pato down our left flank, it could be a bit lightweight. and that has been the target area for our opponents over the last few weeks - tomorrow i expect Norwich to do the same. Everybody knows it is our Achilles heel.
Good point, don't seem to have anyone who is really excelling on either flank at full back. Patterson and Osborn both work hard but would have a tall order against an experienced Norwich team with some Prem class players still, especially Redmond, who could run them ragged given the chance.
Lichaj needs to pull his finger out too, especially if he has any ambitions of breaking back into the US squad.
I think we can forget about Blackstock. He hasn't even figured for the U21s for their last five games. lst played at the end of September
Norwich will hope to force similar mistakes out of the Forest defence that Blackburn, Huddersfield and Brentford all managed recently. Need some serious movement from the centre mid players to make themselves available for the pass when the defence have possession or we could all be watching through our fingers....
I'm sure he scored for them last week?
First goal will decide the match tomorrow. Both teams are low on confidence, and the team that concedes first could crumble
Veldwiek and Pato were the scorers against Crewe, don't think they have played since.
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
Forest will win 2-1. Assombalonga will have a point to prove after being dropped so will come out all guns blazing!
I would imagine Britt was rested more than dropped
I think the manager has plenty of games yet regardless of what happens today. 1) Fawaz knows the fans are still behind SP; 2) If SP goes, who would come in knowing there will be a transfer embargo in January.
If we can get 10 points from the eight games left this year I will be happy. Then with Reid and Hobbs available in the new year we should be able to move back up the table.
We really need to start at maximum WARP factor this afternoon and get the first goal. If we can we can then go on and get the win.
Lets all follow the magnificent lead of the Bridgford End and really get behind whatever team he puts out this afternoon; it will give them a big boost if they know the crowd is really behind them
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posted on 6/11/14
I'd like to see Pato at some point. Harding at LB rather than Osborn.
posted on 6/11/14
That is an interesting idea regarding Osborn. Would be brilliant if it worked but could also shatter a young player's confidence If it all went wrong for him. I would go with Harding as I rate him more than Fox for a start and don't understand why he was dropped for Huddersfield anyway.
posted on 6/11/14
Front four looks good but there must be a place for Burke as he is the only senior player pulling his weight consistently at the moment IMO.
posted on 7/11/14
Osborn at LB would be a big risk, he would spend 45 mins within earshot of some of the A block mongs, would need to hit the ground running.
I agree with Will about a place for Burke, maybe even make him Captain and give Wilson the responsibility of vice captain.
The youngsters that SP has brought in are all keen enough but they need that experienced guidance on the pitch.
posted on 7/11/14
Burke has the experience and has played at a decent level throughout his career. Pearce needs to consider whether he could be a better influence on the pitch as captain than Mancienne, who doesn't appear vocal enough for me.
posted on 7/11/14
Pearce has been talking up Patterson in the NP so hopefully that means he will get his chance tomorrow v Norwich. Patterson doesn't lack confidence when getting on the ball so hopefully he can help get the rest of the team to calm down and pass the ball rather than panicking as they have been recently.
posted on 7/11/14
For Me Burke has lacked the ability to take players on, steady player who works hard and is clearly a cultured footballer but his lack of ability to beat his full back, and therefore draw the centre backs out of the middle has been a big problem. Get Patterson on the left, Osborne overlapping, two runners who can both beat a man which will stretch any team and open things up for Britt in the middle and Antonio attacking the far post.
posted on 7/11/14
Burke was dovetailing nicely with Hunt earlier in the season as the full back was very quick to overlap. Bit like some good combinations in the past, such as O'Neill and Viv Anderson, Crosby and Charles/Laws. His strength is being able to deliver decent passes into the front men.
Agree that Forest aren't troubling opposition centre backs at the moment and they are double marking Assombalonga, who is having little room to manoeuvre. That needs to change. Agree Patterson could be a key here but not so sure about Osborn at left back.
posted on 7/11/14
I think anyone who thinks Burke has been anything but consistent is missing the point of him. He does a lot of great work, but he does it subtly. Been one of the only players to perform in the last few games.
posted on 7/11/14
The back four will probably pick itself tomorrow after injuries to Hunt, and Harding.
I think 4-4-2 has to be the way to go. The central midfielders should be of the defensive variety which means 2 from 4 (Tesche Lansbury, Osborn, Vaughan) with 2 from 4 wingers (Burke, Antonio, Paterson, Ince) who will run at defenders. Two strikers.
My team would be
Darlow
Lichaj Mancienne Wilson Harding
Ince Lansbury Vaughan Paterson
Assombalonga Antonio
posted on 7/11/14
Darlow
Lihaj Mancienne Wilson Osborne
Antonio Lansbury Vaughn Patterson
Ince
Assombalonga
Got goals, protection in Lansbury and Vaughn and energy, Patterson, Osborn, Antonio. I'd even consider Dexter. Dex and Assa up front would be a handful for anyone providing they get some service.
posted on 7/11/14
Blackstock hasn't had a sniff from the bench snce the Spurs game, which says he is either taking his recovery very steadily or he hasn't looked up to it in training. We all remember the striker he used to be but it has been three years since he was last playing regularly by my reckoning, other than that loan spell at Leeds.
posted on 7/11/14
If it wasn't for that four year contract he was awarded the other year, I think he would've been released last summer by Pearce in all honesty. Don't know how committd he is going to be when he is going to be one of the higher wage earners but isn't getting a look in.
posted on 7/11/14
With Osbourne and Pato down our left flank, it could be a bit lightweight. and that has been the target area for our opponents over the last few weeks - tomorrow i expect Norwich to do the same. Everybody knows it is our Achilles heel.
posted on 7/11/14
Good point, don't seem to have anyone who is really excelling on either flank at full back. Patterson and Osborn both work hard but would have a tall order against an experienced Norwich team with some Prem class players still, especially Redmond, who could run them ragged given the chance.
posted on 7/11/14
Lichaj needs to pull his finger out too, especially if he has any ambitions of breaking back into the US squad.
posted on 7/11/14
I think we can forget about Blackstock. He hasn't even figured for the U21s for their last five games. lst played at the end of September
posted on 7/11/14
Norwich will hope to force similar mistakes out of the Forest defence that Blackburn, Huddersfield and Brentford all managed recently. Need some serious movement from the centre mid players to make themselves available for the pass when the defence have possession or we could all be watching through our fingers....
posted on 7/11/14
I'm sure he scored for them last week?
posted on 7/11/14
First goal will decide the match tomorrow. Both teams are low on confidence, and the team that concedes first could crumble
posted on 7/11/14
Veldwiek and Pato were the scorers against Crewe, don't think they have played since.
posted on 7/11/14
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 7/11/14
Forest will win 2-1. Assombalonga will have a point to prove after being dropped so will come out all guns blazing!
posted on 7/11/14
I would imagine Britt was rested more than dropped
posted on 8/11/14
I think the manager has plenty of games yet regardless of what happens today. 1) Fawaz knows the fans are still behind SP; 2) If SP goes, who would come in knowing there will be a transfer embargo in January.
If we can get 10 points from the eight games left this year I will be happy. Then with Reid and Hobbs available in the new year we should be able to move back up the table.
We really need to start at maximum WARP factor this afternoon and get the first goal. If we can we can then go on and get the win.
Lets all follow the magnificent lead of the Bridgford End and really get behind whatever team he puts out this afternoon; it will give them a big boost if they know the crowd is really behind them
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