All going wrong - local teams

[Mess 618]

Oz,

Seems the standard of the half time bacon rolls is going to remain unchanged.

The Viking I predicted to take over at Notts  is staying put and the National League's hottest property has resigned his job and is coming to Notts full-time.

Maynard's appointment is very typical of the Reedtz bros. modus operandi.

The departures of Ian Burchnall and Luke Williams both yielded good returns in the form of compensation payments for their services.

These guys are pretty shrewd operators. They usually but not always get a decent return on their investment.

Stuart Maynard has been monitored closely so when Luke moved on it was relatively straightforward to get him signed up.

His style is a good fit with Notts and they've signed him up in time to get players in before the transfer window closes.

The next few games will be a good indication if Notts can manage another promotion or if they consolidate, regroup and go for it next season.

Looking at the calibre of the teams at the top I think Notts can go up this season but probably only via the playoffs. They've done very well so far given the key players they've lost to injury and if Mr M can sort the leaky defence out quickly then we should fear nobody in L2.

Exciting times ahead for the mighty pies.

The future of Forest in the Premier League hangs in the balance.

A 6 point deduction for their misdemeanours and they could hang on as Nuno seems to have identified the players who have the talent and attitude to make it happen. A 10 point deduction and it’s definitely squeaky bum time. We should know soon.

The Stags usually start to wobble in the second half of the season. Has Mr Clough got them out of that mindset?

Sorry but I think not. Nigel Clough has some major failings and when it gets difficult I haven't seen much evidence that he can lift them. Time will tell.

If you scroll back to my posts last August you will see I tipped Derby to get back up into the Championship. I see no reason to change my forecast. I think they've started to sort themselves out on and off the field.

Their fans are really enjoying Forest's financial woes.

It's Karma when you think about it which I'm sure the red necks won't want to.

[Oztalgian 3,300]

6 hours ago, Mess said:

Seems the standard of the half time bacon rolls is going to remain unchanged.

Bacon Rolls, My, how times have changed, when I populated the East stand near the Trent End 18 yard line all you could get was Tea, Coffee, a luke warm pie and a hot cup of Bovril.

 

I think the Magpies season may well be defined during the rest of January and February as they have a number of difficult games coming up, starting with Stockport(1), Barrow(4), Mansfield(3), Gillingham(8), Newport(17), Wrexham(2), Crewe(5) and ending with a struggling Sutton United. 

If Forest are pinged 10 points then I am afraid it will be all over for premier league football.

I am confident that the Stags will be promoted as they have a much easier fixture list over the same period. I do admit that their ability to snatch a draw or a defeat from the jaws of victory is a concern.

Derby do look set for promotion this season.

 

 

[Mess 618]

I think Forest had the beating of Brentford this evening but ran out of steam after their energy sapping midweek FA cup replay at Blackpool. All very unfortunate as they really need the points if a points deduction is in the pipeline. They had looked the better team until Ryan Yates went off injured but started to look tired afterwards.

There's a video clip on Facebook showing Toney moving the ball just before his free kick that produced Brentford's equalizer.

I didn't spot it at the time but it should have been picked up and Toney booked. Very unsporting but apparently he has a reputation for underhand stuff.

I thought it was a very good free kick until I saw the footage.

https://fb.watch/pHW377Ifge/?

 

[Oztalgian 3,300]

County - The top of the table clash with Stockport was postponed due to a frozen pitch. Home against 5th placed Barrow next Saturday.

 

Stags - Match against bottom club Sutton United postponed due to a frozen pitch. Match rescheduled for Tuesday 23rd Jan.

 

Forest - Forest slip one place down the ladder following a controversial 3-2 away loss to the Bees. The Reds took the lead in the 3rd minute and the Bees equalised with a controversial goal via a free kick 16 minutes later to leave the score 1-1 at half time. Brentford took the lead in the 58th minute that triggered a ten minute goal scoring spree that ended with Brentford winning 3-2. Away at Bristol City in the cup on Friday and then home to the Gunners on Tuesday.

[Oztalgian 3,300]

Stags - A team vying for promotion can only manage a 1-1 draw at home to bottom placed Sutton, is this the wobbles that Mess spoke about in an earlier post? After falling behind in the 8th minute Stags equalised around half an hour later. A rather dull second half yielded no goals. Away at AFC Wimbledon on Saturday. By the way, what is with the 7:45pm kick off? Strange time, why not 7:30 as usual.

[Oztalgian 3,300]

Another strange kick-off for the Bristol City vs Forest 4th round Fa Cup tie, 7:45 pm, why?

Only a handful of chances in a dull first half with none being converted and half time at Ashton Gate sees the score at 0-0. An uninspiring second half saw no change in the score. City did not have a shot on target in the whole game and Forest only two. 5 cautions were issued 3 to City and 2 for Forest players. Very little excitement for the almost 26,000 fans on hand. Replay date not known as yet.

Meanwhile back in the fight for survival in the EPL, Forest home against Arsenal 30th Jan

[Oztalgian 3,300]

Forest's replay at home against Bristol City will be at the City Ground on Monday 5th February

Good luck to the Magpies at home to 5th placed Barrow and the Stags away at 10th placed AFC Wimbledon.

[Oztalgian 3,300]

County - 11,243 faithful were on hand at Meadow Lane to see the Magpies draw 1-1 with Barrow after going behind at the half-way point of the first half. They equalised in time on at the end of the first half and that is how the match ended.

Notts had 80% of the possession but were behind Barrow in the stats that matter, shots on goal, corners etc. Barrow collected four yellow cards, are they a dirty side? Notts had one. The draw sees them fall to the last of the play off places. It is fair to say that they have lost their mojo and need to start turning things around soon to arrest the slide down the table. The Stags at Field Mill will be doing their best to make life difficult for County next Saturday.

 

Stags - Went to Plough Lane to play AFC Wimbledon and came away without any points after conceding a goal at 90+7 minutes and having a goal at 45+2 scored against them in the first half. They managed to get an equaliser in the 66th minute but yet again a late goal was their downfall losing 2-1. Probably not too bad a result given that Stags played with ten men for 70 minutes after Bowery was sent off with a straight red card. Stags also had five yellow cards and Wimbledon three. They maintain third place in the league, the last of the automatic spots with 51 points, 1 point clear of Barrow and Crewe with a game in hand. Of course next week's focus will be on the local derby with Notts County at what will be a packed Field Mill. I just hope that the fans behave and don't spoil what should be a great game.

[Mess 618]

Both Notts and Mansfield seem to have lost out to poor refereeing today.

Notts should have had a penalty and Barrow should have had a man sent off when Jodi Jones was scythed down as he closed in on goal. Overall it was a very frustrating game as Barrow resorted to anti football with lots of niggly stuff and time wasting which the ref let them get away with. Barrow had a very underhand tactic when they had a corner with the Notts goalkeeper being blatantly impeded at least three times all going unpunished.

On balance a draw was a fair result with Notts struggling to find much fluency as Barrow's quick tackling kept the Pies under pressure.

Mansfield are having a difficult time with recent results, injuries and now a suspension following a sending off. Mansfield are definitely wobbling. I very much hope it continues when Notts play them next week.

A quick comment on Forest who didn't look particularly comfortable against Bristol City. If they get anything against Arsenal on Tuesday I will be very surprised. I think they are starting to feel the pressure and a replay against Bristol City they could do without.

 

[Oztalgian 3,300]

If Forest can get past Bristol City in the City Ground replay on Feb 5th they will be rewarded with a home tie against Manchester United.

[Oztalgian 3,300]

Forest - A scoreless first half must have given the Forest faithful some hope of at least a point. A late "consolation" goal by Taiwo Awoniyi was not enough to salvage a draw for the Reds as they went down 1-2 at home to the Gunners. Two goals in seven minutes, both from Forest errors, midway through the second half were enough to keep Arsenal in second place two points behind Liverpool but having played a game more. A quick look at the statistics reveals that Forest were never really in the game with the Gunners having possession for three quarters of the game The loss now sees Forest in real danger of slipping into a relegation place as Luton have a game in hand and one point behind, a win by Everton and a loss by Forest at AFC Bournemouth next Sunday would put them in a perilous position especially if they get a points deduction.

[Mess 618]

Oz,

The Forest result was no surprise at all. They didn't play well and their late goal was never going to change the outcome.

The fans have been calling for Turner's head for a few games now and his mistakes have cost Forest several points. I wonder if Nuno will get a replacement in before the transfer window slams shut.

Forest are coming to Bournemouth this Sunday where I now live.

They really need to win but I think the best they can hope for is a draw.

The clubs below the Reds have started to pick up points so the pressure is mounting and that's before any points deduction

[Oztalgian 3,300]

7 hours ago, Mess said:

The fans have been calling for Turner's head for a few games now and his mistakes have cost Forest several points

LizzieM said they needed a new goalkeeper back on January 8th. Nuno must act quickly as they cannot afford these continual mistakes.

[mary1947 2,085]

There must be some one out there who would like to be a Goal keeper for our Red Men 

 

or come back Shilton / Chris Woods any one who 

can save goals 

[Oztalgian 3,300]

1 hour ago, mary1947 said:

There must be some one out there who would like to be a Goal keeper for our Red Men 

or come back Shilton / Chris Woods any one who 

can save goals 

What about Peter Grummitt? Probably the best goalkeeper never to gain a full England cap. He played for England U23's three times. Unfortunately Gordon Banks, Peter Bonetti and Ron Springett were around at the same time.

[benjamin1945 16,166]

First goalkeeper i saw for forest was Harry Walker.....anyone else see him play?

Another memorable keeper was Harry Nicholson........remember him ?   very big bloke........recall Alec Jeffery Doncaster star of the distant past splitting his forhead open when he ran into Nicholson's chest...

[Oztalgian 3,300]

5 minutes ago, benjamin1945 said:

First goalkeeper i saw for forest was Harry Walker.....anyone else see him play?

I can only go as far back as Arthur Lightening and Charlie (Chick)Thomson. I remember that Chick was replaced by Peter Grummitt.

[IAN FINN 809]

The first goalkeeper i saw for the Magpies was Jimmy Linton back in the late 50s when i went to Meadow Lane with my Grandad.

[LizzieM 9,511]

That Maidstone keeper was brilliant in the cup game against Ipswich at the weekend, I think he would be better than the dodgy/unreliable lot that Forest have on their books.  

[Oztalgian 3,300]

Forest - have signed 31 year old goalkeeper Matz Sels on a three year deal for 5 million pounds from French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg. He played for Newcastle between 2016-18.

They have also signed Rodrigo Ribeiro Under 20 striker on loan until the end of the season from Sporting Lisbon He has not scored any goals in Portugal's Premier League in seven appearances and only scored 11 in 42 appearances in the 3rd tier of Portuguese football.

[Oztalgian 3,300]

County and Stags - There were enough shots on goal, saves and hitting the woodwork to change the result of this game in favour of either team. It was Davis Keillor Dunn's 15th goal of the season in the eighth minute that ultimately made the difference. A capacity crowd were on hand to see the Stags keep the pressure on Stockport.

County at home to 10th placed Gillingham next Friday and are now in danger of giving up their play-off spot.

Stags away at bottom placed Forest Green Rovers next Saturday so should get the points unless they have another "wobble".

[Mess 618]

There was little sign of the Mansfield wobble this afternoon as they put in a very solid shift against Notts on a pitch that had more sand on it than Skegness beach.

Nigel Clough was in the stands after criticising the officials last week about penalties, a sending off and some other highly debatable decisions. Today I think it's fair to say the Stags got away with a few themselves. Jodi Jones was kicked around by a very agricultural Mansfield defence with very little retribution from the referee and Notts had two decent penalty shouts waved away.

Mansfield are a hard team to beat and they certainly stifled Notts passing game with some very tough tackling helped by the awful pitch.

Their goal was a quality strike but they had little else to offer in attack. Notts hit the woodwork twice and a goal line clearance so I think on balance a draw would have been a fair outcome.

They're up to second now and look like strong automatic promotion candidates whilst Notts are clinging on to the last playoff place by their fingernails.

Derby are up to second in League one and Forest arrived in Bournemouth this afternoon for their match against the Cherries tomorrow. A point for Forest tomorrow is the best they can hope for IMHO. Some Reds fans are already calling Nuno negative.

[Oztalgian 3,300]

Forest - A very welcome point away at AFC Bournemouth sees the Reds move up one place in the table with 21 points. Luton are below them on 20 having played one game less and below them Everton on 19 points. Bournemouth took the lead in the 5th minute and it took Forest until added time in the first half to equalise. There were no goals in the second half and the game ended 1-1. Forest were unable to take advantage in the last 6 minutes of Bournemouth being a player down after Phillip Billing was sent off. Matz Sels Forest's new goalkeeper made his debut and from all accounts acquitted himself well. Home against Bristol City on Wednesday in the FA Cup and then 9th placed Newcastle on Saturday in a 5:30? kick off. What is that all about.

[Mess 618]

A very welcome point after a spirited performance by Forest at Bournemouth this afternoon.
Bournemouth resorted to some very rough play and had a man sent off for a nasty tackle from behind on Callum Hudson-Odoi who had to be substituted soon afterwards

The Forest team gave it a real go and if they do finish up being relegated because of a points deduction then the board has to take the blame for the appalling cock up in their management of the ffp incident.

Hats off to the Forest lads who never stopped trying. 

They could really do without the midweek cup replay. I think Nuno should field a weakened team so they can go into the Newcastle game with a full strength side.

[Oztalgian 3,300]

Forest - Can't really see if Forest fielded an understrength team but I am starting to feel that Nuno is a No No as I do not discern any significant change in Forest's performance since he came on board. Forest started well and scored in the 8th minute with a goal from Divok Origi. The Robins equalised 6 minutes later. Lots of chances for both teams but no more goals in normal time and the same in extra time so the game went to penalties. Forest went on to win 5-3, Matt Turner acquitted himself well making some crucial saves and including one of the penalties to give Forest a home tie against Manchester United on 28th February. Back to the EPL on Saturday with a home game against Newcastle and a 5:30pm kick-off?