nottingram

This ref desperate to show he’s not swayed by the bigger team

Think I’ve said it before but if it was called something like “chance quality” instead of expected goals then you’d have a lot less people poo-pooing it for whatever reason they do. It’s not the be all and end all but can add context if you want it to. Does make me laugh when people will say it’s meaningless and then happily sit there quoting shots or shots on target.

Genuinely good to know albeit I was merely making a jab about their pathetic insistence on being called Nottingham Forest despite it being factually inaccurate. It is enjoyable that they now play in a tin shed they all pretend to love, that will never ever get extended despite the millions they are pouring into trying, and will refuse to move because they think playing near a river makes them an interesting football club.

Why don’t Nottingham Forest play in Nottingham?

Yeah although we played more of the game with a 4 etc etc I am personally not really fussed what formation we play as I don’t think we look fantastic in either, but I think the reasoning Warne gave after the game for playing 3-5-2 was poor and indicative of his mindset. Shrewsbury are a crap team who barely score goals and we played a 3 for primarily defensive reasons. That’s before you get on to the implication that he felt he needed an extra body back there for that solidity alongside Nelson and Bradley, both of which he signed.

Agree to an extent but I think a key issue we have is off the ball movement and players making themselves available. I think that is largely something that is coached - filling gaps, knowing where to be etc. If the entire “unit” of a side looks bad at one time it’s hard to pinpoint it to individuals in my opinion.

One game closer to this mind numbing season ending

Sometimes it’s unavoidable going 3 at the back though. For instance when Cashin is out and you need to retain defensive solidity against a team who had scored 21 goals in 30 games prior to today.

If we end up in the play off final I’ll make sure I buy a seat in the top tier so the ball is at eye level the majority of the time

Pile on, valid criticism. Tomayto, tomarto.

Didn’t have much sympathy for any of our players for their offsides in the first half, but it was a shame the east stand Lino’s sharp eye deserted him in time for their equaliser

I wonder if one of these days we might try and actually out football one of these crap outfits who turn up to play like this, or whether we will continue to willingly play them at exactly the game they want us to. When you play win at all costs football and don’t win then you should absolutely expect criticism.

Great result against a very good side, well coached by a manager recently sacked by the team 21st in League 2.

They could play him in goal in 90% of games.

It’s a shame Bolton didn’t get through in the EFL Trophy. They have a lot of fixtures to catch up on

Can he play up top?

Bit of both I think. In general there is not a high standard of loans in L1 this year but Warne has also said he is not overly keen on players on their first loans (not saying that’s good or bad), so you’re limiting your market a little straight away. And for the ones that do come to this level, style of play and coaching must be a consideration for the loaning club. If Bolton had come in for Bobby Clark, say, Liverpool might look at Conor Bradley’s development there last year and be more inclined to go for it.

I think if the “restrictions” were particularly prohibitive the club should simply not come out and say they made a very good offer for a striker. That way they can actually blame the “restrictions” without it looking like an excuse for being woefully underprepared and / or deleting every number in their phones except Dejphon Chansiri’s.

I like Collins and he’s having a good season but we’re in a position where our only striker could not get in our team who finished 7th last year with any regularity. Whoever is responsible for this has made a right ricket. He’ll keep working hard as he does but do wonder how much it will play on his mind - he really can’t afford to get knocks or bookings which are both a big risk with the way he plays.

Really wish I was in a position to believe the club only found out there was a possibility they’d be getting a 7 figure windfall mid afternoon today.

Get used to it. It’s another 6 months of excuses.

Ok? It was also said we put in a very good offer for a striker (a loan offer I assume) which didn’t transpire. So presumably they couldn’t identify a single other striker to direct said resources too. We also did sell someone. Presumably for a very good fee.

Thats fine but at no point since the summer has that been the message from the club so people are going to be disappointed. If they’re at the limit of the business plan then just say that? Don’t tell everyone two weeks ago you’ve put in a very good offer for Michael Smith. If he is the only player they could identify with this very good offer then what on earth is going on. The optics of selling Bird are bad too. I’m sure it makes sense and the club shouldn’t be run on how things look externally, I admit, but it isn’t great.

The thing is, we’ll have been in talks with Bristol City over Bird for weeks, it won’t have just happened. Literally the only way it makes sense for us to have agreed to sell is if there was an incoming. But the lack of any rumour is weird even if it is a really tight ship these days

Not getting my knickers in a twist just yet but if we bring in a couple of million in and fail to get a striker it is really poor stuff.