Gee SCREAMER !!

Basically, with Port Vale being a turkey shoot for Bolton.- I expect that to be at least 3 or 4 nil- we cannot lose or may may be 3rd on goals scored.  Sobering thought.  Lets contain their excitement for 20 mins, get a goal when it presents rather than leave everyone aghast at the miss like previous encounters and get back with 3, or 1 very essential point as a minimum, to leave it in our own hands. 

1 hour ago, LazloW said:

"Player welfare" - drives me nuts. Notwithstanding the fact that we are talking about playing football here, the Premier League teams all have massive squads and already rotate like mad. Nevertheless, this comes down to the managers and coaches not managing their squads appropriately.  If you have to play 65 games a year, then you train and play like a team that plays 65 times a year. They should be able to manage that with their huge team of coaches, fitness gurus, health and nutritionists and all the technology at their disposal. Here is an idea too - play a style that doesn't need them to run 30 miles in a match. Adapt. Overcome. It really does p*** me off.

Why also not just be truthful? Its about a few big clubs making more money. If its all about 'player welfare' then ban all foreign trips and extra friendlies. But of course, that wouldn't benefit the Big 6.  Sickening.  Hope they have to do an embarrassing climb down.

In the meantime, clubs in League 1 and 2 are forced to play their U23's adding to their own fixture congestion and injury list in a competition worth about as much as a happy meal.  Here's a plan, use some them U23's in a replay against Stockport.  Much the same fecking thing. 

Not all in agreement. Our old manager and Farke seem ok with it.  

"The truth is because I'm German, and in the German Cup, we never had replays as far as I can remember. I like it," he said. 

"It is one game, and it is live or die. I like this. This is the case now apart from that it's always difficult as a manager if the schedule for the next few weeks is not clear because you don't know if you or your opponent has a replay - this is very challenging as a manager.

"In general, I like one game, and you go through it or not. This is something which excites." 

3 hours ago, Chester40 said:

Parading a promotion trophy sounds like the basis for a lot of p*ss-taking...

Seems ok. You can get a trip to Wembley and a trophy for finishing 18 points behind second in sixth place.

I would imagine most would be stunned that they've seen the victory and not seen us miss two open goals followed by a breakaway goal by Cambridge and 60 minutes rolling round like they've been hit by a bus every 30 seconds.  The catatonic state will prevent any pitch invasion.

3 minutes ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

Interestingly after some clubs have spoken out the EFL as an organisation has now issued a statement;

Seems the PL and FA just decided for everyone 

Quite simple then.  Withdraw the clubs from the competition.  

30 minutes ago, Anag Ram said:

Imagine beating Cambridge and celebrating on the pitch, only to be deducted three points for doing so 😩

I still have a recording of the Derby-Palace promotion match where Ray Wilkins proclaims it disgusting that Derby fans had come on the pitch at the final whistle and they should look at replaying the game or punishing the club.  Jimmy Greaves then tells him to stop being a miserable barsteward in so many words.

1 minute ago, MaltRam said:

As I heard it, Eddie Howe wanted Johnny, but Mac would only wear it if they let us have one of their lads...could have been Ritchie...but not as a replacement for Foz.

Simon Francis was the replacement but they wouldn't budge.

Remember cup vouchers in your season ticket.  They were fun and ensured plenty in for an early doors cup match.  

1 minute ago, ivo_knoflicek said:

I thought so at the time too, and maybe you’re right, but on the other hand I genuinely think he improved since then and could have kicked on in a decent PL team. Lowe and Bogle have both managed to hold down places in Prem sides, and I’m not convinced that either of them has become a better player than CF at any point.

I think Lowe was consistently a better defender than Bogle but suffered with injury. Bogle was always better going forward but he made some proper balls up.  Two against Forest and a beauty against Middlesbrough come to mind.  He may have got better but he's had two relegations to his name since he left including this season. The  fact no-ones picked him up on these relegations indicates he's reached a ceiling of championship level defender as he was with us but without the youth element to take a punt on.  Either way, Forsyths done well at this level.  I honestly didn't think he'd play for us again after that Sheff Wed relegation decider where he fell to pieces but he's hit that injury wall now so unlikely he'll be here next season.   

14 minutes ago, ivo_knoflicek said:

Yep, me too. Watched it in absolute awe. That squad would have been mid table Prem, I'm sure. No Zenit in pre season, no ACL injury for George. Ollie Watkins in as a raw youngster to learn his trade. Couple of young CBs added too. Wisdom and Fozzie holding down those full back slots for years. Maybe it's our time again soon now...

There is no way Forsyth would have made it as a top flight fullback.  Indeed McClaren was desperately trying to sign Francis and Ritchie from Bournemouth to replace him and Russell.  He tried Russell as a makeweight to get it done, which damaged his relationship  with the club and he never really had the same zest.  Forsyth for me was the weakest player in that 13/14 side.

56 minutes ago, Eddie said:

It is an utter disgrace, but not unexpected given the cosy relationship between the FA and the Premier League.

If they can do this, then there is nothing to stop them severing the relationship between the FA and the EFL - and the next logical step being the establishment of a 'closed shop' Premier League with no promotion and relegation.

Don't see the issue. All 72 clubs are getting the equivalent of one bang average Crystal Palace player transfer fee plus wage for a year to spread between 72 clubs as compensation. It's a huge sacrifice by the Premier League. 

Speaking of which, have they upped their offer for Ebiowei from 30k yet or are they hoping we've forgotten now they sent him on loan for a fee without coughing up. 

45 minutes ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

I'm also not sure if he quite had the ambition to make it to the very top. He seems pretty happy with his lot, which is fair enough.

Think it was Deeney who recently said Hughes wasn't that much of a fan of playing and intended to knock it on the head before now.  He was surprised he was still going.  Hard to leave behind over a million a year I suppose. 

1 hour ago, Crewton said:

More about being aware that the bounce and run of the ball is unreliable. Overplaying on a bobbly surface can be as frustrating as having cross after cross headed away by dominant defenders. Put pressure on their defenders and hope that the surface causes them more problems than it does us. It's not a day for passing around at the back. On a narrow pitch, the middle is a difficult place to play through a team, even on a flat surface. They'll regard a point as satisfactory, so I expect they'll play ala Northampton and hope to nick a goal - we have to make sure they have to work harder for one than NTFC did that day.

If we score first, we probably win.  Seems the way in these away games

1 minute ago, Gaspode said:

If the PL don't want replays, perhaps they can agree to forfeit the right to progress in the competition if they don't win the tie. Win and you're through, lose or draw and the non-PL team progresses - if two PL teams play each other they can toss a coin for all I care.....(which is an appropriate method given that this decision has shown them to be a bunch of tossers)....

They don't want their 30 million pound players getting carved up on a ploughed field greatly increasing the chance of shock results and draws.  I'd bet my arse that the next gambit will be we don't want you too financially miss out, so we'll pay a fee and you can come directly to our crown green bowling lawn for a one of game pretty much guaranteeing a piss easy progression for a couple of rounds.

5 minutes ago, AutoWindscreens said:

Calling all punters: just seen that BetFred are offering 2/7 on Derby coming 2nd, compared to 1/40 elsewhere.

I don't bet such short odds myself but that price must actually be good value! 

Fred obviously fancies a bet on the Rams sh11ting the bed

17 minutes ago, ram59 said:

The poor lad has had a terrible injury record and I can't see any club offering a contract based on this. However, if he was able to sort out some kind of pay as you play contract, it would be a last chance saloon to prove his fitness, whether this be at Derby or elsewhere.

 

I'm convinced that his issues come from his stance receiving the ball against a defender.  He's like a starfish with a bad back.  The pressure on his quads and hamstrings doing that for an hour is ridiculous.  He won't have a career till he starts using his back and shoulders muscles more.  Should have been coached from him before, unless he's just not listening.

1 hour ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

Just watched the Ramstv pre match interview with Warne in which he said Bird, Elder and Barkhuizen have all trained this week. Not heard the local media presser yet so the following may not be wholly accurate but I believe we’ve got the following injuries still;

Joe Ward - Had knee surgery, out for the season.

Dwight Gayle - Hamstring injury, could be back before season ends.

Craig Forsyth - Calf injury, stepping up recovery and could be involved before the season ends

Ryan Nyambe - Quad injury, had surgery and out for the season

Tyreece John-Jules - Hamstring injury, announced today to be rejoining full training this week so could we see a brief cameo in the final game?

Jake Rooney - Knee injury, ACL so thought his season was over but is in light training so could play a part before the season ends

From Carlisles forum

Hope you have a great weekend bluebry, enjoying the Derby promotion party !

I don`t think I`d mind any team going up, by beating us, if it didn`t affect our own league ambitions.

Except Leeds, of course. I`ll forever enjoy seeing them fail.

https://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/threads/forest-fan-20th-april-we-need-to-do-something.119301/

Some of the responses to the Forest begging bowl are fabulous 😂

2 minutes ago, Wolfie said:

Not surprising, given how cup match crowds have fallen in recent years.

I do apportion a lot of that to say West Ham or Villa, more so the top end clubs, putting out such weak sides against others in the first few rounds, particularly the League cup.  The pull factor is greatly reduced from the get go.

3 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

The devaluing of the cup competitions has been a long standing project of the rich clubs who don't want to lower themselves to having to play football matches against randomly drawn teams who are likely from lower down the pecking order.

 

It's been further devalued by VAR at some games and not at others.  

18 hours ago, Reggie Greenwood said:

We did get the injuries Alf , but we were patched up ( injected up in the Pros case ) and sent out to play as long as we could hobble. Hence why many of us limp rather than walk or like Roy Mac have raging arthritis . Some injuries now are different due to players being highly trained and bodies over loaded. 

About 25 years ago I asked John O' Hare if he'd turn out for my 5 a side team.  No chance, he was riddled with arthritis from the old jabs.

34 minutes ago, Animal is a Ram said:

Would love for him to get a 5min cameo against Carlisle. Such a shame to see a good talent hampered by injuries.

4mins 35sec. Close enough. I do worry it might cause a dressing room distraction though.

24 minutes ago, Reggie Greenwood said:

Next season there will be no replays in the FA Cup from the First round onwards. Potentially financially devastating for non- league and poorly supported league clubs not being able to earn that money earning replay at a large club that could potentially keep it alive or bankroll it for a couple of seasons. 
Very poor from the FA in my opinion .

But we have too deal with the massive fixture backlog for all those teams in Europe playing home and away against some team who won the Cypriot cup, or 20 games to win the Champions league they qualified for by finishing 4th.  Don't forget the 4 preseason games going to Saudi to play against Al Hilal and some other randoms as well.  Rochdale can feck right off with their 200k extra gate money.