Start as you mean to go on – badly. The ‘Super Reds’ enter the arena to a bunch of kids waving flags while wearing the blue and white stripes of local rivals Sheffield Wednesday. Whatthehell was that all about? Can one of you supporters club types ‘have a word’???
The match? I heard rumours we went ahead and looked comfortable. My version of events was that they were all over us, looked a constant threat, missed an unbelieveable chance when Sharp headed wide and we hit them on the break. Great goal too, which the Football League Show sadly edited to one pinpoint throughball from Mellis. I’d have shown Dawson breaking past 3 players first, before laying the ball off to Mellis to make an easy pass into acres of space to a weirdly unmarked Harewood. Cool finish as well, though when he rounded the keeper I still thought he was thinking twice about actually putting the ball in the net against his old team. (Previously, Forest fans were regaling his name, something not likely to happen with us).
What an odd game Harewood had. Either you thought he had a smashing game and was our greatest threat, or he was a comedy of errors. Anyone putting him 3rd in their top 3 is bottling the decision. He’s either MOTM or stunk to high heaven, save for scoring a one-on-one under no defensive pressure at all. I thought he was pants. He blazed an early free kick over the bar but even that looked half decent compared to when he was clean through wide right and kicked the pitch rather than the ball, which trickled out of play to derision. He did whip in a couple of good balls, but equally, he was falling over himself half the time – it being difficult to co-ordinate one’s self if one is over 6 feet tall and carrying 16 stones (and the rest).
And I haven’t even got to the goalkeeper, yet. It’s been said before, and it’ll be said again – he’s an accident waiting to happen. Only this time, he was 3 accidents waiting to happen. I blame him for all the first 3 goals and as my dad said at half time ‘It’s a bit depressing to know we’ve lost already.’ #1 was the softest goal I’ve seen in an age. Halford cuts inside and nudges a ball goalwards with the outside of his right foot. 5 minutes later the ball is still trickling towards our goal when a slight deflection off Foster takes the ball to within a yard of the middle of the goal. Where our keeper was or what our goalkeeper was doing is a mystery beyond me.
#2 involves the keeper actually saving something but serving it up on a plate for Cox to tap in the rebound. Sharp should’ve buried the first effort but he doesn’t hit it hard enough and, for me, the keeper shoulda caught it, nevermind pushing it round the post for a corner. Still, 10/10 to Alnwick for jumping up after conceding to belatedly shout for offside. The desperate measure of a desperate man. He wasn’t. Then, as the stadium announcer tells us there’s gonna be X amount of minutes of injury time, I see their bloke hit a harmless looking 25 yarder, nice height to save….it flies through Alnwick’s grasp. #4 sees Jenas deftly dink the ball over Benny, a cool finish, but I note this: Steele saves more one-on-ones than he lets in. He’s top drawer and if he’s fit enough for the bench, he’s gotta be fit enough to play. And if he’s not fit enough, then get someone else in, cos this bloke in the nets now is a disaster.
The match? I heard rumours we went ahead and looked comfortable. My version of events was that they were all over us, looked a constant threat, missed an unbelieveable chance when Sharp headed wide and we hit them on the break. Great goal too, which the Football League Show sadly edited to one pinpoint throughball from Mellis. I’d have shown Dawson breaking past 3 players first, before laying the ball off to Mellis to make an easy pass into acres of space to a weirdly unmarked Harewood. Cool finish as well, though when he rounded the keeper I still thought he was thinking twice about actually putting the ball in the net against his old team. (Previously, Forest fans were regaling his name, something not likely to happen with us).
What an odd game Harewood had. Either you thought he had a smashing game and was our greatest threat, or he was a comedy of errors. Anyone putting him 3rd in their top 3 is bottling the decision. He’s either MOTM or stunk to high heaven, save for scoring a one-on-one under no defensive pressure at all. I thought he was pants. He blazed an early free kick over the bar but even that looked half decent compared to when he was clean through wide right and kicked the pitch rather than the ball, which trickled out of play to derision. He did whip in a couple of good balls, but equally, he was falling over himself half the time – it being difficult to co-ordinate one’s self if one is over 6 feet tall and carrying 16 stones (and the rest).
And I haven’t even got to the goalkeeper, yet. It’s been said before, and it’ll be said again – he’s an accident waiting to happen. Only this time, he was 3 accidents waiting to happen. I blame him for all the first 3 goals and as my dad said at half time ‘It’s a bit depressing to know we’ve lost already.’ #1 was the softest goal I’ve seen in an age. Halford cuts inside and nudges a ball goalwards with the outside of his right foot. 5 minutes later the ball is still trickling towards our goal when a slight deflection off Foster takes the ball to within a yard of the middle of the goal. Where our keeper was or what our goalkeeper was doing is a mystery beyond me.
#2 involves the keeper actually saving something but serving it up on a plate for Cox to tap in the rebound. Sharp should’ve buried the first effort but he doesn’t hit it hard enough and, for me, the keeper shoulda caught it, nevermind pushing it round the post for a corner. Still, 10/10 to Alnwick for jumping up after conceding to belatedly shout for offside. The desperate measure of a desperate man. He wasn’t. Then, as the stadium announcer tells us there’s gonna be X amount of minutes of injury time, I see their bloke hit a harmless looking 25 yarder, nice height to save….it flies through Alnwick’s grasp. #4 sees Jenas deftly dink the ball over Benny, a cool finish, but I note this: Steele saves more one-on-ones than he lets in. He’s top drawer and if he’s fit enough for the bench, he’s gotta be fit enough to play. And if he’s not fit enough, then get someone else in, cos this bloke in the nets now is a disaster.
Ode to Ben Alnwick:
Oh Alnwick,
You make me panic.
You pr*ck.
*** Dawson. Foraging runs from midfield, getting stuck in, kept Reid quiet. So the manager takes him off after 55 minutes.
** Done. Looked quick and a threat out wide. So the manager takes him off after 60 minutes to put on a left back and push Golbourne further forward. Like that’ll work.
* Kennedy. Said left back. Thought he did alright actually.
Sponsors MOTM? Teacher’s Pet , Scott Wiseman. Errrr….kept them down to 4 goals? Still, he had a lovely view of the Jenas goal as he stood and watched him run through. Thankfully, Forest were happy to sit back and take the ‘pressure’ 2nd half, rather than go for the jugular. Much appreciated. I don't like being embarrassed.
I was babysitting this game. My dad’s friend couldn’t make it, so he gave my ticket to another mate while I sat in first friend’s seat looking after a 10 year old. A little voice half way through the first half said ‘Why isn’t Bobby Hassell playing?’ I don’t know, Bailey, I don’t know. (He was on the bench.)
Despatches:
Oh Alnwick,
You make me panic.
You pr*ck.
*** Dawson. Foraging runs from midfield, getting stuck in, kept Reid quiet. So the manager takes him off after 55 minutes.
** Done. Looked quick and a threat out wide. So the manager takes him off after 60 minutes to put on a left back and push Golbourne further forward. Like that’ll work.
* Kennedy. Said left back. Thought he did alright actually.
Sponsors MOTM? Teacher’s Pet , Scott Wiseman. Errrr….kept them down to 4 goals? Still, he had a lovely view of the Jenas goal as he stood and watched him run through. Thankfully, Forest were happy to sit back and take the ‘pressure’ 2nd half, rather than go for the jugular. Much appreciated. I don't like being embarrassed.
I was babysitting this game. My dad’s friend couldn’t make it, so he gave my ticket to another mate while I sat in first friend’s seat looking after a 10 year old. A little voice half way through the first half said ‘Why isn’t Bobby Hassell playing?’ I don’t know, Bailey, I don’t know. (He was on the bench.)
Despatches:
Perkins had that 'other' game of his, the one where he is 2nd to everything and gave away what ball he did have. While his midfield mate Mellis...well, if he'd played till now he still wouldn't have a sweat on. To call him a stroller would be an exaggeration. The way he lays a ball off square, pretends like he's gonna turn and run forward, but instead trots back to his centre circle role to take an easy ball back reminds me of McPhail in his pomp.
ps, a great day was cemented at full time when I stood outside the club shop to meet Gerry, as arranged beforehand. He never turned up. When I rang him ‘Where are you?’ ‘I’m at the station.’ Great. Still, there’s always drinks on the train to look forward to. So Andy accidentally buys ginger beer instead of ginger ale to go with our spiced rum. I don’t know whether the burning sensation in my throat was from the rum or the ginger. Still, it was drinkable. (Mind, I worry that it's taken Andrew 45 years to find out ginger beer is different to ginger ale.)
ps, a great day was cemented at full time when I stood outside the club shop to meet Gerry, as arranged beforehand. He never turned up. When I rang him ‘Where are you?’ ‘I’m at the station.’ Great. Still, there’s always drinks on the train to look forward to. So Andy accidentally buys ginger beer instead of ginger ale to go with our spiced rum. I don’t know whether the burning sensation in my throat was from the rum or the ginger. Still, it was drinkable. (Mind, I worry that it's taken Andrew 45 years to find out ginger beer is different to ginger ale.)
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