Forest Verdict

[Nivada]

It was a bit like those 1-0 wins we ground out in the Covid season against Sheff U and Fulham. Didn't look much better than relegation fodder, but we won and they didn't. In first half, comfortable until the final 3rd where we were as disjointed as usual. After scoring, disjointed in all 3 thirds. Possibly more to do with Forest sitting back in the first half, giving us space? Once they had to have a go, they did make us creaky. Lots of panicky miskicks and clumsy challenges from both sides. Though we'd left the subs a bit late, they won their penalty when we were looking tired.

Match won by Sa's excellent save on their penalty and Neves excellent despatching of ours. Not that Sa (or Forest keeper really) had much to do. As said, lots of errors, typified by Adama who was very good at times, but then also messed up that final ball. Won the penalty. Nunes looked good at times, but also made mistakes and was often angry at others for poor decision making and looked frustrated in a "I am surrounded by incompetents" kind of way. So joined them by giving away a penalty.

The sight of our players shouting at each other may be a positive, at least it showed they care. Looked like the put more effort and fight into this match than any other so far. Costa also, trying to sort the rabble out. We need it. £100M of so-called "quality" signings.. and having to resort to scrapping with 7 foot tall Championship level defenders We have to keep that level up for every match now. (else they will be scrapping 7ft tall Championship defenders every week. That should motivate them!) , And to add in a little bit more speed of thought when attacking. First half, was still too slow, though better than most of this year.

So now only one point behind Liverpool in mid-October, we'd all have wanted that pre-season.

I was just thinking it reminded me so much of those Fulham/Sheffield Utd wins, just intrepid and hardly a gap between us and relegation opposition although we'd always manage the three points.

 

[Ian]

Scrappy win

As I said earlier our game management was poor. Neves free kick with 2 mins to go went straight to a Forrest player. We need to waste time , play in the corners etc

Still 3 points all that mattered today. Feel alot better. Need 5/6 points from next four games (which is a stretch) to put us back on track

And the ten mis played was a disgrace. Would have been well ****ed off had they scored then

Ref was like a kid in his first day at school

Your point about Neves and the late free kick is absolutely spot on.... what was our Captain thinking?

Verdict....
Totally dominant until we went ahead then just let them come at us when they were there for the taking.
We can't score from open play our final ball is appalling...... Forest must be a certainty for Bottom spot.
Traore our biggest threat and thanks to Sa for getting us the points.

 

[nomadwolf]

 

[Mugwump]

Give Adama what he wants? Going against the grain here but I thought he saw a lot of the ball but did very little with it. Two decent crosses, amongst the usual aimless overhit ones.
Oops sorry I was trying to just be positive! But really, I don't think he's worth what he seems to have been asking for.

No way do we give Adama what he wants. He's been decent enough, but he hasnt been good enough to warrant the previous contract to make him close to our highest earner. We should only be throwing around huge contracts to players who are top class week in week out.

 

[Supadavewolf]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1581328955856269313

Even Sky have picked up on it, love it.

Can’t knock our media team they do a fantastic job

Our first team might be languishing near the relegation zone, but our media team are surely PL leaders.

Always clever, never nasty, they bring a smile to the face in these rather troubled times for the club.

 

[Matt]

As a few have said, I think they most important thing for me (other than the 3 points) was that the whole team ran their *******s off. The effort, grit and determination was there all game from every single player, and that has been missing. We can build on this.

 

[JadeWolf]

As a few have said, I think they most important thing for me (other than the 3 points) was that the whole team ran their *******s off. The effort, grit and determination was there all game from every single player, and that has been missing. We can build on this.

100%! I think the players themselves will know they can do better footballing wise, but with confidence as low as it is it won’t just come back overnight. What we needed to do was work bloody hard and grind out the win, and we did. Can’t fault the players efforts.

 

[MikeH68]

No way do we give Adama what he wants. He's been decent enough, but he hasnt been good enough to warrant the previous contract to make him close to our highest earner. We should only be throwing around huge contracts to players who are top class week in week out.

Not talking about the contracts, it is blatant to see he was involved in all of our best moments yesterday.

 

[Mugwump]

Not talking about the contracts, it is blatant to see he was involved in all of our best moments yesterday.

We are playing him as an actual winger now in this system, which helps his game. He isnt an inside forward/wide attacking player, he's an out and out winger which imo is why we are getting more out of him.

 

[Flea]

One thing I don´t agree with is Moutinho taking almost all the dead balls.
I do think his delivery is sub par and has been for a fair while.
I´d rather Neves taking them to be honest.

 

[Wolves4Life85]

I didn't get to see much of the game due to work but did seem that we played much better and our attacking was more intense. Seems like the players are enjoying playing for Davies too. If we can avoid defeat against palace I think he will have done a good job overall. My worry is if we got someone like Nuno back would he undo all this good work and go back to 3 at the back and slow counter attacking football?

 

[clivewolves]

Blimey, that was a needed win.

The first half was enjoyable. The kind of football I thought we would get under Lage. Lots of pressing, quick passing, plenty of width, and players getting in the box. We were just lacking that final pass. It's also why I don't want to go back to hiring a defensive-minded manager.

After we scored the team naturally got nervous and tried to see out the match which we thankfully did.

There were lots of good performances but my man of the match was Nunes. I liked how covered every blade of grass, was always open for a pass, and showed some good quality on the ball.

 

[Alienwolf]

Blimey, that was a needed win.

The first half was enjoyable. The kind of football I thought we would get under Lage. Lots of pressing, quick passing, plenty of width, and players getting the box. We were just lacking that final pass. It's also why I don't want to go back to hiring a defensive-minded manager.

After we scored the team naturally got nervous and tried to see out the match which we thankfully did.

There were lots of good performances but my man of the match was Nunes. I liked how covered every blade of grass, was always open for a pass, and showed some good quality on the ball.

That’s pretty much how I saw it as well. A mild sense of panic appeared to set in after the goal, but overall we just about deserved the 3 points.

A notable mention from me for Podence, who I didn’t want in the team, but had a decent match.

 

[Ned]

Amazing what a win does. I’ve woken up with fresh optimism and am looking forward to Tuesday night now.

I know Forest are terrible and we had our usual nervy ending against a side who the cigars should have come out against but that’s where we are at the moment. We are desperate for wins and even more desperate for some confidence. What we did show was more fight and guts than we have done all season, we showed a togetherness that has been lacking since the Nuno times and it shows that the players care.

A few more battling performances and good results and the football side of things will fall into place.

 

[Mark Rankines Lovechild]

Didn’t like the booing of Morgan tbh but at least he didn’t score which most were predicting

He didnt get booed by th NB, got clapped actually when he took a corner which he acknowledged.

 

[Fenrir_]

Just watched the extended highlights, that first half really was much, much better than what we've been seeing

 

[bod101]

Didn’t like the booing of Morgan tbh but at least he didn’t score which most were predicting

To be fair he was clapped until he then stopped one of our attacks by jumping on the player and holding him back

 

[Northampton_wolf]

A win the most important thing couldn't care less if it came off Diego's nutsack or an own goal off someone's **** now to build and find something against palace

 

[OLDGOLD]

First 60 minutes wee good, we bossed it 95%.
But... we have totally lost our shape from 60 minutes -> on the field in our latest home games. Both Lage and now Davids have failed to introduce B Traore in time, and as a result we have more or less collapsed during the final 30 minutes.
We were unlucky against the Toon, but rode our luck today.
Bring Traore on while we still have some functional shape on the pitch, then he could have some influence and hopefully keep our gameplan.

But if we bring him on in the "83rd minute" as we have done in our last homegames, there is really nothing he can do to help us keep control of the midfield in the final 30 minutes...

I would rather start with Boubacar and bring Moutinho on , but your point is bang on.

 

[SuperGran]

He didnt get booed by th NB, got clapped actually when he took a corner which he acknowledged.

was definitely booed in Steve bull stand

 

[wulfie88]

 

[GoldenHorseshoe]

Costa Traor

was definitely booed in Steve bull stand

He was booed on my TV set

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

What really surprised me was that in my mind we totally dominated until the nervy finish. However according to the MotD stats they had a higher xG (albeit both sides it was mostly the pens). Glad as I was of the points Infogol has us as 1.29 xG with a slightly generous penalty (worth 0.9 iirc) against a team with little quality and less ambition is very poor.

 

[ANONYMOUS☆WOLF]

Terrible game.
Massive 3 points.
Steve cooper is ugly as ****.

 

[Contrarian]

I was just thinking it reminded me so much of those Fulham/Sheffield Utd wins, just intrepid and hardly a gap between us and relegation opposition although we'd always manage the three points.

The harsh part is that it shows we have not progressed at all in the last18 months. Despite £100m+ spent.

 

[ToastedWanderer]

We just don't have 90 minutes in us, haven't for quite some time. Remember we when we were Second Half FC under Nuno?

Under Bruno, second half became appalling and you knew if we'd not scored first half, we were toast.

Yesterday again we were better first half and should have been one up, but for whatever reason, we cannot score. It's like we need a psychologist to remind our forwards what the aim of the game is.

Second half we were awful and won on penalties, I'll take it. But the new manager has to solve at least 2 things, how to score, how to play well over two halves..

 

[BarryM]

Watching those highlights looked like we absolutely battered them first half …. But could not hit a barn door.

I’m so torn with Traore … he is an outlet, gets fans off their seats, can relieve pressure by taking the ball up the field. But my god, the aim of the game in football is to outscore your opponents, whether that be 1-0 or 6-5 … if we are trying to score he is as useful as a chocolate teapot, barely ever hits the target and one out of every 30 crosses finds a wolves shirt.

Probably best utilised when ahead in a game, not when we are level or chasing an equaliser as the chance of us scoring when he is on the pitch is virtually nil. Yes I know the penalty yesterday, but it was never a penalty and it was a terrible effort had it not hit a forest player.

Definitely not deserving an improved contract … same same then yes, anything more leave him to go and find a club who will meet those demands.

 

[Mark Rankines Lovechild]

One thing I don´t agree with is Moutinho taking almost all the dead balls.
I do think his delivery is sub par and has been for a fair while.
I´d rather Neves taking them to be honest.

Best delivery I saw was RAN’s for Kilman headed goal last season….dont understand why he doesnt get an opportunity

 

[Wolf 82]

Watching those highlights looked like we absolutely battered them first half …. But could not hit a barn door.

I’m so torn with Traore … he is an outlet, gets fans off their seats, can relieve pressure by taking the ball up the field. But my god, the aim of the game in football is to outscore your opponents, whether that be 1-0 or 6-5 … if we are trying to score he is as useful as a chocolate teapot, barely ever hits the target and one out of every 30 crosses finds a wolves shirt.

Probably best utilised when ahead in a game, not when we are level or chasing an equaliser as the chance of us scoring when he is on the pitch is virtually nil. Yes I know the penalty yesterday, but it was never a penalty and it was a terrible effort had it not hit a forest player.

Definitely not deserving an improved contract … same same then yes, anything more leave him to go and find a club who will meet those demands.

He won the pen that won us the game.. by cutting in and taking a shot. He also provided the cross for our other almost.. think that’s a bit unfair.

 

[Matt]

Watching those highlights looked like we absolutely battered them first half …. But could not hit a barn door.

I’m so torn with Traore … he is an outlet, gets fans off their seats, can relieve pressure by taking the ball up the field. But my god, the aim of the game in football is to outscore your opponents, whether that be 1-0 or 6-5 … if we are trying to score he is as useful as a chocolate teapot, barely ever hits the target and one out of every 30 crosses finds a wolves shirt.

Probably best utilised when ahead in a game, not when we are level or chasing an equaliser as the chance of us scoring when he is on the pitch is virtually nil. Yes I know the penalty yesterday, but it was never a penalty and it was a terrible effort had it not hit a forest player.

Definitely not deserving an improved contract … same same then yes, anything more leave him to go and find a club who will meet those demands.

Strange thing to say about Traore when he a) won us the penalty that won us the game and b) put one on a plate for Kilman in the first half. We would not have won that game without Adama Traore.

 

[Mark Rankines Lovechild]

Watching those highlights looked like we absolutely battered them first half …. But could not hit a barn door.

I’m so torn with Traore … he is an outlet, gets fans off their seats, can relieve pressure by taking the ball up the field. But my god, the aim of the game in football is to outscore your opponents, whether that be 1-0 or 6-5 … if we are trying to score he is as useful as a chocolate teapot, barely ever hits the target and one out of every 30 crosses finds a wolves shirt.

Probably best utilised when ahead in a game, not when we are level or chasing an equaliser as the chance of us scoring when he is on the pitch is virtually nil. Yes I know the penalty yesterday, but it was never a penalty and it was a terrible effort had it not hit a forest player.

Definitely not deserving an improved contract … same same then yes, anything more leave him to go and find a club who will meet those demands.

I am not a fan of some parts of his game (shooting) and off the ball work but without him yesterday we had zero threat. It is true when he has the ball he has two men on him minimum and he usually gets a cross in.

 

[Puregold]

Much need 3 points, can we now go to Palace and get a point, 3 would be great!!

Just a thought, what about pushing RAN forward on the left side, always looks to drive forward, will likely get into the box and create some problems, another option?

Amazing how a win makes your weekend feel so much better.

 

[Zico]

Strange thing to say about Traore when he a) won us the penalty that won us the game and b) put one on a plate for Kilman in the first half. We would not have won that game without Adama Traore.

I think the point is that he's not doing anything deserving of an improved contract.

 

[BarryM]

I am not a fan of some parts of his game (shooting) and off the ball work but without him yesterday we had zero threat. It is true when he has the ball he has two men on him minimum and he usually gets a cross in.

Strange thing to say about Traore when he a) won us the penalty that won us the game and b) put one on a plate for Kilman in the first half. We would not have won that game without Adama Traore.

He won the pen that won us the game.. by cutting in and taking a shot. He also provided the cross for our other almost.. think that’s a bit unfair.

I know and that’s exactly why I said I’m torn.

I’m a fan of his … I like what he offers us by moving the ball up the pitch, stretching the game and giving us an outlet.

And like I said, should never have been a penalty and we wouldn’t have won the game without him but we’re very lucky it was given.

He isn’t suited to us chasing the game though, teams drop back and if he has no space to run into it renders him almost useless. I’m more annoyed he should be so much better than he is, especially as he has such a high opinion of himself. I prefer him to Podence if we are in the lead, but if we are chasing a goal not so much.

Is he a good squad player? Absolutely!

Does he deserve an improved contract? Not in a million years.

 

[Adrian_Monk]

Biggest takeaway from the game is Steve Cooper is even uglier in person. He'd actually look out of place in Shameless, for the wrong reasons.

 

[Royal wolf]

Biggest takeaway from the game is Steve Cooper is even uglier in person. He'd actually look out of place in Shameless, for the wrong reasons.

There’s a reason MOTD is on post watershed

 

[Aimless Balls]

One thing I don´t agree with is Moutinho taking almost all the dead balls.
I do think his delivery is sub par and has been for a fair while.
I´d rather Neves taking them to be honest.

A fair while, like always? Like even at his best?

 

[shaygriff]

Our first team might be languishing near the relegation zone, but our media team are surely PL leaders.

Always clever, never nasty, they bring a smile to the face in these rather troubled times for the club.

I love the "safe trip back to Notts Forest"

 

[ewarwoowar]

Biggest takeaway from the game is Steve Cooper is even uglier in person. He'd actually look out of place in Shameless, for the wrong reasons.

reminds me of the old Graucho Marx gag. Mirror mirror on the wall who is the fairest of them all and get it right next time!!

 

[Ned]

If people think Diego Costa looks old for 34, just remember that Steve Cooper is 42.