Forest v Bristol City

I thought that the three year FFP rules that are starting next season would start from scratch and just have the annual 15m cap, then start with the 39m over the period once three years into the rules. According to local media last weekend that is not the case so much of the 21m loss last season is counted towards the three year period.

In other words, if that is the case we're not going to be much better off if we do come out of the embargo unless we don't mind going back into one in the near future. It's a bit concerning to say the least and we may have more seasons like this rather than a promotion push.

On a completely unrelated note Notts have seven interested parties, which is surprise as it seems to be a common belief Forest have only ever had one since the Doughty estate put us up for sale

Depends on what their debt is like?

I can't believe Snow White isn't interested too...

"Depends on what their debt is like?"
I guess and with ours, the owners is building it up quite substantially so it depends how much they would want if they would sell. But realistically if you're losing 20m+ or even 10m+, then if you can't shift on if you wanted to because of an unrealistic asking price; then you lose out anyway

highlights:

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/competitions/championship/10183988/nottm-forest-1-2-bristol-city

BBC report:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35618647

Stress and Pie:

FOREST 1 BRISTOLS 2

The embargo is finally biting hard, and Forest are beginning to look worn out. Mister Dug's efforts to make us hard to beat have been understandable and, in the circumstances, even creditable, but those exhausting efforts have been at the expense of developing much in the way of progressive football. You could see it in the Bristol's match. After scoring a goal (remember them?) Forest simply did not have the method, wit, creativity, dynamism or personnel to push home their advantage. You would imagine that Forest's defence could be relied on to defend a lead, but that plan only works (if at all) away from home where the midfield locks into the defence. As soon as home pressure demands a more progressive approach, the team drifts into a confused and almost schizophrenic mind-set, because the progressive approach has been bred out of them. Thus the midfield ends up neither protecting the defence nor providing forward impetus. As soon as the opposition senses Forest's uncertainty or discomfort, they smell blood. In that terrible second half, Bristols played more fluent and effective football. Forest just looked lost, worn out.

There are excuses for this defeat, of course - a long list of them, culminating in the injury to Ward, Forest's most threatening, if wayward, player. The underlying problem, however, is that by force of circumstance the team's instinct has become defensive, and any attempt to adjust that instinct seems to end in disintegration. We have become an engine which is only good at one thing. Ask it to do another and it threatens to shake itself to bits.

This is all proving to be a bit of a nightmare for Mister Dug. Before the game he said "I want to get back to a position where we're entertaining" - a creditable sentiment, but one which sidestepped the truth that circumstance and his own instincts have drained entertainment, in the form of creative options, out of this side. Beside that, his starting line up did not promise entertainment, and though there was plenty of rather mechanical enthusiasm in the first half, there was never a chance of control or continuing threat.

So Mister Dug is stuck, and his options seem limited. We suspect he will revert to those defensive instincts, even at home, and aim to reach safety as soon as possible, because we're not safe yet. He will do this because trying to attack your way out of trouble won't work with this team, unless one or two players suddenly embark on a scoring spree, which seems unlikely. Going "back to basics" will not prove popular, but in his mind it will be infinitely better than the dislocated mess we saw in the second half against Bristols.

As Old Uncle Boff might have said, we're just going to have to lie back, think of England, and take it up in our stride. At least until next season.

www.stressandpie.co.uk