comment by El Bosque [Basoa in Euskara] (U1617)
posted 9 minutes ago
If we get two more, without conceding, we'll be top!
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Joint top as it stands 👍🏼

Uncle Albert...

Swansea losing

Cardiff also pulled 2 back, still losing 3-2 at WBA

Up to 2nd

Good win. Would have been nice to score some more but sounds like it was a tough game.

Great result

Fantastic result and a great performance.

What a result for Stoke & Millwall

Taking 13 points from the last 15 is terrific form.

Amazing form. Hope Sow’s injury ain’t too bad

We weren’t as clinical as be have been of late but at no point did I feel Brentford would ever score as we controlled the game. Brentford’s only real chance came on the stroke of half time and even that was a deflection. It’s as promising and comfortable as 1-0s get in the championship.

We have instilled a bare minimum standard of being defensively rock solid, and Watson absolutely deserves MOTM for his midfield marshalling alone.

We head into the international break with injured players returning, players playing for shirts, being unbeaten in 10, scoring in every game, and sitting in the automatics. Our next four opponents are 16th or lower. Crazy stuff.

If ever there was a ‘comfortable’ 1-0, this was it, Brentford weren’t bad, but had very little too offer in attack. Crucial save by Samba from a deflected free kick on half time, but the remainder of his work was quite comfortable. Defensively we looked very solid, midfield, after a patchy first half, looked impressive in the second, the front however, still leaves room for improvement, unfortunately another poor game for Carvalho, he looks short of confidence, and doesn’t look comfortable out wide. Several contenders for MOM, with Cash edging it imo, no complaints with Watson getting it, but we had 3 or 4 very strong contenders. We are in a great position going into the international break, and with only four games before the next one, continuing our good form would put us as strong play off contenders. I don’t think we are top two contenders yet but are definitely moving in the right direction.

comment by reddave (U8660)
posted 3 hours, 29 minutes ago
If ever there was a ‘comfortable’ 1-0, this was it, Brentford weren’t bad, but had very little too offer in attack. Crucial save by Samba from a deflected free kick on half time, but the remainder of his work was quite comfortable. Defensively we looked very solid, midfield, after a patchy first half, looked impressive in the second, the front however, still leaves room for improvement, unfortunately another poor game for Carvalho, he looks short of confidence, and doesn’t look comfortable out wide. Several contenders for MOM, with Cash edging it imo, no complaints with Watson getting it, but we had 3 or 4 very strong contenders. We are in a great position going into the international break, and with only four games before the next one, continuing our good form would put us as strong play off contenders. I don’t think we are top two contenders yet but are definitely moving in the right direction.
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I'd agree - but right now, we're top two! If our defence continues to be mean and we continue to score in every game, we'll win the league.

I think we have a really good chance of the playoffs as things stand. Lack of goals is the only blot on the landscape. Keeper looks top class for this division; Jenks, Dawson, and Robinson not in the back line but we are still rock solid. Watson and Sow provide excellent protection, with Bostock and Semedo to come in if required. The back sevens performances have meant we haven't needed to score many to get a result. However we do need a bit more quality and firepower in the final third, and cover for Lewis Grabban.

If we can have a good January window we will have a chance of automatics.

Couple of weeks for rest, recovery, and fine tuning and we should come back firing on all cylinders.

Atleast with our recent defensive performances were always in the mix for atleast a point, and that gives licence for our attacking players to both play freely and without pressure. I remember -was it under psycho? - where we ‘Needed’ to score because the defence was leaky but the pressure involved in keeping that system going eventually buckled the team and we collapsed.

Carvalho did struggle though, but he was on the wing with only grabban holding the line, lolley was playing it quiet safe until the last ten so there wasn’t much to play to. He would of flourished coming on with ameobi and Adomah.

We’re spoilt for attacking options for our front 4, all play with different styles, and all put in a shift to the point of being interchangeable. Make us very hard to defend against.

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/teams/nottingham-forest/11828311/nottingham-forest-1-0-brentford

Can’t fault Watson. He is showing the quality that saw him play all those years in the Prem for Palace, Watford and Wigan. Lamouchi is feeling the benefit but I’ve no doubt Karanka and O’Neill envisaged him doing something similar for their teams. Think the work Sow does is a major factor in allowing Watson to concentrate on his own game more and not be overworked in the centre of midfield. The goals are the icing on the cake. Sign of a player really at ease with his role in the side. 👏🏼

Heard lots of moans and groans from Bees fans online. Fact is, Forest have become so adept at defending their penalty area, you have to produce something special (WBA) or a fluke (Stoke’s first goal) to score past Samba at the moment.

Can’t remember a Forest side as defensively solid as this since Frank Clark’s boys who had Crossley in goal with Lytton, Cooper, Chettle and Pearce across the back with David Phillips, at a similar stage of his career as Watson, screening them. It’s a worthy comparison at the moment, I reckon.

Should read Lyttle, of course. A top right back and lovely bloke when he did a night at the Southbank a few years ago.

Tyler’s on fire, the Mackems were terrified!

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/11828522/lincoln-2-0-sunderland

Sorry Michael Appleton but surely a recall in Jan is the plan. He is looking very accomplished in my eyes. He is working the keeper more often than not. He is looking strong and timing his runs into the box really well judging by the two goals.

Could be a real ace in the pack for Lamouchi in the tight games that will come in the New Year as the pitches start to get heavy.