Swansea (H)
Well...that was nervy...again! Having re-watched the highlights, I feel that we had the better chances to score again. The Johnson ball for Surridge the other best chance of the game.
Just three games to go and if we can somehow win all three then you have to think that automatic promotion is ours. Huddersfield are still in it, with the easier of the fixtures, whilst Bournemouth play Blackburn next, who need the three points to hope they get sixth.
Having won nine of our last 11 league fixtures, we have a great chance of pulling off the unbelievable without the play-off lottery. Whatever happens now though, we will at least finish 5th, our play-off spot confirmed. A phenomenal achievement from Steve and the team.
Whilst the team has it's star players now, who would have thought that Johnson would continue his league one form, Grabban would get over ten, Yates would be on for ten, and with our third-choice Sheffield United LB still injured, we have Colback scoring the goal of the season.
Add to that the largely unknown Spence and the previously unwanted Davis and Surridge and you have a blend of home-grown talents, loans and ageing players who might just topple a Bournemouth side who's squad costs three times as much as ours.
Note* It's about 50% more than Huddersfield's before they comment!
League Form (last 10):
*Form Table: 1st v 5th
*GF 22 GA 4 v GF 19 GA 13
*2.5 PPG v 1.7 PPG
Over the last six:
*Forest: W6 D0 L Away - GF 17 GA 1
*Fulham: W4 D1 L1 Home - GF 14 GA 7
Swansea have the best away form over the last six, and we have the best home form over the same period. They have no play-offs to aim for, the 3-3 draw ending their slim chances of finishing sixth.
Colback and Zinckernagel might be joining Davis, Lowe and Grabban.
If they do miss out then the squad could see the return of Bong, although unlikely to start, and Taylor, as we are desperately short of attacking options.
Our U18's won again as we beat Liverpool 1-0, lifting us to 4th in the table. Finishing third and winning the FA Youth Cup still a possibility.
Our U23s are fourth and can comment their play-off place on Friday night.
Prediction:
The games are beginning to take their toll, with seemingly new injuries every game. At least Surridge will be rested (he looked fairly annoyed at coming off) and Laryea at RB and Spence at LB worked (in the absence of Colback).
As much as Zinko frustrates, we need him in the team, with Lolley looking better than he has, but nowhere near as good. If only he could find the form of the rest of the squad.
With the back three back together we look solid defensively, and with one goal in six and only four against this year, I predict another win.
2-0 to Forest and a Bournemouth loss at Blackburn, meaning that the game there is an early play-off final for us both. Hopefully a Millwall win at home against Peterborough to increase the pressure on Bournemouth.
If we do win...and win and win...or we somehow manage automatic promotion without three wins, then I will be a Huddersfield fan for the play-offs. I would hate to see the dirty Luton, affluent Bournemouth or any of the chasing pack take out a team that is a deserved fourth (as it stands).
Maybe Blackburn, so that we get a small fortune if Brereton-Diaz has a good season in the premiership. Would he come back? It would save on their sell-on clause for sure!
COYRs!!!!!!
Forest v Swansea - Match Thread
posted on 30/4/22
You've had more games, & lost one too.... JUST SAYING...
posted on 30/4/22
comment by Wetherbyterrier (U2075)
posted 1 hour, 54 minutes ago
You've had more games, & lost one too.... JUST SAYING...
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No debate Huddersfield have been brilliant.
Because of how playing them would mean we lose Spence Middlesbrough are my team to avoid in the playoffs. But if judge purely on the team we face Huddersfield are the most dangerous
posted on 30/4/22
I think you'll go up auto.... Good luck 👏👏
posted on 30/4/22
comment by Wetherbyterrier (U2075)
posted about 3 hours ago
I think you'll go up auto.... Good luck 👏👏
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Thanks mate, but to correct the record, we've taken 21 out of 24 in April, not 18 as I stated before...
posted on 1/5/22
Automatic form...
posted on 1/5/22
Just watched the extended hi-lights, what a festival of goals, could have had 3 more in the first half.
I think we stand a odds on chance of beating muff on Tuesday, what a turn a round in form that would be!
posted on 1/5/22
Swansea manager apologises for second half collapse. Tbh they were very fortunate it still be in the game at half time, we had 3 clear chances in the first ten minutes. They immediately resorted to time wasting after equalising. They play some decent stuff, heavy on possession, but imo not sustainable for 90 minutes. The first half was mega frustrating, but the second half was far more clinical, Cooper’s message at half time was probably more of the same, but be more ruthless in front of goal. They had about 70% possession but mainly in their half, they had 3 shots on target to our seventeen. Cooper really has something special going with this group of players, and imo if we could somehow maintain the nucleus, we’d stroll this division next season, that of course fearing the worst. 9-2 aggregate win over the Swans is almost unbelievable, but really shows the direction we are moving in. It’s been literally decades since I’ve had this much faith in the structure we are seeing, on and off the field, long may it continue. One more thing about the Swans ‘brand’ of football, it’s strange to me to see the goalkeeper ahead of his centre half waiting to take possession of the ball, this happened numerous times in the first half.
posted on 2/5/22
Game 44 - April 30th 2022
Nottm Forest 5 - 1 Abertawe
Christie (22 og) Obafemi (28)
Surridge (48, 52, 69)
Mighten (84)
FT
Everybody knows that 2022 is the International Year of Glass [*1], but not everybody knows that Welsh is not a real language [*2]. It is a pseudo language, on a par with Klingon or Esperanto. There is no way that a real language would come up with the words 'rholyn toiled' for 'toilet roll'. It's just pretend stuff, isn't it?
In the first half of this match, it was clear that Abertawe had no intentions of playing real football. Their version of the game involved an enormous amount of keeping the ball as long as they could, falling over when they lost it, and spending as much time on the floor as the referee would allow. This pretend football was designed to frustrate Forest and their fans, and for a while it worked. Even Mister Samuel Surridge seemed a bit off his game.
The goal came courtesy of agent Christie, who was sent off for preventing a goal scoring opportunity, then not sent off because he hadn't prevented a goal after all. This should have signalled an opening of the floodgates, but the next development was an Abertawe goal from Obafemi, a goal so fortunate it could not be classed as a real goal at all, but rather a nod which, believe it or not, is the Welsh word for goal.
Anyway, it was 1-1 at half time, and the wet willy brigade were out in force with their "got a bad feeling about this" stuff and their "going to be one of those days" stuff and their "I've never seen Forest come good in the second half because I'm terminally stupid" stuff.
The way to beat Abertawe's pseudo football turned out to be (1) ignoring it, and (2) scoring 4 more goals in the second half. Mister Samuel Surridge scored three - his first senior hattrick ever. His first was one of those falling-back headers which cannot be scored by ordinary mortals. His second was a swept, top-corner finish of breathtaking beauty. His third was the result of neat control and the Abertawe goalkeeper standing a yard inside his own goal. By the time it was 4-1 the noise inside the City Ground had turned solid, like painfully loud concrete. When Mighten burst through for Forest's 5th the atmosphere was so potent it could have powered Nottinghamshire. Mighten went insane, and he wasn't the only one.
And now Forest go to Muffshire to play in the biggest Championship game of the season. So, when we're 1-0 down at half time, put a bet on us to win 6-1. You know it makes sense. Rydym yn ddiguro, as the Welsh might say. Or is it Klingon? Look it up.
*1 - This is true
*2 - This may not be true. Whatever.
posted on 2/5/22
Stress and Pie 2022
www.stressandpie.co.uk
posted on 2/5/22
Fraud Christy was lucky to stay on either way imo.