Another Saturday, Another win. I forgot this feeling, but its back with a bam, and I hope it’s not a temporary thing.
A month ago I’d have resigned myself to another limp defeat, concede a soft goal and just collapse, but there is new steel, new belief and new determination with Forest. Those dark days of 3 or 4 weeks ago, where we really questioned everything seem a distant memory (and more on that later).
On paper it looks like we were helped out by the red card to Yann Kormangant. My only other memory of him is his laughably bad penalty in Leicester’s playoff shoot out defeat of a few years ago. Now there’s a ridiculous silly red card too. Kicking out at Halford stretched a team further that was already on the rack. Now they were at breaking point.
And who else to be the one to make that break through than renaissance man Radoslaw Majewski, a man who also seems to love playing in South London. Well he was the one to put us in front, and could and should have had more.
In fact we could have many more than the 2 we did get. Of course Lansbury scored again, with his goals being like buses, waiting ages for one, only for two to appear. But also with Henderson hitting a post, and Ward going close with a clever flick.
Again, as I said after the previous game you could make the point that goals for the strikers are a mere trickle at the moment, but as long as the midfield are at the party we are fine. When you have the craft, guile and quality we have in that position goals will come. Reid carving out chances for others, Majewski making his name with goals, Guedioura’s constant long range risk, and Lansbury now popping up too, it means the likes of McGugan and Gillett have their work cut out to get near the team. Indeed Davies seems to prefer Greening to Gillett, who really has become the forgotten man.
Charlton fans have been quite forthcoming with their praise of us on the likes of Twitter in the last 48 hours or so, not only the tams performances but also the numbers we took with us, and now there is a much retweeted picture comparing our support, filling the away end, with the rather feeble Derby support as a comparison. By the light of the picture that was a Saturday fixture too, so there’s no excuse. But the away support seem quite robust right now, I myself have only made one away game this year, but we do seem to be taking large numbers everywhere.
With results elsewhere again going our way, namely Middlesbrough ongoing capitulation of their promotion chances, we now as close to promotion as we did on Boxing Day. Even in Billy’s day we always had shaky Januarys, so perhaps the dream is on. If we were to string together 2-3 more wins, it would look completely in the realms of possibility that we could make the playoffs. I’d argue at the moment we could take anyone on in this division.
The real test of course of will come when we do suffer a defeat or two, and how Billy picks these players back, or brings someone else in to the fold to cover for injury or suspension. Hutchinson is rumoured to be back after a lengthy lay off. Additionally it has been discussed the possibility of looking at the loan market once again, despite already having Hutchinson, Jara, Ward, Sharp and Ayala on loan. The chances of getting all 5 of them fit and in the team look remote (especially considering Ayala and Hutchinson’s recent injury record)
But overall things are suddenly looking peachy again. Onwards and upwards Forest, onwards and upwards.
A month ago I’d have resigned myself to another limp defeat, concede a soft goal and just collapse, but there is new steel, new belief and new determination with Forest. Those dark days of 3 or 4 weeks ago, where we really questioned everything seem a distant memory (and more on that later).
On paper it looks like we were helped out by the red card to Yann Kormangant. My only other memory of him is his laughably bad penalty in Leicester’s playoff shoot out defeat of a few years ago. Now there’s a ridiculous silly red card too. Kicking out at Halford stretched a team further that was already on the rack. Now they were at breaking point.
And who else to be the one to make that break through than renaissance man Radoslaw Majewski, a man who also seems to love playing in South London. Well he was the one to put us in front, and could and should have had more.
In fact we could have many more than the 2 we did get. Of course Lansbury scored again, with his goals being like buses, waiting ages for one, only for two to appear. But also with Henderson hitting a post, and Ward going close with a clever flick.
Again, as I said after the previous game you could make the point that goals for the strikers are a mere trickle at the moment, but as long as the midfield are at the party we are fine. When you have the craft, guile and quality we have in that position goals will come. Reid carving out chances for others, Majewski making his name with goals, Guedioura’s constant long range risk, and Lansbury now popping up too, it means the likes of McGugan and Gillett have their work cut out to get near the team. Indeed Davies seems to prefer Greening to Gillett, who really has become the forgotten man.
Charlton fans have been quite forthcoming with their praise of us on the likes of Twitter in the last 48 hours or so, not only the tams performances but also the numbers we took with us, and now there is a much retweeted picture comparing our support, filling the away end, with the rather feeble Derby support as a comparison. By the light of the picture that was a Saturday fixture too, so there’s no excuse. But the away support seem quite robust right now, I myself have only made one away game this year, but we do seem to be taking large numbers everywhere.
With results elsewhere again going our way, namely Middlesbrough ongoing capitulation of their promotion chances, we now as close to promotion as we did on Boxing Day. Even in Billy’s day we always had shaky Januarys, so perhaps the dream is on. If we were to string together 2-3 more wins, it would look completely in the realms of possibility that we could make the playoffs. I’d argue at the moment we could take anyone on in this division.
The real test of course of will come when we do suffer a defeat or two, and how Billy picks these players back, or brings someone else in to the fold to cover for injury or suspension. Hutchinson is rumoured to be back after a lengthy lay off. Additionally it has been discussed the possibility of looking at the loan market once again, despite already having Hutchinson, Jara, Ward, Sharp and Ayala on loan. The chances of getting all 5 of them fit and in the team look remote (especially considering Ayala and Hutchinson’s recent injury record)
But overall things are suddenly looking peachy again. Onwards and upwards Forest, onwards and upwards.
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