Forest (H) match thread - sponsored by an Antonio goal

[Niko]

Put out a weakened side to rest players on Tuesday. Lost 3-0

Played our strongest side with rested players on Saturday. Lost 3-0

Dreading the Bradford match now...

[Ian Royal]

Forest themselves got an embargo this season didn't they? Still don't think that explains the gap shown today and another 2nd half collapse by Reading.

We've got nothing up top.

Pog is happy collecting his big wages and ambling about. He simply doesn't pose a goal threat. He works hardish holding up play, but he creates oxf*rd all and doesn't get in enough positions to score and his finishing isn't good enough either.
Cox isn't a goalscorer.
McCleary isn't the same player post injuries.
HRK is in some sort of terrible comfortzone where he just can't produce the goods.
Blackman thinks he's twice the player he actually is and has the decision making ability of someone in a persistent vegetative state.
Yakubu hasn't played at a decent level for a couple of years and is old and unfit.
Mackie is a hardworker in the twilight of his career.

We don't have a single midfielder you can reasonably rely on to hit 5 goals in a full season, let alone 10.

The defence isn't as bad as it seems. It's just got nothing to take the pressure off it. If you score a few goals and get yourself ahead in a few games then the opposition droop and we get stronger. Instead we just sit there not hurting anyone and let the opposition keep plugging away until something comes off for them.

And we've still got another year of Pog earning millions without contributing anything even remotely close to what he's earning. As long as he's here, we're oxf*rd for bringing in good new strikers because he's taking up the budget for two on his own.


Still. At least Samuel is scoring at Coventry, maybe he'll come back and offer something for next season on the cheap.

[TBM]

Or knowing us we'll sell him

[Ian Royal]

Or knowing us we'll sell him

I think he'll be out of contract, so that's not an option.

[blueroyals]

I can't believe I'm in agreement with Ian Royal

[tidus_mi2]

I can't believe I'm in agreement with Ian Royal

Even if someone were to disagree with Ian, what he said about the team is pretty accurate, you look at our team and you really can't name a goal scorer right now which was the biggest thing missing today.

[Dick Habbin's hairdo]

Forest themselves got an embargo this season didn't they? Still don't think that explains the gap shown today and another 2nd half collapse by Reading.

We've got nothing up top.

Pog is happy collecting his big wages and ambling about. He simply doesn't pose a goal threat. He works hardish holding up play, but he creates oxf*rd all and doesn't get in enough positions to score and his finishing isn't good enough either.
Cox isn't a goalscorer.
McCleary isn't the same player post injuries.
HRK is in some sort of terrible comfortzone where he just can't produce the goods.
Blackman thinks he's twice the player he actually is and has the decision making ability of someone in a persistent vegetative state.
Yakubu hasn't played at a decent level for a couple of years and is old and unfit.
Mackie is a hardworker in the twilight of his career.

We don't have a single midfielder you can reasonably rely on to hit 5 goals in a full season, let alone 10.

The defence isn't as bad as it seems. It's just got nothing to take the pressure off it. If you score a few goals and get yourself ahead in a few games then the opposition droop and we get stronger. Instead we just sit there not hurting anyone and let the opposition keep plugging away until something comes off for them.

And we've still got another year of Pog earning millions without contributing anything even remotely close to what he's earning. As long as he's here, we're oxf*rd for bringing in good new strikers because he's taking up the budget for two on his own.


Still. At least Samuel is scoring at Coventry, maybe he'll come back and offer something for next season on the cheap.

FFS. It's come to this. Agree with IR..... </hangs head in shame>

[muddyfeet]

Sure many will disagree but I don't think Pog was that poor today
Cox offered absolutely nothing

[paddy20]

We could be 4th from bottom after Wednesday

[Ian Royal]

Sure many will disagree but I don't think Pog was that poor today
Cox offered absolutely nothing

This is the thing. You can absolutely argue that Pog has good games and plays well. He can put a real shift in holding up the ball and laying it off. Harrassing defenders etc. But at the end of the day, he's our main striker and his job is to score. We don't have anyone else to do it instead of him, that's for sure. And he's just not good at a) getting into shooting positions, b) scoring from enough of the few positions he gets into. He averages one shot a game. And in 19 appearance (12 starts) he's got 3 goals (and 1 assist). When you only shoot just over once a game, you need to have a better conversion rate than 0.2

Put Long, Kitson, or Doyle next to him or Sigurdsson behind him and it's not an issue.

Midfield is a massive issue as well. We've got about 10 goals total from there and some of them have come when wingers have played up front or in an attacking three.

[paddy20]

Sure many will disagree but I don't think Pog was that poor today
Cox offered absolutely nothing

Picks it up too deep, hardly ever in a scoring position apart from corners. Agree Cox was poor. Since Murray has gone we have looked poor up front

[paddy20]

Reckon on this form we will only pick up 8 pts until end of season. Will that keep us up?

[Blackbag]

Cox not a goal scorer never has been I questioned him coming here ive come home bollox and why don't we ever shot from outside the area why why WHY . Cox " ill celebrate if I score against Forest" what a laugh score what a goal ?

[blueroyals]

Sure many will disagree but I don't think Pog was that poor today
Cox offered absolutely nothing

This is the thing. You can absolutely argue that Pog has good games and plays well. He can put a real shift in holding up the ball and laying it off. Harrassing defenders etc. But at the end of the day, he's our main striker and his job is to score. We don't have anyone else to do it instead of him, that's for sure. And he's just not good at a) getting into shooting positions, b) scoring from enough of the few positions he gets into. He averages one shot a game. And in 19 appearance (12 starts) he's got 3 goals (and 1 assist). When you only shoot just over once a game, you need to have a better conversion rate than 0.2

Put Long, Kitson, or Doyle next to him or Sigurdsson behind him and it's not an issue.

Midfield is a massive issue as well. We've got about 10 goals total from there and some of them have come when wingers have played up front or in an attacking three.

The number of times McCleary has busted a gut to beat his defender and put a ball into the box and Pog is lumbering around the halfway line is staggering. There's no attacking movement either. See the Yakubu goal vs. Derby. When has Pog made a run like that? He's only in the team because he's an excuse to hoof - we've got nothing else in the locker.

[Ian Royal]

Cox not a goal scorer never has been I questioned him coming here ive come home bollox and why don't we ever shot from outside the area why why WHY

Are you Dellor? Our last goal was from Mackie and outside the box.

[Blackbag]

Cox not a goal scorer never has been I questioned him coming here ive come home bollox and why don't we ever shot from outside the area why why WHY

Are you Dellor? Our last goal was from Mackie and outside the box.

Your heads outside the box mate

[Pseud O'Nym]

Cox not a goal scorer never has been I questioned him coming here ive come home bollox and why don't we ever shot from outside the area why why WHY

Are you Dellor? Our last goal was from Mackie and outside the box.

You cheeky bastard!

[Ian Royal]

Maybe Dellor shouldn't say stupid things like "I can't remember the last time we scored from outside the box" then. Really Tim? You were bloody there only a week ago.

[RoyallyFcuked]

Agree with most of what Ian said but I think its more down to the fact we just dont create enough chances, although I just don't rate Pogrenyak at all. Cox can be good with a certain type of player next to him (Murray was that type), and I dont think Cox has scored since he left. He might work with Yakubu and the Yak can definitely still score goals he just needs chances with the right team around him. He will get in more positions to score than Pog and will take more of the oppurtunities he gets.

I think the style and the way we are trying to play, along with the types of players we have is the main issue at the moment. Think it's more down to the players than the manager now actually, because we've still looked like we were playing under Adkins in some of these defeats.

Some of our players I want at the club because they have the potential to be good with the right (or better) players around them, but I reckon there are too many here that just arent good enough for what we want to achieve next season and beyond.

[siforest65]

On train back home. Thought that was an odd game. Just before half time Reading started to create a lot of room on the wings and started to threaten. Second half was a bit surreal tbh and the first goal seemed slow motion with the keeper rooted to his line.

First trip to the Madejski and thought it a decent experience. Not sure what kicked off when loads of Reading fans in the block to our right rushed forward in the second half though.