Holmes_and_Watson

Early days. He has to be given time to get it up to 200. 🙂

Six

Heart breaking for them.

The smaller partner of Tall Paul, who is working tirelessly behind the scenes with James Bree. Deep crosses into the tall man to knock down to Archer to score. Martin will still pretend it's all part of Plan A, but that's our future. 🙂

A forgettable performance today. Martin will be happy with the level of possession. We set our stall out to maximise that, keeping it safe and at a comfortably slow pace. But it was a game, and we’ve seen enough of them, where that possession and tempo doesn’t move opposition around, and we create very few chances. We had 1 shot on target and 1 off target today, and that was with making a number of late changes and trying to be a lot more attacking. Something that is itself hampered by the side’s struggle to shift gears. Downes looked by far the most versatile midfielder we had. Will linked up a couple of times. But didn’t help shielding or attacking today. Further, he was bypassed a number of times when we did try something more direct. Aribo had the ball stick to his feet a couple of times, but frustrated in not offering any attacking outlet or support. With such a limited midfield, AA ran around but offered little up front. Diaz also looked slow and not up to the challenge either. Archer wasn’t able to do much as a sub. Iat the back, McCarthy did okay with anything he was asked to do. The tempo we were playing at, meant he wasn’t relied on for quick passes out either. Both KWP and Sugawara ended up taking responsibility to get forward. While it looks better, it doesn’t help our possession set up, and neither really linked up well with others in the team. KWP still stood out as easily our best player, and it was a frustrating day for him as he looked around at the lack of support from others. Dibling looked direct and attacking. But other than winning a free kick, there wasn;t anything to show for it. Edozie got a couple of speculative balls into the box, and a few errors. He once didn’t get back to stop his marker, and he did well defensively today. Far more learning curves than positives today. Martin has to decide how he expects his side to create chances against PL opposition. Waiting for Forest to make a massive blunder seemed to be the only hope today. There was no movement, tempo shift or attacking intent to get a winner from that game, even when we were chasing.

Good run back from Edozie. Although he has got the ball into the box a couple of times, nothing really aimed at picking anyone out. And as I type one goes well past everyone.

Ah Edozie. Showed far too much of that. Earlier, he went for the trained cut back, with 2 broadly better deliveries on.

Tator: FOrest will expect Saints to come on strong here. Martin: That's just what they will expect. I'll outsmart them by doing the opposite. 🙂

Knowing his injury record, that more likely to give him another wrist fracture than damage his leg. 🙂

Finally. Someone with an end product. Now we'll see some attacks!

Well, the more we set up to play cautiously, hoping for a slip to allow us loads of space to attack, the more they were just going to get on with their own, much more attacking game plan. Nothing we didn't see last season. Martin will look to the likes of Aribo not clearing when he should have, and look at those possession stats as a good foundation.

Sod. That was scruffy. I noticed ASribo fall on his butt somewhere in that.

Aribo having one of his moments way back in midfield, and deciding to go backwards when he finally gets the ball. Normally, he'll do something much more positive shortly. Hope so. We need something here.

Sugawar going for something different there. Dirct down the line. Will again bypassed in such a move.

Driving run from BBD. Bypasses Will, who simply isn;t going to get invoved in anything that direct today. 🙂

Downes caught out there. Will gets a soft free kick to get it back.

Yeah. wasted.

Better, to get a corner.

Lack of options for Downes there.

We kept a shape, kept our passing across the back to retain possession. It was at a slow pace, and rarely did we have any passing options available. Forest bossesd our midfield, alowwing them plenty of attacks. Up front we seemed slow, and expecting to win tackles based on playing lower teri opponents. KWP was easily our best player. Suga was positive at times too, but the lack of support and coordination, meant that we couidn;t do much from it. Donwes is easily our best all round midfielder. Will had a couple of moments later on in the half, linking things up. But as a midfield we're not offering enough to obstruct Forest or to generate attacks. FOrest had a chance with 3 players lining up to put it in the net. So, although Russ will get some positives about the structure, we didn;t do nearly enough in that half. The lack of passing options (KWP frustated through the half), lack of movement, incisiveness of passing and forwards able to create was very obvious. If Aribo was supposed to offer some physical hold up play, as Adams would have, then that was absent as well. We're not behind, and there's a half of better things to hopefully come.

KWP looking for the pass that should be there, only to find absiolutely nothing.

Shame Smallbone couldn;t turn and run with that one. Nice from Suga.

Shot! Forest waiting for a whistle for their not really that hurt player. Glad we kept going.

A better move there, But that's been so few and far between. Forest very much on top.

Whew!