Birtles says we are short on creativity, discuss...

[cuppachump]

http://www.thisisnottinghamforest.co.uk/news/Birtles-m-encouraged-Forest-s-new-trio/article-1177199-detail/article.html
So Burk-les says:

I HAVE been encouraged by the quality of the signings made by Forest this summer now that Chris Gunter has signed and Paul McKenna and Radoslaw Majewski look set to come to the City Ground.

They will give manager Billy Davies a few more options and add to the depth of the squad for their second crack at the Championship. But there are still a couple of areas that give me reason for concern.

First, I'm not sure there is enough creativity. That is often what marks teams out from the rest at this level.

Look at Wolves, who won the title. Yes, they had excellent goalscorers in Chris Iwelumo and Sylvain Ebanks-Blake.

But they also possessed the men to provide them with the right kind of ammunition in Michael Kightly and Matthew Jarvis. Forest certainly have a good complement of strikers, but they also need people to lay on the chances for them.

The second area of concern is at the back, where the Reds are still lacking a little bit in experience.

Their oldest head, Ian Breckin, has now left the club and I thought Billy might bring in someone else who has been there and done it. Instead, it is more or less the same as last year.

No-one likes experiencing being at the bottom end of the table and its important the younger players don't go into the season thinking: "I hope it's not going to be like that again."

If you are not careful, it can be easy to transfer the negative aspects of last season into this, especially as Forest have got a tough start.

Everyone wants to get off to a flyer, but it will not be easy for the Reds looking at who they are in line to play.

Of course, this is where Davies will earn his money. No-one can deny his enthusiasm and he is an effervescent character on the touchline, so I hope it all goes well.

 

[The Badger]

Can anybody fart at The City Ground without Birtles commenting on it?

 

[Randy Bumgardener]

If he did he would say it wasn't how he used to do it ! His post reflects to me the same as some posts on here critisizing the club before we had signed Gunter. Lloyd and Burns only write articles when they see a genuine problem and they hit it right at the point and get the facts nailed on. birtles strikes me as hovvering around the facts whilst never really saying anything interesting.

I allways found it funny how larry Lloyd (in his autobiography) says that Birtles allways said he would have nothing to do with football when he retired, but now he's trying to stick his finger in every pie.

Ok, he does say some things that make sense but you don't want to hear these things before Billy has finihsed his shopping around and we have seen if we are lacking !

Define creativity ? That defence splitting pass, pulling players out of position creating space or a Ronaldo type player who skins every player on the pitch ?

He sounds like he's talking about luxury players and how it can possibly be commented on until the season starts is beyond me ! The squad is stronger, and with mcKenna / Gunter and maybe a left back, they will act as a better defensive line and break up play, allowing the likes of Anderson, Cohen, Lewis the chance to get forward and roam ! They haven't had that luxury yet.

He seems to be totally forgetting how strikers can be the most creative of all. Earnie can pick a pass, as it seems, so can Dele. I'm not worried by having a 50+ assist player because I do feel that we have plenty of goals in us now !

 

[It's Baggio]

We don't lack creativity, we lack a tall centre back and a left back. We've got plenty of attack minded midfielders, a plethora of strikers and one (potentially two) full backs that are more than capable at getting forward and linking up.

I said it on another thread, Birtles gets paid to make informed comment on Forest (and County) but very rarely sees us play. :wacko:

 

[cuppachump]

Can anybody fart at The City Ground without Birtles commenting on it?

Now wait for Gary's report in the NEP

 

[Bridgfordred79]

the only part i agree with is the Breckin part, but there is a lot of time left in the window.

also the creativity part is tosh, we have McGugan, McCleary, Ando and we have plenty of complementing forwards.

 

[yam]

Birltes also once said Nicky Eaden was our best player (on the legends phone in).

I rest my case.

 

[DanR]

It sounds like Birtles' Prozac supply has run out.

Unless he's worried that if we have a season of not being dogshit, he'll be out of work from his job as 'former glory days player who comments about things being better in his day'

 

[Bridgfordred79]

Birltes also once said Nicky Eaden was our best player (on the legends phone in).

I rest my case.

I always liked Eaden. good player.

What was wrong with him, in your opinion?

 

[Randy Bumgardener]

I always liked Eaden. good player.

What was wrong with him, in your opinion?

His general lack-of-botherability to start !

 

[DanR]

I always liked Eaden. good player.

What was wrong with him, in your opinion?

He was a good player. Just not for us.

 

[the mask of zorro]

I have always said his column should be called 'Birtles talks Bo***cks'

His comments when he is commentating are embarrassing too!

 

[clusternakker]

A tad premature to be saying stuff like that

 

[yam]

I always liked Eaden. good player.

What was wrong with him, in your opinion?

As others have said he was a good player for Wigan but not to hot for us which was a shame. Perhaps his tackling was OK but his distribution was not so good. Whether it was Megsons instructions that caused him to launch each clearance into low earth orbit is not known.

The point I was making was that Birtles was asked who Forest's best player was, he ummed and ahhed for a bit then just said Nicky Eaden - clearly on paper he should have been very good for us and Birtles picked him probably without even seeing him play.

 

[winnits]

Whilst Birtles is spouting his usual pap, it's nice to hear some sense from King Kenny

 

[adam09]

As others have said he was a good player for Wigan but not to hot for us which was a shame. Perhaps his tackling was OK but his distribution was not so good. Whether it was Megsons instructions that caused him to launch each clearance into low earth orbit is not known.

It was more because he rarely had anybody to pass it to. Just like Bennett, Chambers, Curtis, Lockwood and whoever else played at full back for us rarely had options from a stagnant midfield and thus the only option was the safe one in hoofing it up the pitch.

After playing a few games at left back on sundays recently, I began to know how they must have felt, being outnumbered and having very little help... it's an impossible and thankless task.

This improved when Clingan was here, and then Cohen and Moussi came into it and look to take the ball off the midfield as well... hopefully this is something that McKenna is good at!

 

[yam]

Whilst Birtles is spouting his usual pap, it's nice to hear some sense from King Kenny

Good old Kenny!

 

[stevo4444]

Birtles only say's good things about Derby and Leicester yet yet he's always negative about Forest i for one think the man is a Twat

 

[Bridgfordred79]

Birtles only say's good things about Derby and Leicester yet yet he's always negative about Forest i for one think the man is a t**t

maybe too far.

you may think his views are a load of w**k, we all do mostly.

 

[terry toilet brush]

Birtles is an idiot ,he never watches us but allways bangs on about the good old days when he was here when hes on sky,he knows nothing about the present team ,but he likes to let it be known that he was part of a GREAT CLOUGH TEAM , he gets on my t
*ts

 

[RRRREDUN]

Birtles talks as you would expect a commentator/expert to talk. He deals in soundbites. Kenny and John Mc talk like fans - they are critical but give the impression they love the club and the fans. Basically, they flirt with us, telling us what we want to hear. Also, they are tremendously nice fellows in the flesh too. Both are quite willing to spend ages chewing over old things (in a very modest way). I can't slag off Birtles for his views - he's learned to avoid showing favour to any one team - in keeping with his new roles.

 

[terry toilet brush]

Birtles talks as you would expect a commentator/expert to talk. He deals in soundbites. Kenny and John Mc talk like fans - they are critical but give the impression they love the club and the fans. Basically, they flirt with us, telling us what we want to hear. Also, they are tremendously nice fellows in the flesh too. Both are quite willing to spend ages chewing over old things (in a very modest way). I can't slag off Birtles for his views - he's learned to avoid showing favour to any one team - in keeping with his new roles.

name me 1 game on sky he has not said anyting about forest or his days at forest ? i bet you cant . he does like forest dont get me wrong ,but he does not have the knowlege he thinks he does to say what he says about us

 

[winnits]

Birtles talks as you would expect a commentator/expert to talk. He deals in soundbites. Kenny and John Mc talk like fans - they are critical but give the impression they love the club and the fans. Basically, they flirt with us, telling us what we want to hear. Also, they are tremendously nice fellows in the flesh too. Both are quite willing to spend ages chewing over old things (in a very modest way). I can't slag off Birtles for his views - he's learned to avoid showing favour to any one team - in keeping with his new roles.

Agree on John McG and Kenny, I've spent time with both (particularly John) and they're tremendously down to Earth fellows and a joy to be around.

I've had little dealings with Birtles but I don't warm to him at all, partially from my own bias and partially from experience.