Narrower pitch this season!

[BadgerJim]

Through a random post on facebook it's been passed on that the pitch has been narrowed this season, not exactly a fantastic exclusive but maybe a hint towards how we are going to play this coming season.

Directamundo seems to be the way, do you think this will be a positive move for us or not.

 

[Darth Pierre]

total joke if true

 

[TheDude]

Every match there will be someone shouting " sort it out davies" even if we are 2 nil up and a single long ball is made .

 

[Johnny Bravo]

I'll wait to see if it's true before commenting on it but even if it is and we end up playing long ball I really don't mind as long as we get results and it's still enjoyable to watch with the emphasis being on the former.

If it has it doesn't necessarily mean we'll play long ball, we trialled a diamond formation against Notts which with practive I think could be fantastic, as it was for us under Hart. McKenna and Majewski look perfectly suited for the defensive/attacking roles and we can then accomodate Cohen and McGugan in the side. There are other players who can fit into all three roles too and then we have the option of adding width with Anderson and McCleary. If we start with two wingers and one gets injured it's also a good back up option as the only other winger we have at the moment is Davies. We also have no natural left winger at the moment which is why it may have been looked at.

Anyway the width's aren't drastic changes and won't prevent us changing the way we play and can be altered midseason anyway. The pitch may be shortened too making the playing area as small as possible to condense the game and the plan might be intricate passing.

 

[Brolin]

You don't get in a player like Madjewski if you plan on launching it over his head.

 

[Tutts]

Makes no difference at all.

West Ham have the narrowest pitch in the Premiership but you wouldn't consider their football to be direct.

Similarly, Blackburn have one of the widest but recently have been playing very directly.

Source

 

[Flaggers]

You don't get in a player like Madjewski if you plan on launching it over his head.

Didn't stop us launching high balls to Earnie most of last season.....

 

[Erik]

[quote='Sir' Flagman. ]
Didn't stop us launching high balls to Earnie most of last season.....
[/quote]
Whilst true, in fairness it should be noted that anything above 4 feet fits this category.

 

[Beasty]

Every match there will be someone shouting " sort it out davies" even if we are 2 nil up and a single long ball is made .

This made me laugh; Possibly because it's half true.

 

[Brolin]

[quote='Sir' Flagman. ]
Didn't stop us launching high balls to Earnie most of last season.....
[/quote]

Aye, and it's not coincidence that our big run at the end of the season came when we got a man in who actually had the frame and the style of play to field the high ball - Dexter Blackstock.

We still played plenty of it on the ground and the football was good.

However much fact there is in the initial statement, I just feel it's another vehicle to have a pop at Billy Davies and the doomongering about his alleged choice of tactics.

 

[Snake]

I don't think narrowness necessarily means you cannot play football. It probably reflects more on our natural lack of width and how we don't want the opposition to use that against us. By narrowing the playing field we give ourselves the best advantage with the players at our disposal.

 

[It's Baggio]

Stoke narrowed their's last summer to aid Delap.

 

[Si Coe]

Stoke narrowed their's last summer to aid Delap.

Are we signing Delap??!!

 

[Anatoli]

Under Clough, I think I am right in saying that we had the widest pitch in the Football League. It was to facilitate Robbo and O' Neill.

 

[adamthered]

Under Clough, I think I am right in saying that we had the widest pitch in the Football League. It was to facilitate Robbo and O' Neill.

I believe we had either A. The biggest pitch size in total in europe. Or, B. The biggest pitch size in total in Britain. (or possibly both if the first is the correct choice)

 

[Anatoli]

I'll go A.
What's the prize?

 

[wemaybefamousagain]

If we win and get to enjoy a bit of success, I will live with it. Playing nice football is a bonus, winning is far more important, especially in the short term.

Just ask Newcastle fans, they spent years playing great football and won abolsutely nowt. Now look at them, they can't win and they play shit football.

 

[Anatoli]

The joy of Forest is that they have always played good football.
Except under Platt.

 

[wemaybefamousagain]

The joy of Forest is that they have always played good football.
Except under Platt.

Yes, but as you pointed out in the Notts matchday post, sadly much of that was a long time ago. The game has changed and teams have to do what they can to survive.

Realistically, we are not going to play free flowing football under BD, but if gets us back in the top flight in the next few, I will live with that.

 

[Bridgfordred79]

I dug out some old programs from the 80's, and there was a letter in there asking if the pitch had been narrowed for Franz Carr to take better corners!

 

[yam]

Its OK as the players are much thinner than last season due to Billy Davies' fitness regime. The ratio of player width to pitch width remains constant.

 

[Flaggers]

I believe we had either A. The biggest pitch size in total in europe. Or, B. The biggest pitch size in total in Britain. (or possibly both if the first is the correct choice)

Close, but neither.

At the time, (about 1981) Maine Road's playing surface was larger in both directions than ours by about a yard and two yards, but we were second in the area table, above Anfield, Old Trafford (and Wembley, stat fans!)

With Maine Road now being a car park or some such, and not knowing whether the Trent End/Bridgford End has impinged on the playing area, I do wonder whether our pitch is now the largest?