• All - as you will understand, the forum is exceptionally busy at this time. The admins and moderators simply don't have time to read every post in every thread. Could you PLEASE use the "Report" option below a post to flag any content that you feel we need to be aware of. We'll review everything reported as a priority and deal with it accordingly. Thank you.

Pre-Season

T

Timothy Pope

I know that Nuno that I know that Nuno that I know
Decent game tonight. We struggled after the hour mark, but they did put on a whole new team. Fresh legs and all that


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Ravi

Ravi

Upper Decker
Real Sociedad are the best team we’ve played in pre season. Very classy, and adept at the dark arts, which the ref was largely oblivious to.

4-1-4-1 again and probably close to the team that will start next weekend.

Overall I was pleased with the organisation, which has gone up another notch since Palace last week. We didn’t have the ball for long periods in the second half which was a good tester for Championship football, and what we might expect in the first couple of matches. I sat just behind him, and Sabri was constantly talking to, gesturing and cajoling the players, with plenty of touchline coaching. Good to see. I like the cut of his jib.

Silva and Semedo looked more effective as a pair than last week. In particular I thought Semedo was outstanding. He’s like action man - constantly up and down up and down up and down, with two good feet, and a big physical presence. We saw a glimpse tonight of why he’s highly rated. He was my man of the match.

It’s hard to judge how we might fair next week. Player for player RS are a better side than West Brom, but the intensity of the Championship can’t be mimicked in these games.

Oh and Modesto and Vrentzos were sat together constantly chatting and pointing at the game. Make of that what you will...

Let the season begin
 
Ravi

Ravi

Upper Decker
I forgot to mention, I reckon Adomah will be a good signing. He’s a clever player.

We still lack pace up top. A pacey winger would have stopped RS pushing up with such a high line and given more space to the midfielders.
 
cms186

cms186

Grenville Morris
Mr Fossil said:
I reckon Adomah is past his best and has lost his ability to beat a man but will still pop up with a few assists and goals.

Ameobi offers something slightly different and could be a useful impact sub.

Neither should be starters in a team seriously going for it.
Click to expand...

wasn't Adomah a key player in a team that got promoted last season?
 
DapperDan

DapperDan

Steve Chettle
Grabban looked isolated for the most part, there was a lack of movement and invention when we did get into the final third.

Organisation was good though.
 
L

Loughborough_red

Jack Armstrong
Thought Jack Robinson did well again tonight. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we haven’t seen Ribeiro yet.
 
A

Arthur's Cape

Viv Anderson
I agree with all of That, I think Samedo could be a beast in the centre of midfield for us. I think we are a right back and a cf away from being a decent outfit.
 
Matt

Matt

Stuart Pearce
Went down tonight, felt very much like the season is beginning. Exciting!

My observations from tonight:

- Muric is an absolute beast. Can see why he’s so highly rated. His throws are outrageous. He plays so high up that he will get caught out from time to time but that’s what he’s instructed to do clearly
- Robinson did a lot to show why he’s an attacking full back. A right footed cross across the box in the first five minutes was a peach
- Worrall/Daws looked good but as previously mentioned we look susceptible due to no left footer in the pair
- Cash looks good, has an engine like a man possessed and looks a good fit for RB in this system
- More impressed by Semedo than Silva but didn’t have a good vantage point (moved to Lower BC for this game) to see silvas work
- Grabban looked sharp and really got under the skin of the Sociedad centre halves.
- Adomah/Lolley look good on the wing. Would have liked to see someone with a bit more star quality than Adomah come in for that starting shirt but he looks competent and makes us stronger.
- Can Carvalho/Silva play in a 2 in midfield together? Not sure there’s enough physicality there.
- we have to spend big on someone to sit in front of the back 4. More important than a striker IMO.
- Wonder what’s up with pants?
- the subs had a run round but didn’t impact the game
 
Ravi

Ravi

Upper Decker
MXJ said:
Went down tonight, felt very much like the season is beginning. Exciting!

My observations from tonight:

- Muric is an absolute beast. Can see why he’s so highly rated. His throws are outrageous. He plays so high up that he will get caught out from time to time but that’s what he’s instructed to do clearly
- Robinson did a lot to show why he’s an attacking full back. A right footed cross across the box in the first five minutes was a peach
- Worrall/Daws looked good but as previously mentioned we look susceptible due to no left footer in the pair
- Cash looks good, has an engine like a man possessed and looks a good fit for RB in this system
- More impressed by Semedo than Silva but didn’t have a good vantage point (moved to Lower BC for this game) to see silvas work
- Grabban looked sharp and really got under the skin of the Sociedad centre halves.
- Adomah/Lolley look good on the wing. Would have liked to see someone with a bit more star quality than Adomah come in for that starting shirt but he looks competent and makes us stronger.
- Can Carvalho/Silva play in a 2 in midfield together? Not sure there’s enough physicality there.
- we have to spend big on someone to sit in front of the back 4. More important than a striker IMO.
- Wonder what’s up with pants?
- the subs had a run round but didn’t impact the game
Click to expand...

I’m not convinced by Dawson and Worrall as a pairing. If we see changes next week I would guess this is one area where they will be.
 
Flaggers

Flaggers

May not be the best moderator on LTLF, but he's...
LTLF Minion
Genuine questions:

What did Ben Watson DO tonight? What did he start/stop/create/disrupt?

Did he ACTUALLY touch the ball before the 81st minute?
 
Green Jumper

Green Jumper

"Nottingham Forest Are Premier League"
bristol tricky said:
Lamouchi post match interview saying wants three more signings minimum, one each in defence, midfield and attack.

https://www.nottinghampost.com/spor...ews/sabri-lamouchi-hoping-least-three-3142497

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Taylor quotes Lamouchi: “I would like to see three new additions as a minimum and one in every line (defence, midfield and attack), as a minimum. We need players with a different profile."

Why isn't that quote or the response to the Carvalho question he was supposed to be asking on the video?

Reasonable questions: What type of profile Sabri? What positions? How would they fit into your plans? What about (a couple of players)?

Reality: asks whether he's happy about scoring a goal from a corner and whether confidence is important for Grabban.
 
Last edited:
TommyT

TommyT

Jack Burkitt
Flagman said:
Genuine questions:

What did Ben Watson DO tonight? What did he start/stop/create/disrupt?

Did he ACTUALLY touch the ball before the 81st minute?
Click to expand...

I thought he was decent and I can’t believe I’m saying it. He suits the system really well
 
Last edited:
DizzyBala

DizzyBala

Jack Armstrong
It is difficult to base anything off pre-season games because ultimately, you end up playing different teams at different stages of their pre-season.
Olympiacos started this season this week for example and were much further along, Palace kick off a week after us and Real Sociedad kick off a week after them.

As it stands, I'm putting Sabri in the same camp as Warburton. Like MW, Sabri is trying to play some attractive possession based football from the back, but Sabri is bringing in the heavy press especially in the opposition's half.
Like MW though, it does feel like he doesn't quite have the parts to get it completely right.

The club has 12 days to recruit the 3-4 quality players it's going to take to get us into the top six. For me, a right back, a CDM, another winger and a striker.

Why a right back? Cash brings a work-rate and more attacking threat to the right back role but I feel like he's going to get targeted a lot by Championship teams. Darikwa is far too inconsistent in his defensive capabilities and going forward, his delivery is a little lacking.
Why a CDM? We're not going to get Colback back, i've accepted this, but we're going to need a strong CDM to protect the defence and also, allow Silva and Carvalho to play together. Semedo seems a little too slender, Guedioura loves to get forward as does Yates too. Watson, I'm not convinced.
Why a Winger? We have Adomah and Lolley, with Ameobi/Appiah/Cash all able to play there but we need a combination of speed and good delivery, someone who can put a defence on their arse besides Lolley.
Why a striker? To push and support Grabban but also, we need someone with pace up there. This team seems to want to play at speed so having someone that can get us up the pitch quickly is key. Grabban playing 30/40 yards from goal is a waste.
 
Captain Sinister

Captain Sinister

Senior doom Monger
Forest made a dream start when Joe Worrall blasted home on the volley from a corner in the 4th minute, but Real hit back following a misjudgement by Muric in the Forest goal, when he came out to try and cover a through-ball threat, struggled to get to the ball and palmed it straight out to the incoming Real forward who made no mistake, ramming the ball along the ground and into the unguarded net on 12 minutes.
Forest played lively fast-paced football and created several chances, not taken, before from another corner the Real clearance found Dawson who volley a chipped pass over the defenders. Semedo challenged the Real goalie for the bouncing ball, which broke kindly for Grabban, who rounded the stricken keeper to put Forest 2-1 ahead.
The second half was a tight affair with Real coming out fired up and putting a lot of pressure on the Reds, who were relying on fast breakaways. Grabban squandered a lovely through ball that put him 1 on 1 with the Real keeper, who saved as Grabban was indecisive and tamely shot at the keeper.
On 60 minutes Real changed all of their players in one go, bringing on what appeared to be their first team, who were technically very slick, and 2 or 3 yards faster than Forest.
Still Forest, playing on the break, were able to cause Real trouble, but yet again Grabban was indecisive, and stood statue-like when presented with the ball on the edge of the box, not even getting a shot away.
Muric made up for his earlier error with several very good saves, but it felt only a matter of time before Real would equalise.
Before that though, on another break away Grabban, in the box , was held as he cleverly turned the defender, and he was thrown to the ground as he was about to reach the ball.
It was an obvious penalty, but neither the ref nor the linesman saw it, and the chance was gone.
On 87 minutes the Real equaliser came.
It followed a spell of concerted pressure, and with some clever footwork an opening was created and the Real forward slotted home from 10 yards.
Overall it proved a thoroughly entertaining game.
Real are a class above most Championship clubs and the indications are that Forest will not be outplayed by many teams in the new season.
There are a couple of obvious problems to be sorted: we need a decent striker – Grabban may score his 15 or so again this season, but he is so wasteful.
The other problem is that against real pace and good technique, Watson is exposed as being slow and a bit cumbersome.
Agains t Palace last week he was a candidate for “star man”, but Palace lacked any real quality or pace.
Tonight he was by-passed a lot and caught out of position on several occasions.
My player ratings:
Muric: 8 – apart from the first goal he was confident, aggressive and decisive. Distribution and command of his box were superb.
Cash: 7 – has the makings of a very good right wing-back. Linked up well with Lolley; recovered his ground and defended well.
Dawson: 7 – a leader and an experienced player who should start when he is able. Led by example tonight.
Worrall: *star man* 9 – excellent goal and a very accomplished all round performance. No mistakes in tonight’s game.
Robinson: 7 – playing as a left wing-back suits him; long throws are useful; exposed for pace in the second half when Real brought on their first team!
Watson: 6 – put in a shift, but way too slow when faced with the speedy opponents.
Lolley:6 – can’t do it all on his own; final ball sometimes not that great and he needs to find his shooting boots!
Semedo: 7 – a talented player who worked hard box to box, but prone to making silly passes.
Silva: 8 – this guy is a tiger in midfield and so creative. When we have him and Carvalho together we could be awesome!
Adomah: 7 – honest hard worker and caused problems when he ran at defenders.
Grabban:6 – I don’t understand how this guy scores frequently.
Subs:
None were on long enough to really impress.
Appiah though may be a great prospect, but tonight he was way out of his depth and gave the ball away in some dangerous positions.
 
Trents

Trents

John Robertson
Captain Sinister said:
but Real hit back following a misjudgement by Muric in the Forest goal, when he came out to try and cover a through-ball threat, struggled to get to the ball and palmed it straight out to the incoming Real forward who made no mistake, ramming the ball along the ground and into the unguarded net on 12 minutes.
Click to expand...

The way I saw it Muric did really well to get out and close the angle after their man had got in behind Worrall and Dawson. He would have been through on goal. He made a great save with his foot from a shot on target and was unlucky for it to fall to their player. Nowt he could have done about it.
If the blame lay anywhere it was with to 2 centre backs for letting him get in in the first place.
 
Captain Sinister

Captain Sinister

Senior doom Monger
Trents said:
The way I saw it Muric did really well to get out and close the angle after their man had got in behind Worrall and Dawson. He would have been through on goal. He made a great save with his foot from a shot on target and was unlucky for it to fall to their player. Nowt he could have done about it.
If the blame lay anywhere it was with to 2 centre backs for letting him get in in the first place.
Click to expand...

You may be right, but I saw it a bit differently - I sat in the LBC opposite the players' entrance and fairly in line with the action.
For me it was the second time in those early stages that Muric came too far.
We escaped punishment for the first.
I await the highlights on IFollow to see if I am mistaken.
I managed to video the Grabban goal on my mobile phone - not sure how to upload it onto here - I don't "do" Tapatalk.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom