Brolin
Swedish Meatball
Forest today lost their third away game on the spin and we are now losing touch with the top two. This isn't necessarily a crisis and the ground we have lost is not impossible to gain, but why have we gone from being unbeatable to not getting results?
Billy Davies' team selection
For the first time in months Davies looks fallable as a manager. Inspired selections from left field that we enjoyed earlier in the season, bringing Moussi straight into the starting line up after eight games out for example, have turned to Garner looking ineffective in the midfield and Adebola being isolated at Doncaster.
Today's team selection was the queerest to date. We have lost all three games by one goal to nil, so the immediate suggestion is that a misfiring attack is more to blame than a defence which has only conceded a goal on the road.
With Earnshaw and Blackstock sitting on the bench, we omitted our two biggest goal threats. So who could we look to score us goals? The leading league scorers in the starting line up were McGugan, Adebola and Majewski, with three goals each. Compare this to Earnshaw and Blackstock, who have 10 each, and it is clear to see we were light up front.
Davies tells us that the players get fatigued and he is right. Forest have been very fortunate with injuries this season and not playing tired players has got to be a massive factor in that.
I would argue that one with Earnshaw or Blackstock has to start every game, because goals win games and without either of them we are toothless.
McKenna losing form
The only notable exceptions to Davies' fatigue worries are Gunter and our captain (obviously excluding Camp from this argument). Gunter is younger than Anderson and Majewski, both players Davies has said will suffer with the fixture pile up, and this is the first full season of first team football of his career.
McKenna is perhaps the most pertinent example. At 32, he is the second oldest player on our books, behind Adebola, and in centre midfield can probably be expected to cover a lot of ground.
During our great run many people mused what would happen if McKenna got injured, so key is he to our plans. We are yet to find out the answer to this, but we are learning that if the skipper is off form, the entire ship seems to struggle.
A new feature of his play since he went off the boil has been this hoik towards the corner flag, while he doesn't seem to be bossing the midfield like before. All players go through bad patches and I am not slating him for this one, but Forest are missing an in-form McKenna badly.
Lack of investment in January
One way of countering McKenna being off form or injured would have been to strengthen the squad. Davies has talked at length about how we needed to invest in January to keep up the top of the table and those words may well have been prophetic.
Perch is not a natural left sided player, Cohen is missed from the midfield. Moussi is not as good a leader as McKenna and is a different sort of player. A natural left sided midfielder is an option we lack.
It isn't easy or cheap bringing in quality in a notoriously difficult January transfer window, but perhaps Forest have missed a trick. I think not getting in a left back of any description is the biggest error of all and one that will have to now be remedied with a loan signing.
Tough games
While we haven't necessarily been playing teams at the top of the league, places like Doncaster and Coventry are difficult venues in their own way. Doncaster is one of the ugliest places I've seen in the country, and I live near Goole.
As there will almost certainly be three teams worse than them, even with a completely inept manager, Derby's season hinged on beat Forest - and they managed it. Local derbies can toss up all sorts of results and you never know which way it will go.
When you lose it is important to respect the opposition, but in some of these games I think we have beaten ourselves rather than letting the other team have a go.
The 'bunny' factor
Named after Colin Calderwood's amazing quote about the Carlisle and Doncaster teams, "they'll be nervous... nervous as bunnies". As we have found out since, rabbits are famously nervous creatures, so are we bottling it?
Forest's recent run has coincided with Davies talking down our chances and flat out refusing to admit that despite operating in the higher reaches of the table, we may just win promotion.
The expectation of the fans has also been brought with this success. Booing the team when 1-0 down at half time on the road to a bogey team is very harsh and I would say, completely out of order. People need to remember that these are young lads and if we get on their backs they are more likely to go into their shells than be inspired. Next time you feel like booing, ask yourself, what would Glen do?
I had a few more on my list, such as fatigue, missing Nicky Shorey, poor refereeing decisions and the winter weather not being condusive to our preferred passing game. But I really wasn't sure anyone would read it.
Despite all the negatives that can be found from our current run, it is important to remember where we are in the league and that we are still in an excellent position. Davies said there would be ups and downs on the run in, and this is definitely a down.
The battle is to patch the wounds and begin a new unbeaten run, picking up three points regularly. West Brom and Newcastle will not be without losses for the rest of the season, if we can steel ourselves and find 10 wins from our last 16, not impossible, then I think that'll take us up.
Our home form has been excellent and with our away results currently being poor, there's a lot riding on the games against Sheffield United and Middlesbrough. We could really do with going to Leicester with a minimum of four points in our pocket and the team's confidence renewed.
I also remain fully behind Davies, even though it might not seem it during that article. Decisions can backfire and even the most famous managers in the world get it wrong from time to time. Davies has pulled the club off its arse and given us a fighting chance of promotion.
It remains a chance and I still believe we will be celebrating come May.
Billy Davies' team selection
For the first time in months Davies looks fallable as a manager. Inspired selections from left field that we enjoyed earlier in the season, bringing Moussi straight into the starting line up after eight games out for example, have turned to Garner looking ineffective in the midfield and Adebola being isolated at Doncaster.
Today's team selection was the queerest to date. We have lost all three games by one goal to nil, so the immediate suggestion is that a misfiring attack is more to blame than a defence which has only conceded a goal on the road.
With Earnshaw and Blackstock sitting on the bench, we omitted our two biggest goal threats. So who could we look to score us goals? The leading league scorers in the starting line up were McGugan, Adebola and Majewski, with three goals each. Compare this to Earnshaw and Blackstock, who have 10 each, and it is clear to see we were light up front.
Davies tells us that the players get fatigued and he is right. Forest have been very fortunate with injuries this season and not playing tired players has got to be a massive factor in that.
I would argue that one with Earnshaw or Blackstock has to start every game, because goals win games and without either of them we are toothless.
McKenna losing form
The only notable exceptions to Davies' fatigue worries are Gunter and our captain (obviously excluding Camp from this argument). Gunter is younger than Anderson and Majewski, both players Davies has said will suffer with the fixture pile up, and this is the first full season of first team football of his career.
McKenna is perhaps the most pertinent example. At 32, he is the second oldest player on our books, behind Adebola, and in centre midfield can probably be expected to cover a lot of ground.
During our great run many people mused what would happen if McKenna got injured, so key is he to our plans. We are yet to find out the answer to this, but we are learning that if the skipper is off form, the entire ship seems to struggle.
A new feature of his play since he went off the boil has been this hoik towards the corner flag, while he doesn't seem to be bossing the midfield like before. All players go through bad patches and I am not slating him for this one, but Forest are missing an in-form McKenna badly.
Lack of investment in January
One way of countering McKenna being off form or injured would have been to strengthen the squad. Davies has talked at length about how we needed to invest in January to keep up the top of the table and those words may well have been prophetic.
Perch is not a natural left sided player, Cohen is missed from the midfield. Moussi is not as good a leader as McKenna and is a different sort of player. A natural left sided midfielder is an option we lack.
It isn't easy or cheap bringing in quality in a notoriously difficult January transfer window, but perhaps Forest have missed a trick. I think not getting in a left back of any description is the biggest error of all and one that will have to now be remedied with a loan signing.
Tough games
While we haven't necessarily been playing teams at the top of the league, places like Doncaster and Coventry are difficult venues in their own way. Doncaster is one of the ugliest places I've seen in the country, and I live near Goole.
As there will almost certainly be three teams worse than them, even with a completely inept manager, Derby's season hinged on beat Forest - and they managed it. Local derbies can toss up all sorts of results and you never know which way it will go.
When you lose it is important to respect the opposition, but in some of these games I think we have beaten ourselves rather than letting the other team have a go.
The 'bunny' factor
Named after Colin Calderwood's amazing quote about the Carlisle and Doncaster teams, "they'll be nervous... nervous as bunnies". As we have found out since, rabbits are famously nervous creatures, so are we bottling it?
Forest's recent run has coincided with Davies talking down our chances and flat out refusing to admit that despite operating in the higher reaches of the table, we may just win promotion.
The expectation of the fans has also been brought with this success. Booing the team when 1-0 down at half time on the road to a bogey team is very harsh and I would say, completely out of order. People need to remember that these are young lads and if we get on their backs they are more likely to go into their shells than be inspired. Next time you feel like booing, ask yourself, what would Glen do?
I had a few more on my list, such as fatigue, missing Nicky Shorey, poor refereeing decisions and the winter weather not being condusive to our preferred passing game. But I really wasn't sure anyone would read it.
Despite all the negatives that can be found from our current run, it is important to remember where we are in the league and that we are still in an excellent position. Davies said there would be ups and downs on the run in, and this is definitely a down.
The battle is to patch the wounds and begin a new unbeaten run, picking up three points regularly. West Brom and Newcastle will not be without losses for the rest of the season, if we can steel ourselves and find 10 wins from our last 16, not impossible, then I think that'll take us up.
Our home form has been excellent and with our away results currently being poor, there's a lot riding on the games against Sheffield United and Middlesbrough. We could really do with going to Leicester with a minimum of four points in our pocket and the team's confidence renewed.
I also remain fully behind Davies, even though it might not seem it during that article. Decisions can backfire and even the most famous managers in the world get it wrong from time to time. Davies has pulled the club off its arse and given us a fighting chance of promotion.
It remains a chance and I still believe we will be celebrating come May.
