Let’s face it, unfortunately Forest are a total shambles at the moment.
They have no manager, an owner who wants out, the team are struggling in the league and to cap it all, there’s going to be a protest.
Which all in all means I’m sure I’m not alone in having a lot of sympathy for their fans.
We’ve been there, after all.
So it should be a simple task of out-playing them, out-scoring them and back on the bus in time for a few celebratory beers back at whichever nightclub, shouldn’t it?
Hah!
I’ve been looking at what side I think Bruce will play and I’ll tell you what, I’ve found it decidedly tricky.
The back four maybe picks itself, unless you’re of a mind to stick our new full backs straight in. I’m not convinced you want to throw the whole lot in, in one fell swoop, but if you are, who am I to argue?
I’m just not convinced Bruce will do it, although I’d expect the new lads to get minutes.
After the way Brentford apparently ran and passed through us with ease, the obvious thought would be to stick Jedinak in as the holding mid, but he’s injured (again), so that’s that thought straight out of the window.
I’ve seen it mentioned that Gardner is the next best option and indeed that would be my thought (although Lansbury is supposed to be able to play the role, even if he looked poor the other night).
But I don’t see how you can fit him in, given that Lansbury and Hourihane are certain to start.
Green and Adomah were apparently our best bets going forward against Brentford, so I don’t see how it would be fair to drop either of them.
Which all means that if we’re going two up front, we’re trying to fit five players in four spaces.
Why two up front?
Well Bruce has said that’s how he wants to play and there’s no way I see Scott Hogan not starting.
You could harshly drop Green and play Kodjia on the left, I suppose, to accommodate Gardner in the middle, but wouldn’t we be going down the same road of leaving the lone striker isolated?
If that happens, I don’t think I’ll be best impressed.
No, it has to be a 4-4-2 (or a 4-4-1-1 if you like) against a team in Forest’s present state.
They’ve actually won their last two games, but I’m sure you know what I mean. We’ve just pinched their best midfielder and McCormack can’t play this one, after all.
No, there’s no excuse now.
Bruce has the tools required and we have to go at them from the off.
Sod this sitting deep stuff; we should press and play a high line.
Most of all, we need to see some serious movement from the players and they need to be creating space for our undoubted quality (at this level) players to pass into.
Of course, it might well be that things don’t work out.
The team might not click. In fact there’s every chance it won’t.
But there’s no excuse now to not show some proper attacking intent. You might as well lose fighting and threatening as trying to play safe and hope for something and yet still lose, in my opinion.
If we play as well as I believe this side is easily capable of, I can see a 3-1 win, no problem.
But if we see the rubbish we’ve been accustomed too over the last few months, I can’t see past yet another away defeat.
And a fall into yet more abject doom and gloom, as we slide further down the table.
The pressure’s on, Mr Bruce.
No excuses, you have to get the players performing and I want to see you on the touchline ordering the players to get at them.
Oh, in other news, Gabby has done his hamstring, which strikes me as quite convenient. No matter though, as I don’t think anyone, including the manager, cares. His days as a Villa player are surely numbered.
Villa to lose 1-2.
Comments
125 responses to “Forest – Villa: How are we going to play this?”
Its been so long since we had a decent keeper. Brad Friedel is probably the last one, and he was past his best by the time he came to us. We desperately need someone reliable there and so far, it doesnt look like Johnstone is that man.
We have such a good team on paper, and it does take time to gel, but we need to start winning games. There can be no more excuses.
As for Bruce, I think he’s bought well, but the switch to 5 3 2 was worrying.
You are right, Friedel was the last keeper we had who was above par for the Premier league when he arrived. Strange for those with long memories, Cumbes was only average but either side of him Sims, Rimmer and Spink were above par, so was Bosnich apart from his kicking.
Now we seem content with crap, which considering the money we spend on outfield players is bizarre.
OLL – not sure we’re content with crap. Is it more to do with a chronic lack of goalkeeping talent. I can sort of understand the position Bruce found himself in with RDM having committed to a raw and naive Italian talent – Johnstone is no more than a stopgap in mho. For me it’s what we do about a GK in the summer that’s important.
H60, the problem is not a lack of, but a refusal to recognise talent, when it exists in lower leagues. This true of outfield players also but is particularly perverse about GKs. There are better keepers in the Championship than Boruc, but Howe did not buy one, better keepers in League 1 than Johnstone but Bruce did not buy one, and I am sure good keepers abroad who would love a Championship pay-packet.
Anticipation is the rarest and most necessary attribute for a keeper. My pub team was lucky enough to have had guesting in goal Jonny Wilkinson and Graham Thorpe, both local lads. The Rugby star was average, but the wicket-keeper’s anticipation was so good we offered him the permanent job.
Brucie should get the rest of the season and into at least half of the 1st half of next season. If not then Mark Warburton up at Glasgow Rangers who”ll probably get sacked for finishing too many points behind Glasgow Celtic should come in. Another alternative could be David Wagner with Thomas the Hit Man as assistant.
I’ve just been on twitter & I can’t believe the amount of geordie fans trolling Dr Tonys account, what’s the obsession??? Life must be shite on the Tyne
Regarding GK-
The most frustrating part of Johnstone isn’t even what he has done or said, but rather what Bruce has set him up to be. He was set up to fail – he was brought in as an experienced, older improvement on Gollini (which he is not) and yet after a terrible start he is now being described as a young keeper learning his trade.
I wouldn’t say there is a complete lack of talent out there but more of the natural ebb and flow that occurs in any position. For the past few seasons it seems the old guard is now being replaced by the future – ie. Courtois, De Gea, Schmeichel, Karius, etc… Plus, the January window is insanely tough to secure a good experienced EPL keeper (the sort of keeper we would like), most have already been sent out on a season long loan and/or needed as cover – ie. Begovic, Vorm, Hart, Szczęsny, or even Krul.
Options will be available come summer, but depending on funds it will be important we now get this appointment right. Out of all the missteps the new management have taken this season I really do feel the club has completely failed at finding a solution for keeper and it is safe to say it has cost us getting promoted this season. Even if we wanted to bring someone in there is no one available on a free who is better than Bunn.