So it’s been 23 years since Forest were last in the top flight.
That’s a long time and while I can think of bigger clubs that ought to be at the party (Sunderland, for example) I do feel their history is sufficient for me to quite miss them.
Indeed, one of my best footy memories was when we played them away in the league cup as was, around 1979. I don’t remember the final score, but we were 3 down at half time and I think it ended 1-5 or similar.
What sticks in my mind most was the probably 10,000 fans we took and seriously taking the proverbial out of their rustic away stand, where we were completing chants by banging on the corrugated roof that covered it. Yes, it was that low.
How times change and what Cloughie did for that club was truly fantastic. The stand that his achievements built is still probably their best, I would imagine.
After gambling and spending money like a western government in the summer, I think Forest have had something like 22 players come in to the club and unsurprisingly they haven’t really jelled yet, meaning they’re currently looking absolute favourites for bottom place come the end of the season.
In fact they’ve been so poor that Steve Cooper was looking a cert for the chop on Monday.
Imagine my pleasant surprise then, to find that the club have instead given him a new contract until 2025.
I found that really refreshing, but wonder if I would have felt the same if I was a Forest fan? Do they want him gone?
Whatever, I wonder if we’re going to do our usual charity act and give them the points, as we usually do against any club that needs a change from their usual results.
The strange part is that if Forest had sacked Cooper, they’d have probably got a new manager bounce against us, because that’s usual too, isn’t it?
It’s probably more like we’re really not that difficult to beat.
Squad news is that Leon Bailey has tweaked a muscle behind his knee and is therefore doubtful.
Augustinsson is out for around three weeks because of a hammy issue and they haven’t even worked out Digne’s heel problem yet, so he’s likely out for weeks too.
Jed steer and Diego Carlos are long term problems but Boubacar Kamara might make it back in time for the world cup.
Forest have a full squad to pick from.
So Forest have lost five games on the trot and we’re unbeaten in our last three.
It ought to be pretty straight forward then, eh?
Except we’re the Villa and our last three results haven’t convinced me we’re going anywhere soon.
We still look short of creativity and even on the odd chances we create something, we look toothless up front. Watkins, who I really like, would have been dropped a few weeks back to give another striker a go because he’s just been miles off it.
Which only tells me that Gerrard doesn’t rate Ings in the slightest.
Which is okay, because neither do I. He is often blowing early in the second half and is not the man to lead the Villa line on his own given the way we play, in my opinion.
Archer though, is another question. I’d even stomach say, 70 minutes of Ings on his own up front if it meant the lad would replace him for the last twenty minutes.
I made a jokey comment the other day that I thought Gerrard was under orders to not play Archer just so he couldn’t ruin him, the same as he seems to have many other Villa players.
If he doesn’t get a decent run out soon, I might begin to think that I was actually right.
Why we persist with the same lack of goalscoring without even giving Archer a go is beyond me and I keep going back to that recent press conference, where Gerrard was incredibly rude and asked if the Birmingham Mail reporter was an Archer fan or something, when he queried his lack of playing time.
How ignorant, or more likely just arrogant, of Gerrard to seemingly not understand the fact that many Villa fans are wondering why he won’t give the kid a go.
As much as I think we’re rubbish as a team, I’m hoping that we should just have too much for Forest, so am going to say we’ll win 1-0.
But I have as much conviction as some criminal who’s just got off scot free.
Which will probably describe Forest perfectly. Ie, they should have lost, but didn’t, same as Leeds last week.
It’s the Villa way and has been for years.
If we lose this one, you have to suspect that Gerrard’s days really will be numbered.
Let’s hope so!
0-0 for me. 6 goals in 8 matches. Failure to use Archer. Still looking forward to eatching tonights game though.
I just want to see Gerrard mercilessly booed on 90 minutes. And then watch him climb into a taxi.
Sunderland bigger than Forest, Badger? Really?
Yep, I’d say probably so.
The Clough years apart, they never really featured at all in my lifetime.
And Sunderland’s crowds always dwarfed Forest’s.
I do appreciate “big club” is a somewhat subjective thing though and if you disagree, that’s fine, BFR 🙂
Forest fans definitely don’t want Copper gone, Badger. What he achieved last season deserved manager of the year, without doubt. It was a bigger achievement than Smith in 2019.
I agree mate.
I like Forest and think their board have played a blinder for the fans in spending so much money.
I hope it doesn’t leave them in serious financial trouble though, if they go down.
I know they get parachute money, but even so….
MOMS had a Forest fan with the on their latest podcast and he reinforced your point BFR that the Forest fans are firmly behind Cooper. I fear giving him a longer contract may be more effective than new manager bounce!
Add to that Villa’s charitable support of clubs in need of points, strikers in need of goals etc. and then top it off with the fact that we have lost 10 (won just two) of our last 15 Monday night fixtures ….
Anyway you get the point.
Best we can hope for is a score draw but I think we’ll lose.
No faith in Gerrard and therefore no faith in the team.
Just flicking through a few Forest fan sites and they’re by and large optimistic about 3 points tonight.
Gotta say some of the formats other sites use is well overcomplicated. Nice work keeping this simple, Badger.
Neil
Gerrard doesn’t look confident. Already injuries are being put up there in case we lose. Never liked Gerrard as a player, and he doesn’t instill any confidence at all. Has to impact the players, his constant negative interviews.
So much to talk about but on tonight’s game I just cant see us winning to be honest. Confidence in us fans seems to be at low, the players look bereft of ideas and cant seem to play together as a unit, specially for a full 90 mins. This must stem from the manager and training methods surely?.. We keep playing the same players and trying the same tactics (if you can call them tactics) give or take a couple of variations and hoping it magically comes together. Evidence so far this season is showing it wont. I see Tim Iroegbunam is doing good things at QPR. Brilliant drive in to the box to win a last minute penalty which sealed 3 more points for them. Looks to me like he will be a top DM in time. finally, i know this has been banged on about a lot but we really need to see if Archer can give us something different in front of goal. Saying all of this i reckon it will be almost the same 11 that started against Leeds. Cash will come in at RB and Young pushed to LB. Fingers tightly crossed for tonight. Maybe today will be the day Gerrard mixes it up and stumbles upon a winning formula. Or not……
Anyone been watching Ted Lasso on Apple TV?
A bit Richard Curtis schmaltz but laugh out loud funny…Grab a free trial and binge…
Talking of TV, I’ve caught a couple of EPL retrospectives recently and we always seem to have struggled. Why????? Boy what I’d give for a solid few seasons.
Badger, one of your comments caught my eye regarding Gerrard’s response to the Birmingham Mail reporter. It’s not the first time Gerrard has responded badly to what, I assume, he perceives as criticism.
He strikes me as someone quick to temper and a poor man manager which may well be reflected by the poor performance of players like Watkins.
That, if true, is a major concern.
Hitch, I’m surprised more wasn’t made of it at the time, but it didn’t read well to me.
I doubt Gerrard was laughing when he said it;
“The 20-year-old came into the 0-0 draw at Elland Road having trained just once this week and, when asked if Archer is desperate for more game time, Gerrard told BirminghamLive : “He’s only done one full session. Is he chomping at the bit? 100 per cent. You’re a fan of Cameron, you, aren’t ya? Or are you a mate of the family? Something’s going on because you’ve asked me 25 questions this year and I reckon 19 have been on Cam Archer. You’re a fan aren’t ya?” “
The only word I can think of is crass.
Whatever Gerrard thinks he should deal with it in a more diplomatic way – doesn’t he understand that the reporter is merely reflecting the view of the majority of Villa fans?
The question is, does Gerrard go if we lose tonight? How many of us would stomach a defeat to see him gone?
I can see a 0-0 with the way both teams have been recently. Would a draw keep Gerrard in a job? I think it would delay the axe which for me is almost inevitable but risking missing out on the likes of Poch or Tuchel or frankly anyone other than Bruce, Allardyce or Curbishley.
I will watch the game with the usual enthusiasm i have watching Gerrards style football, very little!
Count me in on the that Holte. Sometimes you have to lose a battle to win the war.
Bloody hell if we win we go to 9th Europe here we come
Oh we haven’t kicked off yet haaa
It’s mental isn’t it!!!! It’s facts like that that are keeping SG in a job. The truth bloody hurts.
Before SG goes there are several people on the staff who ought to be booted out.
McPhee tops the list – our free kicks are useless and apart from the Douglas Luiz in-swinging corner, so are our corners.
The medical staff.
One expensive new recruit who twangs something serious in his first month could happen at any club, but I am with Lady Bracknell “To lose one parent is unfortunate, to lose two is careless.” The number of players sidelined early through injury must be laid at the door of the staff at BMH who are giving them the medical and examining their injury record prior to signing. How on earth could they approve Wesley, Traoré, Bailey and Ings after examining their absences.
Lange
Not a trading genius. I don’t think he can survive the sacking of two managers as different as Smith & Gerrard. The finger then points to recruitment.
ASTON VILLA: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Young, McGinn, Douglas Luiz, J.Ramsey, Buendia, Coutinho, Watkins.
Subs: Olsen, Sanson, Ings, Chambers, Nakamba, Bednarek, Dendoncker, Archer, Bogarde.
I’d have Archer in for Ollie.
Lingard not starting for Forest – quite strange as he always seems to play well against us.
Although Dennis is playing and he gave us a torrid time when playing for Watford!
Oh no what a surprise!
Dennis – what did I say.
We’re absolute crap.
Gerrard out
We’re so slow in our build up allowing Forrest to put 10 men behind the ball.
This is pure comedy. Straight up black humour…
Thank goodness for Young
What a strike by Ashley Young!
But we are still crap – Gerrard out
Ash stonker!
1-1
Err…you were sayin
Out of the blue goal by Ash!