Toothless Reds fail to capitalise on game in hand..
Carlisle United - 1
Nottingham Forest - 0
Forest failed to capitalise on their game in hand by falling to a single controversial goal at Carlisle tonight. The scorer, Hawley, certainly wasn’t offside as he headed home on the stroke of half time - but another player was clearly offside, but running back inside the six yard box (clattering Breckin in the process) - but deemed by the linesman and referee to not be interfering with play, so the goal was to stand.
It’s easy to use poor decisions as excuses though, and from the sound of the game a new look Forest line up had very little creative impact. With the departure of Nicky Southall, Smoulderwood opted for a midfield trio of Perch, Clingan and McGugan, with Lester “in the hole” behind Holt and Dobie. A brave move, putting Agogo and Tyson on the bench - and one, ultimately, that leaves Smoulds looking a bit naive in this writer’s opinion.
The familiar clueless refereeing of Mr Drysdale was in attendance, with numerous ridiculous bookings of Forest players without noticing Carlisle hacking down our players by hook or crook when they looked to get clear. All in all, it’s proven a bad day at the office all around - and Carlisle wanted the game more than us - the put us under more pressure, had more shots on goal, and ultimately won the three points.
Tyson and Agogo eventually made the field with a little under 15 minutes to go, but barely got a touch as Carlisle frustrated Forest by keeping the ball in our half. Ultimately, all we have to look back on in this game is a left-footed half volley wide from Jack Lester after a Dobie flick on, and Dobie taking the ball round the keeper but being unable to convert from a tight angle - and the bizarre sight of Ian Breckin operating as an emergency striker in stoppage time.
Very disappointing - the formation change was almost inevitable given the departure of Nicky Southall with no viable replacement (and even if we were to replace him, the player would be ineligible to play today anyway). Smoulders made a brave line-up choice, but ultimately it proved futile - Grant Holt, a Carlisle fan, and Scott Dobie, a former player, would have every motivation to have an impact - but failed to do so, and so our game in hand over our rivals ends with no points.
Some fans are getting on the manager’s back on the message boards, and in some ways I can see why - his selection and tactics tonight were baffling, and his reluctance to change them until 15 minutes to go, it does deserve some criticism. The brightest news of the night is that Bristol City also dropped three points against Cheltenham tonight, which is bittersweet because if we’d stepped up and won this we’d be second again. Ultimately though, poor refereeing decisions or controversial goals aside, we sounded like we were on the end of a just-deserved beating.
After what’s been a busy day, it ends on a low - fingers crossed that the rumours sweeping the message boards of a loan signing coming in tomorrow that will “blow your socks off” (oh dear, I seem to remember hearing that phrase before!) are not as rubbish as I think they probably are - we’ve missed a golden opportunity today, but we must look forward - and the game at Valley Parade on Saturday becomes all the more critical.
31 January, 2007 at 11:18 pm
I didnt go tonight but what I heard on the radio it was piss poor.
Im getting REALLY REALLY worried now about the team and the poor performances were keep consistently putting in. We are, on paper, the best team in the division, by a country mile, but we all know you dont win promotion on paper.
An old cliche I know, but the season starts from here. We have 52 points and I reckon we need another 33/36 for guarenteed automatic promotion so that means winning 11/12 out of the last 17 games. A tall order but at least we appear to have the easiest run in.
The implications of spending another seaon in this league are unthinkable!!!!!! If we dont go up this season I see a complete restructure of the club and us destined to remain a League 1 club for many seasons to come…..
31 January, 2007 at 11:37 pm
So what happened to the agression that CC demanded? As you both say - very poor and disappointing. Three cheers for Cheltenham Town. Obviously our 5-0 win will be on Saturday against Bradord…
1 February, 2007 at 1:50 am
What a disgrace tonight was. I was at the game and it was an embarrassment. No passion, no drive, no player with th ability to control a ball. set pieces are a waste of time now as sammy glingan can’t hit a ball to save his life. The tactics were a nonsense tonight. Calderwoods comments after the match saying we controlled the game were a joke and not a very good one. Carlisle were crap and we were much much worse. i am very very worried. This must improve and improve soon or the playoffs, let alone automatic promotion will drift us by and we can’t afford to be in this league another season.
1 February, 2007 at 3:16 am
I’ve gone from being supremely optimistic on Tuesday after the arrivals of Prutton and Chambers to something more like black depression after last night’s fiasco. No drive, no ability, lack of discipline and most worryingly of all; absolutely zero quality.
The news that Southall has been released and no replacement has (yet?) been brought in has truely baffled me. I think i’m right in saying that he was our top ‘assister’ last season and was leading the way again this year, not to mention he does chip in with a fair few goals. Who (discounting the unfit Commons) can offer us this at the moment in our piss poor midfield? Prutton will run around a lot and win a lot of balls and Clingan is neat and tidy but neither will give us the output that Trigger has done over the last 18 months.
Anyway, all the best to him and his family back down south. Hopefully he wont come back and haunt us.
1 February, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Another poor display and another defeat and the squad has been cut down to the bare bones. I’ve just had a look and am really quite shocked how thin the squad now is!
By my calculation we now have only 15 senior outfield players, (5 defenders, 5 midfield and 5 strikers) and that includes the injured Commons. We have enough strikers but CC must have alot of confidence in the young players to provide cover if we have further injuries and suspensions. There is a definite lack of cover in both full back positions and a lack of genuine wide players.
I hope I’m wrong but I don’t think that is a strong enough squad to push on for automatic promotion. It was fair enough to get rid of the deadwood but yesterday’s departures of Cullip, Southall and Thompson has weakened the squad to a point that if we get a few injuries we will be playing the kids…Cue Alan Hansen!
I understand that we can still bring some players in on loan? Let’s hope this happens sooner rather than later.