As the dust settles on deadline day, it seems to have left most Reds fans utterly baffled – self included. We had the great news of David Prutton and Luke Chambers arriving on 30th, but on the deadline day itself the Forest culling machine kicked into action and despatched Thompson, Eaden, Cullip and Southall to pastures new – the first three, I understand – when I heard Southall had left I (naively) assumed that we must have a replacement in the pipeline.
Well certainly we don’t have a permanent one – there’s a possibility that we’ll loan a player to cover for this position, Neil Danns being a namecheck in the case of one particularly delirious attention-seeker (I’d love to be proven wrong on this front, but come on, be realistic!). It seems like folly to me that Smoulderwood has dispensed with so many players whilst bringing only two into the squad – it’s true that our squad was too big, but now it’s looking painfully thin on the ground – we don’t even have a fit winger available!
I’ve blatantly stolen this idea from a thread on the LTLF forum, because it’s an interesting way of looking at a breakdown of our current squad:
Goalkeepers: Smith, Pedersen, Gamble, Roberts, Redmond
More than happy with Smith – he still has areas to improve, and I think (when fit) Pedersen is able backup. I’m not that familiar with the abilities of the young lads, but it’s a worry when your fifth choice keeper is on the bench for a cup game against the Premiership champions!
Defenders: Breckin, Morgan, Chambers, Curtis, Bennett, Bencherif, (Perch)
I’ve bracketed Perchy as I’d like to see him remain a midfielder – if we start moving his position around now he’ll end up like John Thompson did. I think we certainly have great centreback cover – and rightback is well catered for as Curtis, Perch and Chambers can cover this role. Left back is okay if we get “good” Bennett, but there’s no natural cover.
Midfield: Prutton, Clingan, Commons, Perch, Holt, Hughes, McGugan
Both Hughes and McGugan show promise, but are largely unproven. Aside from Commons there’s very little creativity in there, but a lot of hard work. There is only one player I’d consider a natural winger – and we tend to play him elsewhere. We have a solid (if uncreative) central midfield with plenty of options – but no width to speak of (except for Commons’ waistline, obviously).
Strikers: Tyson, Holt, Agogo, Lester, Dobie
As the LTLF threadstarter said simply: Plenty of numbers, but are they good enough? Goals scored would suggest not – that said, they often get bugger all service from previously mentioned hardworking-but-uncreative midfield. Tyson and Holt are undoubtedly good enough for this level, and Lester still has an impact as a substitute. Agogo is too inconsistent so far – either a constant thorn in defenders sides or aloof and disinterested. Dobie hasn’t convinced me so far, but he’s building his fitness.
So we have five goalkeepers, and 18 outfield players – which includes McGugan, Hughes and Bencheriff. I’m not utterly convinced that this is enough – which is why it still bamboozles me that we’ve allowed Southall to leave with no replacement. If a loan signing or two, and impressive ones at that, are not forthcoming over the coming week then I’m probably going to have to start to subscribe to the view that many fans are starting to express, that Smoulderwood has lost the plot somewhat… so here’s hoping he does have a rabbit up his sleeve!
We have less than 24 hours to sort a loan out in time for the increasingly important game at Bradford on Saturday (assuming we can – there seems to be some confusion as to whether we can loan now or after 7th February), and being in a pessimistic mood I reckon that we won’t do so – so whilst Prutts and Chambers will be available for this game, neither will really solve the creativity problem we have found ourselves with beyond the transfer window.
Filed under: Thoughts
Colin has lost the plot, although i hope to be proven wrong today. i have said before he has made two many mistakes and is a boring manager playing boring tactics.
I am not a negative fan, but I am now quite worried.
The defence is ok, providing we dont get a couple of injury’s at the same time! The sale of Cullip did suprise me a bit, and it would have been nice to recieve some small fee for him.
The Midfield is a concirn. The centre is quite strong, but apart from Clingan noone can pass and create. As for the wings it’s a joke!! We were short of cover as it was before we got rid of Southall (who has the most assists this season!!!!!!!!) We are now only left with the injury prone Commons who can create and score from midfield.
The attack is ok, i’m just worried they will not get the supply to feed off.
Lets hope i’m totally wrong!!! We’ll support them whatever
YOU REDS
Just one slight correction needed…Chambers is left-footed and has played left-back for Northampton. He’s never played right back though, so he can provide cover for Bennett if needed, but not Curtis.
You’re all worrying about nothing, really. Most games this season the defence just hoofs the ball over the top of midfield for Agogo to chase, since they know that there’s no creativity there. Smoulders has obviously decided to play all five goalkeepers at the same time, with 3 in defence (you don’t need 4 as we hame so many keepers), 0 in midfield and two strikers with Commons just behind them. This is roughly the formation we saw on Sunday, only Breckin played as one of the keepers due to so many of them being injured. Bennett was also a keeper, but he kept going out to the touchline to see what that blue streak of lightning was that ran past the non-existant midfield all day. Grant Holt was in Commons’ position, but found himself on the wing so often because Smoulders told him to play in the hole, and he was looking at the many divots to see which one he was talking about.
In the words of the White Rabbit: “Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!”
That’s good news about Chambers being more left-sided – I’m sure I read a comment from a Cobblers fan that he’d played rightback when he was younger – but still.
It’s midfield that continues to sorry me
strange but true really! Bennett was a tad like the wide eyed Alice just arrived in Wonderland as SWP basically took the mick. i didn’t really expect him to do a Psycho & break the lad in two on live TV but thought he might do a bit better.
never mind, here’s hoping for a form improvement in the league, we really should be beating the likes of Carlisle. definitely want to see a winger come in on loan, getting rid of Southall is a bad decision… should have at least waited till summer
Why we let Southall leave now on a free is ridiculous – not only is he the one fit winger we have but is also our top assistant with his crosses, set plays and vision. I’ve said from the off this season that I hoped Calderwood’s comments about being already strong enough for promotion were there to keep the camp happy and settled, hoping that in January we would indeed see and influx of better players. But no, we allow the versatile Thompson to leave, Cullip and Southall – all of whom have been in the matchday squad whenever they have been available. The two signing we have made look ok but with the way results have gone since the beginning of December I am now extremely nervous that we’ll not make the top two and increasingly worried that we might not even finish in the top six. Either way the playoffs are a lottery and to be in them at the end is nothing short of a failure since at one point we were 7pts clear at the summit. We simply do not score enough goals and I can’t see many more coming from our over-rated squad without the likes of Southall and a fit Commons.
Anyone know when Kris is due back in?
hes lost the plot, 9:30pm last night was one of the worst moments i’ve had as a forest fan, losing at carlisle and realising we have left 13 players leave, half of them good players and a few midfielders who we need and signed 2, one just on loan, i’m baffled and i’m calling yesterday ‘the deadline of madness’.
Trying to make things a bit more positive…I see that Prutton has now been allocated squad number 7, after originally being allocated 24. Could be a good omen as I remember him putting in some stunning performances whilst wearing that number
Congo – ever the optimist!!! Prutts & No 7 shirt? Good omen? Are we really that deperate to clutch at straws like that,,,,????????
At this juncture Im prepared to give CC the benefit of the doubt but the team have squandered a massive points lead and these crap performances need to stop ASAP.
All this bollocks from CC about it being a good contest and a fascinating battle at the top is somewhat worrying. Im hopeful its just shite to baffle the media but I wanted to be 15 points clear at this stage………not content to be just still in the hunt.
Ask the Aussies at 4-0 up in the recent Ashes series if they were bothered about winning the 5th test…..you KNOW the answer. We need the same approach and I hope CC is kicking the shit of out the team and we get throught this bad patch……starting Sat at Bradford.
The facts are, we have not played consistently well all season. Against the footballing sides in the division we have been taught a real lesson. I know it is to little to late now, but we should of brought in Laws or young Cloughie instead of CC. I’m sick of the crap football we play. We need a manager who understands the the club, supporters and the tradition for good football instead of the pondorous rubbish being served up at the moment
Altogether… ‘Seven points clear and we f*cked it up’…
Well I’ve now got over yesterday and the past is the past. All we can do now is hope the 2 new signings can urge the team to a win at Bradford on Saturday, then beating Northampton at home and it suddenly looks a lot rosier. CC has made some wrong decisions but he’s gambled, if he loses it then the fans will turn against him, but if he pulls it off he deserves a round of applauds. All i want from this season is promotion, i don’t care how we do it, as long as we do it.
Lost the plot.
We’re definitely not good enough.
One goal a game will not get us promoted. No goals a game is suicide.
One shove from OPrutts and that’s him out for five games.
Seven points clear to 4th in the league – disaster. Bet Derby don’t f*ck up like we did.
OR PERHAPS it’s easier to balance the books in this division. Doughty might incurr extra costs in the Championship (without gettign revenue back in return) so as long as the accountants are happy…
Egor, yes I’m optimistic, because we ARE making progress and we ARE better than last season. We’re three points behind the leaders with a game in hand, so I’m not pushing any panic buttons just yet.
Nick, I don’t agree with your assesment that we haven’t done well against the footballing sides in this division. Crewe and Chesterfield both try to play the passing game and we gave them both tonkings.
Congo – no offence mate…….I was just having a bit of fun!
I agree 100% – no panic just yet but you have to agree we’ve slipped and we simply can’t afford to keep slipping.
With the new men on board we MUST kick on from here…..
Yeah, we’ve had a bad patch…but we will win automatic promotion. It’s that simple.
Automatic promotion with this style of football i don’t think so. i agree with Nick late wednesday evening was the worst feeling about the club for a long while, even with Megson in charge. We have the players to score goals but they have to create their own chances as we sit back all the time and give the game to our opponents who generally beat us in midfield each time.
the northampton fans thought the same so i suppose we wil have to grin and bear it. i can tell you diffenitely that CC may say all is well in the camp but some do not like the tactics.
Looking for a hotel in cardiff!!!!!
Whatever happened to Kevin James?! Accordng to this website, he is still at Forest without a squad number and is our longest serving player!
http://www.footballtransfers.co.uk/squads/club575.html#player13858
Aylesbury, Kevin James did something to his shoulder whilst out on loan to Grimsby. I think it was a fracture and dislocation. He was three matches into a three month loan spell and he did see out that loan spell, but didn’t return to fitness. I believe he is still out injured and has had no return date specified as yet…
At least, that was the last I heard. He may well have been released on the quiet.
Thanks Congo. I remember watching him trying to play right back in a woeful LDV cup defeat at Woking during the Megson era. He really didn’t seem to know what he was doing but to be fair he was supposed to be a striker when we signed him. Someone should find where he’s hiding now and tell him to dust his boots off because the might just get a game!