darlo, aiki, wolf, I remain in your debt.
Surprise with seeing Nouha apparently having an intense warm up, realising that I still am not going to see Costa live...
We started strongly I felt. 20 mins with us having the majority of possession, and the game being pretty much in their half. Only downside to this was everything happening on the far side of the ground. That said, we seemed to be looking to create, and also seemed to be pressing higher up as a team. We had a penalty shout that I couldn't see clearly enough.
Forest had a 5 minute spell where we seemed to allow them back into the game, but we ended the half pressing, with a couple of corners. We restricted them to only one real chance in the entire first half. Felt we always looked more likely to create something. Forest really only looked to hope we'd make a ricket and let them have an opportunity.
Second half saw us continuing to be the team at least looking to be positive and go forwards, and we pretty much penned them back a lot. They have a break, and I'm absolutely convinced (from a distance) that we fuck up closing them down, lonergan comes out and loses the ball, and we just have to be down. Then the North Bank rises as one to signify what can only be a brilliant goal line clearance. Utter relief. And phenomenally the team respond to the clearance by picking up the loose ball, and immediately countering swiftly, with some good precise passing getting forwards and behind their defence for a superb cross being met by Dicko, and he couldn't miss. Euphoria!
Forest didn't look like they were properly trying to get back into the game, and we still looked the most likely. Assombalonga is taken off (surprising, as you'd have expected him to fancy his chances tonight) and we continue to play most of the football in their half.
Despite the fact that we twice in the last 5 minutes gave them two pretty good opportunities to level (and I think an in form team with more confidence would have taken at least one of those chances) lonergan pulls off a worldie to save the victory. I understand the frustration with Bod for not squaring to Weimann, however from where I stood I totally understand him shooting, he was central, having beat his man.
player ratings:
Lonergan, yes he made a brilliant save late on, but I cannot be confident with him in goal. Woeful kicking, and as kenny has mentioned, a basic inability to command his area or organise his defence.
Coady - Steady. I didn't have a view of his clearance, but I'm assured by some who did it was sheer determination/commitment. A big positive for me was his taking off Hause's lead and learning how to intercept forests forward passes. Played a better game by less long balls, and a lot more closer passing. Seemed to be a target for the scapegoat early on from a few around us.
Baath - Also steady. Assombalonga turned him properly only once all game. Other than that, Baath kept him in check. A couple of excellent covering tackles too.
Hause - my, he's developing well. Seemed to me to be leading the defence. Can read the game when he's on it, able to step up several times intercepting through balls. Capable of helping us turn defence into attack quickly. Once when he did brake, had a great chance to slide Bod in and didn't quite manage it, but I really believe he can be a big player.
Doherty - gave away a poor foul obviously early on, and also failed to trap a simple ball, though luckily no-one was close enough to do any immediate damage. Other than that, again he was pretty steady.
These back 4 are getting a bit settled, and it would be difficult to justify dropping any of them at the moment, given where we are/have been the past month. That said, 3 of them are squad players for me, long term. Also, neither full back appears to be looking to cross the ball now. We used to see Iorfa and Coady try (and rarely succeed) to cross the ball. Noticeable now that they are looking more for shorter passes, to either the front 4, or the midfield 2.
Evans - Had a decent game. Not afraid to show for the ball, or go in for a tackle. Some good passes spreading/switching the play in both halves. Pleased to see him having the shot in the first half. Can also use both feet, which can be effective. Not sure I can recall our last genuine 2 footed midfielder.
Edwards, ran himself into the ground as ever. Had one good chance to score in the first half, and am surprised he missed it tbh.
Weimann - fucking hell, he works hard. But he has speed too, and showed a few nice touches too. Shattered by 80 minutes, and undoubtedly annoyed that he got into good scoring positions to not be passed to by Bod and Dicko. Supported Coady brilliantly. And a phenomenal bit of chasing down at 70 minutes running around 75% of the pitch. Attacks every loose ball, meaning the opposition struggle to have time with clearances. I think I'd sign him.
Caveleiro - there are moments where you can see he has phernomenal control of the ball, and is capable of bamboozling a defender. Not everything came off tonight, but you can see he's capable of changing a game in an instant. Taken off after an hour, after receiving a couple of heftier challenges, and possibly to protect him for the weekend in case Costa isn't 100%. Lets also not forget he's still coming back from injury.
Marshall - he runs fucking funny man. He hardly moves his arms. It is odd to observe. Seems to move a bit quicker sometimes than you'd expect him to. Delivery wasn't quite on it tonight - over hit and under hit corners. Worked hard though. Thought his free kick was going in right to the last second.
Dicko - wonderful to see him score. Hope he gets another very quickly. Still not quite back yet, but I'm still willing to give him time.
Noticeably, there is a lot of fluidity around these. All ended up wide or in the middle at various points in the game. Don't know if Lambert has stumbled on a formula, or there's a plan, but it works and I think is spreading through the team. All 4 can control a ball, find a pass, and shoot, so compliment each other well. Also, there;s a fair bit of (almost) pass and move. Sometimes I feel the pass is too sideways, but there's a bit more one/two touch play and movement of the ball. Evans compliments this, and Edwards in this further back roll can manage it too. It works with the full backs (see above) and Hause was also very good with the ball this evening.
Subs
Gibbs-White - I like him. There's real ability there, and jeez, he's quick too. Strong, and you can see confidence in the lad. Bags of potential. Not a wide player, but late on there was an excellent tackle, and a really good cross Weimann couldn't quite capitalise on.
Bodvarsson - Fitted in well to the front 4 to be fair. Yes he should have passed to Weimann
Saiss - Did well in the time he was on. One sublime pass, and also a few nice close touches on the left hand side.
Ref - fucking joker! How did he not see that handball in the first half? Weirdly played a couple of good advantages during the game, but also chose not to make a couple of big decisions, and missed a couple of blatant fouls and that handball.
Lambert kicks almost every ball, doesn't he. He went batshit at the ref on that handball.
We weren't amazing, but there's potential in there. If we're looking to develop that as a style of play, with some decent passing, and close football, combined with the skills of the likes of Costa and Caveleiro, then we're not far off. Interesting that the team is fairly settled at the moment. And there's some really good youth there - Hause was fantastic, Gibbs-White looks like he has the ability for me, and Evans did well. We definitely need a good keeper, and we need to look to address our striker issues. We could have a nucleus of 4-5 players who could be scoring 10 each a season, easing the need for this "main striker" a lot seem to want. It was pointed out to me that in the time Dicko has been out the vast majority of the team has changed, and with a proper pre-season behind him, where he can score a few in friendlies, if we can get him back and confident, there's no reason with sensible effective additions in defence and in goal, we should be looking to make a proper case for promotion next season.
