Haven’t we been here before? A club recently incapable of stringing any sort of strong form together – something more ambitious than 6 unbeaten w/ 3 draws – are required to produce another miraculous feat to avoid an undesirable league position. Last year’s model had infamous results, and the current trajectory of a rebuild-on-the-fly project engineered by Gordon Strachan is currently estimated to fall short. The dreaded failure of not capturing promotion at the first ask evokes imagery of fiery crashes to the deeper reaches of the Championship, failing to get the body level on the quicksand and wriggling out to firm footing. It’s not that bad – but it will get worse in the summer if some title-winning form isn’t displayed, resulting in unexpected ascension. Gary O’Neil, David Wheater, Emanuel Pogatetz…they’ll be sold, along w/ anyone else of decent value. Makes not getting something from the Blackpool/Forest double especially galling…
Billy Davies couldn’t have been serious? A matter of time before you scored? Really? The dereliction of duty committed by Leroy Lita for not playing to the whistle was really the only accelerant for a super-charged move that resulted in the goal. Sure, Radoslaw Majewski clipped the bar w/ a delightful free kick…and Robert Earnshaw was certainly menacing at times, however we did enjoy long spells of the ball. Unfortunately we created fuck all w/ it. Nothing clear cut despite some late desperation salvos from Pogi/Stephen McManus/Leroy Lita – all finding either a crude clearance or the safety of Forest keeper Lee Camp.
We took a visit to the local ‘exotic dance’ club for a slice of good fortune. All the good it got us was waking up surprisingly not hung over from the strawberry margaritas – the secret ingredient is extra tequila – for a virtual rendezvous w/ BBC Radio Tees…portable parmo aficionado Ali Brownlee and Gary Gill instead of she’s-a-struggling-student-and-a-good-kid Kayla from Riverside County…balls!
Coyne; Naughton, Wheater, McManus , Pogatetz; Flood, O’Neil, Robson, Arca; Aliadiere, McDonald
- Still no Killen, so why is Lee Miller – ineffectual as he may be – on the bench?
- GON toughing it out…Pogi too after a late fitness test
- Majestic Majewski forces Danny Coyne to full stretch! Superb free kick may have gotten a slight touch, but it clips the crossbar and out for goal kick
- Boro respond w/ prolonged pressure – Arca shoots artfully from 20 yards – corner – pinged around the box…plenty of good touches…Forest agitated for sure
- Aliadiere getting into good positions, but Gary Gill sums it up expertly: you never feel he’s going to score
- Boro seeking first win @ City Ground since 1999
- Steve Agnew – remarkably still employed – predicted to Ali earlier this week that the team will be rewarded for their hard work and dedication on set pieces in recent training
- Good reasons for Gordo to be pleased – organized, assertive, attacking – but he’s not…we edged the half and really deserved something – HT Forest 0-0 Boro
- Penetrative reporting from Mark Drury: the gaffer really lost his rag at the end of the half – the final free kick was shambolic in every aspect – Forest have reinforcement options if needed…subs are warming up at the beginning of the break
- 2nd half – Forest unbeaten at home since 19 Sep 09 to Pool 0-1
- Tame first 15 minutes – Chris Gunter has the first real crack in the 61st minute – not too troubling – goal kick
- GG: a good challenge or two is just as effective as a goal in getting the crowd energized
- Forest get their goal – Lita stopped playing, the home side broke free – Majewski squares it – Chris Cohen meets it to sweep into the net – Forest 1-0 Boro – 72 min
- Robust ovation for Robert Earnshaw – off for David McGoldrick
- Leroy Lita attempts to atone w/ a venomous shot from absolutely nowhere! Tipped out by Camp
- Crazy final 10 mins – flurry of activity from Boro…corner after corner…Pogi smashed a goalbound effort that was saved…Forest break…McKenna we think sprinting into the box and down…no pen!
- Real frenetic stuff – Forest deploy their ‘absolute beast’… Dele Adebola
- 4 mins added – most of it uneventful – final 45 secs sees Danny Coyne come forward for a shit corner from GON – the subsequent free kick too – Leroy again…rolls his marker…wicked shot…effing saved by Camp’s knees…it’s later speculated that had he gone down amidst the robust challenge from Wes Morgan he could have maybe earned a penalty…
- FT Forest 1-0 Boro – one switch off…no clear cut chances…a lack of professionalism…
- GG MOM – Wheats
QPR bring their sideshow north Saturday – Warnock has a mate who might have booked a room already…
February 24th, 2010 @ BA
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