Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa

Am I the only one feeling more assured with Bunn than Guzan?

Amazing the bargain of the summer

That should have said Amavi, spell correct shocker

The amazing Amavi. Sounds like a magician.

good tackle from JC - hes done well today

3-3 rolled it in .......defence very worrying today

Looked good in most areas but the defence is highly suspect. I think we'll score more goals this season but will concede more too.

Sorry my concerns re Sherwood have been strengthened Baker is awful.
Over the Lambert years Bakers has been consistent with his errors.
Has never been composed on the ball has no pace can not pass.
Someone explain how he has got a 4 year extension.
We need a new goalkeeper Bunn has no presence and lacks control just can't understand how he has ended up in goal at Villa? Oh Waite cheap option.
We also need a new right Back
This team without a new keeper and right back will concede lots of goals.
Let's see what the net spend is that Lerner actually delivers.

Defence is a big concern!!!!

Thinman wrote:Looked good in most areas but the defence is highly suspect. I think we'll score more goals this season but will concede more too.

Problem with that approach is:-

Even if we go 2-0 up - the opposition still know they are in the game.

Having brought players (even defenders) who like to get forward - these players will either be encouraged or obliged not to go forward

Can't see it working, Only consolation is I think it will be apparent its not working pretty quickly.....

Defence was SHOCKING! Richards constantly out of position, Crespo looked Luna-esque sadly in his brief cameo and cost the 1st goal, Amavi was decent but with concerning moments defensively and Baker looked poor when he came on and was at fault for their 3rd.. Clark was average and the young left back who came on second half looked poor...Not impressed with the defence today whatsoever.

Midfield i thought we were ok, Kozack looked very average and i thought his play was just a bit weak overall, Ayew had some good touches and some bad ones so distinctly average again with somewhat wayward shooting, Westwood looked ok at the easy things but was woeful on deadballs and his shooting is dire. Cole looked unfit but at least his dead ball delivery was a vast improvement on Westwood. Veretout didn't have much time to impress so too early to judge and Robinson was again very average

MOM without doubt was Sinclair with some sublime finishing. I thought Sanchez did ok but did look off the pace a bit too.

Hutton was well erm Hutton and did next to nothing when he ventured forward and lost his man a few times too.

Bunn was average i'd say. Couple of decent saves but did concede 3 goals so.

Sadly I think something as simple as moving Richards to RB and purchase Evans to partner Clarke would be the easy solution, but it won't happen I think. Seems nailed on TS will stick to the failure that is Micah Richards at CB.

Have to say, we are nowhere near ready for next Saturday. Brace yourself for another south coast mauling.

If we go into the season with so many players needing to adjust to the prem and the current defence we are in for some very embarrassing results.
Sherwoods tactical ability needs questioning. How can he reward Baker with a new contract?
How can he persevere with MR at centre half.
How can he go into a season with no quality or even capable right back?
How can he go into a new season with the a goalkeeper who he publicly dropped last season due to performance and then reinstate him as number 1? Bunn has not impressed me as any sort of cover/ competition.
We have some exciting prospects that need developing. Puting inexperienced players in front of that defence could effect their ability and confidence.
Over to you Mr Sherwood make some decisions.
MR right back
Buy a new keeper
Buy a new right back

Joppe84 wrote:Sadly I think something as simple as moving Richards to RB and purchase Evans to partner Clarke would be the easy solution, but it won't happen I think. Seems nailed on TS will stick to the failure that is Micah Richards at CB.

I actually agree with a now banned poster from earlier today. TS can't organise a defence - Sure throwing Richards in at CB makes matters worse - but I think we have a fundamental problem here with defensive organisation.

I just think that the defence is the hardest part to get right when you basically buy a new first eleven. They have to know how their team mates react, move, think, so it requires a lot of time to get it right. This is the reason I suggested Okore/Clarke as the obvious temporary solution. However, placing Richards as a CB just makes matters worse, cause the man simply doesn't have the calm head and positioning.

Only comfort is that it will get better with time.

That defence is a gift for the opposition, they are all over the shop bereft of any organisation or leadership. I agree we are nowhere near ready for the league campaign. I'm not convinced by Richards at centre back, but I think TS will continue to play him there as that seems to have been the agreement as to why he signed for us( despite him being better suited to fullback). Crespo seems a strange purchase and doesn't look solid, although is out injured. Hutton is Hutton and we still struggle with picking a decent CB pairing. We are going to concede a lot of goals this season and we are struggling to roll over championship opposition

Oh dear me the doom mongers are out in force tonight, same old faces too, well lighten up all of you its going to take time for so many new players to settle in, show them some patience and enjoy the rollercoaster ride, at least it wont be boring !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

andrew24561 wrote:Oh dear me the doom mongers are out in force tonight, same old faces too, well lighten up all of you its going to take time for so many new players to settle in, show them some patience and enjoy the rollercoaster ride, at least it wont be boring !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes it takes time - but they shouldn't look totally useless in the interim.

I remember when Big Ron purchased a new team with the platt money - they were a bit inconsistent in that first season - but they weren't getting walloped every week. Im not panicking yet - and yes it will take time for the team to gel - however in the interim we should see something, if we start get regular beatings or wineless streaks, that can't be all be down to a settling in period - we either brought the wrong players - or they are not being coached \ organised properly. I haven't judged yet - but we can't be totally hopeless over the first 6 weeks and put that down to settling in period.

I've said this a dozen times on here, we need a world class keeper, someone who can control the defence on the pitch, jump down there throats for 90mins.

I like a captain from CM and a keeper that talks and is talented.

Can see us buying CB and GK this week and MR has to hold his hands up and do what he's good at + get FIT.

We have Okore to come back!

The defence is a concern, granted, but fuck me some of you sad sacks chat some breeze. Especially you TED with your Haikus from hell. Move Richards to right back and buy a right back? :)

It's the same posters saying the same things. Over and over.

It's fucking boring chaps, we get it. Doesn't matter how often you say it, it's still the same sentences over and over. Don't you get bored?

Ted, ffs, you need to come on down hre to the ghetto in the Big Smoke, I will roll you a Camberwell Carrot and you will chill the fuck out.

Ted you need to calm down, being that uptight will make you ill. Next time you post try doing so in another room as there appears to be an echo with your posts, either that or I have deja vu.

Omg, it's a pre-season game. We are trying to build the guys fitness, man city got beat 4 nil, does that mean they are done for? We all know it takes time to gel, but I was impressed with how easy it was to get behind their defenders. We also looked very good going forward. We played some nice football, we will get a CB and we will strike fear in to any defenders.

Enjoyed the 2nd half today, we looked much much better when we swapped to 4-3-3. I think we've only been playing 4-4-2 due to the players unavailable. I'm not overly bothered about the goals let in. First was shocking, but let's put that down to a misunderstanding with a new full back. The last 2 were disappointing to see, but I don't anticipate seeing Sanchez, Baker & Kinsella in defence too often. I do agree that the defence is the biggest concern at this point & agree that a RB & CB are needed, but I think it's unrealistic to expect every personnel issue addressed in a single summer. Amavi excites me, he's a superb prospect at left back but for me the biggest positive is the sheer volume of players still to come into the team. We've been a long way from full strength in pre season. Keep the faith guys