United – It’s a win and a better performance if not perfect but the three points were all important. With three key men missing, it was just ***** to get back to winning ways. Not great by any stretch of the imagination and at times we were still anxious and slow. We also sat back too deep for periods in the second half but we scored two goals, were more attacking and eventually played better football. I felt we were more like our normal self but not quite there…if that makes sense! First half it was a bit like last week – we were quite edgy and took too long to do things. We took too many touches and barely had an effort on goal. We were the better side against a poor Forest side but did not do enough to lead and even though we had a bit of a spell just before the break with a few half chances and then the free kick and a few corners etc. I felt we had to up it massively and too many players were just a bit off it (again). We needed several players to up it.
After the break I felt that happened and the players played higher up the field and the wing backs got further forward but Duffy started to really penetrate and dictate. The red card helped us massively though and meant Forest had one less man to pack the defence and stop us trying to work through. We scored a wonder goal and then we went for the 2nd and McGoldrick was close to getting it. I felt we kept going forward but then when Madine went off, it seemed to disrupt us a bit and we lost the momentum and we started clock watching a bit. We sat back and Forest had a few moments but cannot recall too many clear chances at all but they got a few corners and free kicks. You worried they might nick a chance and then when Grabban came on, I was fearful something may drop but it didn’t. The second goal came at a great time though and that killed it. After that Forest gave up completely.
I am not sure we were that great as I say. We certainly did some things better and at least we restricted the opponent to few openings but Forest are a poor side and are on the beach and have lost 5 straight. They did not really attack us much at all and not sure they had any belief they would get anything. The crowd for us were probably more worried than the crowd for Forest were hopeful! The players who came in did ok. I felt Duffy and Fleck improved after the break and we started to show some desire.
The Leeds result was huge. I sat watching it nervously and Massey was superb as was the lad James. Even Clarke and Evans did ok. They defended heroically but Leeds did start getting anxious. The crowd were starting to panic and all the daft scarf twirling stopped completely. They have a few tricky games but I feel Brentford will be tougher than Villa. Think Villa will beat Millwall and almost be there for the playoffs and then they may rest a few. Today though Leeds looked like us last week. We now have it back in our hands. The reality is if we got in the playoffs, we would have to win probably 2 and draw 1 or win all 3. That is now what the season boils down to against two mid table sides and a team relegated. We have to go for it. Hull will be much more of a threat and have been scoring goals freely with two talents in Bowen and Grosicki. We have to improve from today to win that game. We play before Leeds in both games and if we win then the pressure is really on them at Griffin Park as to lose that or fail to win that they would be 2 or 3 behind with 2 to play and us having a chance to go 5 or 6 clears before they play after us again. Monday to me is so big. If we win this; I think we can do it; a week after I felt we had blown it. It is a really incredible race with both teams not exactly looking convincing.
What a nervous few weeks it is going to be! I will be at Hull on Monday biting my nails and hope we can stick one against our former manager. Certainly, now though it seems it is going right to the wire.
Nottingham Forest – Thought they were abject. They defended deep and with numbers and just tried to stop us going through them. They sent us wide but our crosses were really poor to be honest and they will feel they actually had the best chance when Murphy got through and shot wide first half but Henderson did not have a significant save to make all game. We were all panicking but not sure they ever looked like scoring. That free kick that went further wide than where it started summed them up. The fans were sarcastically cheering when they put a few passes together.
Actually, first half they stayed in the game and defended well, covering and working hard but they did not do much when they had it. Lolley had a few good runs but they obviously have rotated the team round and are trying a few things. Nothing is really working as they keep losing. O’Neill (and Keane) have not really had an impact at all since they came in and they look further away from a playoff team now then when he went in – stats may show otherwise. After the red card and goal, they looked a bit of a mess but then they had a bit of a spell before we killed it. Overall though they were well beaten over the course of the game as we had more chances, shots on/off target, corners, possession and ultimately moments that count.
Not sure of their identity. They have a few loan players in and some international players that cost a fair bit admittedly not many played today) and then Grabban is a decent striker also and I was glad he did not play. They have a big summer to kind of change things around a bit. They seem to keep changing their manager but it is not working. They have spent a fair bit actually when you look at the outlay on the players but it has not really gelled. Today they looked a team just waiting for the season to finish and complete contract to Millwall last week. The fact United struggled was as much down to us as them I felt.
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Opponent man of the match – Lolley. Not even close. Plays right hand side but comes onto his left. Good runner, decent on the ball and links play. Got a few tricks and runs in from the wing. Very good player. He tried hard but ultimately had little help. In the end he got tired and lost Stevens on the goal. Not sure anyone else really stood out.
Weak link – Benalouane was a bit moronic to dive in and might have to take the award here. However, the lad Cash seemed to be like a special team taking the free kicks and long throws – either illegally as was the case with the latter. Also Pele in midfield was erm not like Pele. Colback was lucky to stay on the pitch and was out of depth in a full back position.
Henderson 7/10 – Not sure he had much to do…saw a few shots come in nowhere near and a comfortable one. Did punch one corner away and got it but the distance was not great but we cleared it. His overall handling though was good. His scariest moment was when he slipped when trying to kick the ball away and everybody breathed a big sigh of relief!
Baldock 7/10 – General play quite good. Only negatives were his silly booking for a stupid moment when he should have cleared originally and also a bit of dallying with Cranie (more his fault) that led to the booking for him. Outside of this he was good and got up and down and showed real energy. He was a constant threat second half. His final ball is still poor and he could have pulled the trigger on a shot or cross not long after we scored when his first bit of skill was superb to get him in. If he could work on his crossing/final ball could be an excellent player.
Stevens 8/10 – Continued to be one of our best players. Even in the poorer run we have had, him and McGoldrick have kept their standards high. Close between him and Didsy for the man of the match but I actually would have given it Stevens. He put in several excellent balls first half and got in some good positions. Second half he kept moving forward and was not defending like he was last week. What he did, he did well against a tough opponent in Lolley who did get away from him a few times but he stuck at it and then at the end overpowered his man by simply running past him. Ran almost an entire half to then get on it and then showed great composure to finish superbly.
Stearman 7/10 – Steady game. Limited Murphy firstly and then Grabban towards the end. Came onto the ball and was just nice and sensible/composed. He is a really good pro to come in and do a job. He was not pressured much by a poor Forest team who did not have much pace coming forward and did not attack in numbers but did what he had to. Will probably see Egan coming back in next game but great to have him there ready.
O’Connell 7/10 – Decent defensively and got forward when he could. First half he did not attack too much and a bit more reserved but then he started bombing on and I felt second half was really getting into the opposition half. He got in a few good positions and once found himself on the right-hand side but would not trust his right foot. Won the key headers/tackles when it mattered and just did what he had to.
Cranie 7/10 – As the other centre backs, he did his job. Decent at the back in what he had to do and did get quite far forward and was always looking to push on and create those overloads. Made one bad error when he took too long and then dallied with Baldock and ended up bringing down his man for a yellow card. After this he settled down and was fine. Just does a good job for the team and did not let us down.