Friday 25 April 2014

The Cherries can end Forest's season

Who would have thought that Nottingham Forest would be needing a win at Bournemouth to stay in the play-off race this late in the season? Arguably one of the pre-season favourites for the title it all went a bit wrong for Forest causing them to part company with Billie Davies. All credit to their players though they have turned their form back around again and are coming to Dean Court with some good results behind them. It won't change the fact though that AFCB would love to stop them in their tracks.
Nottingham Forest players warm up at the City ground.
That won't be an easy task though. Forest have quality in just about every position and the side has probably slightly under performed at least if you talk to the bookies. Andy Reid has been their big threat for most of the season and just watching him play you can see what great skill he has on the ball while his shooting power is as good as any midfielder in the division.

The young man though that has been exciting to watch is Jamie Paterson and he looks like he could play at a higher level having steered Forest past West Ham's FA Cup select team earlier in the season and has continued his scoring run in the Championship. He is another quick thinking player and seems to pop up in the holes where defenders least expect so I would think that Eunan O'Kane will be looking out for him.
At Nottingham AFCB got a late equaliser from Marc Pugh.
Matt Derbyshire is also well known to our supporters from his loan period at Oldham Athletic in League One last year and he has been scoring for fun in recent weeks. The couple he scored against Leeds in Forest last away game showed his strength and the first came in the initial few seconds of the game. Henri Lansbury also scored a belter against the Cherries up at the City ground and Simon Cox is another player who will score the odd goal for them.

So where is Forest's weakness? It could just be in their over confidence. They expected to beat AFCB easily at home and yet they came unstuck. They are likely to be equally confident of taking all three points at Dean Court and that could well suit the Cherry to see them come at us, because on the break AFCB have scored some great goals this season. Away from home Forest have not been doing as well as when they play at home and the stakes in this game will be particularly high for Forest, while the Cherries may just like playing with a bit of freedom and no real pressure now.

Nottingham Forest Away form
DLDLW

AFCB Home form
DWWWL

2 comments:

  1. Speaking as a Forest fan I don't think over confidence will be an issue this weekend, we have been in terrible form and only recently stopped the rot with a hard fought win at home against Birmingham and a decent away result at Leeds. This weekend will offer a completely different challenge as the two previously named teams are very direct and look to bully the opposition off the ball, Bournemouth play good football and will look to pull our shape apart. You have highlighted the threat of Reid and Lansbury but they are out injured at the moment and that drive from midfield is sadly lacking without them.

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  2. Well, after last night our season is pretty much over as well.
    It is "other developments" which are starting to worry me now. With the sanctions on Russia, their economy is suffering and the Rouble falling. That could have extremely unpleasant medium term side-effects for us, I wonder if anyone has a "Plan B" for this possibility.

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