What was the game plan tonight?

Honestly, up until their goal I thought it was a carbon copy of a few home wins under Val last season. Forest playing out from the back allowed us to press, games where not much really happened, and second half we came out with some renewed energy and on the front foot. Forest had a purple patch for about five minutes or so in that first half where we really lost the plot, but we calmed it down and saw out the half.

What we were lacking vs. Val was the physicality in the final third and any threat in the box. All our positive play outside of getting the penalty was mainly Williams, Styles and Oduor down the left but nothing threatening of any note.

That last 30 minutes capitulation though. Jesus F’ing Christ. And to not see it coming or do anything about it. Bonkers

 

It’s woeful. We don’t have any width, or pace. The press isn’t really a press, it’s some half-arsed chase by one player on his own (where we used to hunt in packs). No one can beat a man. No point in early balls into the box because there is no physicality. The sweeper keeper, which made it so hard for teams to get into our half and hurt us, has been abandoned.
He’s ditched the passing at the back, and now seems to want Woodrow to engage in battles on his own up fromt. He thinks Odour is not only worthy of a shirt, but inexplicably insists on playing him as a striker.
He just has no clue and is jumping from one mess to another. Totally out of his depth.

 

Did you see the front six pack we had in the second half before the equaliser? It collapsed from there on in, but it was clear to see and no different to last season. That’s why, before the equaliser, it felt like a carbon copy of some of Val’s less exciting, tight victories.

We also pressed pretty well first half. Certainly wasn’t the biggest issue. Our left worked well with wise and Oduor beat his man once or twice, but absolutely nothing on the opposite side other than the ball in to Woodrow for the penalty. We did force Forest to go long when they didn’t want to.

 

That’s the defensive setup rather than the press though. Agree by the way. It’s not the same setup, but I was meaning the general flow of the game, how it was going, how we were playing, etc.

All up until the goal, obviously.

 

Not playing like that last 30 minutes we won’t. But I think they’d have improved our performance before that as they’re two of our star players. The wide open spaces have been an issue all season and the biggest worry for me when trying to make a case for giving Schopp more time.

We’re missing any kind of physicality up front right now.

 

Not too bothered about the high line. We played the highest line in the Championship last season and even higher than we’ve been doing this season.

Gaps behind the wing backs and a poor setup that doesn’t know when to slide or stay concerns me though.

 

Sorry but the press is too half hearted to be effective, and nothing like the way we did it last season. There were a couple of times where we tried it and it looked like we might actually do something, but it just reverted back to slow plodding football. I don’t think anyone could actually argue that Schopp has actually advocated a pressing game. If he has, it’s the worst example I’ve ever seen.

 

But you’re getting two very different things confused. I was responding to a comment about hunting in packs and pressing, which we did display tonight. What you’re saying is 100% correct, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t press in the same style as last season at times. If that makes sense?

 

Not commentating on Schopp at all. Just saying the press was there and it was kind of working - apart from the fact if they played through us we were wide open to their pace. Forest also overplayed a lot more second half than in the first, which presented more pressing opportunities. In many games this season we haven’t had anything to press, so again it hasn’t been much different to last season in those particular games.

When we forced them to go long or try and dink balls to the wings we swarmed them and got on the front foot. Unfortunately getting on the front foot at the moment doesn’t result in getting many chances, other than a Woodrow snapshot that just kind of hit the keeper and could have gone anywhere.