Football League 2017/18 - 25-26th August 2017

[Batard]

7 hours ago, Bluebird Hewitt said:

We did have it disallowed but I thought it was for something else as I didn't see the linesman flag up at all.

Another good win and a shame.that the international break has come round really. Hoping that we don't suffer any major injuries during the qualifiers.

Onto Hoilett, he was shite at Loftus Road. I remember being pleased when he signed but he continually flattered to deceive. He seems to actually have found some form with you guys.

[Bluebird Hewitt]

2 hours ago, Batard said:

Onto Hoilett, he was shite at Loftus Road. I remember being pleased when he signed but he continually flattered to deceive. He seems to actually have found some form with you guys.

Hoilett can still be hit and miss at times (his corners yesterday were shite bar the one that lead to the goal), but he has been very good since joining us. Wouldn't be surprised if it is the 'Warnock effect' coming into play.

[Honey Honey]

Norwich and Sunderland looking poor (according to their own fans)

[roversgirl]

That's more like it from us! A really comfortable win against a poor MK Dons side albeit we made it slightly difficult for ourselves at one point with more poor defending for their equaliser which came out of nowhere. Samuel and Smallwood are looking key signings, both were fantastic in different ways yesterday; Smallwood is the heartbeat of our side and Samuel the goal threat. Mulgrew was also outstanding yesterday and a real leader for us.

Mowbray has said we may lose one senior player this transfer window if it is the right deal for everyone but otherwise we have a really strong looking squad. Rumours it may be Graham, but also there have been numerous bids for Bennett, Mulgrew and Lenihan this summer. Out of them all I'd choose to loose Graham purely because of Samuel's early form. The others would be huge losses for us more so than Graham.

[RandoEFC+]

Cambridge 0-0 Morecambe. That's a 1-0 win, a 0-0 draw and two defeats to start the league season as well as the EFL Cup loss to Bristol Rovers. Derry already isn't popular with the fans, need to pick things up before the discontent gets serious.

[Bluebird Hewitt]

1 hour ago, roversgirl said:

That's more like it from us! A really comfortable win against a poor MK Dons side albeit we made it slightly difficult for ourselves at one point with more poor defending for their equaliser which came out of nowhere. Samuel and Smallwood are looking key signings, both were fantastic in different ways yesterday; Smallwood is the heartbeat of our side and Samuel the goal threat. Mulgrew was also outstanding yesterday and a real leader for us.

Mowbray has said we may lose one senior player this transfer window if it is the right deal for everyone but otherwise we have a really strong looking squad. Rumours it may be Graham, but also there have been numerous bids for Bennett, Mulgrew and Lenihan this summer. Out of them all I'd choose to loose Graham purely because of Samuel's early form. The others would be huge losses for us more so than Graham.

How's the might of Whitters doing?

[Lucas]

Very satisfying beating Forest on their own patch in the manner that we did. Really outclassed them which to his credit, Warburton admitted.

Best performance of the season from us to date. From a defensive point of view, we never looked like conceding really. 4th clean sheet in a row in the league which is brilliant. Pontus Jansson and Liam Cooper have really struck up a great understanding and with Ayling and Anita either side of them, we look a reasonably solid unit back there.

Attack wise we always looked a threat. Had we had a specialised striker up front, it could have been more embarrassing for Forest. That said, Roofe did a credible job. But in Alioski and Saiz, we have two really gifted footballers at the club. They integrate so well with eachother, movement and pace is dangerous and they have that genuine bit of cutting edge/quality that you need down here.

I have to say, in both the Sunderland and Forest away games now, we have looked so much more dangerous without Chris Wood. He sometimes forced us to go long or a bit more direct but that hasn't been the case the last couple games.

Playing some good stuff at the mo, lots to be positive about and unbeaten throughout August, but it's early days.

[Bluewolf]

1 hour ago, Lucas said:

Very satisfying beating Forest on their own patch in the manner that we did. Really outclassed them which to his credit, Warburton admitted.

Best performance of the season from us to date. From a defensive point of view, we never looked like conceding really. 4th clean sheet in a row in the league which is brilliant. Pontus Jansson and Liam Cooper have really struck up a great understanding and with Ayling and Anita either side of them, we look a reasonably solid unit back there.

Attack wise we always looked a threat. Had we had a specialised striker up front, it could have been more embarrassing for Forest. That said, Roofe did a credible job. But in Alioski and Saiz, we have two really gifted footballers at the club. They integrate so well with eachother, movement and pace is dangerous and they have that genuine bit of cutting edge/quality that you need down here.

I have to say, in both the Sunderland and Forest away games now, we have looked so much more dangerous without Chris Wood. He sometimes forced us to go long or a bit more direct but that hasn't been the case the last couple games.

Playing some good stuff at the mo, lots to be positive about and unbeaten throughout August, but it's early days.

Talking point of the day here had to be the punch up incident over the last pie though surely??? 

Bit of a serious incident I understand.. kind of overshadowed the match

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4827192/Nottingham-Forest-fan-attacks-fellow-supporter-pie.html

 

[Lucas]

19 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

Good to hear that you've started the season well after the highs and lows of the last season and the summer with Monk's departure. It could have easily turned back into a circus for you but thankfully you seem to be keeping your heads screwed on. Another push for promotion must surely be on the cards.

Early days but I am chuffed with how the first month has gone. We have picked ourselves up off the floor well and reacted exactly how we should have done.

If you'd have told me in June that we would be third, unbeaten in August with just two league goals conceded, with no Monk in charge or Green, Bartley, Taylor, Bridcutt or Wood in our team anymore, I'd have definitely thought it was April Fool's Day.

I just hope we can continue and get better because the foundations are there now.

 

[Lucas]

11 minutes ago, Bluewolf said:

Talking point of the day here had to be the punch up incident over the last pie though surely??? 

Bit of a serious incident I understand.. kind of overshadowed the match

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4827192/Nottingham-Forest-fan-attacks-fellow-supporter-pie.html

 

That's the real life version of The Hungar Games.

[roversgirl]

23 hours ago, Bluebird Hewitt said:

How's the might of Whitters doing?

He has started really poorly. He doesn't really look interested, he lets players pass him with ease and he doesn't go fully into tackles. Evans, who is the most similar player to him in our squad, is performing far better and so partnering Smallwood in central midfield. Even his set pieces have been poor in the games he has played! Early days and we will need him over the course of the season, but so far not impressed at all.

[Bluebird Hewitt]

8 hours ago, roversgirl said:

He has started really poorly. He doesn't really look interested, he lets players pass him with ease and he doesn't go fully into tackles. Evans, who is the most similar player to him in our squad, is performing far better and so partnering Smallwood in central midfield. Even his set pieces have been poor in the games he has played! Early days and we will need him over the course of the season, but so far not impressed at all.

Shame to hear but what you mentioned above is not surprising. Seeing Whitters make a tackle was a miracle in itself when he was with us (I think I mentioned this as well when you first signed him). 

He is a bit of a confidence type player though so if Mowbray is good at man management, you might see an improvement.

[roversgirl]

On 28/08/2017 at 10:20 PM, Bluebird Hewitt said:

Shame to hear but what you mentioned above is not surprising. Seeing Whitters make a tackle was a miracle in itself when he was with us (I think I mentioned this as well when you first signed him). 

He is a bit of a confidence type player though so if Mowbray is good at man management, you might see an improvement.

He was slightly better last night but it was only against Stoke Under-23s. He just looks like he is going through the motions at the moment, but there is no doubting his quality but whether League One suits him at this stage of his career only time will tell!