Jim from the Nottingham Forest blog www.trentendblog.com sent me an email asking me to answer some questions which he'd put on his site as a preview to Tuesday nights game. Here are my replies...
How has you season gone so far?
It sounds odd given that we've flirted with relegation for most of it but its been so much more fun than last season. Then we stormed clear of the pack but struggled to win a game after November. Eventually we just made the playoffs although most of us didn't want to knowing what was to come! If you don't believe me then consider we are probably the only team ever to have recorded their lowest league attendance of the season for a playoff semi final. We lived up to expectations losing 6-1 on aggregate to Hull.
This season we've done well in both cups. We beat West Ham and Swansea on the way to a 2-1 defeat to Spurs in the Quarter Finals of the Carling Cup. In the FA Cup 5th Round we battled well against Chelsea and led with 20 minutes to go before going down 3-1.
Our form in the League has been very inconsistent. Under Aidy Boothroyd we scored goals for fun, but leaked them in equal measure. Boothroyd went in November following a 4-3 home loss to Blackpool. Chelsea Reserve Manager Brendan Rodgers was brought in and took time to settle but now seems to be guiding us in the right direction. The high point was a recent 2-0 annihilation of Swansea in the league. The low point, a 2-0 home loss to Sheffield United with goals from ex-Watford boys Danny Webber and Darius Henderson. The most bizarre moment of the season was, of course, the ghost goal awarded to Reading by ref Stuart Atwell in the 2-2 draw at the Vic.
Happy with the manager?
Its taken a long time for BR to win over the fans but I think he's finally doing it. The trouble was his early tactics resulted in us not scoring, but still letting them in. The opinion in the stands was that he was going to take us down. However, to his credit, he seems to have learnt a lot about Championship football in a short time and has adapted his tactics to suit the players he inherited. He has also begun to make his own mark on the squad bringing in Mike Williamson from Wycombe and Jack Cork on loan from his former employers. The players are now adapting to Brendan's style of play. Under Aidy we were very direct but now we keep it on the floor a lot more. Despite all the early indications things look good for the future.
Who has been your best player so far this season?
Tommy Smith is a class above really, and its a great surprise we managed to hang on to him in the January transfer window. I think he could easily fit into one of the lesser Premiership teams but seems destined to spend most of his career in the league below. He was our player of the season last year and I wouldn't be surprised if he gets to keep the trophy for another 12 months in May.
Who has been your worst player this season?
John Eustace. Aidy bought him from Stoke in January'08. He plays like he sounds.
Views on Forest
Sorry but you'll always be the European Cup winners who are now in the lower leagues. I was quite surprised when the City Ground PA announcer even highlighted this before the game against the Hornets at the City Ground in August. However despite it being over 30 years ago it is still a very impressive achievement and given the chance no-one would pass up the opportunity to win Europe's ultimate prize!
Having been brought up on football in the 80's I'll always think that Forest should be in the top division. But to my son Forest are a bit like Burnley are to me. He's heard all this talk of you being a big club but because he's never witnessed it he has you down as being similar in size to clubs like Plymouth and Barnsley.
When we sacked Aidy, if we weren't to have a former Watford man in charge, Billy Davies was the person I was hoping for. I think he's an excellent appointment and if you stick with him long enough, could be the man to take you back to the promised land.
What do you think the score will be?
It'll be a close game but I think we'll just edge it 2-1.
