Looking for the silver lining
14/02/05 | by Elliott Stanley

There are different ways to look at our Coca Cola Championship run-in. On the one hand I have no doubt whatsoever that there are more than enough points on offer to keep us up. To further support this optimistic view I would point to the unpredictable nature of the league we currently inhabit – for some years it has been the case that any team was capable of beating any other in this division and there is no evidence to suggest this has changed at all this time round. What worries me more than the fast approaching season's end is the fact that whilst any team can beat any other, it looks far from likely that Nottingham Forest can actually beat anyone, let alone teams even a few places above them.

The performance at Rotherham was a superb example: yes, we had chances, but then we were always going to get chances, Rotherham are even worse than us and that takes some real effort as we are appalling. But the fact remains that the showing of our players was below the standard that we all demand. Some fight, effort, determination and, dare I say, passion would not go amiss. Have these guys forgotten what it was like to love football? To cherish walking out on that pitch on a Saturday afternoon?

Who cares if its Millmoor or Old Trafford, some of us would give anything to play at any professional level yet on current form you can only conclude that to the majority (and I stress majority because this is the reality) of the playing staff at Nottingham Forest this is no longer why they play football. Had they have gone into other professions I can only draw parallels between the likes of Alan Rogers and the builder who always says he’ll “finish building the wall tomorrow” or Marlon King and the highly expensive plumber who charges you the earth but when you get him to your house he can't even unblock the bog. Have some pride in yourselves and for Christ’s sake have some pride in Nottingham Forest because you play for a club who has a history most would kill for. 

Having now shot down any chance of us surviving this gruelling end to the season intact, I will attempt to put some sort of a case for the defence, if only to convince myself that the weekly draining of my bank account to watch these sorry excuses for footballers will reap dividends of some kind eventually. Ironically, a case for the defence starts with... the defence.

Gary Megson was not my first choice of manager, probably not my 2nd or even 3rd, 4th or 5th. However, I would now stand up and admit that we appear to have got the right man for the job. That does not mean I think he will keep us up, merely that he has the ability to do so. He has brought in Andy Melville and John Curtis. I have always thought highly of Melville and his rock solid performance at Rotherham was about the only plus point in an otherwise dull afternoon. John Curtis I confess to knowing little about. However, a friend of mine who watches his football at Ewood Park reliably informs me that he is a good solid full back who has been slightly unlucky with injuries over the years.

Paul Gerrard has continued his good form and having now kept three clean sheets we look to have begun to block the leaky defence. I would hope that Chris Doig may now have a chance to shine through following Dawson’s exit to the Lane. I must confess to not being Dawson’s biggest fan, his marking was poor and I think he is yet to prove himself as a centre back although the makings of a good player are there and good luck to him down in the capital. The emergence of Doig could dissolve our defensive frailties down the left. Robertson has improved but is way short of first team standard. Rogers, well what can I say that sums it up quickly? Was good a few years ago but now too old and lazy, get rid. With Matty LJ still a solid performer, I see good incentive to go back to 4-4-2 with Matty on the right, the ever solid Wes (if Dawson is worth £3.5m, how much for Wes?!) alongside Melville and Doig on the left.

So onto the midfield. We have now made three new signings in this position since the turn of the year with Derry coming in on loan and now David Friio joining from Plymouth and defensive ex-Ram Darryl Powell finally realising where the real football is played in the East Midlands. By some distance the most important of these three new boys is Friio. Described as an "attacking midfielder with flair and an eye for goal" you can almost hear Forest fans collectively shouting "at last" across the city. If this guy gets on the pitch and settles in quickly he could be the catalyst.

Commons would now get the role of out and out winger on the left leaving us a choice of Derry, Evans or Powell as the defensive midfielder. On the right I would dearly love to see Kevin James (yes, that’s Kevin James who is now fully fit!) get a few games along with Eugen Bopp. Bopp has always been at his best playing bit parts in games but while his ability is unquestioned, his attitude is still to be determined. Had he been on the pitch five or ten minutes earlier when his one on one chance with Mike Pollitt fell to him at Millmoor I am certain we would be two points better off.

We should be looking to provide some ammunition into our attack, notably decent crosses onto the head of our skipper. Gareth Taylor may not be the best footballer you will ever see, but he is no donkey. I defy anyone who lambastes him from the stands for poor control – you try having thirty balls a game belted at you from sixty yards! Gareth is captain because of his experience, his effort and more importantly his attitude. Whilst Johnno thought passing on a simple message to his team mates was quite simply not in his job description, Gaz was quite happy to play out the season as a make shift centre-back, a commitment we rarely see nowadays and one that should be applauded. If we can get the ball in the box with accuracy, he will score goals – it’s as simple as that.

We now reach the pinnacle of the team. With Johnno off to find a club where he doesn’t have to pass on messages to fellow players and Marlon ‘I’m not lazy’ King simply not up to scratch, it is time to dip into that money we got for our beloved Reidy. It will not be easy to find someone available who will want to join us but then it is considerably easier than it would be if we supported Rotherham, Gillingham or Coventry. We are a big club and players do want to come here, so please Mr Doughty, release some funds for your manager and we might just be able to be "serious about promotion" from the right league next year. It doesn’t matter if they are young or old, stocky or slight, what matters is that A) they can score goals and B) they start doing so in a Nottingham Forest shirt very quickly.

I can honestly say that since my first Forest game on Boxing Day 1989 I have never felt so distraught at the state of my beloved team. I am, however, fascinated by what may follow in the next few months, but more than that I am praying to every God I know the name of that we might escape the drop. Never mind the fact that if we do Megson could well take us into the dizzy heights of the Premiership, all I can think about now is Sunday May 8 2005 and a home tie against Gillingham where I hope beyond all hope that come 5pm we are still a Coca Cola Championship side.