lost that loving feeling - Time to rewrite the script

It’s early days and there are lots of reasons why, after only three games, we are not looking like the pre-season favourites everyone had us down to be. It could simply be the ever useable excuse that the lads just aren’t gelling together. Maybe the shock of life in League One is one of greater magnitude than Gary Megson managed to convince them all of in the run-up to the big kick-off. What worries me is the nagging thought in the back of my mind that, along similar sentiment to Paul Severn’s article, we simply aren’t playing football the right way. Or rather we simply aren’t playing football.

In a time when Cloughie’s great history is becoming even more of a distant triumph, the one part of his legacy it would do us no harm to adhere to even today is his insistence on playing football. Maybe Kinnear had a point; maybe we do harp on too much about out European glory. Every team in League One will take great delight in highlighting the fact that we’re "not famous anymore". There is nothing wrong with being proud of our heritage, tradition and above all success – no matter how much we are ridiculed for our current predicament no-one can take our glory away from us, but it means nothing in terms of the here and now requirements for the modern day Nottingham Forest.

Paul Severn’s article, to which I have already referred, highlights Megson’s comments about too much long ball being played on Saturday against Swindon, but I do not feel it is Megson’s place to criticise the players in this way. He can criticise them for a particular goalmouth lapse or failure, but not for an overall style of play – they play how he wants them to and if they don’t we have some pretty big problems. Paul Hart used to insist that under no circumstances was the ball played long from the goalkeeper; subsequently the players went to great lengths to ensure it didn’t happen. If the manager asks, as a player, you deliver or at least try to deliver what he’s asked for.

I don’t want to get too tactical about this, but there is a simple reason why we are losing goals and it’s very similar if not identical to the reasons we did the same thing last season. For large spells we can’t seem to hold onto possession. Last year it was through generally being crap on the ball, but this year it’s because we lump it long and defenders at this level are so used to dealing with it the just return the favour. The end result is, however, the same in that the defence is under constant pressure for long periods and eventually cracks. It’s a bit like a batsman facing six bang-on perfect deliveries from Freddy Flintoff – sooner or later you’re going!

On occasions, and I stress occasions, we have got the ball down and played. On these occasions we have looked a class above. The most disappointing fact about the Walsall game was that both teams were just starting to play when Mr Woolmer got his rush of blood and had a full blown midlife crisis in the middle of the Bescot for everyone to see. The kind of football that was starting to show in that game is the kind that will see the team that can produce it consistently promoted. Our biggest weapon is Kris Commons, yet he has to come so deep to get the ball we’re expecting miracle sixty-yard runs to get us goals – sound familiar? It sure will to a certain Mr Reid.

In short the cracks are there and if necessary the wall needs to be pulled down and rebuilt, not just re-plastered. Megson should (hopefully) be forced to play Padula this weekend with john Curtis being injured. Curtis is a good player, but I think somewhere along the line someone has failed to notice a subtle yet somewhat important point: he is right footed; he’s been playing at left-back. It’s OK as a ‘stand in’, a ‘one-off’ but it’s certainly not OK when you have a left-back available. I’ve heard rumours that Megson is unsure about Padula. If he is, then why did he buy him?

Fresh off today’s press is that Paul Gerrard’s transfer request has been refused. Why is the guy not in goal and why are we annoying him to the point he wants to leave? Personally I don’t blame him. Pedersen hasn’t looked bad but then when your predecessor was Barry Roche, you're not faced with the biggest task in the world to look even reasonably good. The fact remains that Gerrard was our best player last year and does a very good job in talking to his defenders, organising them and encouraging the team.

We can’t blame Gareth Taylor for not playing well. I’ve said on many occasions that if you genuinely feel its easy having 40 long balls thumped at you each game, go out on the park and try it. Don’t forget to get a big hard bastard to stand breathing down your neck and ask him to climb all over you while you try and win the ball. Maybe Gaz needs a break, in which case DJ or Weir-Daley can have a chance.

Whatever the solution, the current mix just isn’t working and therefore needs to be altered. We have the likes of Friio, Bopp and Weir-Daley available and ready to play – all creative football players who like to pass and are direct. This weekend is the time to implement the changes. We are at home, there should be a pretty decent crowd ands it’s our own back yard where we should be carving teams open at every opportunity. A bad start is easily forgotten when you rectify it quickly and efficiently, but it’s also the springboard for mediocrity or even failure if you bury your head in the sand.