Some stats from that debacle:
POSSESSION: 63-37 SHOTS: 9-14 OT: 1-2 CORNERS: 5-4 FOULS: 7-17 GOALS: 0-1
Evident that Forest had far more shots despite having far less possession and both teams' accuracy was abysmal. But also note that Forest's foul count was far higher than ours showing they were prepared to put the boot in to get what they came for. It's a lesson we should learn and particularly Grimes who failed to take his man out for the goal.
I totally blame Cooper for fielding players who obviously had heavy legs after the international games. Celina, in particular, hardly had the energy to lift the ball over the first man from his set piece kicks and was lethargic about the pitch. Roberts too was lack-lustre and why the fcuk we have a decent squad but keep them on the bench when the situation is screaming for their use, is beyond me!! Naughton would have been a fresh player out to prove he should be starting instead of getting splinters in his arse.
Seems to me that Cooper well and truly showed his lack of league managerial experience here. He would rarely have had that sort of problem with an international team but he MUST realise that when you have 'tired' players you have to use your squad to compensate for it. Otherwise why the fcuk do have a squad? And I would certainly have used Peterson by the way, because he is never going to get up to speed sitting on his backside. Training is all very well but players need games to get better and we know he has talent otherwise why buy him?
But what I find hardest to take is what the Forest mananger had to say: "The manager Cooper is doing a great job, they deserved the first position. But we were more compact, more aggressive, more determined to take something."
More determined to take something??????????? FFS!!!!!!! Do you REALLY have to instill this attitude into a team that's topping the table and aiming for promotion? I never blame a player for lacking talent because he is what he is but I utterly condemn those who do have it but can't be bothered to apply it for every second of every game. Okay, anyone can have an off day but, that apart, with the wages and life style that the modern footballer enjoys today, there is no excuse for lack of effort. Cooper needs to take a long, hard look at his squad to see who's up for this battle because we don't want or need any faint-hearts. And, while he's at it, he really does need to start consulting more closely with the likes of Leon and Curt who are far more streetwise about the need for judicious squad rotation to keep things fresh. If he did consult with them over his team selection yesterday then quite frankly I think we've got cause for concern.
With yesterday's results all going for us, we wasted a golden opportunity to send a real statement to the rest of the division where we could have opened up a meaningful gap. But we didn't because a not particularly good team were 'more determined to take something'. CRIMINAL.
