Nottingham Forest 1 West Ham Utd 4 (28/08/11)

[Puff Daddy]

Hard to tell you how we're likely to line up, Stevie Mc is still trying to find his best side and in particular, solve the conundrum of what our best midfield looks like.

Hopefully we'll see Miller and Findley as the strike force, it looks really promising - both are good finishers and it's a good combination of power and pace.

The problem for us this season has been actually creating opportunities - our midfield has played too narrow, and with Greening, Boateng and McGugan ever present it has lacked pace.

Central defensive partnership is very solid with Morgan and Chambers, but susceptible on the turn. Big, physical strikers are their preference.

We'd better play our secret weapon on his own up front then ~ Freddie (Lionel Messi) Sears

[fjthegrey]

Play Junior alongside Cole.

Drop Collison.

[stu1]

Green
OBrien-Reid-Tomkins-McCartney
Collison-Nolan-Parker-Noble-Taylor
Cole

No pace again?

I'd be tempted to replace Taylor and Collison with Faubert and Stanislas, otherwise our midfield will be far to static and lacking in pace again.

[Whufc06]

I like the idea of playing Stanislas off of Cole, seems to be our best bet at shooting from range.

[TheAlmightyAmmer]

---------------------Green--------------------
O'Brien--Tomkins--Reid--McCartney
-------------Parker--Taylor----------------
Faubert---------Nolan-----------Stanislas
------------------Cole------------------------

taylor alongside parker is an interesting one, surely he is just as mobile as noble and just as good if not better at passing and creativity and his left foot in the middle will give us balance, worth a try

[paulhs1]

No pace again?

I'd be tempted to replace Taylor and Collison with Faubert and Stanislas, otherwise our midfield will be far to static and lacking in pace again.

Possibly no pace but this team worked just fine against Watford. WE can bring either Faubert of Stanislas on later if needed but I would definately not drop Collison and Taylor just yet!

[sutts07]

Taylor is first name on the sheet for me right now. Offered more of a threat than anyone so far this season and there is no way Sam will drop him.

Keeper and back five picks itself for me.
Then I would start with Faubert Collison Nolan Parker Taylor across the middle. Junior did well tonight and is pushing Faubert all the way but I would start Julien.
Cole up top but he needs to be supported by Faubert Nolan and Taylor. If that is not happening I would consider dragging Collison for Stanislas and switching to Faubert Nolan Parker Taylor with Cole and Stanislas up top.

Would still have Noble and Carew on the bench to come on for Cole of Faubert too in case it needed to be changed again.

[Yea Why Not]

I'd like to see...

...................Green.........................
Joey.....Tomkins..Reid.....McCarthy
...................Parker.........................
Faubert.........Nolan............Taylor
.............Stanislas...Cole.................

[sutts07]

Plan A
-----------Parker Collison------------
Faubert--------Nolan----------Taylor
------------------Cole------------------

Plan B (Stanislas for Collison)
Faubert Parker Nolan Taylor
--------Stanislas Cole---------

Plan C (Noble for Faubert)
------Parker Nolan Noble-----
-----Stanislas Cole Taylor----

Plan D (Carew for Cole)
Stanislas Parker Nolan Noble Taylor
---------------Carew--------------------

[BubbleBoy]

I'd be tempted to give this a go for a little more pace in the side.
A little harsh on Noble but he hasn't had a great start.
Collison seems to fade after 45 so maybe a switch at half time.


--------------------Green--------------------
O'Brien--Tomkins--Reid--McCartney (if fit)
-------------Parker--Collison----------------
Faubert-------------------------------Taylor
--------------------------Nolan---------------
------------------Cole------------------------

[sutts07]

I'd be tempted to give this a go for a little more pace in the side.
A little harsh on Noble but he hasn't had a great start.

Spot on IMO. Wouldn't be at all fussed about it being harsh. Would make it clear there are three spots in centre mid and four of you in contention as it stands. There will be injurys and suspensions but you will all have to play well to earn the shirt.

Same for the likes of Faubert and Stanislas or Cole and Carew. You are in competition for that spot, earn it!

Ideally you would want two players for each spot but we are way off that kind of a squad.
If Faye ever gets fit we have three players for two places.
If Parker stays we have four players for three places.
If Carew gets fit and Piquionne and Cole stay we have three players for one space.

[WoodgateHammer]

Possibly no pace but this team worked just fine against Watford

-
But we aint playing Watford are we, we are playing a side much better, a side similar in expectations to Leeds, Cardiff, Soton, etc, a side expecting to be in the playoffs, a side that will go ABOVE us if they win.

A tough game with a 1 nil or 2-1 win to us, nothing more, possibly even a nil-nil if Ilunga doesn't get near the green stuff.

[mcinerney7]

play parker and nolan in center mid with stanislas as attacking mid behind cole with taylor and faubert on wings

[mcinerney7]

or even better , drop nolan and put in collison because nolan looks overweight and unfit

[stu1]

Possibly no pace but this team worked just fine against Watford. WE can bring either Faubert of Stanislas on later if needed but I would definately not drop Collison and Taylor just yet!

Personally I'd drop Collison and just let him challenge for the CM spots, playing him out wide is doing him no favours .

[Hatcham Iron]

these games are the ones that count **** the cups this season ,getting back in the prem is the priority.thats the agenda for sam to get us back up.forrest have it seems have just run into a bit of form i think tough game up there i would be happy with a point,ecstatic with a win"come on you irons"

[Upton Larks]

Central defensive partnership is very solid with Morgan and Chambers, but susceptible on the turn. Big, physical strikers are their preference.

We wont score then.

[Hambrosia Stu]

He won't drop Nolan what ever, no chance of a side without Big Kev.

It's what I was worried about when we signed him.
Doubly frustrating as in Collison we have a young, mobile, talented player whose best position is the one Nolan plays.
Sure, Nolan is without doubt a decent player, a very good captain and seems to need a few matches to get up to speed, but I hope Sam's isn't going to be one of those stubborn managers who just has to pick his favourites, regardless of form

I had my reservations about Sam when he joined, some of which have been strengthened in the weeks he's been at the club. I've given him the benefit of the doubt so far, and will continue to do so, but some of the decisions he's made so far have left me pretty much baffled. He seems to be making similar mistakes to the ones we were used to seeing from Grant. I just hope he's learning from them, is prepared to change things that aren't working, even if it means admitting he got things wrong, rather than blindly heading down the same path

Early days for sure, and far too soon to really form an opinion, but I do feel Sam needs to change a few things from how he has started if we are to have a realistic chance of promotion

As for Forest.... it's an away game, so suits the one up front formation he has favoured so far.
I'd start with Cole up front, Faubert on the right, Taylor on the left, and have Stanislas & Barrera on the bench.
Personally I'd start with Nolan behind Cole, and Collison on the bench, and if Nolan isn't cutting it, give Jack a go between Cole & the midfield

[ads78]

Green

O'Brien Reid Tomkins McCartney

Faubert Noble Parker Taylor
Nolan
Cole

If we struggle to break them down change to:

Green

O'Brien Reid Tomkins McCartney

Noble Parker Taylor
Collison
Cole Stanislas

[Harlow Hammer]

Green

Faubert - O'Brein - Tomkins - Reid - Linda - Ilunga - Faye - Taylor


Nolan


Carew

My tactics are 8 - 1 - 1

Long ball from Green for Carew to knock down to Nolan who rfiles them in.

8 at the back to ensure we don't let any silly goals