For a consecutive second year, West Brom were the first team to arrive at the City Ground for our opening home game. Bar Lewis Grabban and Joe Lolley, there were 9 changes from the Forest side that started against the Baggies the previous August.
The City Ground looked its usual resplendent self in the sunshine. With a later kick off in place for the Sky cameras; there was plenty of optimism building up in the surrounding pubs.
Forest got off to a flyer. Jack Robinson was unlucky not to have opened the scoring in the early moments of the game. He had time to take a touch from a ball in from the right and hit a shot with full venom. From where I was sitting, it looked destined for the back of the net but young debutant Nathan Ferguson, produced a fantastic block as he threw himself at the ball. It was the type of last ditch effort in a game that’s usually saved for the business end of the season. It was some debut from the West Brom teenager and he got better from that moment onwards.
The high intensity start continued and when Matty Cash played a one two with Albert Adomah, the ball sat up nicely for our full back to smash it into the net. Keepers shouldn’t be beaten at their near post but it was a good hit from Matty, right in the corner of the goal. He’s got that in his locker, he made his reputation in the academy with long range strikes. Be good if he could hit a few more.
Unfortunately, the goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of us rather than West Brom. We couldn’t get back to playing at the same tempo. There was a passage of play just after our goal where we gave the ball away three times (needlessly) in consecutive turnovers. Cash, Dawson and Grabban all guilty of it. It’s nothing new that we can’t keep hold of the ball consistently. We lost control of the game.
Whether it was the hectic start on opening day or still adjusting to a new style, we were struggling to get the ball back. The midfield was our biggest problem and after Tiago Silva faded from a positive start, we seemed to get overrun. It is a new look midfield in fairness with no Colback or Carvalho available. It’s going to take time but when we did break, I thought we looked a genuine threat each time. Alfa Semedo continues to improve and his running and skill with the ball was a real positive. I can’t recall us having a midfielder for some time with those qualities.
In parallel to our ball retention, Romaine Sawyers just picked up where he left off in terms of his performances against Forest. He played us off Griffin Park last September and dictated the play at The City Ground in the corresponding fixture in February. He had the same influence yesterday when West Brom managed to get a foot hold in the game. At £3m, Sawyers is an absolute snip and could well be one of the signings of the summer. With the way Sabri Lamouchi wants us to play and the price that he was available for, Sawyers would have been ideal for Forest. He provides the glue within the team and he makes it look easy; the key in changing the tempo, which reduced us to a huff and puff approach.
Some crisp, first time passing from West Brom had us chasing shadows at times and we did well to get to half time without further damage. Ben Watson had been busy putting out potential fires throughout, showing his experience to get into the right positions and cover for his team mates. He isn’t a fans favourite and I don’t think he’s the answer to a genuine promotion push but you couldn’t deny the job he did on Saturday. It may not be pretty but it was a big help.
Aro Muric in goal had a debut to forget. Similar to the Olympiacos friendly, he looked nervous and should have done better with both goals. The first one was a fairly routine save, the second one; he should have gone safety first in touching the ball over the bar, even though it was a freak hit. I’m sure he won’t let it happen again. As I said in my season preview piece, he’s young and he’s going to make mistakes. Given the improvement under Martin O’Neill, Costel Pantilimon is probably rightly cheesed off with the situation. Rumours of having to go and spend on another keeper (that won’t be 1st choice) wouldn’t be the best use of resources. I hope we can resolve it as it would be a shame to lose Pantilimon completely.
That isn’t Muric’s fault though. He’s here now and we have to get behind him. He came back from the Olympiacos defeat and I’m sure he’ll put this behind him too. His distribution will be important in how we play this season (playing out from the back).
It was a frustrating game as the two mistakes hit the players and the crowd hard. It was particularly sobering for a group of blokes sat in front of me. Talk about having the wind taken from out of your sails. They went a bit quiet after 25 minutes!
I thought we got a little desperate as the game went on. On a few occasions, players were going for individual glory rather than trying to work openings. There were notable half chances; I thought Albert Adomah could have done more to get on the end of a Matty Cash cross in the first half. Cash himself got in a better position that came from his goal just before the break but got caught in two minds as to cross rather than shoot.
Lewis Grabban had another frustrating evening. Up against two absolute units, and no service, his confidence looks to be slowly ebbing away from the back end of last season. I thought he might have stuck his head out from Matty’s Cash’s afore mentioned cross/shot. There was a second half opportunity from Adomah’s cross that I felt Grabban should have possibly done more with also. Confident strikers bust a gut to get on the end of those.
Grabban’s body language is that of a man who looks a hacked off. I can see it must be frustrating given he’s not getting any real service but he’s got to do more for the team. Whether that is dragging defenders out of position, or looking for a scrap, he is simply too easy to play against at the moment. Without Carvalho, there is more emphasis on him holding the ball up.
That said, only Stan Collymore could produce something out of what is being provided at the moment. I thought Joe Lolley had a really quiet game and that limits Grabban’s supply line even further. I’m convinced Lewis can get us 20 goals, with the right ammunition. I’d be more worried if he was missing chances.
Given the negatives, I thought there were still plenty of positives. It’s the first game under Lamouchi, with 7 players having made their debuts during the course of the game. This isn’t Championship Manager on the computer; it’s a lot of changes and patience is required (please Mr.Marinakis). For the majority of the first half, I thought Forest competed well against a good West Brom side. We were still in the game for the 90 minutes, we just couldn’t muster enough quality or real momentum.
Matty Cash did fine at right back. Some might say it was his man for the equalising goal but Muric should have prevented it. Cash was targeted immediately afterwards for the same treatment but he stood up to the test, scored a cracking goal and offered a lot going forwards.
I thought the back 4 on the whole looked pretty solid; it was in midfield where the pressure derived from. Joe Worrall had a steady enough game and he’ll have to remain consistent if he’s to keep Figuerido and Milosevic out of the side. I take Michael Dawson for granted as you know what he gives when he puts on a Forest shirt. He’s still got the raking 50 yard, cross field pass in his locker; something that struck me no end on his debut many moons ago. Good to have him back.
Albert Adomah did enough to suggest that he’ll have an important part to play in our season. The way he skipped away from Romaine Sawyers at the end of the first half suggests he’s still got the legs.
Alfa Semedo was the real bright spot for Forest and with his strong running from midfield. He was just about my man of the match.
Given their first half performance, West Brom looked every inch promotion contenders. With the arrival of Slaven Bilic, a man that will bring plenty of passion, I can see them being up there after massively under achieving last season. This wasn’t a disaster for Forest, it was more disappointing. We’ll improve.
With a really tough fixture at Leeds next weekend, the tempo will be just as high again and competing in patches won’t do it. A big improvement is needed if we’re going to take anything away from Elland Road.
PLAYER RATINGS
TEAM PERFORMANCE – 5 – A promising start disappointingly faded out.
Muric: 4 – Two bad mistakes that effectively cost us the game.
Cash: 6 – Took his goal well, coped at full back.
Robinson: 7 – Assured defending and going forwards.
Worrall: 6 – No issues. Dealt with everything that came his way.
Dawson: 7 – Solid and dependable. Some trademark passes from out of the back.
Watson: 6 – No frills. Tidied up at the back when the game threatened to run away from us in the 1st half.
Silva: 5 – Faded badly after an encouraging start.
Semedo: 7 – Some strong and skillful running from midfield, a spark going forwards. MAN OF THE MATCH.
Lolley: 5 – An off day with a disappointing performance by his standards. Well marshalled by WBA’s teenage debutant.
Grabban: 5 – Largely ineffective. No service.
Adomah: 6 – Some positive moments. Assist for goal.
Subs:
Mir: 5 – Looked enthusiastic but struggled to make any real impact.
Ameobi: 5 – Couple of decent touches. No real impact.
Johnson: 5 – not nearly enough time to make an impression but showed some good touches.