It really doesn’t matter how they go in sometimes does it? For 60 minutes, Forest had been outplayed by a Leeds team, opening their home campaign in front of a full house at Elland Road. Forest’s performance wasn’t great by any stretch on the back of last week’s disappointing defeat to West Brom. It’s fair to say that we were far better off the ball than on it. Similar to last week, we were once again our worst enemies through sloppy play. Ball retention was the biggest issue. I’d given up on counting how many times we’d given it away needlessly. In a game of football, it’s absolutely criminal. We got out of jail.

We couldn’t get out of own half for the first 45 minutes. Teams like Leeds don’t need any further encouragement but we kept pushing our luck and inviting them on through our own generosity. In fairness, our defence did well to stay in the game and keep Leeds at relative bay given their domination. Matty Cash had the unenviable task of keeping up with Jack Harrison. For large parts, Matty achieved this up against one of the league’s most effective wingers. Whilst some of Michael Dawson and Joe Worrall’s distribution was suspect at times, they too stood up to the Leeds pressure, gobbling up balls into our box.

Some stout defending kept us in it but it has to be said, I can’t recall Muric having to make more than a routine save. Calvin Phillips was a lucky boy to get away with a yellow card after a reckless tackle on Tiago Silva. At pace and with both feet off the ground; Phillips didn’t get any of the ball, just a large chunk of Silva’s ankles. I’ve seen players get sent off for a lot less.

The 2nd half followed a similar pattern for Forest in terms of quality on the ball. For everything we did well, we followed it up with something as equally poor. We just weren’t building any momentum to threaten Leeds. It was frustrating and felt inevitable that we would be punished eventually. You can’t play football like this and expect anything other! We were starting to look leggy in midfield as the game wore on with gaps appearing. Fitness will still be being built up no doubt but after one attack broke down, both Semedo and Silva were struggling to get back to defend Leeds’ counter. Patrick Bamford really should have scored with the chances that fell to him in the 2nd half. He appears to be a bit hit and miss with the Leeds fans but I thought he was a threat all afternoon. As an ex-Forest player, I was expecting him to score; it’s the way it usually goes.

Samba Sow’s introduction had begun to change the flow of the game. He immediately began to break up attacks and use the ball more productively. He was setting the tone for his team mates that we weren’t out of this. It was slightly ironic that his over hit pass to Semedo led to Leeds’ goal. With our back line protesting offside, Pablo Hernandez broke through the lines to get Leeds off the mark. I couldn’t see a way back.

If it wasn’t to be our day with the ball, then we’d have to get a result in another way. The needle factor in the game went up and the most pleasing aspect yesterday was  when the going got tough, Forest got going. The Forest players rolled their sleeves up and started to rouse the away support. Sow and Semedo took the midfield battle to Leeds. We weren’t finished yet. A big tackle from Semedo left Douglas dazed and confused. Sow was not only wining the ball back but finding a red shirt too. A pattern of play was developing for the first time in the game. If Samba Sow’s introduction had given us a better footing in the match then Sammi Ameobi’s arrival provided Leeds with something to really think about it. Albert Adomah and Joe Lollley both had poor games by their standards. Up to the point of Ameobi coming on, it had been a huff and puff approach with no structured way of playing.

Ameobi’s determination and running with the ball gave us something that the former hadn’t mustered between them for the previous hour. For every run he went on, Ameobi was tracking back and giving away niggly fouls much to Leeds annoyance. He came on against Olympiacos during pre-season and at 3-0 down, he added some needle to the game then. I like that about Sammi’s character, I didn’t know it existed. He was the defined impact substitution.

Lewis Grabban, again starved of anything positive to feed off, was much better this week. It’s hard to judge him when the team are already without Carvalho’s creativity. He’s got little or no chance when our wingers aren’t at it too. I was a bit critical of him against West Brom, feeling that he should be offering more to the team when he is out of the game. Up against 2 units once more, Lewis scrapped and fought. Whilst Leeds’ bench were complaining about his foul in the lead up to the corner for our equalizer, Lewis had been pulled and pushed all over the pitch long before that moment. He got nothing from the ref. Any resilience that he showed to the Leeds centre backs ended in a free kick going against him. It was laughable at times and even Lewis had to see the funny side of it.

He had earned his bit of luck in the build-up and certainly for nicking the goal. In keeping with our quality on the ball, it seemed nobody wanted to put the ball into the back of the net as Matty Cash’s whipped in corner pinged around the 6 yard box. Thankfully for us, Lewis got enough on Rafa Mir’s wayward shot, the ball bouncing off his chest into the bottom corner. By hook or by crook, we didn’t care, we’d right royally had Leeds pants down. The South Stand weren’t happy. Lewis was!

The needle factor had risen further; the true test was coming in the remaining 10 minutes. Forest stood up to be counted and it was now Leeds that had been reduced to huff and puff. Cooper missed a decent half chance from a corner but it felt the game was starting to pull away from Leeds. Robinson got away with a penalty shout but in real time it looked like he’d gotten the ball first; given the trajectory of the ball after the challenge. Helder Costa didn’t do enough when he came on and Matty Cash saw off Alioski without any real bother. Special mention to Matty, he was at it for the whole game and considering what he’s faced so far this season, he’s done very well. He put a cracking tackle on Alisoki towards the end, which was followed up by Jack Robinson on Costa, all to the delight of the travelling support.

After committing a number of fouls and getting us back into the game with his ability on the ball, Ameobi had riled the Leeds fans. He produced the best bit of quality in the game for Forest in the dying moments. Pirouetting on the ball in his own half, Maradona-esq, he left Forshaw for dead before beating a couple more players. He travelled a further 50 yards with the ball almost on a string at his feet. With 4 Leeds players chasing after him and the home support baying for him to be stopped, this was ‘shi*housing’ at its most brilliant. We were loving it in the away end! Du-du-du, Sammi-Ame-obi!

For all the post-match complaining about the referee’s decisions, Marco Bielsa was quite right in his assessment. Forest should have been well out of sight way before we were able to nick a goal. Leeds shouldn’t have been relying on any generosity from the ref, Forest had given them plenty. If there was any complaining to be made, I paid £39 for a restricted view yesterday, that was robbery!

All in all, it wasn’t a good performance with the ball, but without it (and that was always going to be the case against Leeds), Forest showed a lot of character to recover from going a goal down. Well done to the manager for his changes too. All 3 were positive and instrumental in getting us back into the game. A point at Elland Road is a good one and I’m glad this fixture is out of the way. Nobody will fancy coming to Leeds, particularly at the business end of the season.

There’s much more to come from Forest and I’m glad Sabri Lamouchi has made the point that; given the number of new players, and being new to English football himself; he is a manager not a magician in expecting this to click from the off. With positive signs on the ball last week, there was positive signs without it this week. I’ll be patient in waiting for it all to come together. I’m thinking positively.

RATINGS

TEAM PERFORMANCE – 5 – Showed character in the end but were well below par with the ball. First get out of jail card played for the season.

MURIC – 6 – Despite all of their possession, he didn’t really have that many crucial saves to make. He looked a bit shaky on crosses and his distribution was a hurried at times. Better than last week!

CASH – 7 – Excellent game at full back. Once again, Matty weathered the early storm and was at it for the whole game. Stuck to his task and hard work saw him through. Good stuff.

ROBINSON – 6 – Had an off-day which was strange for Jack as he is usually Mr.Consistent. Given his enjoyment of a good scrap, he got better when Forest needed him to. Got lucky with the penalty shout.

WORRALL – 6 – Stood up to what was thrown at him from the back. Did ok to keep Bamford and Co at bay.

DAWSON – 6 – Similar to Worrall, dealt with hopeful balls into the box. Bread and butter to him. Sloppy on the ball at times. Should have scored before our equalizer.

WATSON – 6 – Did ok, scrapping in the midfield an hour or so to stem the constant flow. Should have got his 2nd half chance on target.

SILVA – 6 – Still finding his feet and the Leeds game won’t do him any harm at all. Didn’t go into his shell after Calvin Phillips’ welcome to The Championship. The lad needs to believe in his ability a little more. He does the simple things well.

SEMEDO – 8 – MAN OF THE MATCH – Was a genuine threat once more with some strong athletic running with the ball. Showed his defensive qualities this week with some big tackles, a key one in the first half, which he rightfully celebrated. He’s looking a good signing so far.

LOLLEY – 5 – Didn’t get going and looks off the pace with match sharpness. Disappointing performance from our most effective player.

ADOMAH – 5– Another one who didn’t get going. Has to be better from Uncle Albert.

GRABBAN – 7 – Worked his socks off up front and although it wasn’t his best day with the ball, Lewis gave as good as he got. Pleased he got the goal and he looked delighted in celebrating with the fans! I bet Kenny Burns was choking on his chip butty.

SUBS:

MIR – 5 – Offered some much needed support for Lewis Grabban. Did ok. Got lucky with the eventual goal going in.

SOW – 7 – An immediate improvement in our midfield. Took the fight to Leeds with some strong tackling and positional play. A key substitution.

AMEOBI – 7– The game changer in terms of Forest offering any real threat with the ball. Arguably should have come on earlier but he’s thrown his hat into the ring to be starting next week.