Birmingham City - Nottingham Forest

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

Can't help but be disappointed in the result, and the fact that each problem position (CM & LM) have been clearly in need of strengthening better for months now.

Playoffs only sadly

Sadly? Getting into the play offs this season would be a trememndous achievement.

I would be delighted. I think some need a reality check.

[Maltared]

Can't help but be disappointed in the result, and the fact that each problem position (CM & LM) have been clearly in need of strengthening better for months now.

Playoffs only sadly

Sadly? Getting into the play offs this season would be a trememndous achievement.

I would be delighted. I think some need a reality check.

Sniff...7th is only 4 points away ....we r closer to 7th then to autos...as we stand...could have been the opposite today ...more big games in the coming weeks that will tell us where are we really going...

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

Can't help but be disappointed in the result, and the fact that each problem position (CM & LM) have been clearly in need of strengthening better for months now.

Playoffs only sadly

Sadly? Getting into the play offs this season would be a trememndous achievement.

I would be delighted. I think some need a reality check.

Sniff...7th is only 4 points away ....we r closer to 7th then to autos...as we stand...could have been the opposite today ...more big games in the coming weeks that will tell us where are we really going...

I know that. That's why I said getting into the play offs this season would be a trememndous achievement. FFS it's only a couiple of years ago when we stayed up on the last day of the season and we were on the verge of going bankrupt. People have very short memories. There is no magic wand. 

[Tricky]

Can't help but be disappointed in the result, and the fact that each problem position (CM & LM) have been clearly in need of strengthening better for months now.

Playoffs only sadly

Sadly? Getting into the play offs this season would be a trememndous achievement.

I would be delighted. I think some need a reality check.

Sniff...7th is only 4 points away ....we r closer to 7th then to autos...as we stand...could have been the opposite today ...more big games in the coming weeks that will tell us where are we really going...

I know that. That's why I said getting into the play offs this season would be a trememndous achievement. FFS it's only a couiple of years ago when we stayed up on the last day of the season and we were on the verge of going bankrupt. People have very short memories. There is no magic wand. 

^^^^^^^^^ +1

[Maltared]

Can't help but be disappointed in the result, and the fact that each problem position (CM & LM) have been clearly in need of strengthening better for months now.

Playoffs only sadly

Sadly? Getting into the play offs this season would be a trememndous achievement.

I would be delighted. I think some need a reality check.

Sniff...7th is only 4 points away ....we r closer to 7th then to autos...as we stand...could have been the opposite today ...more big games in the coming weeks that will tell us where are we really going...

I know that. That's why I said getting into the play offs this season would be a trememndous achievement. FFS it's only a couiple of years ago when we stayed up on the last day of the season and we were on the verge of going bankrupt. People have very short memories. There is no magic wand. 

Only a few years ago ....Wolves, Sheff Utd nd Norwich ...to mention a few where in League 1 nd now are in the Premiership.... in football once a season ends all teams start fro  0 ...at in the lower leagues (apart the promised land)...

[the jock]

Forest have accumulated 33 points from the 16 league games where Sow has featured.

They have accumulated 16 points from the 14 league games where he wasn’t in the squad.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

Can't help but be disappointed in the result, and the fact that each problem position (CM & LM) have been clearly in need of strengthening better for months now.

Playoffs only sadly

Sadly? Getting into the play offs this season would be a trememndous achievement.

I would be delighted. I think some need a reality check.

Sniff...7th is only 4 points away ....we r closer to 7th then to autos...as we stand...could have been the opposite today ...more big games in the coming weeks that will tell us where are we really going...

I know that. That's why I said getting into the play offs this season would be a trememndous achievement. FFS it's only a couiple of years ago when we stayed up on the last day of the season and we were on the verge of going bankrupt. People have very short memories. There is no magic wand. 

Only a few years ago ....Wolves, Sheff Utd nd Norwich ...to mention a few where in League 1 nd now are in the Premiership.... in football once a season ends all teams start fro  0 ...at in the lower leagues (apart the promised land)...

Exactly. So there are 23 other teams in The Championship who all want the same as us.

It's difficult, very difficult. Like I said there is no magic wand. We have progressed from staying up on the last day of the season a couple of years ago to being within touching distance of the top two this season but for some it's still not enough. We are having a great season and it may yet end in glory. Just bloody enjoy it.

[Maltared]

Sadly? Getting into the play offs this season would be a trememndous achievement.

I would be delighted. I think some need a reality check.

Sniff...7th is only 4 points away ....we r closer to 7th then to autos...as we stand...could have been the opposite today ...more big games in the coming weeks that will tell us where are we really going...

I know that. That's why I said getting into the play offs this season would be a trememndous achievement. FFS it's only a couiple of years ago when we stayed up on the last day of the season and we were on the verge of going bankrupt. People have very short memories. There is no magic wand. 

Only a few years ago ....Wolves, Sheff Utd nd Norwich ...to mention a few where in League 1 nd now are in the Premiership.... in football once a season ends all teams start fro  0 ...at in the lower leagues (apart the promised land)...

Exactly. So there are 23 other teams in The Championship who all want the same as us.

It's difficult, very difficult. Like I said there is no magic wand. We have progressed from staying up on the last day of the season a couple of years ago to being within touching distance of the top two this season but for some it's still not enough. We are having a great season and it may yet end in glory. Just bloody enjoy it.

Sniff I see that you took it personally here... I m enjoying it...when win ...if this year we dont win promotion, one way or another, how we start the next one will be no different to how we started this one or the others before...infact if might even back fire as our best performers would have ended up in the spotlight nd susceptible to leave ...

[wassy04]

Just watched the highlights, grabban's 2nd miss gets worse every time. 

Mainly though their second guy, the guy was miles offside, no idea how that wasn't given. Shocking decision, cost us a point

[zicorice]

Can't help but be disappointed in the result, and the fact that each problem position (CM & LM) have been clearly in need of strengthening better for months now.

Playoffs only sadly

Sadly? Getting into the play offs this season would be a trememndous achievement.

I would be delighted. I think some need a reality check.

Sniff...7th is only 4 points away ....we r closer to 7th then to autos...as we stand...could have been the opposite today ...more big games in the coming weeks that will tell us where are we really going...

Nice positive mindset as usual MR......not.

[ThePromisedLand]

To be fair Zico - after 20 years of misery it is difficult to maintain that ‘positive mindset’.
I have some empathy for MR.

[zicorice]

What was it.  Birmingham hadn't won at home since Oct'?

And Forest (Gypsy curse and all) once again gift the team the 'jump start' to their season.  It's surreal how many times this happens to Forest.

Even a draw would have kept Forest within touch with Leeds i.e. 3 points.  Beating them next week would have seen Forest level with them on points.

I don't think any match this season has been tossed away so convincingly as this one.  They had this match in the palm of their hands.  And they gifted it to Birmingham.  Their fans even had the banners out as soon as Forest scored.

Lewis.  Just bury the Penalty down the centre, mate.  But no. 

Watson giving the ref' ear ache after he'd awarded the penno'?  YOu're just putting your own player off.  Rookie error.

The Coach.  You take Yates off and Forest sag again.

(Against Reading, he took Sow off for the 1st game and Forest, again, LOST their way.)

In the transfer window.  We had one thing to guard against.  Forest had one major dip in form when Sow was injured.  Each time he's been in the side they have had winning runs a.  To get into the top 6.  b.  To get back into the top 6 and within touching distance of the top 2.

This would have informed my transfer policy.  Any permanent injury to Sow (he'll be back for Leeds, thank the footballing gods) and Forest will do well to hold the top 6.  How do we know that?

Forest completely collapsed today without him.  As soon as something didn't go their way they metalled collapsed.  And didn't recover for the 2nd half.

The Coach shouldn't have taken Yates off.  It indirectly led to the goal.  Semedo and Bostock should have been ushered out of the club in favour of a single bit of DCM cover that could rival Sow's robustness.  Because without him Forest are in trouble.  And without Yates.  We lose to Birmingham.

We gave a side that was shot of confidence belief.

After a good night's sleep I'll care less.

Sure, it's not disaster with Forest 4th.  But whenever it matters Sow is injured (without sufficient cover to do what needs to be done there) or the Coach takes off what cover needs to be done there....or the cover we do have is deemed adequate by recruitment (did they get the memo about us being within touching distance of the auto spots and our best chance in ten years?  Or twenty years more probably?)

I don't get paid lots of money to see the obvious.  I wish I did.  But anyone could see this coming.  And fickle football goddess made us pay.  It had to be Sow that was injured.

He's the talisman.  I don't think the new players who came into the side today did all that bad.  It was ok.  But after Yates went off, Watson was left to fend for himself. 

There's a bit of blame to go around for today's result.  Though the players deserve their fair share of it.

7 games without a loss isn't bad coming off the back of a 'Sow-less' dry patch in December. 

I heard the interview.  The Coach seemed really annoyed.  Frustrated.  And we all know why.

We tossed the points away.  It's kick up the backside that you can't take anyone for granted in this league.  And the players and the Coach seemed to.  From the sublime concentrations of Brentford to the right old hash of it vs crap Brum'.

Congrats to Silva on this 1st Forest goal.

SA.

In the cold light of day I actually think it came down to character. The 1st 40 minutes were like a home game. Dominant, Forest fans loud and proud, causing their back 4 more problems than I have seen for a long while. Silva was looking like the player we all hoped he can be, threading balls in behind, scoring, keeping possession and ably supported by the rest of the lads. Home fans on their players backs, grumbling and the potential for a toxic atmosphere when the penalty was awarded - by a ref who I suspect realised he'd dropped a clanger missing the handball off the line a second or two before - never a foul to be honest on Yates.

Then the pen...a collective roar of relief, a massive change in the feel of the game which only intensifies as they score. Yates and Watson did a good job in keeping on top of the midfield battle (and it really was a battle now). But it was one of those weird days where there was a sense of inevitability to it from 40th minute on. Those of us who went to Old Trafford for FA Cup Semi in 89 will know that feeling, but it was exacerbated by the contrast to the first 40 minutes.

Hindsight is 20 20 vision, but at the time those I was with at the game felt it was odd to take off Sami as he had looked lively and in an aerial battle was causing problems, but even more so we thought taking off Yates was very risky as the number of 2nd balls he won was alot. Semedo was never going to compete in the same way, just not his game. So it proved.

Factor in Grabban having a proper off day in front of goal and all the ingredients were there for what happened. 

For me, we just need to focus on next week and an even more brittle side. Over 46 games, I reckon you get a couple of these at least even if you have designs on going up. This was probably our first defeat of this kind, though Wigan away was a bit odd too.

I'm not sure all the wrist slashing comments by some (you should see LTLF if you think it's bad here) are justified unless we were to lose games in this manner regularly. I get that we have lost late points too- that is a different issue altogether. But to destroy a team for 40 mins and see it turn like this is a first. 

Weirdly, despite our dominance we would have been better off not being awarded the penalty.

I honestly don't believe this game will prove that important in the final reckoning-our response though will as the boys have to show the character that was lacking for 50 minute yesterday.