Pre-Season Friendlies 2012

[Chipsticks]

Can anybody give me a quick run-down on how Vlaar did today?

I was there and he did ok.......very solid, dangerous from set-pieces. He will need to work on the partnership with Clark and he is very big

I'm sure they're partnership will blossom in time, thanks for the info.

[Malandro]

I was on the halfway line on Warnock's side in the first half - he should be playing for Atherstone not Aston Villa.

Quite a good performance for a 3-1 loss. Enjoyed it, we played some nice football.

Just pleased that Lambert was almost in the same position as me, surely he must want rid of Warnock.

One pleasing thing for me, I overheard a Forest fan say he thinks our no 8 looks some player. I think so too

[Malandro]

Our support was superb as well

[Chipsticks]

One pleasing thing for me, I overheard a Forest fan say he thinks our no 8 looks some player. I think so too

I've heard nothing but praise for El Ahmadi, I'm very excited to see how he does in the Premier League.

[spangley1812]

One pleasing thing for me, I overheard a Forest fan say he thinks our no 8 looks some player. I think so too

I've heard nothing but praise for El Ahmadi, I'm very excited to see how he does in the Premier League.

He played well but he will have to work on his tackling but that will come with experience and when he gets up to the speed of the premiership............

[paul_e]

Bannan has been the best and most-improved performer of pre-season for me. Very early days, and pre-season form means nothing unless you carry it into the competitive season, but he has a manager who seems to play his type of football, seems to rate him and, most importantly, seems to be encouraging him and believing in him, which is what he's missed in his career more than anything.

I think the key here is for the first time he has a manager focusing on what he has got (talent) rather than focusing on what he hasn't got (height).  Mon and McLeish were both terrified of letting him play centrally because of his size.  Lambert doesn't appear to care about it, which is very important to why we've seen such a good pre-season from him, in my opinion.

[Dante Lavelli]

What are the odds on Gregnash re-appearing tonight?

[UK Redsox]

Apologies for the lack of in-game updates. As soon as the game started I lost my data connection.

Can't really comment on the defending for the Forest goals because I was very low down right behind the other net.

Did however have a great view of Bannan's goal. I caught it on video and will try to upload tomorrow. Baz also went close just before as well.

Concrete Ron looked solid from what I could see.

Not sure about the midfield formation though. Its ok being fluid, but they seemed all over the place at times and got in each others way on several occasions.

As mentioned by earlier posters, Warnock appears just as bad as last season. At one point it looked like he tried to tackle Zog in the Forest box.

[UK Redsox]

Some great runs from Zog but he looks very reluctant to shoot

[frank]

Can anybody give me a quick run-down on how Vlaar did today?

As has been said, he'll be dangerous in the opposing box and had one or two efforts on goal today. He's determined, strong in the tackle, a ball-winner, but also moves the ball out of defence well. He's a crowd favourite already - the fans have taken to him immediately, much as they did John Carew.

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

I went to the game, I thought as daft as it sounds we were the better team in between the penalty areas, they hit the net when it mattered as we quite frankly, didn't.

I worry a little about Lowton, who looked decent going forward on the whole, but defensively was not as assured. Clark and Vlaar looked pretty solid, but Warnock on the whole was somewhere between wank and fucking useless. I will be amazed if no new left back comes in. In midfield Holmann and Ireland were quiet overall El Ahmadi excellent and N'Zogbia was incredibly frustrating. At times, with the ball at his feet he looked World Class, particularly when running with the ball, his reluctance to hold onto it too long and not have a pop at goal could make him a potential scapegoat.
Upfront, Delfouneso was shit, I really don't think he can cut it at the required level and his ability to read the game isn't good enough. I would love to see Robbie Keane at Villa to replace him.

i think Bent for Delfouneso and Given for Guzan might see that team as the starting XI in the premier league. Much work for Lambert to do still

[PeterWithe]

I thought it a promising performance, we looked pretty sound defensively until the last 15 mins when we started losing our shape. The patient possession game through the middle was good to watch although the lack of width was a concern, also I'm not sure it suits Bent, many times his body language seemed to scream frustration as he moved on to the shoulder of the last man but the through ball wasn't attempted.

Good performances from Lawton, Bannan and El Hamidi.I'd echo what's been said about Charlie, he could be world class he he could learn to get his head up and play as part of the team. He didn't though.

[cdbearsfan]

I went to the game, I thought as daft as it sounds we were the better team in between the penalty areas, they hit the net when it mattered as we quite frankly, didn't.

I worry a little about Lowton, who looked decent going forward on the whole, but defensively was not as assured. Clark and Vlaar looked pretty solid, but Warnock on the whole was somewhere between wank and fucking useless. I will be amazed if no new left back comes in. In midfield Holmann and Ireland were quiet overall El Ahmadi excellent and N'Zogbia was incredibly frustrating. At times, with the ball at his feet he looked World Class, particularly when running with the ball, his reluctance to hold onto it too long and not have a pop at goal could make him a potential scapegoat.
Upfront, Delfouneso was shit, I really don't think he can cut it at the required level and his ability to read the game isn't good enough. I would love to see Robbie Keane at Villa to replace him.

i think Bent for Delfouneso and Given for Guzan might see that teer tto do!am as the starting XI in the premier league. Much work for Lamb

Did somebody burst a balloon while you were writing "team"?

[Percy McCarthy]

Thanks cd, I was having a job trying to fathom that.

[Matt Collins]

I watched the highlights and the first 30 mins in whole. I felt reasonably reassured afterwards, and generally my feelings are pretty similar to how they've been for the whole preseason.

We passed the ball very well at times. Composed throughout the game and some nice link up play around the box.

I worry that we're not nasty or strong enough. Bannan and KEA look great on the ball but I really think we at least need a proper DCM option - tho perhaps Lambeth disagrees, I think Norwich didn't really have one for much of last year. Mind you they did get tonked from time to time! Clark's defending for the second goal was symptomatic of concerns that he isn't aggressive enough too. And I'm not sure Lowton is great defensively either.

Conversely I found some of the warnock comments over the top again. A couple of stupid fuck ups apart I actually thought he looked ok.

I thought CNZ and Holman looked dangerous but Ireland was much Quieter than of late. I thought CNZ's choice of options was much better than when I've seen him recently. I would 100% play him off the striker v west ham

Fonz did ok but if he's up front v west ham we could really struggle to score. I think he's an alternative in the second striker role.

So overall, I think we'll play some reall good football this year. But it remains to be seen if we can handle it when teams like west Ham pile the ball into the box and turn us. And while we created a decent amount of chances from what I saw, there's definitely a concern that we look a little toothless. Bent and gabby are big misses. And if we can start being dangerous from set pieces again it would make the world of difference. We probably used to get 15 a season and for the last two years it's been almost zero.

Warnock complete went