Pre Match Pre Match - Nottingham Forest (H) - Sat 14th Sept 15:00

[Hansern]

7 of the players starting yesterday played 2 x 90 mins in the International break. That and travelling begs the question of rotation. In hindsight obviously.
You can see why the energy and rythmn were non exsistent.

The risk taking and poor excution in the final third isnt on Slot by the way. He was let down by the players. Its like they forgot pre season and the first 3 games.

The 3 subs could have been handled differently though. Trent isnt a midfielder and shouldnt be moved in there.
But its a learning prosess for Slot and the team.

Anfield needs to wake the fuck up though. The atmosphere was once again meh.

 

[Squiggles]

For me Slot could and supine have expected less energy and intensity but just general footballing ability shouldn't go out the window because of international duty. The best teams can still control and make a five yard pass without regularly messing it up.

I didn't see much of a plan on the pitch, though. Maybe he just didn't have enough time to work with them for Forest, or that the default mode isn't as engrained as we hoped. Either way nobody covered themselves in glory.

 

[StevieM]

For me Slot could and supine have expected less energy and intensity but just general footballing ability shouldn't go out the window because of international duty. The best teams can still control and make a five yard pass without regularly messing it up.

I didn't see much of a plan on the pitch, though. Maybe he just didn't have enough time to work with them for Forest, or that the default mode isn't as engrained as we hoped. Either way nobody covered themselves in glory.

I think this is close to the truth.

It felt like all the good things from the previous game went out the window and we defaulted to “old ways” when trying to beat a low block for the first time this season.

Probably needed to worry more on how to attack from the wide areas when teams block the centre.

I wonder how many teams are going to operate a low block this season - Forrest, Fulham, Wolves & Everton maybe?

 

[peterhague]

I get that the players were probably fatigued after international duty, but to some extent it was what I was originally expecting a possession based team with these players to look like. For me, none of Diaz, Szobo, and Salah are good at that quick, intricate passing. That was why I'd assumed Elliott would start as the 10.

But hopefully that's not the real issue and it just turns out to be a blip.

 

[darkstarexodus]

I think this is close to the truth.

It felt like all the good things from the previous game went out the window and we defaulted to “old ways” when trying to beat a low block for the first time this season.

Probably needed to worry more on how to attack from the wide areas when teams block the centre.

I wonder how many teams are going to operate a low block this season - Forrest, Fulham, Wolves & Everton maybe?

Which is why moving Trent into the middle made no sense to me. He's learning there and they've concentrated their efforts mucking up that part of the pitch.

Keep him wide where he has more time to do damage.

We lost the match with that triple sub.

 

[keniget]

Unacceptable performance and loss. Not much more to say.

Yes, there was an international break but that’s what a squad is for.

 

[StevieM]

Which is why moving Trent into the middle made no sense to me. He's learning there and they've concentrated their efforts mucking up that part of the pitch.

Keep him wide where he has more time to do damage.

We lost the match with that triple sub.

Don’t disagree.. I thought he was going to be hooked.

This is exactly the sort of game last season that Harvey came on and made a difference.

Fucking gutted he was the one to get injured on international duty - this games was made for him to shine.

 

[tomasjj]

Tinkered the wrong way. Should have rotated a bit, but he did not, rather got impatient and moved pieces around that he didn’t need to. Then he got bummed by Nuno

 

[Donavan Ried]

Which is why moving Trent into the middle made no sense to me. He's learning there and they've concentrated their efforts mucking up that part of the pitch.

Keep him wide where he has more time to do damage.

We lost the match with that triple sub.

Only Sub that should have been made was Salah. He stank the field up

 

[ibromurph]

Most everyone was poor today. He’s still our best player and I would 100% give him a new contract. A poor game along with everyone else after internationals doesn’t change that. Would be nice if he retired from international footy though.

Yes.

That's the only way I'd give him a 3 year contract.

He was poor after Afcon. And why should we give him a new contract if he has another Afcon in Jan 2026.

I notice that Salah always starts the season well and tails off towards the end (after he's had a busy winter and all the CL fixtures). He's no longer a spring chicken.

I can understand why we're holding off on giving him a big deal, especially if he tails off again at the end of the season.

 

[Fabio]

Probably needed to worry more on how to attack from the wide areas when teams block the centre.

This is where our wingers let us down for me. Mo can pick a pass, but frequently first tries to beat his man twice, then cut in for a shot, then the chance for a quick cross has gone. Diaz I'm not convinced I've ever seen attempt a cross; definitely not complete one.

Nunez, for all his faults, has the strength and aerial ability to at least cause issues to low block sides, whereas Jota is a bit too lightweight.

Szob isn't the answer as a 10 for me. Workrate masks certain elements of his game that he doesn't excel in

Id kill for Elliott to be fit.

 

[Farkmaster]

Picked a good weekend to go camping.

My boy caught a trout and we ate it. Fuck feeling bad about football.

 

[StevieM]

Yes.

That's the only way I'd give him a 3 year contract.

He was poor after Afcon. And why should we give him a new contract if he has another Afcon in Jan 2026.

I notice that Salah always starts the season well and tails off towards the end (after he's had a busy winter and all the CL fixtures). He's no longer a spring chicken.

I can understand why we're holding off on giving him a big deal, especially if he tails off again at the end of the season.

The problem with the next AFCON is it isn’t all in January - players will miss most of December too - which means more Premier League games than other years.

 

[Hansern]

Looking at the goal again and Bradley was really poor for it. That has to be said. Expect better defending against a player you know will cut inside.

 

[Fabio]

Looking at the goal again and Bradley was really poor for it. That has to be said. Expect better defending against a player you know will cut inside.

It was pretty basic defending, so it's frustrating

 

[Modo]

Looking at the goal again and Bradley was really poor for it. That has to be said. Expect better defending against a player you know will cut inside.

I think Konate, could have helped too.

 

[binomial]

Bradley was never going to be able to stick with his man in that scenario as he has to twist his body shape to face the direction of the ball, soon as that happens you're in trouble. Could Ibou have done more to get his body in the way? Meh. Sometimes you just have to credit the goalscorer.

I actually think if Diaz is still on the pitch, Elanga doesn't get past him the way he did Gakpo.

 

[peekay]

7 of the players starting yesterday played 2 x 90 mins in the International break. That and travelling begs the question of rotation. In hindsight obviously.
You can see why the energy and rythmn were non exsistent.

The risk taking and poor excution in the final third isnt on Slot by the way. He was let down by the players. Its like they forgot pre season and the first 3 games.

The 3 subs could have been handled differently though. Trent isnt a midfielder and shouldnt be moved in there.
But its a learning prosess for Slot and the team.

Anfield needs to wake the fuck up though. The atmosphere was once again meh.

The first 45-60 minutes was on the players. The last 30 minutes was on the manager and on the transfer committee.

 

[ibromurph]

The problem with the next AFCON is it isn’t all in January - players will miss most of December too - which means more Premier League games than other years.

Ah ok. Didn't realise that. All the more reason we need him to retire from international football!

 

[Oncy]

Yeah who does he think he is leaving us stranded in 2nd place!

4th

 

[jexykrodic]

4th

Pedant! We were 2nd at the time of posting 😁

 

[localny]

Seems like the manager didn't manage the international break too well?
I'm hopeful he has the smarts to learn this.

It's also important we don't engage in too much knee jerkism. That's almost as damaging to the team as the international break.

We have a good team, we have a good manager. We can allow some mistakes and breathing room.

 

[moron]

Seems like the manager didn't manage the international break too well?
I'm hopeful he has the smarts to learn this.

It's also important we don't engage in too much knee jerkism. That's almost as damaging to the team as the international break.

We have a good team, we have a good manager. We can allow some mistakes and breathing room.

You talk of knee jerkism...its too late, my feeling towards tonights CL game is a bit shit, and that should NOT be the case, European nights are supposed to be special for us, but so unexpected was that result against Forest that it really has me rattled. I feel as if its gonna take at least another 3 Games of winning to get over it.

 

[localny]

check out the palace game at Anfield last April. Same thing. We were clueless against a team that parked the bus. They came to Anfield and did a smash and grab.

Ifs a great test for the manager.

 

[binomial]

Sort of the same thing yes, except we had enough chances in the last 20mins of that to win about 5 games. Jota missed 2 sitters, Salah missed a few glaring chances and Jones was Jones.

 

[localny]

This is true.

 

[MomoWASright]

Sort of the same thing yes, except we had enough chances in the last 20mins of that to win about 5 games. Jota missed 2 sitters, Salah missed a few glaring chances and Jones was Jones.

It’s the same as last season. Had Mac put that header away we would’ve walked it. We didn’t. Huffed and puffed and got done.

 

[bluebell]

Some credit has to go to Forest, they tactically out matched us.
I am not going to worry too much, as long as we can show we've learned and know how to break a low block. I mean there were definite chances we missed
You chalk it down as a bad day at the office and move on. If Feyenoord fans are right, Slot will have worked out what was wrong the solutions, and know how to tackle these games.

 

[Frogfish]

Sort of the same thing yes, except we had enough chances in the last 20mins of that to win about 5 games. Jota missed 2 sitters, Salah missed a few glaring chances and Jones was Jones.

And both Jota and Mo missed great chances before Forest scored. Different game and likely a win had one of those gone in.

 

[binomial]

And both Jota and Mo missed great chances before Forest scored. Different game and likely a win had one of those gone in.

Can't remember Mo's one....Jota's one look like he couldn't react quickly enough and had few bodies around him to obscure his vision from what I recall, would go back and find it.......but fuck that, simple fact is we didn't create anywhere near enough, put the disappointment of this behind me now and mind is solely focused on tonight.