Forest - Post-Match Analysis

[Davefevs]

Was a bit bored today.

Nottingham Forest: [Saturday 3^rd October 15:00] – Post-Match Analysis

Following City’s 2-1 win on Saturday I thought it would be good to look back at some of the key tactical elements behind City’s good and not so good parts.

The “Lamouchi Press”:

Pre-game I referred to the way Lewis Grabban tries to make Forest’s opposition move the ball to one side of the pitch and then they press a smaller area.  With Forest reverting to a more conventional 4231 with Grabban replacing Lyle Taylor, the Lamouchi Press was back in operation.

Pic 1 - Forest pressing Taylor Moore in the right half of the pitch (2^nd minute of game)

We can see that Grabban has allowed the ball to go to Moore (who has actually swapped position temporarily with Zak Vyner).  Luke Freeman presses Moore, Grabban is in touch with Tyreeq Bakinson, Harry Arter can pick up Bakinson or Chris Martin, Jack Colback is tight to Jamie Paterson.  Sammy Ameobi is cutting out the passing lane to Jack Hunt (out of picture – left).

Pic 2 - Moore passes to Martin

Moore fizzes a pass into Martin, Colback is grappling with Paterson and Arter is ready to pounce on any poor touch from Martin.  Hunt has dropped back into the City half realising he can’t receive the ball.

 

Pic 3 - Martin under pressure lays the ball off to Bakinson

Martin lays it off to Bakinson, he senses Arter is going to tackle him and Colback has let Paterson free in an attempt to cut out the pass.  Bakinson under pressure from Grabban chips a first time pass between Hunt at right wingback and Nikolas Ioannou at left back and possession is turned over.  Forest however have 6 players in City’s half and counterattack.  Eventually Ioannou crosses for Alex Mighten to head towards goal, whereupon Dan Bentley makes a wonderful save.  This was in the second minute of the match and probably demonstrates why Forest looked good offensively with bodies committed forward but exposed defensively.

Jack Hunt – aggressive positioning

Again, pre-game I mentioned that City might have to come up with new solutions within their 352 to break down Forest’s 4231, especially with Hunt and Tommy Rowe likely to be facing up to two players each during the match.  I thought it might be down to Weimann and Paterson to drag the Forest fullbacks narrow to create space for an overlapping City wingback.  Jack Hunt especially, made sure he was aggressive in his positioning, attaching himself to Ioannou rather than allowing Ameobi to mark him.

Firstly, how City created space with their press with Hunt advanced.

Pic 4 - City press the Forest defender Blackett

As we can see above, Martin closes down Tyler Blackett (playing centre back in this match), Paterson is close to Colback and Hunt is high up the pitch marking Ioannou.  This forces Blackett into a hopeful punt forward.

Pic 5 - Vyner intercepts and passes to Hunt

Zak Vyner reads the pass, intercepts and passes to Hunt.  Hunt has several options, he can pass to Bakinson, Andreas Weimann who is in acres of space, but chooses to chip a pass forward as Martin (pictured) and Paterson have run beyond Colback and Forest’s midfield line.  Wells chests the ball to Paterson who picks up the run from Martin into the space vacated by Ioannou – who had been sucked in by Hunt.

Pic 6 - Martin pulls the ball back for Weimann to put City 1-0 up

Martin is able to gallop into the box, with Ioannou desperately trying to eat up the ground he’s vacated, but it is in vain and Martin pulls back a pass for Weimann to slot home. 

The second example is borne out of Hunt’s willingness to get forward.  The wingback role is made for him! 

Pic 7 - City with the ball on the left wing, no danger to Forest

Following some slick interplay between Tommy Rowe, Martin and Paterson, City’s new number 10 finds himself on the left wing.  Forest looking good defensively.  However, Paterson pings a 60-yard pass to the opposite flank. 

Pic 8 - Hunt receives Paterson's pass and whips in a cross

Hunt has a lot of time to get the ball down.  Bakinson is an option inside, no Forest player has spotted his run.  Hunt picks out a cross to back post where Chris “Assist King” Martin nods back for Nahki Wells to volley into the net.  

Freeman – the open play dangerman

In my Forest preview I named Luke Freeman as my dangerman (which of you laughed!).  Having said that I speculated that it might be his set-pieces that caused us problem.  I hadn’t expected him to score the type of goal he did, let alone with his right foot. What the goal highlighted was not so much Freeman’s talent, but perhaps more some work for City’s coaches to deal with in terms of closing down space in front of the penalty area.

Pic 9 - Freeman picks up the ball out wide, in no real apparent danger

Freeman receives a pass wide left.  Ameobi drags Hunt down the line, Vyner uncertain whether to follow Ioannou or go towards Freeman, who completes his customary stepover to move inside onto his right foot.  There is a big gap (yellow circle) between Vyner and his fellow defenders and midfielders.

Pic 10 - Freeman unleashes a rocket with his right foot to get Forest back in the game

Freeman has created half a yard of space for himself and Vyner cannot get the block in.  Although it is easy to attribute blame to Vyner, you can see that a combination of Bakinson, Rowe, Martin (back for the preceding corner) and Alfie Mawson are slow to react and have not closed down the space at all.

High Wingbacks – danger in transition 

I mentioned above the positives of Jack Hunt’s high position, but we can also see a downside for City’s wingbacks when possession is lost cheaply.

Pic 11 - Hunt in strong possession has plenty of passing options

Here, Jack Hunt is advancing into Forest’s half.  Arter has blocked the passing lane to Wells, but Hunt has options on the diagonal to Martin, switch it to his opposite wingback Tommy Rowe or pass inside to Bakinson.  He chooses the simpler pass to Bakinson. Nothing wrong with that.

Pic 12 - Bakinson plays a loose pass

Bakinson receives the pass but tries to pass the ball first time around the corner to Wells.  Arter anticipates, intercepts and passes inside to Cyrus Christie.  Both City wingbacks are caught high up the pitch as Christie bombs forward, eventually shooting from range and Bentley tipping over.  Every system has its pluses and minuses, this is perhaps an example of where both wingbacks venturing forward can leave City exposed in transition.

Mind the Gap!

Forest had a lot of possession on their left side on Saturday, but in the main Hunt and Vyner dealt with the threat well.  Forest didn’t get behind them very often at all.

Pic 13 - Forest attack down their left wing

City hold a decent shape here.  Vyner is able to show Grabban inside because Paterson is close at hand, whilst he can track Ioannou’s run outside.  Hunt is inside Vyner keeping a close eye on Mighten.  Grabban is forced to pass square.

Pic 14 - Colback receives the pass and spots a big gap for Christie to advance into

Colback collects the pass and opens himself up to go square to the onrushing Christie.  For a split second a big gap has opened up.  Tommy Rowe has been dragged deep by sub Da Costa, as Forest switch play.

Pic 15 - City reposition quickly

Rowe, recognising the danger, quickly gets out to Christie, passing on Da Costa to Mawson, who in turn passes on Freeman to Moore.  The whole City defence has shuffled across the pitch quickly to pressure the player on the ball.  Christie’s shot is easily blocked. 

In the second example, later in the second half, City are too slow shuffling across the pitch.

Pic 16 - Samba Sow in possession, City in good shape

Samba Sow passes to Blackett.  Martin and Semenyo have dropped back in defensively to cover Paterson’s early press (out of picture).  Again, nothing wrong with that, it’s been a feature of Martin’s football intelligence over the first month of the season, but good to see Semenyo showing maturity too.

Pic 17 - Blackett passes first time taking out Semenyo

Tyler Blackett receives the pass and moves it on first time to the adventurous Ioannou (out of picture).  Semenyo is taken out of the game as a result of this quick pass.  We also see that Martin, Bakinson and Weimann have not moved across the pitch quickly enough and there is now a huge open space for the Forest left back to roam into.

 

Pic 18 - Ioannou crosses for Taylor

Ioannou (who had a good debut) brings the ball forward into a dangerous position.  Hunt is occupied by Freeman (left of picture) as Forest have now switched to 442.  Vyner engages Ioannou who crosses towards the penalty spot.  Mawson tracks Lyle Taylor’s run and gets to the ball first but slips.  Taylor is through, but Bentley makes another fantastic save.

A perfect start results-wise, but as Dean Holden would say himself, City are not the finished article by any stretch. Things to work on at Failand over the international break and perhaps an example of how different teams using different systems will present different problems.

 

 

[slartibartfast]

Very good, but why in the transfer thread ?

[Lrrr]

5 minutes ago, slartibartfast said:

Very good, but why in the transfer thread ?

Because it got Lamouchi transferred out of Forest 

[Davefevs]

Mods - please move....thanks.

[mozo]

Great stuff Fevs, thanks, and worth the effort!

Re the Freeman goal, having watched it a few times I still find Vyner to be most accountable. He didn't really 'get done' by Freeman, he just didn't track across with enough intensity. You can see that Vyner was at 70%.

The second issue then as you point out is that he wasn't supported by a retreating midfield.

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, mozo said:

Great stuff Fevs, thanks, and worth the effort!

Re the Freeman goal, having watched it a few times I still find Vyner to be most accountable. He didn't really 'get done' by Freeman, he just didn't track across with enough intensity. You can see that Vyner was at 70%.

The second issue then as you point out is that he wasn't supported by a retreating midfield.

Yeah, certainly not absolving him of blame, but as with all these things there are sometimes other factors too.

@Maesknoll Red @Dollymarie would you mind moving into main football chat please.

[Maesknoll Red]

3 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Yeah, certainly not absolving him of blame, but as with all these things there are sometimes other factors too.

@Maesknoll Red @Dollymarie would you mind moving into main football chat please.

‘Tis done....

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

@Maesknoll Red   @Dollymarie would you mind moving it back again?

 

 

 

 

 

Only joshing, Dave! 

[Porto Red]

I think Jack Hunt is ace. Should get a lot more love on here. 

[phantom]

3 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Was a bit bored today.

That has to be the understatement of the day!

A couple of questions 

- do you have any hobbies? 

- Is this available in audio format? 

- you do realise Lee Johnson has gone? 

43 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

@Maesknoll Red   @Dollymarie would you mind moving it back again?

Only joshing, Dave! 

I think it's definitely heading to the classics section already 

[bcfc01]

Forest - just ping diagonals to beat their press, like the second goal (brilliant cross field pass from Paterson and great awareness from Hunt).

I thought Forest were a bit one dimensional - sling it in the box and hope for the best. Mind you, they have a couple of players who can do that very well.

We defended well, but there is a hell of a lot to work on.

Good result, but not good for the old ticker.

[Fordy62]

37 minutes ago, Porto Red said:

I think Jack Hunt is ace. Should get a lot more love on here. 

Agreed. Like having an extra attacker. 

[Davefevs]

19 minutes ago, phantom said:

That has to be the understatement of the day!

A couple of questions 

- do you have any hobbies? 

- Is this available in audio format? 

- you do realise Lee Johnson has gone? 

I think it's definitely heading to the classics section already 

Football....no basketball on at the mo’, cricket season finished

Jo Brand is doing a voiceover version (who was it that said that on OSIB thread )

Gone where?

7 minutes ago, bcfc01 said:

Forest - just ping diagonals to beat their press, like the second goal (brilliant cross field pass from Paterson and great awareness from Hunt).

I thought Forest were a bit one dimensional - sling it in the box and hope for the best. Mind you, they have a couple of players who can do that very well.

We defended well, but there is a hell of a lot to work on.

Good result, but not good for the old ticker.

It’s funny, I said similar to my dad earlier.  Their best chance fell to Taylor, but only after Mawson slipped trying to clear a ball that should’ve been easy to clear.  Colback’s close shot was a shove on Mawson.

Ok, one day you pick Christie’s long-ranger out of the net, but they’d already scored their worldy in the first half.

I think all fans sit there nervously.  But we should’ve finished them off on the break too.

Someone posted on another thread that perhaps keeping Wells on and he snaffles the important next goal.

[CityCiderEd]

Strange, but as well as Forest played 2nd half I still didn't think we would lose. We seem much more positive and are so much better to watch. Breath of fresh air...........

[bcfc01]

2 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

It’s funny, I said similar to my dad earlier.  Their best chance fell to Taylor, but only after Mawson slipped trying to clear a ball that should’ve been easy to clear.  Colback’s close shot was a shove on Mawson.

Ok, one day you pick Christie’s long-ranger out of the net, but they’d already scored their worldy in the first half.

I think all fans sit there nervously.  But we should’ve finished them off on the break too.

Someone posted on another thread that perhaps keeping Wells on and he snaffles the important next goal.

How the ref and linesman missed that shove on Mawson is beyond me.

We should have finished them off, but logically I think we had the right players on the pitch at that time.  Hindsight would indicate that we  would have got that killer goal with Wells on the pitch though given his movement.

All's well that ends well and two weeks to right some wrongs 

[054123]

Well done @Davefevs

[Coach]

22 hours ago, mozo said:

Great stuff Fevs, thanks, and worth the effort!

Re the Freeman goal, having watched it a few times I still find Vyner to be most accountable. He didn't really 'get done' by Freeman, he just didn't track across with enough intensity. You can see that Vyner was at 70%.

The second issue then as you point out is that he wasn't supported by a retreating midfield.

I think it was a collective acceptance to let him shoot from there with his right foot. Commentator had remarked some other time how happy we would be if all they had was long distance shots from Grabban. Freeman scoring from there right footed was a fluke.