Red-Robbo

Seems to me an argument as why you bring on a fresh, untired striker near the end of games rather than midfielders with few defensive qualities. Unfortunately, we didn't have that option on the bench.

Oh dear...

The video is quite clear, the defender got nowhere near the ball and it was a clear trip. Who knows what might've happened had we established that two goal lead.

That's my understanding. Converted to flats would be my bet.

He did appear to have been watching some Jack Grealish videos, judging by the rather theatrical tumbles being taken earlier. The downside with winning a number of such decisions is that you may not get the rub of the green when you are genuinely tripped in the area, as he was.

I'd argue that Baker had a fairly reasonable game prior to his clanger and even there, is not the only place blame must be apportioned. Maybe it's because I was a defender, but I always look at the bigger picture than who had the last touch. In Baker's defence you could ask: Why was our box so under siege? Why couldn't we make the ball stick upfield? Where was our midfield? Why couldn't we even carry the ball out of our half? Why were our subs not bringing the "fresh legs" to do this? Why were Forest players able to play the ball at will around our final third? The blame for all that lies with multiple players and, indeed, the coaching staff. Let opponents swarm all over you and you're going to make a fatal mistake sooner or later. When the penalty went in, my matchday companion said: "They are going to go on to win this." We weren't surprised. For the last 15 minutes we'd look like a schoolboy team taking on the PE teachers. The blame for that involves more than one or two players.

If we include them I'd say on balance NB is of mixed use, but Andi is (on average) a success, although not always given his most effective role. As others have said, we have to factor in the significant financial constraints Pearson faced. We didn't have resources perhaps to do much else. Better players might have required fees beyond that which were available. Those two didn't. Although the Leicester old boys' club has been a decidedly mixed blessing, the signing of Tanner - a young, developing player - shows I hope the route we'll go down in future. All said and done, I have more confidence in Pearson to bring in decent acquisitions than I did in Johnson or Holden.

I didn't because the players I've mentioned were new to the club. Those two, simply a deadline expired and well before the playing season started we decided to re-sign. They never really left, apart from on paper.

Tanner, Atkinson and James - successes. Simpson - failure. King - mixed. We await further developments I'd say. The fact we lured a good young player like L2 and he was able to cut it instantly at this level is a promising sign.

Yeah, fair enough. I think the inability to afford a new striker, particularly, hampered Pearson last night. Such a character would have been on the bench and doubtless come on ahead of COD (and probably Palmer) to give Forest a reason to remain tight at the back and prevent them being able to deploy their keeper as a sweeper. At the same time, I think the scoffing (not from you) at playing some attacking young players is daft. Britton got one Championship game against a Prem in waiting side and he scored. What more can anyone ask? Benarous consistently performs. Both are no younger than a number of Forest players who we couldn't seem to deal with. At the end of the day, I'd rather see either on the bench than Bakinson or COD or Vyner.

It's about mental toughness. Psychology. That's as important to instil as on-the-ball skills and set piece routines.

These days, I buy as much old "new-to-me" music as latest releases. Three that have recently impressed have been: Hafdis Huld - Synchronised Swimmers (2010). Indie pop from easy-on-the-eye Icelandic chanteuse. For lovers of Sarah Cracknell et al. Patrick Fitzgerald - Safety Pin Stuck In My Heart: The best of (1994). I was aware of Mr Fitzgerald, but his rep as a 'punk troubadour' had put me off. It shouldn't had. His work is diverse and very thoughtful for the late 70s. Sad Lovers & Giants - Epic Garden Music (1982). How did I live through post-punk and somehow miss this corker of an album?! And why weren't SL&G huge? Probably the silly name, didn't help.

Isn't that ever thus for every manager anywhere? Managers rarely inherit their "dream team" having usually been appointed because the guy before has failed. I see people going on about what a great squad Forest have, but that squad took one point from their first seven games. I don't think players like Lyle "iced gem" Taylor, Djed Spence or Alex Mighten have set the world ablaze at this level and Joe Lolley who everyone loved last season is regularly derided now as the worst player at the club, by Forest fans. Lewis Grabban is a great, but he's older than Chris Martin. His heyday is over. A draw might've been a fair result for an end-to-end match, but the loss reflects a fundamental psychological flaw in how this team defend one goal leads. Something coaching doesn't seem to be dealing with.

I think we should play this over the PA.

Great post and I agree throughout. Like you, I was going to post last night, but held fire as I would've sounded too angry and not thoughtful enough. Having to drive back through a monsoon, encountering a flooded road and then thick fog on the alternative route, didn't exactly improve my mood going home. I just made myself a consolation corned beef sandwich when I finally arrived back, ate it, then went to bed. I hate pointing the finger at individuals when there were collective failures, but I've got to wonder if - when we seem to make the same mistakes over and over - Simpson and Downing are the coaches NP needs working one-to-one with the players. We don't seem to have excelled since they've been at the club. I don't think we have awful players. Many are midtable fodder with the odd gem among them, but they underperform and seem wedded to an over-cautious, slow and defensive mindset. We invite pressure - and every ****** visiting AG is happy to provide that.

He'd be a better option than watching COD do nothing IMO.

I only heard the bizarrely truncated Radio Bristol interview (it seemed to air halfway through his comments) and read his thoughts today. I'm old enough to have seen this before - and worse, but I can say leaving the Gate last night there was real anger and disillusionment in that crowd. Real crowd numbers will plummet if better fare is not provided.

Seems to lack killer instinct in front of goal. But then you could say that about Chris Martin.

Made a couple of killer passes after coming on, but just offers nothing defensively, so as we sat back more, he became more invisible.

To be fair, if the comparison is being made with Steve Cooper, he also inherited an utter shambles. 8 managers in 5 years (not counting 5 caretakers). Mad (and dodgy af) owner. Bottom with one point when he took over. Although I still back the Pearson project, I'd have liked to have heard him as angry after that defeat as the supporters were. For a guy with a peppery reputation, he sounds too laid back. Not emotionally invested. Ultimately, although I enjoyed last night's game until extra time, we simply cannot get anywhere with the strikeforce we have, and we don't have defensive midfield options I'd like either. Apart from HNM, the bench looks unimpressive. We know why Pearson failed to find that new striker he said he wanted, but it'll stymie this season. We just have to hold on, keep faith and hope we don't crash.

Britton's "form" is that he scores a lot of goals and scored in the Championship when we gave him his cameo appearance. Against Brentford as well. He's 20 now. Not a child. Benarous is 19, but he must also be wondering if he couldn't start to be introduced late in games. Gets rave reviews from those that have seen him play.

Wells may well have been tired, but keeping the attacking threat of him and a forward-line Weimann would've been sensible in my opinion. He certainly didn't want to go off. Was quite irked by it, judging by his body language. COD's appearance meant in effect we were defensive for the rest of the game, with no outlet. And we all know the best form of defence is attack. Not booting the ball up (not even out of play) for their defence to pick up and hey presto 30 seconds later, you face another attack. To diversify this theme. Everyone in the box to defend corners also means the ball comes straight back at you. At least one player needs to be out of the box to give opponents something to think about. Ultimately, we lost because as we try to shepherd a one-goal lead, we start to back off more and more and allow the opposition to pick out passes in our final third with impunity. We've seen it before and we'll see it again, because coaching does not seem to be picking up this psychological flaw.

But he'll only call you out on it during the 15 minutes of h/t. I'm not opposed to getting a higher view on things. I used to advocate Lee Johnson doing it, as the game he seemed to be watching from the touchline was totally different to what we all seemed to watch in the stands, frequently. I just think when morale is taking a battering, having the head honcho encouraging you, shouting instant instructions and being within touching distance, might be an advantage. It's why managers the world over do it.

On a personal level, I've never been colder than while watching us at the Britannia Stadium (as it then was), and never been damper than when watching us at Saltergate. Oh and while attending Elm Park once I had my wallet nicked.

I agree. One of the things Pearson has going for him, is he's a bit of an intimidating presence. He's the sort of presence who players won't want to annoy - although they'll respect him, he's been scrupulously fair in how he treats them and speaks about them in public. Also the big personality can help influence match officials. Sat in the stands, he's out of sight, out of mind. On Saturday, we saw our morale collapse in the face of very technically adept opposition. Big Nige roaring them on from the touchline may have given them that extra 5% of belief that could have helped them cope and give a decent account of themselves.