Forest -V- Wednesday omdt

[Lord Snooty]

 

  Hello. How are you feeling? 

It's dreadful isn't it. This Covid thing rolls on, and now the herald of  new strain of the deadly virus hits the headlines.  Christmas looms large and Wednesday...ahh, The Wednesday fall from one disaster to another like a Christmas Eve straggler clattering  from table to table in the pub, singing songs about the old days and disturbing the young couples out for a festive glass.

 

 We are that drunk. We are that mess. Grotty coat with torn elbow from the last fall, stained shirt and eyes looking in different directions as we try and find some focus, some landmark to help us stop us turning out our guts. 

 

We are a right mess. There's no other way of saying it. 

 

Usually at this time of year with the games coming thick and fast there is an enjoyment, even the defeats are met with a Baileys softened shrug of "there's another game in a day or two to put it right". 

 

But this time the piling of the fixtures feels like a repetitive hammer clanging against the head, trying to bury us into the floor like a twisted old nail, until we pop right out the other side and fall into the cavity that is League 2. 

 

But..I have always tried to be a voice of positivity and will continue to try and mine out the tiny glistening stones catching what's left of the dwindling light of the season. 

 

And there are two things this week. 

 

1) Chey Dunkley

 

 

Whilst watching the game last week, and more specifically  Barnsley's equalizer I smashed my clench fist down onto the old computer and , well, I don't know the technical term, but suffice to say it's been in black and white ever since.  And so I had to retire upstairs and watch it on the smaller screen of the pad. 

I also had some trouble logging into the account. And so spent 6 or 7 minutes scrabbling about to find a, ahem, alternative viewing operation...

 

To cut to the chase, this alternative viewing experience meant I was without commentary, but was still privy to the on pitch mics. Every word was picked up. Most of them unfit for print. However; what was very noticeable was the vocals of the Wolverhampton born centre half Dunkley who organised, cajoled and at times downright b*llocked the team around him.  I like the cut of his jib it has to be said. I liked the way he talked in his early interviews and hearing him on Saturday cemented those views. He looks, to my eyes, like Captain material. 

 

I'm old fashioned of course, so I like a centre half as Captain. They have the best view for starters, and having played the game we all know I'm sure, there's nothing worse than busting your cajones off in midfield only to have some striker stood with his hands on his hips posing on the halfway line, urging you to - "do more". 

No, centre halves should be skippers. I'm not saying you should give the arm band to someone just based on their position on the park. they have to have the leadership qualities too; and this boy. He has them!

 

This might also come in handy if we're relegated and Bannan slips away to another Championship Club. Dunkley has two promotions from League 2 on his CV with Oxford and Wigan. Impressively scoring 7 goals in his last spell in there with the latics. But stop! No more talk of League 2. I promised to be positive!

 

2) Nottingham Forest

 

 

I don't usually talk about the game until the second section of these threads. But given I'm looking for any positives I can find at the moment, and the pickings are so slim at S6 my second positive is by-proxy ,if you like...Forest are having a terrible time of it too. 

 

Forest have only taken one point from a possible 18  - that a goalless stalemate with Watford - and Chris Hughton, touted on here as the man to send Wednesday to the promised land when Bruce slung his hook has so far not been able to pull his charges up the table. Indeed only goal difference keeps them above the trapdoor.

In fact in a straight two team table they are actually worse than Wednesday. 

 

 

And By God we have to make that count today.  This is a six pointer. Win this and it'll just give us that little bit of confidence and be a real body blow to them.

 

  "Sir"

 

 

  "What is it?"

 

 "You said the same thing about the Barnsley game last week and the Huddersfield game before that"

 

 "And I'll keep saying it every time we play one of the other load of duffers in this division, Stubbs. It is literally the only thing we've got to cling to!"

 

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

NOTTINGHAM FOREST

- V -

WEDNESDAY

English Championship

Tuesday 15th December 2020

Kick Off: 19:45pm 

The City Ground

 

----------------------------------------------------

  "Ok, crack on with the team news Stubbs"

 

• Two historic football clubs in desperately poor form collide with thoughts of a relegation dogfight wash over both sides like the tide around poor Blackbeards head buried in the sand up to his neck.  

 

 

• Wednesday sit bottom of the Championship and have added their own findings to the long proven falsehood of ‘new manager bounce’ and added their own proof it's fallacy beyond doubt. 

 

 

• Nottingham Forest haven’t fared much better under Chris Hughton, with no wins in their last six matches including five defeats and just two goals scored.  In fairness, Nottingham Forest have had to navigate a daunting run of fixtures against promotion-chasing sides recently, with Chris Hughton's men facing every top-six team in their last six matches.

 

 "Cross that bit out Stubbs. Cross that last bit out. Don't let the chaps know Forest have only played the good teams, it' could crush us."

 

 "Very well ,Sir."

 

• Forest have only been able to take one point from a possible 18 in that run - a goalless stalemate with Watford - and the Reds were no match for Brentford as Thomas Frank's men eased to a 3-1 win on Forest's turf on Saturday.

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

FOREST

Ryan Yates returned from a ban of his own against Brentford, while Scott McKenna is getting closer to a comeback but will not be fit in time for this one, so Michael Dawson or Loic Mbe Soh should deputise for Figueiredo at centre-back.

 

Tyler Blackett and Fouad Bachirou have both made their returns to the training pitches, and Lewis Grabban is also stepping up his recovery but will not be ready just yet.

 

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
Samba

Christie   Worrall   Soh   Ribiero

Yates   Cafu

Lolley   Arter   Ameobi

Taylor

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

WEDNESDAY

Pulis revealed after the loss to Barnsley that Dominic Iorfa will have to undergo surgery on a ruptured Achilles tendon -  ruling him out for the season.

 

Julian Borner was unable to take part at the weekend following his facial injury in the midweek loss to Huddersfield Town and is also touch and go for this one. Tony Pulis this week meanwhile admitted he'd never even met Jack Marriott.

 

Sheffield Wednesday possible :
Wildsmith

Paterson   Lees  Dunkley   Penney

Odubajo  Pelupessy Bannan   Reach

Harris  Windass

 

  No, I don't think he'll field this team. But it just cheers me up a bit to see  it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

FORM GUIDE....

Nott'm Forest form: L-L-D-L-L-L

 Wednesday  form : D-D-D-L-L-L

 

 

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[Morepork]

Anyone else at the point where they would rather eat their own leg than watch us.......

 

Thanks Snoots.

 

It's another one of those must win games........

Edited December 14, 2020 by Morepork

[Pablo Bonvin]

Thanks Milord. An entertaining read before I retire for the night. 
 

Don’t know what is to come from the match, and sad to say I’m almost beyond caring, but commendations to you for trying to stay positive. I don’t know how you do it....

 

Let’s just hope there’s something in those new antennae on the South Stand which will lead us to victory, because let’s face it it’s unlikely anything happening on the pitch will help.

 

Up the Aliens.

[horny owl]

Another game I won’t bother watching 

 

2-0 to Forest

[Groundhopping Owl]

A very good evening mi'lud - I must say, as OMDTs go this one both captures and lifts the mood, I salute you for that. It's all just a bit depressing really isn't it? The early defensive solidity Pulis seemed to have introduced evaporated in the last two games, which meant it became even more difficult to ignore just how clueless we are going forward. 

 

Your efforts at positivity are nevertheless greatly appreciated and I have to say I particularly agree with your first point, I was moderately encouraged by Dunkley's showing on Saturday. If he can play with that much assertiveness after nearly a year's injury lay off I'm (almost) excited to see what he can do once he hits his stride. He's going to have to hit it rather quickly now that Iorfa's out for the season. To add to that, Windass' industry in leading the attack on Saturday was admirable, we may be utterly incapable of scoring more than one goal but the chances of us at least getting one are greatly increased by his presence.

 

The most my optimism can conjure up is a vague inclination that tomorrow will end in a stalemate that helps neither team. Haven't decided whether I can be bothered to fork out the tenner to watch it. On the whole, I think probably not (opinion likely to be revised five minutes before kick off).

 

COME ON WEDNESDAY!!!

 

Forest 1-1 Wednesday 

(Dunkley 10, Lolley 50)

[Pablo Bonvin]

2 minutes ago, Pablo Bonvin said:

Thanks Milord. An entertaining read before I retire for the night. 
 

Don’t know what is to come from the match, and sad to say I’m almost beyond caring, but commendations to you for trying to stay positive. I don’t know how you do it....

 

Let’s just hope there’s something in those new antennae on the South Stand which will lead us to victory, because let’s face it it’s unlikely anything happening on the pitch will help.

 

Up the Aliens.

 

I didn’t even realise we were playing away, so my theory about the antennae has just gone out of the water. 
 

3-0 to Florist in that case.

[Flat Owl]

Top OMDT Snoots.

 

This one has got 0 - 0 written all over it.....

 

[Lord Snooty]

 

*Addendum -

I may have mentioned League Two in this piece, when I might have actually meant League One. Though it's so bloody confusing, and they're both places we don't want to be. I don't know why we had to faff with the names to be perfectly honest with you. I mean, even our own manager keeps referring to the top flight as the Premiership , which it hasn't been called since 2007. Which I'm sure some wag will say is the last time he was relevant. Mind you, I'm not sure why I've heard him talking about that division as we're no where near the bugger. No. We're more likely to be in League 2 . Sorry, League 1. Oh bugger it. The 3rd division , lets just say it how it is. It's the bloody third division.

 

 

[Groundhopping Owl]

Regarding your second poll - I think we all came to the conlucsion long ago that scoring goals is largely beyond us.

 

Without one hell of a striking acquisition in January that's probably going to remain the case, but I do think our best chance of carrying a threat is combining Brown and Windass' creative abilities, preferably plus one more striker for them to bounce off (probably has to be Paterson, not that he's looked great so far). 

 

Getting those three in the team together is admittedly tricky, I can already hear Pulis ruling it out because it would cost us our defensive balance, but honestly I'm past caring. Give it a bloody try, if we get pumped it won't feel any worse than the Rotherham, Wycombe or Barnsley games did.

[Emerson Thome]

55 minutes ago, Lord Snooty said:

 

 Wednesday  form : D-D-D-L-L-L

 

 

 

Reason for optimism 1:

 

It would make a pretty pattern if we then went W-W-W

 

Reason for optimism 2:

 

56 minutes ago, Lord Snooty said:

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
Samba

Christie   Worrall   Soh   Ribiero

Yates   Cafu

Lolley   Arter   Ameobi

Taylor

 

 

Cafu must be about 50.

 

Although I remember a 40-year old Peter Beagrie running rings around us once for Scunthorpe so anything is possible.

[bobness]

These days the OMDTs are all we have to look forward to. 

 

Thank you @Lord Snootyfor soldiering on! 

[Athelwulf]

1 hour ago, Flat Owl said:

Top OMDT Snoots.

 

This one has got 0 - 0 written all over it.....

 

I’ll snatch your hand off.

[Athelwulf]

1 hour ago, Morepork said:

Anyone else at the point where they would rather eat their own leg than watch us.......

 

Thanks Snoots.

 

It's another one of those must win games........

 

I'm not bothered how we play, as long as we don't lose.

 

They can kick it in the Trent for 90 minutes as far as I'm concerned.

 

I'd be happy with a draw in this one, as it keeps us in touch.

 

We'll not make any headway until new players come in, that's pretty obvious now.

 

But we need to be able to persuade players to join us, and that's not going to happen if we're too far adrift.

[nevthelodgemoorowl]

Anthony Newley - What Kind of Fool Am I 

 

Yet still I will go for a 2-0 win to the Owls eternal optimist that I am.

 

ARE WE ALL WEDNESDAY ? ARE WE ? OK WELL COME ON LETS DO THIS ! OH WHEN THE OWLS GO MARCHING ON. COME ON WAWAW UTO & DTB, NO USE ONE WITHOUT TOTHER !  

 

 

[ShaunO1]

1 hour ago, bobness said:

These days the OMDTs are all we have to look forward to. 

 

Thank you @Lord Snootyfor soldiering on! 

I look forward to these more than the match itaelf these days

[Flat Owl]

Hopefully having played  a good hour or so for this club, Chey Dunkley has realised that his final pass along the back line to Tom Lees will result in a 75 yard hoof to the opposition goalkeeper at best.

 

..unlike the last 3 managers over the last 3 years.

[new zealand owl]

you just hope they are far more nervous then we are and we get a good foothold in the game early.  

 

On the verge of losing a lot of hope but......the only way we can win it is 1-0 with a late goal without having much time to hang on to the lead.

 

So based on that:  1-0 reach(85)

 

We have some great crack in NZ

[Athelwulf]

5 hours ago, Groundhopping Owl said:

Regarding your second poll - I think we all came to the conlucsion long ago that scoring goals is largely beyond us.

 

Without one hell of a striking acquisition in January that's probably going to remain the case, but I do think our best chance of carrying a threat is combining Brown and Windass' creative abilities, preferably plus one more striker for them to bounce off (probably has to be Paterson, not that he's looked great so far). 

 

Getting those three in the team together is admittedly tricky, I can already hear Pulis ruling it out because it would cost us our defensive balance, but honestly I'm past caring. Give it a bloody try, if we get pumped it won't feel any worse than the Rotherham, Wycombe or Barnsley games did.

 

I'm inclined to agree, but not against Forest because it's a six-pointer.

 

It's a must-not-lose fixture.

 

We need to stay in touch to be able to convince players to sign.

[scilly owl]

Yesterday I agreed to go out for supper with my wife tonight.... in normal circumstances I would never agree to go out for supper on a night that Wednesday are playing . I’m no company, always checking my phone, totally preoccupied... that sort of thing. 
But right now it will be a blessed relief, I might as well take the opportunity before we are all confined to barracks again.

Also... Forest, ain’t won this century, probably got a striker that hasn’t scored for two years.

3-0 home win with non scoring striker getting a brace.

[Manwë]

If we are not going to go for it against Forest, then we never will.  We'll see every game as "take a draw" until we realise the season is over.

 

3-1 Wednesday, Houghton sacked in the morning, Pulis sacked on Friday for improving the form, Wednesday hire Houghton and then we go on to the playoffs, with Pelupessy as man of the season, Paterson with the Golden Boot, Dawson with the Golden Gloves and international call ups all round.

 

Tonight is the night that the Owl becomes the woodpecker.