Ricardo's report v Forest

[ricardo 7,345]

It was the cycle again so had to use those bloody new fangled flashing lights. Luckily I arrived at the swimming pool without having an epileptic fit. It was good to see Tim Klose back in action but it was at the expense of Zimmo and I''m not a fan of the four at the back which has not worked well for us at all this season. Oliviera was missing and the rumour going round was that it was for disciplinary reasons so we got our first good look at Srbeny. It was ar$e about face again with City losing the toss and having to attack the River End first and that''s never been a good omen in my experience. After a bit of hectic defending City finally got their foot on the ball and treated us to some nice passing movements that had the visitors back pedaling. Murphy tried to force the ball in when an early corner fell kindly for him but the Forest back line were quick to block. Then a Madders free kick looked to be at just the right range but unfortunately it didn''t quite clear the wall and was scrambled away. City appeared to be playing the ball a bit quicker from the back and Hernandez was reveling in the space and causing the Forest defence continual problems.Just after the quarter hour Murphy got a good connection to a Madders corner but the giant Forest keeper, Pantilimon, leapt to his left to palm it away.The only danger from the visitors was when Lewis and Murphy were both caught upfield and a ball played behind. From one of these, Brereton really ought to have scored when put clear but although the shot beat Gunn it also beat the far post. Murphy, who was having a much better game than of late twice stung the Forest keepers hands with powerful efforts while it was Maddison again wriggling past tackles and sending a low cross along the six yard line with no City player able to connect. The longer the half went on the less we saw from Forest, but the breakthrough goal, while continually being threatened never came. Even Reed came up from the back and pinged one in only for Pantilimon to punch it away. When the stats came on the screen at halftime it showed 70% City possession with seven shots and four on target. That really should have been more than enough for a lead. Hanley and Hernandez were my picks of the half but Srbeny, although putting in plenty of effort, barely got a kick.The second period was a continuation of the first with perhaps the best chance of the game coming on 52 minutes when Hernandez was put clear on the right and his cut back fell invitingly for Maddison, about seven yards out.I held my head in my hands as the City talisman hammered a wild shot a yard over the bar. There was never to be a chance as good as that again as the frustration began to creep in although Murphy and Maddison had further shots well off target.Forest got more into it as we approached the final quarter but thankfully their shooting boots were as rusty as ours and they were more interested in playing out time. Wes and Watkins came on for Srbeny and Murphy and things did perk up as City put more pace in the game. Wes had a shot on target from twenty yards but it was right down the keepers throat and time ticked remorselessly on with the awful realisation that my Xmas prediction of this being the lowest scoring season in living memory becoming more and more certain. Thankfully my halftime thoughts of Daryl Murphy putting away a chance for Forest didn''t come to fruition but it was small consolation as another goalless game finally died.A long time ago I was saying that this was looking very much like a lower mid table finish and while I continued to hope for better, 13th to 15th looks just about right. I take no pleasure in being correct but sadly, the minus three goal difference and less than a point and a half a game speaks for itself.

[Making Plans 936]

Thanks Ricardo. Apart from the weather, the opposition and a few players names, you could have just copied and pasted the same report pretty much all season.Or perhaps you have.

[ricardo 7,345]

MP, funnily enough on the way home last night I was thinking exactly the same thing.

[Bill 1,788]

Perhaps you could add a bit more about your bike ride .... just a couple of clips would doWhether you hit the cross bar at anytime (ouch !), butKeep to the facts,no peddling old myths or anything

[daly 500]

Thanks Ricardo

Missed my second home game of the season due to op sounds like my Box Set "A Touch of Frost" was a better option.

[ricardo 7,345]

[quote user="Sooty"]Perhaps you could add a bit more about your bike ride .... just a couple of clips would doWhether you hit the cross bar at anytime (ouch !), butKeep to the facts,no peddling old myths or anything[/quote]I like to go through the gears but I didn''t want it to turn into a chain letter so I put a brake on it.[:D]in the end I was too tyred to write anymore[;)]

[Bill 1,788]

Careful, don''t get an inflated sense of your worth...as you can easily tread on other''s toes doing thatAnd there''s enough basket cases on here as it is without you provoking them to fly off the handle

ps best to stick to new stuff, no recycling of old gags

[ricardo 7,345]

Indeed, I''ll try not to put a spoke in anyone''s wheel.[Y]

[Bill 1,788]

That''s raleigh decent of you, you don''t want to be saddled with some pumped up nutter

..........................someone who is a kind of cycle path

[Guest]

AHoy there. I''m getting Boardman.

[Bill 1,788]

Blimey grandad and Ricoanswering in tandemboth, I suspect, who can remember when the admission to CR was only a penny farthing

[Guest]

Of course we haven''t mentioned Madison.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

Best place for this is down in Kings Lynn and local leagues....

[Budapest Canary 152]

If our wheelings and dealings will go well in the summer, we could make some Giant steps forward and could Schwinn more.