Calderwood 'alarmed' at Forest's poor display
COLIN Calderwood today said he was "alarmed" at Nottingham Forest's rather lacklustre performance against Sheffield United and admitted: "We had too many players who were below par."
Confidence had been high following an impressive display at Coventry, but the Reds simply failed to come close to producing the same standard as the Blades edged to a comfortable 1-0 victory.
Calderwood warned there must be a vast improvement by the time Blackpool visit the City Ground on Saturday for a critical clash in their battle against relegation.
"It was a hugely disappointing evening for us," he said. "We played well below par as individuals and we will suffer the consequences of that.
"The difference in performance between this and Saturday was alarming. It was a different type of game and we failed to do the necessary things.
"I didn't like the way we looked in the first half. We did not look as if we had 11 people out there with the idea that this game could be played as a team."
He went on: "We were second best too often and they were dominant in everything they did. They were on the front foot and accepted it when they had to hit the ball long and have a bit of a chase.
"When we hit it long and we chased, they were working as a unit and we were working as individuals.
"It was a different game to Saturday but you still turn up and enjoy the different battles you face. It never looked as though we enjoyed this match and that is alarming."
The second half saw Forest's frustrated fans voice their disappointment, as they saw United comfortably hold on to the lead given to them by a 31st minute Brian Howard strike.
But Calderwood said: "I don't think playing at home is an issue because we won the last game here.
"Our only consolation is that the other results went quite well for us – and we have another home game coming up. We have to win that.
"If we can get ten wins at home against the teams in the bottom half of the table, it will be better for us than ten wins against the teams in the top half."
Calderwood did reserve some praise for Joe Garner, who was one Forest players who could claim to have played well.
"Joe was a fantastic example, he carried the fight to United and he had a good night," he said.
"But the overall thing for me was that, as a group, we did not seem unified in what we needed to do.
"I am not going to say that having Lewis McGugan pull out with injury before the game had an effect on us, because it would be easy for us to use that as an excuse. It would also be easy to say that we are young – but the fact is that we just had a lot of people who were off par."
Forest hope to have McGugan back in action for the game against Blackpool, after deciding at the last minute not to risk him.
"Lewis has a thigh injury. It is not the same injury that put him out for three months before but it is the same muscle," he said.
"He had a feeling that it wasn't right, so it was a precaution really. It was just a risk to put him in.
"It is okay saying he had a big influence for us on Saturday. He did – but so did plenty of others.
"He had a good game, but he was not the only one. And we did not have many of the 11 out there tonight performing to the same level.
"It was the first bad performance we have had for a while. But when you don't play consistently to a good level you are going to be punished and that is what happened."
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by S, Nottm
Thursday, December 11 2008, 2:33AM
“BTW, Calderwood out.....but then I've been saying that for the last couple of months.....its not hard to see he's not good enough. Nice man, not good enough for this level. Three weeks ago I could have said that and got slated for it. How times change for the fickle.”
by S, Nottm
Thursday, December 11 2008, 2:18AM
“Positive Paul, you bring up something interesting about the away supporters. I know many away supporters who go to away games only and refuse to set foot in CG because of Arthur and Doughty. They go to away games strictly because they still want to watch forest but do not want to bankroll ND's disasterous reign at the club. They are the hardcore, they will follow forest to any ground, in any country on this planet, but they wont step foot inside the CG. They are the ones who you say bring the brilliant support (and I agree, they are marvellous, our away support always has been) but ask yourself why our best set of supporters are away supporters and not home supporters. Gone on Paul, ask yourself why that is. Its because of what I've just explained to you. Have you woken up yet? And now you know why our away support is so good and why it's usually like a morgue in the CG by comparison. There are a lot of fans voting with their wallets, and its been like that for some time. And its not even anything to do with not wanting CC, they dont want CC, ND, or MA, and neither do I.”
by S, Wilford
Thursday, December 11 2008, 1:53AM
“COLIN Calderwood today said he was "alarmed" at Nottingham Forest's rather lacklustre performance against Sheffield United and admitted: "We had too many players who were below par."
Hmmm and so are we Colin, with you!
Unlike you Colin we aren't confident in the management team and seeing improvements in your abilities.”
by positive paul, Nottingham
Wednesday, December 10 2008, 11:04PM
“It is called inflation "Forest til I die' the prize money will have been less, but so were salaries and transfer fees. We were the first club to pay £1 million pounds for a player remember. That period of success should have set the club up for years to come. I do not just blame our previous managers for the mismanagement of these finances, I thought then and I think now that far more scandalous things were going on at that time.
We make this season into a successful season by not getting relegated, which we won't.
As for your comment about Colin Calderwood being too friendly with the players, what complete and utter tripe. If you get a chance, just look at a team sheet from Colin Calderwood's first game in charge. You will find that our current manager has been ruthless and improved the playing staff out of all recognition. Ask Paul Smith or Luke Chambers if they think the manager is a soft touch. I understand the frustration felt by the negative brigade, I just do not believe their radical solutions will bring about the success we all crave. Leicester, changed their manager after a poor start last season and we all know what happened to them. And of all the alternative managers touted on here, I am sorry but, they are laughable. Bringing in a new manager at this time would be a bigger gamble than keeping the manager we currently have.”
by Ant, Home
Wednesday, December 10 2008, 10:15PM
“I dont care what any of the optimists say...Calderwood out!!!”
by mike, kettering
Wednesday, December 10 2008, 10:05PM
“is the clown still in charge. what part of pack your bags dont you understand your no good we dont want you so the taxi s waiting for you to take you back to scot====jokeland”
by Gilberto Schneiffer, Sherwood
Wednesday, December 10 2008, 9:20PM
“The facts are, if we continue in this manner we will get relegated. Period. Something has to change and I can't see Calderwood bringing about the necessary change. So it's the manager we have to change. It's nice to think we have a good set of youngsters coming through, I agree, but the whole club will go backwards if we are relegated again and support for home matches will be down to about 14,000 at best because even the great diehard fans of Forest, including myself, have had enough of this. It's not us being negative, it's the club. There seems to be no accountability whatsoever at the highest level. I am sick of it all but probably not as sick as Carl Froch, watching his team produce that dross after his magnificent performance on Saturday. What can you say.”
by forest til i die, aspley
Wednesday, December 10 2008, 8:36PM
“hi rick, yeah its a good pub lots of choice, paul, you say you want improvement season on season what do you see relegation as? should it happen? and for where all the money went how much do you think forest won 25 years ago in the european cup? its not like today where you get half a million pound for every point you get and even more the further you get, back then football was not full of money the financial gain was second to the glory you got just for winning the copitition, the same applies to the league cups won and even any money from our last great fa cup run which was 17 years ago when we got to the final, and any money we have had recently was woefully wasted by david (t**t) platt. nd has done wonders for this club financially, but its his inability to hire decent managers that has cost us dearly, remeber when he hired kinnear? he told everyone that they needed an experienced man at the club, but when he hired cc he told people he wanted a up and coming young manager, shows he doesnt know football well.you say you want us playing at our true level without financially harming the club, well the way things are going thats going to be in div 3 is that what you would be happy with paul? with all the history of this club you would be happy watching forest v cheltenham or forest v yeovil? well if you do you are not a proper forest fan or football fan or you would want what we all true forest fans want and thats success, we need a manager who doesnt want to be friends with the players he wants to win and wont be afraid to drop players cc is not the man, he is not experienced enough to manage this big club, his tactics are rubbish, you talk about the past and i remember forest being admired for their counter attacking football, but how can we do that now with 11 defenders at corners? so come on paul how do we make this a successful season?”
by positive paul, Nottingham
Wednesday, December 10 2008, 7:34PM
“But for our current chairman we would be bankrupt and still in the third tier of English football like Leeds United.
I ask a few questions. Where did the money go from the two European Cup wins? Where did the money go from our 5 league cup wins? Where did the money go from the FA cup run, that saw us beaten by Spurs in the final? Where did all the money go, when we sold players that we picked up for nothing, but sold for millions? The whereabouts of that money is a genuine scandal and nothing whatsoever to do with our current chairman. Our current chairman bailed us out when we were bankrupt. The true position of a bankrupt club is not second from bottom of the championship, it is out of the football league altogether.
Then I ask another question do we want to do a Chelsea and buy success or do we want to be Nottingham Forest, financially stable, paying our own way and finding our true level in the football league based on our fan base and our development system. I personally want the second option.
Using the second option as a template I then look for progress season on season. I genuinely believe that under the management of Colin Calderwood we have achieved that. We are certainly better than we were last season and the side has improved out of all recognition from the side inherited by Colin Calderwood when he took over from Gary Megson.
I think under Brian Clough, genius that he was, we massively over-achieved and the club, sadly will never see the likes again. I think, therefore, that success for us now would be to achieve Premier League status and maintain that status by playing a style of football that is pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately I am old enough to remember that Forest were renowned for playing this style of football in the mid sixties. Had we stuck to these ideals, I believe Paul Hart would have been allowed to keep the crop of young talent that he developed under his management. Had we stuck to these ideals I do not think Gary Megson or Joe Kinnear would ever have managed our club.
A very good and very young Forest reserve side won their league last year by a country mile. Given time, ENCOURAGEMENT, and a stable club, I believe many of these players will graduate to the first team. It will not be instant success, and I don't see us winning the European Champions League in the near future, but it will be our success and one in which we can be genuinely proud.”
by stewart, rochester, ny, us
Wednesday, December 10 2008, 7:29PM
“I agree with Positive Paul. CC made 2 mistakes before a ball was kicked this season. (1. not bringing in a goalie, 2. not bringing in a warrior centre-half). Let him learn, and we'll be better off than giving someone else time to learn. Be patient, and if you can't support the team, stay at home. I'd give my right te*ticle, no, hold on a minute, sorry, I mean the left one to go to every Forest game, even if we were losing. Of our 11 defeats, 9 have been by the odd goal. Only Wolves have killed us as they do everyone. CC bought in v. positive players over the summer, Moussi, Anderson, Earnshaw and Garner to add to Cohen, Bennett, Morgan, Perch, McGugan, Thornhill, and Tyson. Give the man time, and sing your heart out and know that my te*ticles listen to the commentary every week with every bit of nervous anticipation as Mrs. Calderwood does.”