The Fall (and rise?) of Nottingham Forest
Trip To Tranmere
"Who needs Mourinho" claimed the Nottingham Evening Post , on 3rd April after a three one drubbing of Colchester away from home. The Post being as typically "fair and balanced" as a Fox News anchorman, summed up in three words on the back pages what a lot of fans had already been wondering; How had our fortunes shifted so drastically since dumping Megson?
This is my first entry to this blog on Forest's fortunes in League 1 and it couldn't come at a better time. Last week we won our third match on the bounce and have strung together an unbeaten run of 8 matches, leaving us two points off a playoff position. I, along with many other disheartened fans who thought the season was over, have found themselves crossing their fingers and clenching their Casios.
So how realistic is a playoff spot? In a typical footballing fashion it's a question of two halves. The official line coming out of the city ground has mellowed after the good result in Saturday's six pointer with Colchester. Joint caretaker boss Ian McParcland, who's been keeping his lips zipped and repeating a 'one game at a time' mantra in recent weeks, finally admitted that Forest have 'a wee chance' of securing a place in the post-season tumble dryer. Fans on Forest internet sites have been using varied words ranging from "guaranteed" to "skin of our teeth" and to as unlikely as "Marlon Harewood"…
It's fair to say everyone associated with Forest is nervy. The truth is, we are now two points behind sixth and seventh placed Barnsley and Oldham, five behind Swansea and we have five games to play. It's tight but Forest are the form team in the league at the moment; Oldham and Barnsley are stumbling. The Latics and the Tykes play each other today, a draw there and one goal win for us against would put us in the sixth playoff position on goal difference, hardly an unassailable position but better than two points back. However, we have to win at Tranmere today, a long road trip where we rarely get a result. On the plus side Rovers' season is long over: Ten points away from a playoff spot and eight above the drop-zone, the boys from Birkenhead have very little to fight for.
The rumblings started a few weeks back, but now this unlikely tidal movement looks as if I could to turn into a rolling storm. I'm reluctant to jinx it but I've a sneaking suspicion that we might just do it. Forget that, I think we'll win it. Altogether now
"Who needs Mourinho?…"
LW
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