After the lack-lustre defeat at Stoke on Saturday, maybe only Lee Bowyer and his Boys saw this one coming. Forest went into this game after beating promotion rivals Leeds at the weekend and would have been as confident of winning as Charlton fans were of losing.
However, manager Sabri Lamouchi upset the home fans before kick-off by resting five of the heroes from Saturday, some of whom didn't even make the bench. The fans called it out and warned of disrespecting opponents and the game went on to prove their point.
Charlton battled as a unit and matched Forest throughout the game. Forest played some very decent quick passing and overlapping when attacking but they had very little cutting edge in the box and were unable to really expose our flanks. Doughty and Matthews tucked in and with Sarr, Pearce and Lockyer bossing the centre-ground in defence, we looked solid enough.
Our lack of height in central midfield, through Oztumer, Cullen and Davis, was more than accounted for by the running of the trio. Oztumer had his best half in a Charlton shirt and was ably supported by Cullen and the abrasive Davis.
Up front Lyle Taylor ran his socks of - time and again he chased the back four down in possession. It's a pity he only had Tomer Hemed in support. Hemed ran about as he usually does but saw little of the ball and was wasteful when he did get possession.
The match swung for us after 25 minutes when a breakout of defence down the right side by ex-Addick Carl Jenkinson was halted by the advancing Naby Sarr who drove on with the ball and pumped a delightful left foot cross into the box. It fell at the back stick where Lyle Taylor was waiting to volley it home from close range. A great goal worthy of winning the game. Naby nearly blotted his copy-book a minute later when he sliced an attempted block over Phillips' head but the superb Charlton keeper got a late hand to push the effort onto the bar and safety. It was the closest Forest would come to a goal.
We saw early second-half substitutions with Oztumer being replaced by McGeady and Purrington on for Doughty. Fresh legs was probably the call but it didn't change the game and we stuck to it. If anything we created more chances in the second-half but nothing fell for us.
The 800 Addicks present gave the rest of us watching at home a real boost with their non-stop singing and support for the side. Coming on the back of Saturday's disappointment, this performance was just what they deserved.
Attention now turns to Saturday when a win over Blackburn Rovers would see us effectively move cleared of the relegation dogfight. Can't come soon enough.
However, manager Sabri Lamouchi upset the home fans before kick-off by resting five of the heroes from Saturday, some of whom didn't even make the bench. The fans called it out and warned of disrespecting opponents and the game went on to prove their point.
Charlton battled as a unit and matched Forest throughout the game. Forest played some very decent quick passing and overlapping when attacking but they had very little cutting edge in the box and were unable to really expose our flanks. Doughty and Matthews tucked in and with Sarr, Pearce and Lockyer bossing the centre-ground in defence, we looked solid enough.
Our lack of height in central midfield, through Oztumer, Cullen and Davis, was more than accounted for by the running of the trio. Oztumer had his best half in a Charlton shirt and was ably supported by Cullen and the abrasive Davis.
Up front Lyle Taylor ran his socks of - time and again he chased the back four down in possession. It's a pity he only had Tomer Hemed in support. Hemed ran about as he usually does but saw little of the ball and was wasteful when he did get possession.
The match swung for us after 25 minutes when a breakout of defence down the right side by ex-Addick Carl Jenkinson was halted by the advancing Naby Sarr who drove on with the ball and pumped a delightful left foot cross into the box. It fell at the back stick where Lyle Taylor was waiting to volley it home from close range. A great goal worthy of winning the game. Naby nearly blotted his copy-book a minute later when he sliced an attempted block over Phillips' head but the superb Charlton keeper got a late hand to push the effort onto the bar and safety. It was the closest Forest would come to a goal.
We saw early second-half substitutions with Oztumer being replaced by McGeady and Purrington on for Doughty. Fresh legs was probably the call but it didn't change the game and we stuck to it. If anything we created more chances in the second-half but nothing fell for us.
The 800 Addicks present gave the rest of us watching at home a real boost with their non-stop singing and support for the side. Coming on the back of Saturday's disappointment, this performance was just what they deserved.
Attention now turns to Saturday when a win over Blackburn Rovers would see us effectively move cleared of the relegation dogfight. Can't come soon enough.
10 solid performances and then Tomer Hemed. The guy looks devoid of any confidence and at times a liability. His stats for the last few years in terms of goals are a million miles from the player we are seeing. 5th choice striker when everyone's fit, for me.
ReplyDeleteyeah but I wonder when Bonne will be back cos I think im n Taylor will combine well up front n thass all there is to it. Well done to Naby for playin so well n keepin theirn ahrt n all.
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