Nottingham Forest have got a better record at most grounds in Europe than they have at the new Dean Court. Once again the former European champions roll back up the M1 on the back of a 2-0 defeat leaving us wishing we could play multi million pound teams every week.
Bondy promised us high energy, high speed football when he joined the club. There could have been grounds up until a month ago to call in the Trades Descriptions people but nine points out of twelve and top entertainment recently is revising that opinion. Only this week will see if administration will wipe those nine points out.
Cherries line up was settled again today – only Young missing out with Perrett, Bartley and Cooper passing late fitness tests. The latter moved to right back to replace Younger and Gradel stepped into the left wing slot. The settled side is starting to pay dividends, there was a shape and tactical awareness today needed to beat a top three side although the defining characteristics today were work-rate, energy and passion. Forest could not settle on the ball for one minute as our midfield and forwards hounded them, and for once our defence avoided basic errors. We even found a way to make Stewart look good – by not letting Forest have one shot on goal…….
Ultimately though the win owed much to the finishing of teenage sensation Vokes. How the club agreed a fee of £175k for him this week is beyond comprehension. If he had gone for this we might have well just turned the lights out.
The match started with us very much in the ascendancy, Gowling missing a free header from Gradels free kick in the 4th minute and setting the pattern for some questionable aerial defending all game from Forest. A minute later Kuffour turned and bobbled a shot just past the post as we camped in Forests half early on. All Forests clearances were met well by Perrett or Gowling for Hollands to start the play going again – it was impressive early control.
The question on everyones lips was not if, but when we would score.Gradel and Bradbury combined to allow Hollands to flash a volley just over and from a Gradel free kick Vokes point blank header was tipped over well by Smith.
The breakthrough finally came on the 19th minute and was well worth waiting for. Gradel jinked his way down the left tormenting Chambers, cut inside and delivered a inch perfect cross to the back post for VOKES to outjump Morgan and power a header back across goal into the far corner. Kuffour deserves a mention for chasing a hopeful through ball 60 yards and forcing the throw in that gave the ball to Gradel.
With the crowd in full voice and Bonds braves gaining in confidence (even Perrett stopped stumbling for a bit) we embarked on a period of possession football of the top order without any real threat until we suddenly doubled the lead on the half hour mark. Gradel broke again and fed Kuffour on the half way line. Little Jo turned brilliantly and fed an inch perfect through ball to VOKES on the run twenty yards out – the teenage sensation took one touch to get him into the box and fired a thunderbolt across Smith and into the bottom corner.
As the ground rang out to ‘Championship – you’re having a laugh’, Gradel turned the hapless Chambers yet again and bore down one on one with Smith before just lifting his shot an inch to high – possibly his only error of the game. This prompted a round of boos from the Forest hoardes and a volley of abuse at Chambers who will surely be lying in bed tonight watching a black head with a blonde streak running away from him over and over again.
Beats counting sheep I suppose.
HT – Bournemouth 2 Forest 0
All the talk at half time was about not conceding a goal in the first twenty and we came out for once fired up, with the midfield – Hollands and Bartley in particular majestic in work rate and aggression. Rather than the expected Forest fightback the second half was, while nowhere near as eventful as the first, a tense chess game and once again all the clear cut chances fell to us.
In the 50th minute Gradel embarked on a Ronaldo style run, junked and turned his way into the box and fired just past the post. There then followed the games only real scrappy period marred by some poor tackling by both sides and a fussy ref resulting in way too many free kicks. Still Forest could not fashion a chance though although we had two in quick succession with Bartleys header from Vokes knock back being caught at full stretch by Smith on the 72nd and five minutes later Bartley turned on the six yard box to fire in a shot that was blocked by Smiths leg from Cummings corner.
It was interesting to note that from that final Smith save Forest broke instantly for their best chance but although Sinclairs lob to the far post was off target it was Gradel furthest back to clear from the onrushing Tyson and Bartley who was stood on the line in case he didn’t. Both had run 110 yards to get there.
After that the match petered out with us charging at every available opportunity to the corner flag and Forest going through the motions in front of some angry fans. Not quite Malmo was it…
FT – Bournemouth 2 Forest 0
VERDICT
High energy demolition of a multi million pound squad. Forest have only got one point against us this year and are in third. That could turn out to be our sole memory of this year! We are on a slight roll now and look to have shape and passion. What happens this week now behind the scenes will be pivotal.
Report by Neil Dawson
