[Maddix]

I wouldn't. I played when the studs had to be sharpened and above chest high before the ref even thought about a booking  

and you could slide in from your own half 

[Imre varadi]

Just seen the goals and sending off. Bannan does foul the Forest player, he doesn't go flying in two footed, just stretching one footed challenge, a yellow yes, red seemed harsh imo.

Thing is he slid form a long way away and went in with his studs showing and caught the guy.  I know we feel hard done to after the FF incident but had this been the opposite way round we would have been calling for a red. Its definitely a soft red but we have seen worse get only a yellow and less still get a red.

Assuming we lose him for three games, he should come back fully fit and ready to give everything in the run-in, there will be no need to rest him or for him to get tired!!

o ffs sakes charlie if we lose him for 3 games then we will be chasing the pack ... weve got nobody even near him ? big problem at wednedsay this only one player that plays like he does . and thats him ? lee hutch semi lopez dont do half of what he does ? we are well and truly fucked .. but maybe we can get away with it because apart from the village the other 2 teams are piss poor !! 6pts and a draw at the village might just see us in 5th place or even 4th place when the kiddie fiddlers free fall ?

[consilio]

That won't get overturned. Studs up and looks to have caught him, no way ref will back down. Not a sending off in a million years though in my opinion.

Hutchinson can play the same role but he will never manage to play all 3 games that Bannan is out. Lopez/McGugan will fill in.

[madsteve]

A PERFECT AWAY DAY - ALMOST

A good journey, nice lunch, three points, a clean sheet & a quality performance; just that red card.

We decided to try the Notts County pre match experience for away fans, which was pretty decent. Easy parking & limited food choices but very good pies and multi screen tv allowing fans to watch early kick off games & other channels.

CC appeared to have picked a team to go 442 with Palmer & Loovens retained in defence, Wallace, McGeady & FF replacing Hutchinson, Matias & Joao. He actually set it up initially as a 4411 with but after about ten minutes it was clear that it was a pretty flexible formation with McGeady & Wallace more tucked in making it more of a 4231 or 4141 as Lee floated more forward.

I felt very confident pre match and thoughts of 442 and no Hutchinson knocked me a bit but I needn't have worried as we controlled CM pretty well after the first ten minutes.

We went close a couple of times before McGeady put us ahead on the half hour from an exquisite Bannan pass that left a defender with his legs in knots and McGeady with a straightforward finish. It should be noted that it was FF who had won us the ball with a good tackle in CM.

At half time 1-0 seemed like scant reward for a excellent performance where Forest represented little threat apart from the lively Mendez giving Pudil a bit of a run round. Just hoped that we wouldn't pay in the second half.

Forest started brightly but we soon arrested control and extended our lead just after the hour mark. FF winning the ball again and unselfishly setting up Hooper, who finished clinically. We then dominated possession for some time with some ole football that kept Forest well from our goal.

Then came the moment when it could have all unravelled. Bannan lunged in for a tackle just outside the Forest box and from a hundred yards away my initial reaction was that it looked like a red card. TV evidence suggests it was maybe harsh but when you jump into challenges like that, you give the referee a decision, particularly one who has shown himself to be red card happy.

It could have been a turning point but any fears were groundless. Nuhiu replaced Hooper (Lopez & Matias had already replaced Wallace & McGeady) to give us more height. You couldn't tell we were a man short and it was soon 3-0 after Nuhiu headed on and Matias turned cleverly to fire home.

Westwood - 7 - dominated his box but only routine saves to make
Palmer - 8 - third clean sheet in a row at Hull, Brighton & Forest, better going forward as well
Lees - 7 - solid & dependable
Loovens - 8 - real captain's performance, real leadership on the pitch
Pudil - 6 - given tough time by Mendez
Bannan - 8 - controlled match, didn't need that tackle
Lee - 8 - back to his best, floating into gaps
Wallace - 6 - quiet compared to others
FF - 8 - constant threat, worked hard, tackled tenaciously
McGeady - 7 - still a bit selfish but much improved
Hooper - 7 - good movement, excellent finish
.................................................................
Lopez - 7 - neat & tidy
Matias - 7 - worked harder & great goal
Nuhiu - 6 - neat header to set up Matias

Stat Attack:

Goals: 1 - McGeady, Hooper, Matias

Assists: 1 - Bannan, FF, Nuhiu

Touches: 75 - Lee, 73 - Palmer, 64 - Bannan, 54 - Westwood, Lees, 50 - Hooper, 48 - Pudil, 43 - FF, 40 - Loovens, 39 - McGeady, 37 - Wallace, 27 - Lopez, 16 - Nuhiu, 14 - Matias

Tackles: 13 - Lee, 3 - Wallace, FF, 2 - Loovens, Lees, Pudil, Matias, 1 - Palmer

Interceptions: 4 - Bannan, 3 - Palmer, 2 - McGeady, 1 - Loovens, Lees, Pudil, Lee, FF, Nuhiu

Clearances: 8 - Pudil, 7 - Loovens, 6 - Lees, 4 - Palmer, 2 - Lee, 1 - Westwood, Wallace, Bannan, Hooper

Attempts: 4 - FF, 3 - McGeady, 2 - Pudil, Hooper, 1 - Loovens, Lee, Bannan, Matias

Attempts On Target: 3 - FF, 2 - McGeady, 1 - Bannan, Hooper, Matias

Key Passes: 3 - Bannan, McGeady, 2 - Wallace, 1 - Lees, FF, Hooper, Nuhiu

Dribbles: 3 - McGeady, 2 - Hooper, 1 - Palmer, Lee, Bannan

Dispossessed: 3 - Hooper, Nuhiu, 2 - FF, 1 - Palmer, Loovens, Lees, Lee, McGeady

Bad Control: 3 - Lee, Hooper, 1 - Pudil, Wallace, FF, Nuhiu

Crosses (Accurate in brackets): 3 - Lee (1), McGeady (1), 2 - Wallace (2), Bannan (0), 1 - Palmer (0), FF - (0)

Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):

Loovens - 96% (25), Bannan - 95% (55), Lopez - 92% (26), Matias - 91% (11), Pudil - 88% (33), FF - 86% (29), Lee - 82% (50), Palmer - 81% (57), McGeady - 79% (24), Lees - 79% (43), Hooper - 78% (37), Wallace - 70% (27), Nuhiu - 60% (10), Westwood - 31% (35)

I said after that the Brighton match that our run in started with the Forest match and we started with probably our best performance of the season. The quality of FF was a great advantage and we barely missed Hutchinson as several players stepped up to the mark. Our passing stats were the best of the season with eleven players managing 78% or better.

We controlled the whole match. Our defence looked quality. A third consecutive clean sheet in tough away matches with Palmer at RB might earn him more starts in easier games as he was outstanding again. Lees & Loovens were also outstanding. Bannan was everywhere with Lee dovetailing beautifully alongside him. FF & Hooper were constant threats while McGeady showed that he can win us points and Matias looked like the player we hoped he would be.

It was noticeable that we played very few crosses apart from set pieces and that we concentrated on passing & moving - far more effective with our skilful players and lack of height.

The only downside was the Bannan red card which will probably deprive us of a key player for three matches. He will be difficult to replace as no-one plays the same way & it will test CC, how to keep our momentum moving forward without him. Hopefully Hutchinson is able to play those matches to help keep a high intensity in CM.

[Jacko The Flopsy Piglet]

Having seen the highlights on telly last night I have to say it was a harsh red card, imo. However, it was a very rash tackle by Bannan at 2 - 0 up, under no threat in their half. Hopefully we won't miss him too much and the squad can pick up the slack.

[Statesideowl]

Finally got to see the highlights.

Looks like we're bck to our old ways, almost.

That was definitely a yellow card though... For the Forest play for simulation
All joking aside it looked worse than it was, you can't show studs anymore it was a yellow all day. A red? was it xxxx. This referee jus had some unfinished business with us, plain and simple. The officials this season alone have more than proved they have an absence of integrity.

Excellent and much needed 3pts.

[consilio]

FF makes all the difference. When he plays the 442 is so much more flexible as he drops deep when central or cuts in from the left when starting out wide.

That's why we miss him so much when he's out.

Hopefully we won't miss Bannan quite as much

[Imre varadi]

yep after watching the highlights i agree with consilio  we have no feffing chance of an apeal as the studs were showing   therefor forget this now and move on to the debate of whos going to step up for the next 3 games and do a bannan  i think the answer is nobody can play like bannan Hutch the most like   but you cant relay on Hutch to stay fit for 3 games  my fear is the Huddersfield game as they play football now  all be it a much shittier version of us    thank god for the pathetic strikers    but they do make chances and we will have to controll midfield in this game or else   Charlton and mkdons are less likely to be worried about as there both at home and lets face it they are as shit as Rotherham   panic then   no seriously we can get through these games just without hutch or bannan   so im saying rest hutch up and have him 100% top notch for that Village away day   and play lopez or even semi for the home games 

[Statesideowl]

Exactly. We're still too thin squad wise

Hutch is essentially the spine of the team, coupled with FF & Bannan's influence the way we play changes drastically.
I feel it's important to focus on bringing in a player as close to Hutch as possible, we can rotate without a great decline in strength and give Hutch those much needed breaks.

[Owlkev71]

Wolves 0-0 Birmingham FT
Charlton 0-0 M'boro HT