Crystal P-Carling Cup 1st Round-Tuesday 23rd August (A)

[Shad]

trees full time lost 3-2

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Ace]

2-0 Palace

[Shad]

I was happy for a moment :( :(

[andy__vh]

oh well its disapointing but at least we gave it a good go this year! It was the hardest draw of the first round and we gave a good show, im sure we will take things from the game. Swansea Is the important one.

[MrC]

It sounds promising...we went there and matched 11 players with Premiership experience according to all reports, and we can be proud of our performance.
Roll on Saturday...Roll on the growing confidence.

[Ian Gittins]

How interesting that it was reported that Merson was pulling the strings. To me, tonight was proof that he should not even think of playing for us again. Sure, he's still the most gifted player and best passer on the pitch, but tonight was a reminder of everything that was wrong last season - all moves going through him, a lack of fluidity and mobility in midfield, and so many moves breaking down when his delicate little eye-of-a-needle dink with his right foot failed to find his target. He looked knackered after 20 minutes and was painfully slow. Keep those boots hung up. Please.

Otherwise, we weren't so bad. We matched them in the first half and could have been ahead if a wonderful hanging volley by Jorge hadn't come back off the bar. Westwood looked solid, as did the full backs, and Standing, Osborn and Wright were busy in midfield, first half at least. Smith makes Emblen look svelte but was pretty effective. Jorge worked hard and did OK-ish, but where was Fryatt? He might have made a difference.

Negatives - we lacked any cutting edge and didn't have one chance in the 2nd half, when 4-5-1 didn''t work with Grandad Merson slowing it all down to a crawl. The penalty was a ludicrous decision - the ball was blasted against him from point-blank range - but their second goal was quality. The third was Oakes' fault, plain and simple, when he spilled a soft shot.

Palace deserved to win, although 2-1 would have been fairer than 3-0. I don't think it's a huge deal that we're out of the Carling Cup - it's worth it if Merse takes the hint that he should concentrate on managing and not attempt any more playing swansongs. With Kris Taylor or any mobile, younger player in midfield tonight, we would have had a far better chance of winning, or at least threatening their goal.

Oh, and the pub lock-in afterwards was good, too.

[Guest]

There's always next year I suppose... Crystal Palace is too strong of an opponent for us to match. There's really no contest at this level... 3-0 is a solid score. I was hoping for Leitao to score a goal for us. Too bad indeed!!! :(

[Neil Ravenscroft]

Having seen the goals on Sky Sports, the penalty was an absolute farce. Fox turned his back on the shot and it hit the point of his elbow, with his arm down by his side. The second may have been a quality finish, but the break came about from a powder puff challenge by Wright on the half way line and the third was Oakes' mistake. Three defensive errors/bits of bad luck.

[Surrey Saddler]

Good report Ian. We were there too, i.e. the Southern Saddlers. What's this pub lock in you are talking about.

[Ian Gittins]

I forget the name of it - it might have begun with A? - but it was at the junction at the end of the road that leads down to Norwood Junction. Mind you, the £30 cab ride home afterwards wasn't quite as nice.

[Guest]

There was one good thing about last nights results:-
Cheltenham 5 - 0 Brentford FT
Melligan 5
Caines 55
Victory 69
McCann 78, 81 (HT: 1-0)

[geoffwhiting]

There was one good thing about last nights results:-
Cheltenham 5 - 0 Brentford FT
Melligan 5
Caines 55
Victory 69
McCann 78, 81 (HT: 1-0)

Actually there were several good things last night. As well as Brentford, what about Mighty Forest 2 Macclesfield 3, Mansfield 1 (+3 pens), Giant Sjoke Shitty 1 (+ 0 pens), and Lincoln 5 Comfortable Crewe 1.

[wfc_2uk at work]

Well after getting up at 4 yesterday morning to enable me to go and watch the lads may I say it was a waste of time! To add insult to injury, we didnt get back to Bescot until 1.30 and I ahd to be up at 4 againt his morning!

First half we attacked and worried palace alot especially wrighty down the wing BUT what happened in the 2nd half? Were the players saving themselves for saturday? 2nd half we were dreadful! Merse proved to himself and to everyone else last night he MUST RETIRE and just concentrate on managing because so many times last night reminded me off our downfall last season. Everyone looking for merse, expecting merse to do a wonder pass everytime and even when merse had the ball he gave it away. We only had 10 men again last night and the four games previous to last night proved how good we are without him.

Paul Smith. What did we sign him for? Against Southend he was terrible, at Hartlepool he was OK and last night he looked 5 stone overweight.

3-0 was a little harsh because no team played that well but some players have got to make up for it saturday to prove that they were saving themselves last night otherwise I want my £30 back.

[Moz]

Ian, your taxi fare is small changed compared with Joe 90's £65 from Newcastle Airport to Hartlepool on Saturday!

I trust you and Mr Wilkes have notes excusing you from the Weatherspoons last night......4 of us turned up!
And then were accosted by a drunk Wolves-supporting Irishman.

[Ian Gittins]

Ah, but I was in the Wetherspoons, and saw several drunk-looking Irishmen serenading each other. I stayed well clear of the whole business, frankly.

[London Saddler]

I didn't realise there was a new rule in football which says u must get a crap penaulty against u if u play at Sellhurst Park. Thought we did ok in the 1st half. In the end the scoreline flattered Palace

The only concern was that for our so called stronger defence compared to last season, we r still conceding goals every game and unable to keep any clean sheets

Overall not to bothered about getting knocked out and judging by some of the results last nite and the attendances, it looks like not too many other people r either. And it was nice to have a short journey home!

[piechomper]

I think the pub you mention is called the Alliance.

[Surrey Saddler]

Pleased to see you know how to spell Wetherspoons, Ian. And Moz, I had to lecture Geordie on the same subject.

[saddler-red]

Disappointing night. Saddlers started off promisingly - although team selection was poor. The game over 90 minutes was definiately a game of two halves. We should have gone in at half time 3 up. 2nd half was a different story. No passion or conviction - certain players were not fit and needed to be replaced. Changes needed to be made. 4-4-2 would have been favourable. The game was there for the taking. Palace were poor and the final score was not a true reflection of the game. It was a long way to travel - not to mention expensive - for a half hearted performance.

Five matches have been played now (league and cup) and five different sides and various formations have been named/tried. Surely it would be beneficial to play a consistant team/style- subject to injuries (and suspensions) - if we are serious about challenging for promotion in the league. Yes it was a cup game, but consistancy time and time again has proved to be a successful formula!! and surely it would be in our best interest to play a consistant side/formation?

One serious concern is that although Wracky has not played well, there is no other option on the left if the manager chooses to leave him out. Not sure what the answer is but someone (within the 'management team' needs to think of one because Fox was left "in the cold" every time last night (through no fault of his own) and did well against a poor side - if I was Dowie I would have exploited this space every time!!!

[Andy W Taylor]

Although we were ineffective in the 2nd half, a lot of that was down to Palace being happy to go into defensive mode after the penalty and just play the counterattack. Jorge was marked out of the game and absolutely no space out on the right like we had in 1st half.

I'd say we had the vast majority of possession in 2nd half (prob 1st as well) but it was a case of "come and break us down" and with that formation we couldn't. Their 2nd goal (and 3rd) down mainly to players tired after all the fruitless running about. Couldn't argue with the shot - contender for goal of the season if one of our lads had scored it - but was too easy for them to to get into that position and no closing down.

Agree with comments about everything having go through Merson, and also worried that we had to build from our own penalty area every move (10 passes to the centre circle, then back again) because we stopped winning the long balls. A bit of pace and width on the left (oh where was Wracky!) might have helped.

Ossie did a great job again but not enough outlets for him to create anything.

If the ref had given the corner even the Palace players were expecting rather than the pen, would have been a more open game (like 1st half) and might have had a chance. But not going to complain - they go for you, they go against you - that's football (as any Forest fan should know by now!)

[geoffwhiting]

That was a nice last line Andy - a bit below the belt for the tree-huggers though mate. You'll have 'em coming back on here crying again ! :lol: :lol:

[Andy W Taylor]

Cheers Geoff. I had a pre-Forest game drink with a mate who's a tree-hugger. I sent him a text after the match saying thought penalty/sending off looked a bit harsh from where I was sitting - and another after seeing replay on TV saying sorry but the ref was right. Strangely not heard from him since ...

Not seen the Palace incident again so can't say what the ref thought he saw, but from my angle Fox was turning his back on a point blank shot and no intent to use his hands. Ref obviously didn't think it was "deliberate" because didn't produce a card - which he has no choice about if he thought Danny did it on purpose.

Surprised to find out that Pederson's red was rescinded. Even though still don't think he had any intent to catch Jorge in the chest, the challenge was 2-footed. Surprise is more to do with disciplinary panel showing common sense - spirit of law rather than letter. I hope they are so understanding when one of our players is up before them (less likely if Roper not playing though!)

Funny though that we always remember the "we wuz robbed" incidents and conveniently forget the ones the ref gets wrong in our favour (Roper on Horsfield at the Hawthorns 2 seasons ago for a start!)