Typical Forest

Nottingham Forest played Crystal Palace today. Forest have not had a good start to the season. Five points from their first nine games wasn't something I, or any other Forest fan, was hoping for.

Despite this, today I honestly thought Forest would bounce back today. When walking to the stadium, like usual, there was no optimism from the Forest fans. There was no passionate fan singing tunes walking down to the City Ground.

When we got into the stadium, there was a usual silence surrounding the City Ground, other than the Palace fans who looked buoyant. For sure they (Palace) maintained their high level of support throughout the match, something which the Forest fans couldn't even get out of first gear with. This, throughout the afternoon, was one of the few stats that Palace dominated...

When the Forest players emerged from the tunnel, everyone clapped them onto the pitch, something that as become a necessity at Trent side. I eventually gave in to the pressure and clapped them on myself, but when I do this, in the process I always ask my mate... why are we doing this?

It was a typical Forest performance at home where we dominated but were unable to finish off any of our chances. Within the first couple of minutes we must have had about two corners, and two golden opportunities. Typically Palace at the other end score a scorcher which resulted from their corner to go one nil up within the first five minutes. Palace didn't, in my book, have another shot on target throughout the first half. We dominated but didn't score.

In the second half, things were very much similar, although Palace did get back into it a bit. The referee, who gave almost everything Palace's way in the first half, actually seemed to favour us, even though he turned away two penalty appeals from Forest. Palace's inevitable second came from, prepare yourself.... A DEFENSIVE ERROR/MIS-JUDGEMENT. I only witnessed half of it. Apparently Smith came out for the ball, but one of the defenders decided he'd try and take on the striker, only for Shefki Kuqi to tackle him and chip the ball over Smith. Seconds after this incident Forest fans flooded the exits, clearly unhappy with this.

Towards the end Forest had a host of chances, most notably Wilson who bizarrely shot from around 35 yards. The Palace keeper, who throughout the match was booed by the Forest fans, tipped it over the bar. If only this went in.. it might have shone some sunshine onto a torrid afternoon for Forest...

My man of the match has to be Garath McCleary. He had the confidence to run at defenders and take chances. There was one particular chance in the second half where he took on a defender and shot wide from outside the box. At least he had the belief in himself to take a pop.