Forest Impressive In Final Warm Up Game

We all know pre-season games mean nothing, we all know it's just about gaining fitness & forming partnerships & we all know it really makes no difference if you lose them. But we didn't lose, we didn't lose against a Premiership team (albeit a new one).

We won & it has to be said we won in some style.

Forest mounted attack after attack on the Birmingham goal in a display that will give many a Forest fan hope when the real thing kicks off next weekend. The midfield were creative & the strike force were decisive in their attempts to break through a Birmingham defence that looks like it could be under a lot of pressure throughout the coming 9 months of league football.

The only down side to the game was an 80th minute Lee Carsley strike created by James McFadden who was a thorn in the Forest defences side every time he got on the ball but in truth there were very few moments throughout the 90 minutes to worry Forest. Just the goal, a first half strike from McSheffrey that Camp did well to turn over & a few hard and late challenges that have become the Birmingham trade mark in recent years.

Forest though went forward with wave after wave on attacking moves & the shots on target stats must look very impressive. 6 strikers were played at different stages in the game & although it was McGoldrick and Earnshaw who bagged the goals both Blackstock and Adebola can think themselves unfortunate not to have been on the score sheet. Garner work hard on the right side of midfield as did Tyson on the left & it all looked like we'll have an exciting season ahead of us.

As well as an impressive strike force, the reds midfield also looked to have some bite in it, McKenna looks like he is that experienced player we've been missing, constantly barking instructions to his team mates & covering every inch on the City Ground pitch with a desire that belied his 31 years. McKenna was partnered in midfield by Radoslaw Majewski who is looking more & more like the creative force needed to provide ammunition for the impressive forward line & at times he showed a level of vision that was one step ahead of his own team mates for now, never mind the Birmingham defence.

What's more, is that it seems there is far more to come from this squad of players & the more confident they become & the more they get used to the style of play their team mates offer, the better they will look.

There's a lot to look forward to with this squad of players, the strike force could be devastating and the midfield hard working, industrious & creative. That leaves us just the defence as that horrid nagging thought in the back of your mind, but for now, only positives remain.

Season kicks off next week folks, no more practice, no more waiting, just the anticipation and dreams that only football fans dare dream.

Could we?

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