Crunch Time

As the team prepare for a difficult away trip to Elland Road on Tuesday it is fair to say that the next four games will play a critical part in shaping the rest of our season. If automatic promotion is going to be achieved the boys need to put things right on the road and a win at Leeds would be the perfect place to start.

We all want to avenge the defeat at The City Ground back in August where Beckford`s 90th minute winner gave Leeds an undeserved three points. Victory on Tuesday night will put us back in contention and leave them firmly on the outskirts of the playoffs. A big game against an out of form Leeds side might be the occasion the players need to bring out an away performance.

Following the trip to Leeds is a home fixture against Swindon and two tough looking away fixtures against Carlisle and Leyton Orient. Victory against Leeds will put us in a good position before a winnable home games against The Robins. This will give the players the one thing our away performances have been lacking of late…. Confidence.

If we pick up at least seven points from our next three games the players might have a bit of belief and begin to recapture our home form on the road. The return of a buoyant Junior Agogo after top scoring for Ghana in the African Cup of Nations will also lift the team. Agogo will give us that killer instinct in front of goal again and hopefully lift the performances of Tyson, Holt and Hoskins as competition for places hots up.

The squad is capable of winning games on the road and this is something, which they need to start doing and quick. Booing and talks of boycotts do not help in a situation like this. Forest fans should take a leaf out of Newcastle`s support. Newcastle have under performed for years now but still have arguably the best support in the country.

Calderwood posses the best win percentage any manager has had at forest in some time and he along with the players should be giving the fans backing. Failure to land anyone in January upset many including myself, however I would rather us wait to loan a player like Hoskins then panic buy to appease fans.

Anyway, back to Tuesday`s game. I feel we will know a lot more about the team`s character after the Leeds showdown. A big crowd at Elland Road will provide a perfect opportunity for the likes of Commons to show what they can do and I hope they take it. Another defeat will not bode well for the tough away games that follow.

Lets hope the lads don`t let us down.

You Redssssssssssssssss!

Thanks once again to Thomas for his article. If you want to write something on the Reds, then please contact forest@vitalfootball.co.uk.