FOREST BLOG: Time for a new skipper

Dougie Freedman is hanging on to his job by a thread but has not been helped in anyway by his captain.

Forest lost their second successive game in a row at Sheffield Wednesday last weekend, meaning that they have picked up just a solitary point from their last three games.

This is mainly down to the stupidity of Henri Lansbury, a man whose attitude is cloaking his ability as a footballer. When Lansbury saw red against Burnley we were on course for three excellent points, that’s two more than the combined total of the last three games together!

When you get to wear the armband for this beautiful club you must respect the exclusive membership that has been graced by legends before you. Jock McPherson, Jack Burkitt, John McGovern and Stuart Pearce led by example and more importantly, with great discipline!

Football wise, Lansbury has been excellent but his inability to compose himself tells me that he’s not fit to skipper the club.

I would like to see Eric Lichaj as captain, although some would argue that he’s not very vocal. Actions speak louder than words and if you’ve ever played the game, more often than not that is enough to galvanise the players around you.

Lichaj gives everything and his attitude is first class, he is constantly improving and the crowd are buzzing whenever he’s involved.

If he has that sort of impact on the supporters (who are a tough audience it has to be said) I’m certain that he can lead his teammates too.

Given that Sheffield Wednesday came into the game against Forest on the back of a nine match unbeaten run, the away side were unlucky not to come away with a point.

A win, however, was a million miles away - if the game was still being played now we wouldn’t have scored.

Forest handed a debut to their young Bulgarian goal keeper, Dimitar Evtimov, because Dorus De Vries was ruled through injury. His solitary mistake was to be the deciding factor in the game despite quite rightfully being named as man of the match.

Wednesday showed little of the flare that put Arsenal to the sword just four days earlier but Kieran Lee and Fernando Forestieri were slowly finding space. Evtimov denied the Owls on more than one occasion in the first-half and helped us get to the half way mark at 0-0.

The second period saw Atdhe Nuhiu head just over and again very little from Forest. Dexter Blackstock seemed to be going through the motions but it was good to see Ben Osborn back again. Osborn tried to block Forestieri’s long range effort in the 68th minute but it somehow ended up hitting the back of the net. Evtimov misjudged the shot and it squirmed beneath him.

This was always going to be the winner but I do not fault the young stopper at all, he had a fine game despite this single mistake. More worrying was the sheer lack of any striking prowess by Forest.

Yes, we are in trouble and our manager is under severe pressure but our cause is not being helped by people like Mr Lansbury. So if you’re looking for some to blame, don’t look at the manager or the keeper!

Related topics: