Another one of those games, no question. The real poser is whether or not this is becoming one of those seasons.
Despite rarely even flirting with competence Forest had enough chances to win three games. But a series of dubious calls by Davies and the anguishing absence of any good fortune saw Forest slump to a gloomy home defeat.
There can be no complaints. Davies favours containment and revels in wringing points from despondent performances, but when it doesn’t work it’s miserable stuff.
Blackpool are a cumbersome bunch of simple virtue. They stumble and barge their way to points, playing into the channels and limiting much of their possession to the back four. Sadly, Forest pandered to their every whim with a strategy of unrelenting through balls into the abyss.
The fleet of gilt-edged chances that shortly preceded the winning goal were the product of clumsy Blackpool errors and Tyson breakaways. There was very little else to offer.
The longer the visitors held the lead, the fewer errors there were. Tyson’s energy dwindled in tandem, leaving us with nothing.
Earnshaw’s withdrawal seemed as much of an error as McGoldrick’s starting berth, and there are few things more tedious in football than the sight of ‘big men up front’ who aren’t winning headers.
The final 20 minutes should have been a siege for the points. Instead they were monotonous and predictable.
Blackpool eased down the clock; the modest pack of visiting fans found their voices and the dissenting home crowd collapsed into an exasperated sulk.
The full-time boo-boys were drowned out by begrudging applause. But too many more points squirming down the drain and the notoriously impatient Nottingham public will find themselves enduring an uncomfortably familiar winter of discontent.
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Lessons learned: McGoldrick and Earnshaw is a fruitless partnership. Earnshaw is the club’s most reliable marksman and should start every game alongside one of the lumps.
If Cohen is to start he must play in his natural position, not as a right winger, a left winger, a defender, or indeed a floating striker. What must the army of attackers on the bench have made of his uncomfortable advanced role?
Lynch and Chambers probably wouldn’t make the Notts County team.
Playing 4-5-1 at home to Blackpool (with ankle-biting Earnshaw is a focal point) is fundamentally wrong.
Ratings:
Camp – 6.5 – not his strongest performance.
Gunter – 7 – found himself at the byline playing searching balls into the box on three or four occasions, always a positive sign for a full back.
Chambers – 5 – endless side-footed balls looping to the Blackpool defence.
Morgan – 5.5 – dealt with the ensuing Chalie Adam with all the grace of an over-turned wagon.
Lynch – 5.5 – sometimes incompetent, sometimes a passenger.
Cohen – 6 – out of position, despite trying out several.
Moussi – 6 – some good points, but when he isn’t doing something remarkable (which he is capable of) he doesn’t seem to be doing much.
McKenna – 6.5 – strong, but lost in a system of long balls.
McGoldrick – 6 - to be brutally honest, I don't see the point of him yet.
Tyson – 7 – our only outlet
Earnshaw – 6.5 – busy and dangerous, but should have scored.
