22 Apr 2025 14:50:45
I can't add to the many excellent posts on here from last night. As I've said to my good friend Legolas, it was the most nervous watch.
I would made a couple of remarks.
Firstly, there is an excellent article on BBC football about the fact that we are heading for a Champions League place with the lowest possession stats of any Premiership team. We currently average 39% beating the record of Leicester of 42%.
Secondly, we must remember that Nuno learnt his trade as assistant under the greatest defensive coach of his era Jose Morinho. I've said this before but we actually use the so called "low block" as an offensive, positive counter attacking option. Like Mohammed Ali s "rope a dope " tactics against George Foreman, taking tremendous punishment but attacking at the crucial time. Last night, apparently, we defended 48 crosses and they scored one goal ( too late to make a difference as it turned out)
We don't have Abramovitchs billions but Nuno has the same set up. Instead of Petr Cech we have the superb Sels, instead of John Terry and Marcel Desailly we Murillo and Malenkovic, instead of Didier Drogba we have Woody, instead of Frank Lampard we have MGW etc. Instead of Makelele we have Yeats ( as Sanghere hasn't stepped up as yet). don't get me wrong I'm not saying the Forest lads are world class like the illustrious names I've mentioned but you get the picture ( and, of FFP necessity, at a fraction of the cost). Unlike those around and below us, We are performing like a Ferrari at the cost of an Austin Allegro.
If it means fingernails bitten down to the elbows, so be it comrades. Coyr! ??????.
22 Apr 2025 17:17:46
Absolutely mate.100%!
22 Apr 2025 18:40:05
I’m not sure about the comparison generally. I feel the team still needs few - maybe 3 or 4 new players to give us more options and allow Nuno to change tactics and strategies during the game. Our pace is what beats teams and I think he’ll want to add more of it in various positions. we aren’t the complete deal yet but the lads have been fantastic all season. Nuno has got them to gell and excel.
22 Apr 2025 18:50:23
Sorry Stokey, I tuned-out when you hit the % figures. I bet your bosses in the Police used to love reading your reports!
23 Apr 2025 09:25:22
Legolas, mate, as Einstein said “Mathematics is Truth”………????.
23 Apr 2025 11:23:26
As you know Legolas my wife and Iwent to see Chris McCausland at the Lyceum Theatre in Crewe last night. Very funny show. When he talked about his highly improbable success winning the Strictly Glitterball despite being totally blind I thought about your inspirational triumphs in overcoming adversity. Great stuff. Who could imagine a blind man on a dance floor or a man with no legs climbing a mountain?
Yet it’s been done. Well done mate ( though he is funnier than you I must say) ……. ????.
23 Apr 2025 12:02:52
By the way, mentioning Einstein, my wife and I went to see Oppenheimer the film at the weekend. Superb with a staggering performance by a skeletal Cillian Murphy. Tom Conti as Einstein, brilliant support from Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jnr and Kenneth Branagh. Take a cushion though it’s 3 hours long.
{Ed001's Note - my uncle was in a film with Murphy. He was consulting on it (the one about the assassination of Reynard Heydrich as he has written a book on it and is considered an expert on it) and managed to wangle a role in the film as well. He is a very unusual man. Brilliant actor though, but then you have to be to still get roles when you don't even have a mobile phone in the modern era.}
23 Apr 2025 13:33:15
Thanks Stokey. "I can't" means "I won't".
23 Apr 2025 13:49:25
That’s interesting Ed. What role did he play? I've seen the film “Anthropoid “ co starring Jamie Dornan if that’s the one?
As you know, I’ve always had a soft spot for the Czechs and have friends in the Czech Republic. I’ve been shown the spot where Heydrich was assassinated and the church basement Czech soldiers played by Murphy and Dornan were hunted down, then fought to the end and finally committed suicide than be captured.
I mean, you’ve got to love a country that
Firstly was the only occupied country to kill its Nazi Governor
Secondly, had a poet, playwright, author and political prisoner Vaclev Havel as its first post Communist President. I once saw him sauntering across the grounds of Prague Castle chatting to people, hands in pockets, smoking and relaxed with no security. He was the Czech Nelson Mandela
Thirdly, had Frank Zappa as Minister of Culture and Tourism
Lastly, had a disproportionate number of brave pilots flying in the RAF in the Battle of Britain ( including the Slovak contingent). There is a huge memorial corner to them and the RAF in Prague Cathedral. Very pro British to this day mate.
{Ed001's Note - that's the one, he was only a small part, just enough to get credited. If you blink you would miss him. He was something like 'man on bus' or similar. He spends a lot of time in the country as he takes tour groups round the locations. His passion is history, though his day job is comedian and comedy writer. When he does cruises, he will do comedy shows at night and then give history talks during the day. These days he is heading towards retirement, he doesn't need to work so hard, especially as the talent agency him and his wife have is doing so well.
Actually I just looked it up on IMDB and he is listed there as man at assassination. But he was really listed as a thank you for consulting with the historical aspects.}