« on: October 22, 2022, 11:27:05 am »
1979
Liverpool played Nottingham Forest in the first round of the 1978-79 European Cup. At City Ground, defending champions Liverpool were unable to score and conceded two. The return fixture at Anfield did not produce any goals, and strong favorites for the cup beforehand, Liverpool, were knocked out.
The biggest club from my hometown of Malmö also played in the European Cup that year. Back in these days, with few exceptions, you played with the boys that came from your area. The goalkeeper Jan Möller, lived on my street. When I grew up I'd wave at him like I'd greet anyone else in sleepy suburbia. I didn't know it then, but my near neighbor Jan Möller played in a European Cup final. On the way there he and Malmö FF kept clean sheets against AS Monaco, Dynamo Kiev, and Austria Wien in the semi-final.
After the success against Liverpool, Nottingham Forest beat AEK Athens, Grasshopper from Zürich (who knocked out Real Madrid), and 1. FC Köln to reach the final. At the Olympiastadion in Munich Malmö started the final without two of their best players – midfielder Bo Larsson and defender Roy Andersson – already ruled out with injury and with their captain and key midfielder, Staffan Tapper, breaking his toe in training on the eve of the final. Jan Möller was unable to keep a clean sheet, and Trevor Francis scored what proved to be the only goal the of the game to confirm Nottingham Forest as the Champions of Europe in 1979.
Trevor Francis
Jan Möller
2021
On 21 September 2021, Forest announced the appointment of Steve Cooper as the club's new head coach. Cooper inspired a turnaround in form, arriving with the club in last place of the Championship, yet having them in 7th at Christmas, and all the way up in 4th by the end of the season, qualifying Forest for the playoffs for the first time since the 2010–11 season. In the 2022 Championship play-off semi-final, Forest defeated Sheffield United on penalties to advance to the final against Huddersfield Town, who they beat 1–0 at Wembley Stadium, and were promoted to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years.
2022
In the summer, Nottingham Forest decided to buy everyone. Twenty-two(!) players were brought in over the summer. Amongst them of course, Neco Williams. Taiwo Awoniyi is also in the squad, having been bought from Union Berlin. Forest beat West Ham in the second week of the Premier League but has since then not been able to win, drawing 3, and losing 7 including the first week. They sit firmly in the relegation zone waiting for all their new players to gel and kick-start their season.
Liverpool
A win here would move us beyond Manchester United - if even for the moment - but that in itself seems like a good prospect. With games coming thick and fast due to the absolutely ridiculous, shambolic, and corrupt "FIFA World Cup", what team do you reckon we'll see on Saturday? Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota is out for a while. Still no Matip and Konate is hopefully not too far away but won't be in for this one. Nat Phillips was on the bench and that's probably where he'll be for this one too. Arthur Melo is out as well, and no news on Naby lad yet. Bobby Clark was on the bench against West Ham but a start for him seems unlikely. Ox also made the team so he is technically in contention.
Tsimikas have been able to rotate with Robbo, who looks likely to start this one since Scouse Greek started mid-week. Ramsay played for the U-21, could he be available soon to give Trent some rest? He was afterall taken in to replace Neco Williams. Probably not for this one though. For midfield we've rotated Thiago, Hendo, and Fabinho recently. Fab came off the bench so he may be in for a start? Not sure if Klopp wants to play Thiago again so he might be rested in favor of Hendo if we continue with two in midfield.
Curtis Jones to get some minutes off the bench? Perhaps Ox as well? We will need lads being available. You can't really bench Salah, and Nunez is starting to warm up. Firmino is difficult to drop on this form. Nunez played some on the left wing for Benfica so he could be utilized there with Jota and Diaz being out, although he's probably the most effective in a central position. Harvey and Carvalho also in contention.
A. Becker
Trent - Gomez - Virgil - Robbo
Hendo - Fabinho
Mo - Bobby - Nunez - Carvalho
« Last Edit: October 22, 2022, 01:45:47 pm by TepidT2O »
Logged
“Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”
“Generosity always pays off. Generosity in your effort, in your work, in your kindness, in the way you look after people and take care of people. In the long run, if you are generous with a heart, and with humanity, it always pays off.”
W
