Oh, and to enjoy this cracking little picture too...
Nice little celebration after #Oliveira goal #Forest 1-0 #Derby (Pic: @Official_NFFC) pic.twitter.com/I5tU8jnIJl
— CapitalEastMids News (@CapitalEMNews) November 6, 2015
As the international break unfolded it dawned on me just how horrible it would've been to have lost that game. We'd have had two weeks to reflect on a grim result and, you fear, maybe even yet another period of managerial uncertainty - joining the clutch of Championship clubs in search of a new boss.
We'd have had to fight Blackburn for Paul Lambert and, if unsuccessful, might have begged Nigels Pearson and Clough. And, when that stubborn pair spurned us, who next? Nigel Havers? Nigel Farage?
Ok, I'm being facetious, but a defeat followed by a deeply unsatisfying search for a manager no better than what we've got could have been pretty dismal.
So, having sidestepped one tricky situation, it now befalls on Dougie Freedman to try to steer clear of repeating a mistake of last season.
Stuart Pearce's great against-all-odds triumph over the Sheep was followed by a limp first half at Fulham - which ultimately led to a 3-2 defeat - and a tepid 1-0 defeat at home to Millwall. The passion and the emotion that helped conjure that superb win down the A52 soon fizzed away.
This time you'd like to think that the breathing space of a two-week break should help - a luxury Pearce didn't have. The dust has settled and the game last Friday is now a joyous memory. Pearce's win proved his solitary victory in his last 10 games in charge, as things stand it's Dougie's only win in his last nine.
It was some effort to beat Clement's men. Setting aside who they are, this was a win against a side that had only lost once before all season and are title contenders. It was, even with Garibaldi Red-tinted specs on, thoroughly deserved too, with Freedman's men winning the battle physically and tactically and being driven on by a phenomenal performance from David Vaughan. The Welshman's showing was surely one of the best individual displays in Red in that fixture for some time?
Let's not forget, though, that Freedman has pulled off similar victories before - toppling Bournemouth and Middlesbrough at the City Ground when the odds suggested he didn't stand much of a chance. Say what you like about him, but he does have a plan for such occasions and it worked to a treat again against the overwhelmed Rams.
There were bucket loads of positives for Freedman to take into tomorrow's clash with Brentford at Griffin Park but he has to make sure the Derby win becomes the start of a run - not a flash in the pan. If his side can show the same work rate, solidity, physical strength, tenacity and neat use of the ball then he won't be going far wrong.
It won't be easy. Lee Carsley's men had mustered four wins on the spin before stuttering in their final two games and they do pose a threat in front of goal. Freedman followed up his Bournemouth and Boro wins up with a win against Reading and draw against Leeds respectively and it's that sort of momentum he needs to find in West London, rather than a parallel with Pearce's failure at nearby Fulham.
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Tomorrow will be my second visit to Brentford, the last being almost ten years ago - a 1-1 draw on a Tuesday night in January 2006.
A quick look back at the starting line up that day does at least show offer comfort that things aren't all bad these days:
Gerrard, Thompson, Bennett, Morgan, Breckin, Perch, Gary Holt, Friio, Southall, Commons, Tyson. Subs: Gardner, Bastians, Bopp, Pedersen, Lester.
Still, while I remember little of the game - barring the odd trademark Bennett challenge and the thought that it was a decent point (Brentford made the play-offs that year) - my memory is slightly different to that of Sky Sports. Surely I'd have remembered if this were the formation Megson had sent out?!
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| http://www.skysports.com/football/brentford-vs-n-forest/68052 |
James Perch's goalkeeping career completely passed me by it seems!
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