Johnson’s magic spells further nightmare for Nottingham Forest’s cursed start to the season

Forest’s latest offering looked all too familiar at The Riverside Stadium with another lacklustre display which continues to mirror the dreadful run of form that plagued their final run-in of the last campaign.

A sluggish approach to games and individual mistakes continues to cost them dearly. Lacking creativity and almost toothless in attack when chances do arrive, they are on the kind of run (since last March) which worryingly for Reds fans, resembles relegation form. The mindset at the club is one of growing concern and without a leader on the pitch to galvanise the troops, Harry Arter can’t return from injury quick enough. Chris Hughton has got a real job on his hands to turn the tide as he figures out his best team and formation.

Despite several attacking options further up the pitch, Forest didn’t get going at all at Middlesbrough with no positive patterns or rhythm to their play. Neither Sammy Ameobi, Luke Freeman or Anthony Knockaert did enough individually or as a collective to hurt Middlesbrough. Their overarching lack of tempo is all too easy to play against at this moment in time. Joe Lolley, who came on as half time substitute for the ineffective Ameobi, also struggled to make an impact on the game. 

At the back, Forest looked shaky from the early moments of the game as Middlesbrough threatened from set-pieces. Britt Assombalonga who is still yet to find the net against his former team missed a gilt-edged chance on the five-minute mark as Paddy McNair’s corner found him with Tobi Figueiredo not close enough to him at the back post.

Ryan Yates, who had dragged Forest back into the game at Luton Town during the week had a disappointing game alongside Jack Colback in midfield and neither of the pair could knit Forest’s midfield to attack.

Middlesbrough’s Sam Morsy and Jonny Howson were winning the midfield battle long before Djed Spence came on for Morsy during the first half. George Saville looks rejuvenated under Warnock and with Hayden Coulson and Marcus Tavernier looking confident further up the pitch, their direct approach is getting just deserts as Boro extended their unbeaten run.

Youngster Hayden Coulson shone for Middlesbrough on the left-hand side with his willing running and intent to get beyond the Forest backline. The left-winger could have gotten himself a goal in the first half, opting to go for goal instead of cutting the ball back to a man in a red shirt but his shot still brought out a good save from Brice Samba. Coulson was a thorn in Forest’s side all afternoon and on another day, may have left The Riverside with a couple of assists under his belt.

Forest’s attitude in the first half could be best described as casual and a shocking back pass from Ryan Yates provided Assombalonga with the kind of chance you’d fully expect him to put away with ease. Clear through on goal without a grey shirt anywhere near him, Assombalonga almost had too much time to ponder and could only find Brice Samba’s feet as he bore down on goal. Marcus Tavernier pounced on the loose ball and with Samba scampering back to goal, he still managed to blaze the ball over the bar when well placed. 

As the game wore on, Middlesbrough certainly looked the far likelier of the teams to open the scoring. Whilst Forest had defended reasonably well as a collective, their failure to look after the ball further up the pitch inevitably led to one way traffic for the majority of the second period.

Ironically, despite Boro’s dominance, Ryan Yates was presented with the best chance of the game on 63 minutes but the Forest midfielder couldn’t find the back of the net when it looked easier to score than miss the target from Knockaert’s whipped in corner.

That moment almost summed Forest’s performance up. Without sustaining any momentum with the ball, they don’t look confident in front of goal and lack that instinct in front of goal that comes with a side that are creating chances. With no disrespect to young Yates, he has been at the fore of missed chances this season and for a defensive midfielder, it’s not hard to see why Forest are struggling for goals. Others simply need to pull their socks up.

Middlesbrough’s persistence to keep creating chances and knocking on the Forest door eventually brought its reward on eighty minutes. George Saville’s cross caught Forest full-back Cyrus Christie napping, as Marvin Johnson met the ball on the half volley to tuck the ball past Brice Samba at his near post.

Considering it was Johnson’s first touch of the game, it was an emphatic one and was no more than Middlesbrough deserved for their afternoon’s efforts. You could clearly see what it meant to the Teesider’s team as the majority of the group celebrated Johnson’s winner and there laid the stark contrast between the two camps.

Image: Middlesbrough Official Website

Posing no real sense of urgency to take the game to Middlesbrough nor showing the will or guile to dominate their opponents, Chris Hughton will be concerned with his side lack of quality on the ball. Encouraging his side ‘forwards’ from the touchline in the early moments of the game, only Luke Freeman showed fleetingly, some suggestion that Forest could pose the Boro rearguard further problems. 

Forest are going to face a challenging week ahead with games coming up against newly-promoted sides Coventry City and Wycombe Wanderers. Both clubs will be coming to The City Ground with encouraging wins under their belts, knowing they’ll have a great chance to inflict further injury on a side looking devoid of confidence. Middlesbrough had a greater appetite to win the match from start to finish and this will be a concern to Chris Hughton.

“We have to take it on the chin. You are always looking at your team and where they can do better. We needed to be better against a team that presses and are direct. You have to battle against that or look for moments of quality to break them down. At the moment we are not doing enough of that to take the lead. If we do, then the game changes but we never allowed ourselves to be in that position.” – Chris Hughton

Forest debutant striker Miguel Angel Guerrero struggled to get into the game and was well marshalled by Boro’s defence. On a day of few positives for Forest, at the very least Hughton will have been pleased with Scott McKenna’s steady performances at the heart of central defence since his £3m signing from Aberdeen. Gaetan Bong who was restored to the Forest line up, had a more encouraging performance at left-back having not made a single appearance in a red shirt since his debut in January.

With a depleted squad and having to nurse players through the next three games before the international break, Neil Warnock was delighted with debutant 18-year-old Nathan Wood. The youngster played with great assurance throughout the ninety minutes with Warnock revealing that he got a round of applause from his teammates and staff when he returned to the dressing room at full time.

Boro’s tactics were spot on in preying on Forest’s vulnerabilities and capitalised on their laboured passing approach, pinning them back and going for their juggler from the opening moments in true Warnock style. Despite the win, Warnock has been around the block too many to rest on his laurels and could only look forward to their next fixture.

“Don’t get carried away. We are on a decent points tally and it’s nice to go to Blackburn on Tuesday with three points in the bag. I said at half time it might take 80 minutes or it might take 90 but there is a goal there. I’m delighted.” – Neil Warnock

Judging by Warnock’s animated display on the touchline, the seasoned warhorse hasn’t lost any of his appetite for the game and is thoroughly enjoying his start to life at Boro. The sunshine is back on Teeside.

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