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25 min: Nearly a goal for Forest! It would have been incredibly scrappy: a long throw is launched into the Spurs penalty area – the ball bounces around for a while, with none of the players seeming to be able to produce a decisive touch either way. Finally it loops over towards the back post via a Forest head, where Kouyate is lurking. Vicario flaps at the ball, allowing Yates to belt a shot from close range which is blocked. Forest come again – Udogie then blocks a volley by Gibbs-White – and now Johnson of Tottenham has gone down injured with what looks to be a head injury. Fingers crossed he is OK.
23 min: Johnson is in the thick of it again for Spurs, toe-poking a first-time shot from the edge of the penalty area that is sneaking inside the post before Turner pats it around the post and out for a corner. From the resulting corner a header flashes over the crossbar from Davies.
22 min: “Speaking of the keepers tonight- it seems the Turner v Vlachodimos mess has been lost in the Ramsdale v Raya debate,” emails Harriet Osborn. “For this US fan it was shocking to see Turner dropped after the Liverpool match (isn’t that a free hit?) so I’m enjoying seeing him back starting. He’s come a long, long way from playing baseball in school – only got into football at 16! – and featuring on ESPN’s Not Top Ten in college.”
Matt Turner howler.18 min: Richarlison is fouled by Mangala in the Spurs half. Spurs counter quickly, but lose it equally quickly, and quick as a flash, Gibbs-White plays Elanga in on goal for Forest! He’s one-on-one with Vicario after a pacy counter and hits what is in truth a pretty poor attempted finish straight at the goalie, who beats the shot out. Romero was also making his presence felt from Elanga’s left. But regardless, the assistant’s flag goes up – he was offside from Gibbs-White’s pass.
Elanga gives the Spurs defence a scare. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images17 min: Johnson gets on the ball again on the right, tries to cross but fluffs it. Then Niakhate is under pressure from the same player. But it ends with a goal kick for Forest.
16 min: David Johnson, formerly of Forest and father of Brennan, is pictured in the crowd. The match has lately been played out in what Peter Reid would call “Da middle of da park.”
12 min: More havoc in the Forest defence – it’s their turn to lose the ball while on the back foot, and Son has another sight of goal, although from the edge of the box and with bodies in the way this time. Johnson then has a dart down the right wing and crosses, looking for Richarlison, but there is a good clearing header by Murillo. Still plenty of noise from the crowd, and a high-tempo start from both teams.
9 min: Positive signs for Forest at last when some determined pressing causes Spurs to cough up possession while they are trying to play out from the back. Toffolo breaks down the left and crosses, Spurs clear, Forest win it back, Spurs win it back again, and finally Tottenham can clear the danger. It’s fairly fast and furious, and Spurs should be a goal up really, but that was the first bright spot for Cooper’s men.
6 min: Now Spurs – it’s all Spurs – get a free-kick on their left wing in an advanced area. Porro bends it into a packed area, but the hosts clear. But within seconds, Son is bearing down on the Forest defence again. It does appear that Cooper is opting to soak up pressure and hit on the break … but there is only so much pressure any back line can take.
3 min: Forest’s defence is torn asunder at virtually the first time of asking and Spurs should be a goal up. Kulusevski creates it, silkily taking a pass to feet, turning and playing a ball around the corner for Son, who is suddenly bearing down on goal from the left of the penalty area. He scuffs the shot and Turner can save from point-blank range. A massive let-off for Forest and all created by the skill and awareness of Kulusevski.
Matt Turner thwarts an Son with an early chance! Photograph: Ryan Browne/Shutterstock2 min: Son has gone down holding his head after tangling for a second time with Yates. There is an early break in play, but Son appears to be OK, and we can carry on.
First half kick off!Here we go. Forest’s Yates fouls Son of Spurs within seconds.
“You wanted thoughts,” emails James.
“Youuuuuu Redddddsssss” & “Cooper in”
“That is all. COYR.”
Here we go then. The teams are out, the Friday-night crowd is suitably noisy, and Cooper and Postecoglu have just had a handshake and a hug on the sideline. This is going to be lively.
“This Spurs team reminds me a little of Bielsa’s Leeds,” emails Joe Pearson. “Not so much in how they play, but in how fun their matches are to watch. Lots of goals, both for and against. Let’s do this!”
Yes, let’s.
“Having just read the Alisson interview can’t imagine either keeper here feeling quite so sanguine!” emails Andy, in Sheffield, waiting for a curry.
”I’m predicting goalfest but I’m not sure who for.”
I was just about to mention the Alisson interview. Here it is, by Andy Hunter:
Enjoy the curry.
“My thoughts: I prefer Cloughie’s single breasted to Tel’s double effort,” emails Jeremy Boyce. “Does anyone know whose idea it was to hold hands ? Too late to ask them now. Shell suit tops and skimpy shorts, Stuart Pearce’s thighs. Forest may be riding low by today’s comparison, but will Spurs ever win a European Cup/Champions League ? Never mind two on the bounce.”
Unless my memory is playing tricks on me, I remember the holding-hands being discussed during the live coverage on the day, I think both managers were asked about it. As I remember it, Clough just did it instinctively when they were walking out, and Venables was happy to go with it.
No shortage of football news around today, it being the weekend and all that:
What we can say about Postecoglou’s Spurs is that they will give this a good go. Will that mean space for Forest on the counter? Could a seven-goal thriller await? Might this turn out to be the greatest match of association football ever seen?
Any thoughts? About this football match, I mean? Why not send me an email?
Kick-off is under half an hour away …
Here’s a photo via Spurs’ Twitter of Venables and Clough holding hands before the 1991 FA Cup final.
Ian Woan and his magical left boot have to be mentioned tonight, obviously, but how about this lesser-remembered but equally brilliant winner by Steve Stone for Forest at Spurs in 1995?
“We know him,” Steve Cooper says of Brennan Johnson lining up against his former club. “We know the impact he can have … but you get these players week in, week out in the Premier League.”
Kelly Cates, presenting on Sky Sports, prefaced that by asking “Do you have a plan?”, to which Cooper smiled and said: “I hope I have a plan … we do some work, you know!”
Then he, Cates, Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher all laughed heartily. Cooper seems fairly relaxed, which is a good sign for Forest fans on a very important night.
Steve Cooper, possibly ranking Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher’s puffer jackets. Photograph: Nick Potts/PAMorgan Gibbs-White, who makes his 100th Premier League appearance this evening, tells Sky Sports there is “massively” a strong sense of togetherness in the Forest camp, and that all the players back Steve Cooper to turn their form around.
“Everyone believes in him,” says Gibbs-White. “You can see the fans believe him in as well. We’ve got to keep building as a team and look for the next challenge. We’re looking forward to this game tonight and hopefully we can get three points.”
TeamsForest are unchanged following last weekend’s draw at Wolves. Spurs are also unchanged after that 4-1 win against the Magpies: Brennan Johnson starts for against his former club.
Nottingham Forest (3-5-2): Turner; Boly, Murillo, Niakhate; Williams, Yates, Mangala, Kouyate, Toffolo; Elanga, Gibbs-White. Substitutes: Wood, Hudson-Odoi, Dominguez, Vlachodimos, Origi, Danilo, Montiel, Omobamidele, Aina.
Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Porro, Romero, Davies, Udogie; Sarr, Bissouma; Johnson, Kulusevski, Son; Richarlison. Substitutes: Skipp, Hojbjerg, Gil, Emerson, Dier, Forster, Veliz, Donley, Dorrington.
Referee: Jarred Gillett (Aus)
PreambleNottingham Forest v Tottenham is a fixture steeped in history, most notably Spurs’ memorable FA Cup final triumph in 1991; a clash of two managerial legends in which Terry Venables ultimately got the better of Brian Clough.
But this no time for nostalgia – or it certainly won’t be when tonight’s match kicks off. Urgent matters must be attended to – namely, from the hosts’ point of view, the miserable run that Steve Cooper’s Forest been on lately. They have won just once in 12 matches, with a low point coming in a 5-0 thrashing by Fulham 11 days ago, although the slump was arrested by last Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Wolves.
Tottenham put a stop to a worrying slide of their own by thrashing injury-ravaged Newcastle last weekend but are, in truth, looking distinctly injury-ravaged themselves. Can Ange Postecoglou’s side back up that performance and make it back-to-back wins against a home team who will be, in the opinion of many, playing for their manager’s job this evening?
Team news and more coming up.
Kick-off: 8pm