Fans were treated to the rare privilege of a 4-4-2 line-up for the clash with ‘bogey team’ Walsall, and early signs were positive.

Forest laid siege to the Saddlers goal early on with two efforts from Matt Thornhill kept out by the imperious Walsall shot-stopper Clayton Ince.

The Reds forced four corners in the first 20 minutes and Nathan Tyson saw a speculative effort from 25-yards well saved.

Shortly before half time came the brightest moment of the half as Tyson made up a six yard deficit to tear past the Walsall left back and strike the crossbar, but the breakthrough didn’t come until the 49^th minute.

Lewis McGugan played in Tyson who opted to cross for loanee Brett Ormerod, who slotted home his first Forest goal from close range.

And just a minute later the points should have been beyond doubt as Tyson blazed past Ian Roper to tee up Ormerod again, but this time the Preston forward inexplicably failed to convert from inside the six-yard box.

The equaliser came soon afterwards, in bizarre fashion.

A harmless cross struck Kelvin Wilson on the byline and sailed past a hesitating Paul Smith.

The goal was met with a dumbstruck silence that was eventually interrupted by the celebrations of the Walsall supporters as they realised what had happened.

Walsall set up shop in their own half for the remainder of the game and Forest had no answer to their determined defending.

Forest finished the game with four strikers on the pitch but Walsall created the best chances on the break – denied by a goal line clearance from Sammy Clingan, and later the crossbar.

Anguished cries of “Calderwood Out” erupted in pockets around the ground as the referee blew for full-time.

The under-fire Scot has guided his expensively-assembled outfit closer to twelfth position than the automatic promotion places.

Comment

At this stage of the season reasonable performances are as useful as glass pillows if they aren't combined with victories. 

 
There is simply no doubt about it. Colin Calderwood has failed to meet the club’s expectations and has no business remaining at the football club any longer.

For many he had no right to remain at his post following the televised capitulation to Yeovil in last season’s play-offs, and now even those who offered him benefit of the doubt are struggling to justify their position.

Some may look at our league position and find it odd that the manager is under pressure. But managerial tolerance is proportional to expectation; Avram Grant would not take any plaudits for landing Chelsea a UEFA Cup spot, and Calderwood is working in similar parameters.

Forest can boast arguably the best playing squad in the entire division. And yet having topped the table at Christmas, Forest find themselves nine points off second spot with only ten games to play.

A fourth stint in the third tier would see star players leave, but more importantly the final phase of the supporters’ exodus would be well underway. The average attendance would likely dip below 15,000, and Forest would effectively be part of the furniture.

Calderwood is dragging the side to this inexorable doom and he does not have any solution to the problems.

We cannot back a manager that can play Grant Holt as a winger for five months, see the crackpot strategy fail for the same period of time, and still continue to try it incessantly.

Our manager has spent the entire season forcing square pegs into round holes in pursuit of a 4-5-1 system that does not suit any player at the football club and, in doing so, he has cost us promotion.

The squad reflects Calderwood’s personality – cautious, hesitant, dour, unimaginative and completely unable to perform the essential basics. We bottled it last season, on two counts, and we are bottling it all over again.

Instead of chortling your way obliviously through press meetings, Colin, clear your desk and give us a fighting chance!

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon

Related Articles:

• Southend 1-1 Forest - The Alternative Report
• Crewe 0-0 Forest - The Alternative Report

SPORTNETWORK SPECIALS