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Pre match mood : Fairly confident. Had the QPR game in the back of my mind
Prediction : 0-0
First half : Took us some time to find a rhythm and get in the game. Forest started brighter, and with a 5 man midfield it was going to be difficult to dominate. The TV cameras had obviously given Ledley something to play for. Let's make it clear, IT WAS NOT A STONEWALL PENALTY BILLY DAVIES. Matthews unintentionally and accidently clips the Forest players heels. Mind you Forest were playing some tidy neat football at this point and my memories of the QPR were rearing their ugly head. Lee Camp made two good saves to deny Whitts and Ledley, but I thought if we scored things would settle down. We didn't, and Forest went in at half time the better of the two. The 10 man melee as a result of Whitts v Gunter was good fun. It was just as well Gunter stayed out of it because it looked like he wanted to thump someone.
Second half : We had Forest on the back foot for most of this half. Matthews and Burke were again linking up nicely and our goal was inevitable. It was a shame we couldn't turn the screw and finish them off, but then Cardiff did what Cardiff do very well - go one up and then sit back and let visiting teams come straight back at them.
Thumbs Up : Ledley putting in a good performance for a change - made the assist for Bothroyd's goal.
Thumbs Down : Sitting back and inviting Forest to come at us with 10 minutes to go. Chopra stupidly getting booked to miss the Swansea game. Hudson still looks like a carthorse.
Crowd highlight(s) : "Oh scabby scabby. Scabby scabby scabby scabby Nottingham" Wasn't the best of nights.
Man of the Match : Big Both. Things just seemed to click for him, and he spent far less time on his arse than usual
CCFC Verdict : Disappointing to concede in injury time, but that's what you get when you sit far too deep. And we're far too slow reacting to anything. We have the reactions of a large government department. Form now goes out the window for Saturday's derby day. I'm just glad McPhail is not playing. Missing out on top spot is no big deal in my opinion. We're still way up there in the mix in what is turning out to be a wide open Championship. When you're at the top of the pile, the only way is down.
Watching back some of the game later that evening, the BBC seemed to make the half time analysis feel like an advert for Cardiff City : Roll up roll up, successful South Wales team seeking investment at Championship level. Worth a punt before they possibly make it into the Premier League. Team, manager, stadium and infrastructure already in place, you'd be mad to miss out. It's a football match, not Exchange & Mart.
Visitors Verdict : I've got a lot of time for Forest and was quietly impressed with them. I can see why they're unbeaten on their travels. WIlson and HMS Wes Morgan look a bit suspect at the back, but the midfield stand out. They look hard to beat....don't concede many, but don't score many. Maybe their undoing but I'd expect to see them in the play off spots or very close by come May 2010.
