Saints carried on at The City Ground where they left off at Manchester United, by conceding 3 goals, but they dug in, rode their luck and almost snatched a point in the dying moments of the game.

Up at Old Trafford on Thursday, Saints threw away a 1-0 lead by a series of substitutions that to be blunt just didn't work.

So surprisingly the starting line up to take on Forest, contained several of those substitutes, whilst the likes of Lesley Ugochukwu and Kamaldeen Sulemana who had arguably been our best players against Manchester United, found themselves on the bench.

From the very start we didn't look up for it, we looked like a team who knew they were missing key players and were up against it, so it was no surprise that Forest scored with barely 11 minutes on the clock, we backed off and allowed Anderson plenty of time and space to pick his spot, standing right behind the goal, you could see the lack of organisation and challenges from early in the move.

We found a fragile confidence for a while and enjoyed a lot of possession, but that is how Forest like to play it, they sit deep and play the ball ;long to catch you on the break, although in fairness they can play a decent short passing game as well.

Just before the half hour mark, it was deja vu and again you could see it coming and likewise when Chris Wood was given a free header from close range to make it 3-0 on 41 minutes.

The mood was not good in the away section and a few people called it a day at half time and left the ground, however most stayed and stuck with it.

At half time Ivan Juric strangely made only one change, on came Big Les Ugochukwu for Flynn Downes and although Forest were still well on top, at least now we had a big strong player in the centre of the park to combat them.

On 58 minutes came a triple change, Manning, Sulemana & Onuachu on and it seemed that at least we were willing to have a go.

The first ray of home came only 3 minutes later when on the hour, a shot from Big Les was on target, but it hit Jan Bednarek and deflected into the net, Saints were back in the game.

Or where they ? within minutes it seemed that Forest had restored the 3 goal lead, however the most relived man in the ground was Aaron Ramsdale who looked at fault for the goal and was saved his blushes by VAR.

Saints grateful for the let off, now seemed to be playing with some confidence and without fear, Forest looked rattled and were no longer the cocky side they had been, on 83 minutes they too made a triple change, but it changed their shape and Saints went for the jugular.

We started to dominate the midfield and looked dangerous in attack, Forest were now sitting deep and hammering the ball forward rather than pass it when they got it.

Throughout the game Forest's tactics were to spoil the game, too many times there players went to ground and stayed there, it happened far too often and to far too many innocuous challenges to make it a coincidence.

They almost paid the price with the 12 minutes of injury time signalled and almost immediately Saints were back in the game when Tall Paul headed home his first ever goal for the club almost two years after joining.

Now Saints piled forward and almost snatched an equaliser on a couple of occasions, but Forest hung on for the win.

So Ivan Juric's 5th straight defeat in the League and as I said, a mirror image from the United game where we started well and ended badly and at Forest we started badly and ended well, encompassing a middle period stretching over both games where we conceded 6 goals in what was only a little more than the equivalent of one half of a game of football.

You feel that Ivan Juric's job spec here was not to keep us up, or if it was, then that has been abandoned, he did not put out his best side, it seemed like it was about giving a few people a game, rather than putting out the best side for the job.

Defensively we were woeful, Forest ran us ragged for most of the game, we lacked strength and we lacked leadership, it was almost as if the result did not matter, now it is all about looking towards next season where it is now inevitable that we will be in the Championship.

All Photos Via Reuters

HythePeer added 10:21 - Jan 20 Mr Juric! You can't rotate players, you've only got 5 that are any good!
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JoeEgg added 10:41 - Jan 20 "Defensively we were woeful, Forest ran us ragged for most of the game, we lacked strength and we lacked leadership" Do you mean we were missing Captain Jack?!
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DPeps added 11:20 - Jan 20 Surely it's becoming obvious to most of us now that the primary issue is the quality of players. We can't blame VAR or the manager, although I accept that both have not helped us at times this season. To be fair to Juric he should be able to rotate the team a bit an expect players to come in and do at least ok to fight for their place! Any other PL team would have some strength in depth. The common denominator is that the majority of our players are not at PL standard technically, and (as we have done for years) we are flakey mentally and concede goals in quick succession. I'm not sure where more points are coming from now. Leicester and Ipswich games seem to be the best bet!

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IanRC added 11:23 - Jan 20 Bizarre decision to not start LO and Sulemana.
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Farlow added 11:33 - Jan 20 We need a top drawer Centre Half.Every time Bednarek comes up against a big Centre Fotward he,s taken to the cleaners.I Thought the new coach would give Bella Kotchap a game,he,s better than the rest.
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A1079 added 11:40 - Jan 20 The first half display was pretty shocking to be honest and some of our so called experienced established players put in an embarrassing performance - particularly Downes and Armstrong. Downes has been poor this season and he is a red card waiting to happen. I can see why West Ham did not rate him. Armstrong is just so weak and ineffective at this level. None of the 3 goals that Forest scored should have happened, but equally we offered nothing as an attacking force - 1 shot towards the end of the first half. Second half was much better but in truth it could not have been much worse. At least though we showed some fighting spirit but we also rode our luck and I actually think Forest's disallowed goal was a poor VAR decision. But, those that came on subs made a difference whereas the subs at Man U had the opposite effect. It was good to be there to see Tall Paul score and those last 10-15 mins were actually quite exciting. Quite why Juric started with Downes and Armstrong is a mystery to me Forest players certainly play the dark arts and spend alot of time on the floor but we know to expect that. Taylor is awful as Ref. There appeared to be universal disdain for him from both sets of supporters. I see some grains of hope for next season but I really can't wait for this one to end. I cannot see where the next point will come from. It looks like we are going to have another unwanted record to our history. A word for the supporters. What a good following on a Sunday afternoon given where we are in the league and how poor we are to watch. I am surprised so many stayed for the 2nd half but those of us that did (which was the majority) will have been glad that they did.

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saintmark1976 added 11:45 - Jan 20 Honestly, what is the point of Juric remaining as manager if as it appears (given a mutually agreed contract break ) Sports Republic can’t even tell us if he will be in charge at the start of next season’s campaign in The Championship ? This season was effectively over months ago and we should now be building for August. How do we do that if it’s not even certain who the manager will be ? Sports Republic appointing Juric on the basis they did was yet another example of their total incompetence and ineptitude.

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landsdownsaint added 12:01 - Jan 20 I think he’s trialling the players that he knows ain’t good enough just to reassure himself ? either that or we got another crap manager , actually I quite like him & think he will sort it
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SanMarco added 12:12 - Jan 20 Juric will have now worked out that go strong at the start and we shed goals late on. Do the opposite and the game is over by half-time. Why not just play your best 11 and keep em on for the duration. It happened for many decades. Hugh Fisher didn't even get on in 76. Please don't say they are not fit enough. Their only real job is to get and stay fit. They clearly don;t practice minor details like defending or shooting...

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Bowlercow added 12:36 - Jan 20 The Forrest players spoilt the game at every opportunity It's the sort of tactic that Juric wants us to employ but it's not for me I'd rather lose than cheat
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ItchenNorth added 13:39 - Jan 20 I didn't understand why Juric needed to change the 11. With Dibling out, he should have just brought Archer in on the right as his replacement. Sulamana had his best game for Saints midweek so why drop him to the bench. Juric has claimed it is to protect a player due to having time out of the side. I get that, but start him and then sub him if levels drop. Similarly, Ugochukwu dropped to the bench for Downes yesterday, which flys in the face of what we saw midweek from both players. Manning has been one of our better players yet can't hold a place in the starting 11. As for Ramsdale, if next season Bazuna had that game (two goals let in from out side the box and juggling the ball into his own net), there'd be a lunch mob online for him. Now don't get me wrong, Ramsdale is top draw and clearly a No 1,but the mistakes at the back are now infectious this season. THB midweek Janny B yesterday, the list goes on. I'm just looking forward to the Burnley FA Cup game now and The Championship next season!

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ItchenNorth added 13:41 - Jan 20 Linch not lunch 😂
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davidargyll added 14:07 - Jan 20 No doubt we are not helped by some hugely lazy and over-rated players like Downes and Harwood-Bellis, but Forest are an example of what CAN be done. Just look at their progress this season. Remember we didn’t come far from taking at least a point off them in the first game of the season at SMS, and now look at them! They have gone forward massively: they are happy not to have the ball, but they press hard and, when they do get it back, because they are much fiiter and quicker, every attack is dangerous. Whereas the Saints have gone backwards because that complete toe-rag, Rarsehole Martian, believed in this ludicrous tippy tappy shite which led to lack of fitness, no zip, no bottle (why run into trouble when you can save your legs by passing sideways/backwards?) and every attack - if you can call it that - is consequently slow, predictable and by-and-large ineffective. If i was the Board I would fire Martin - apparently he is only on gardening leave - and tell him to sue us for compensation if he dares because I think his case for having done his job would get laughed out of court!

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Monksway added 15:18 - Jan 20 Being competitive for 45 mins isn't really much to shout about. Most mid table championship sides can be competitive against a Premier League outfit for part of any game but still will ship three goals at some point! Saints are simply in the wrong division and the ridiculous euphoria and hype that followed the Play off final masked that fact. As a result, with the exception of Ramsdale, the transfers were squad players or like for like replacements rather than quality upgrades meaning the first team squad is essentially the same as the one that came fourth in the championship. It's been a heavy price to pay for a good day out at Wembley.

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saint901 added 16:00 - Jan 20 Forest were an average (arguably below average) PL team at the start of the season but who now have a confidence that comes from changing to a more direct style of play and some good results. Their style suits them. Stay deep, crowd out the opposition, get it forward. They know that should they break forward but lose the ball and be short handed at the back, their manager is not going to criticise them. So I'm with Juric in not playing Sulemana from the start. He's a speed merchant who wants space to run into. That was not happening until Forest began to tire at 60 mins. We have apparently let in 17 goals directly as a result of passing around at the back

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JoeEgg added 16:17 - Jan 20 "the ridiculous euphoria and hype that followed the Play off final " Monksway I guess thats football fans everywhere Monksway but you make a good point. I wonder what Juric is thinking now? I mean he can hardly expect Lucy Pinder to come chasing after him, but surely he didn't realise that we were actually that bad. Now with Dibling out what chance of a goal from the next handful of matches ? Any January acquisitions are almost certain to be Championship class at best. Everybody else's throw aways! But on a positive note - you mean there is one? - well I can think of three! Lesley Ugo, Sulemana and Aribo have started to look like real players - and, bless him, Paul gets his first goal. Sorry That makes four positive notes sadly not four goals for Paul. Well rebuilding can actually be exciting too. Look at the achievements of Forest and especially Bournemouth. Where ther's Juric there is still hope.

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A1079 added 22:31 - Jan 20 You make some valid points Monksway but I will slightly take issue around the comment on the Play Off final. I did not actually want to make the Play Off's. For me, you either go up by getting the points needed to be promoted or you don't go up. But, cometh the day of the play off final, I loved the day and as did my son. The atmosphere, the winning, the joy afterwards etc was a rare day in the sun as a Saints fan (though it actually rained). I wouldn't want to take that away. If you can't enjoy those moments, then when can you enjoy it. That said, I certainly did not think for one moment that that we would suddenly be a PL side. I actually thought we would be relegated and I think most Saints fans did, even those that went to Wembley - what I did not expect us to be, is as poor as we have been. What I hoped is that we would at least make a fist of it and make the opposition work for their wins - all too often we haven't. Then if we went back down (as was likely and is now definite) we did so with pride instead we are probably going down as the worst PL side ever to have graced it - which I hate as a fan. I can take losing, I can take relegation (I have seen a few now) but for heavens sake I expect some pride and fight in those running and playing for the club. So there was no false dawn for me or most Saints fans on that day at Wembley, rather realism. What is sickening is how bad we have been.

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