grafikhaus
Kraft durch Freude
On Saturday November 3rd, we visit Nottingham Forest. This is the first time The Blades have met The Trees since our 0-0 draw on 17th March earlier this year where 28,095 braved an Arctic Tuesday night at Bramall Lane. Brrr! While many thought United had been unfortunate to lose the corresponding fixture at the City Ground 1-2 on 30th September 2017, United could say the balance had be redressed as Forest appeared to be unlucky to only get a draw in this game. This game came with just nine games of the 2017/18 season left which would see United win only two more games until the end of the season.
Some of my previous Forest ramblings:
But, if you can’t be bothered trawling through the lot, the very finest game I’ve ever seen was against Forest:
Last night, Forest went out of the Carabao Cup with a 3-2 defeat at Burton Albion. Blades fans hoping for injuries or suspensions before our clash would have been disappointed as manager Aikor Karanka made ten changes to the team that drew 1-1 at Leeds last Friday.
On 18 May 2017 it was confirmed that Evangelos Marinakis had completed his takeover of Nottingham Forest, bringing an end to Al-Hasawi's reign as Forest owner.
In March 2018, Marinakis was charged with trafficking heroin by public prosecutor Irene Tziva. The accusations against Marinakis were described as "very serious charges" following a three-year investigation after the tanker Noor One was intercepted at the Greek port of Piraeus carrying 2.1 tonnes of heroin in 2014. He has also been charged with financing an illegal operation.
He was previously accused of being involved in the bombing of a referee's bakery but faced no action.
The businessman and Olympiakos owner is facing accusations of match-fixing in Greece but has passed the EFL's owners' and directors' test…
‘Super agent’ Jorge Mendes (the man behind Wolves’ transfer dealings) has now linked up with Nottingham Forest – who he sees as ‘his next project’ – and is already influencing Forest’s transfers, particularly from his native Portugal.
Our League record v. Forest is:
Home: P: 51 W: 21 D: 13 L: 17 F: 68 A: 66
Away: P: 51 W: 13 D: 14 L: 24 F: 58 A: 85
Championship Table:
We go into the Forest game proudly atop the Championship. Forest are in seventh place, but with several clubs breathing down their necks.
Full Championship Table
Form Guide:
Our recent ‘blip’, while regrettable, still sees us in fourth place based on the last six league games. Forest are ninth but – like the Championship table – several teams are just below them.
Full Championship Form Guide
Top Scorers:
On 6th July 2018, Lewis Grabban joined Forest from Bournemouth on a 4-year deal for a fee believed to be around £6m. He is Forest’s top scorer this season with 8 goals in the league and one in the Carabao Cup – and has missed three penalties in the league.
Grabban and Joe Lolley have scored the bulk of Forest’s goals.
Lewis Grabban
On 14 June 2018, midfielder João Carvalho from Benfica signed a five-year contract for a club-record transfer fee of £13.2m (€15 million).
On the same day, striker Diogo Gonçalves joined Forest on loan from Benfica with the option of making the transfer permanent at the end of the season. If the club move to sign him on a permanent deal at the end of the season, he will most likely cost a new record transfer fee for the East Midlands club.
The manager:
A decent player, Karanka had spells at Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid before his managerial career began with the Spain U-16 side before, in June 2010, Karanka was appointed assistant manager at former side Real Madrid by newly-appointed manager José Mourinho. Three years later he left the club following the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti, who brought his own coaching staff.
On 13th November 2013, Karanka became manager of Middlesbrough where he remained for almost four years until he left after falling out with players, directors and fans.
Karanka was appointed Forest manager on 8th January 2018.
