Gyros Peter
Sauce salad?
Agree, but we've a 10 million pound 'asset' (or was it more) who's currently worth nothing - it's worth finding out in that regard.
-
All - as you will understand, the forum is exceptionally busy at this time. The admins and moderators simply don't have time to read every post in every thread. Could you PLEASE use the "Report" option below a post to flag any content that you feel we need to be aware of. We'll review everything reported as a priority and deal with it accordingly. Thank you.
Current state of the squad
- Thread starter forest_forever_99
- Start date
Monkman
Grenville Morris
True, not saying he's the answer. I just find CHO pretty underwhelming so far. Think how much Elanga is involved at the sharp end (both good and bad when he's wasteful) and then try to remember CHO in similar situations - it's very rare. He maybe plays a little deeper than Elanga but he's peripheral imo (so far at least).
GOBIAS
Ian Bowyer
He’s not had the run of games to get fully sharp though I guess. Unfortunately I’m not sure he ever will
Monkman
Grenville Morris
There is mitigation for sure and I haven't given up on him. He just seems to get a bit of a pass on here based on the player he was 3-4 seasons ago it seems.
Gyros Peter
Sauce salad?
I like CHO as a player, though he seems pretty low on confidence/form to me as it's been - I think he can be an asset for us, though for me the biggest thing is getting MGW central so they are closer to one another...
In the little bits we've seen they seem on each others wavelengths - I've hopes for that combination coming good once CHO continues to rebuild.
In the little bits we've seen they seem on each others wavelengths - I've hopes for that combination coming good once CHO continues to rebuild.
Monkman
Grenville Morris
I think it's the contrast with Elanga, both in what they do on the pitch and the reception they get on here, that stands out to me.
Elanga just makes stuff happen multiple times a game, and yeah he often fucks it up but he also quite often produces a goal or an assist. I know he's had far more minutes than CHO over the season, but it didn't take him many minutes to have an impact at Arsenal and Chelsea off the bench, and that was before he'd had much game time for us. Other than the wonder goal against Burnley, what has CHO contributed in terms of goals or even big chances? I can't think of literally anything.
I still see suggested lineups with CHO ahead of Elanga and that just astounds me, based on their relative production this year. As I say, it has to be based on an idealised version of CHO based on former glories and supposed potential rather than the reality we've seen.
valspoodle
Steve Chettle
Nuno likes wingers, especially rapid wingers, and seems to think CHO fits that mould, so I can see him getting game time.
Gyros Peter
Sauce salad?
I think the starting ahead of Elanga thing is that we've seen how effective he can be as am impact sub, and in my case, since I've put forward teams without him in, a tactical shift. You're right though - there's no way Elanga shouldn't start currently with the impact he is having.
As for CHO and impact, I thought he was the one bright spark in the Everton performance, despite making a couple of rusty/simple mistakes and did well v Bournemouth too.
Obviously his injury has limited his time/development with us, but he's also played two games with ten men (so a different role and naturally less attacking).
I read that he can't cross well on here - I've seen him whip a very dangerous ball in numerous times - so for me it's about giving him the time to force himself in as a starter or not. Its early days but if he can stay injury free I back him if he can get a run of seven to ten games...
Would be interesting to see his stats this year thinking about it...
Monkman
Grenville Morris
Really seems like I'm ragging on him, so apologies Callum! - but is he actually quick? He doesn't seem to cover much ground. Maybe that's a fitness thing, but I'm not seeing much pace in him personally. He's not slow per se but no speed demon.
Monkman
Grenville Morris
There's a lot of this - I agree he's looked tidy generally whenever he's played. But we surely need goal-threatening impact rather than tidiness from our forward players!
Robertson
Geoff Thomas
Exactly why I can see him considering Dennis as a reasonable depth option (for free)
Gyros Peter
Sauce salad?
He's not as quick as he once was, but definitely isn't slow is my take. He's one of those where while he didn't rely on his pace, he'll certainly need to think differently about not being able to call on that in situations where he used to. There's more to his game than that though - he likes to come deeper to link up and start things off.
Monkman
Grenville Morris
Yes, case in point - based on what I've seen, Dennis is more mobile than CHO. Obviously the issue then comes when he has the ball at his feet and options. Perhaps if we could merge them and use CHennis we'd have a real player.
Gyros Peter
Sauce salad?
My point is that will come following a run of games - he definitely has the potential to impact games and I back him to do that over time.
(Fwiw obvs!)
Bob Rosario
Banned
For me CHO looks like he has a good footballing brain on him, certainly more so than Elanga. But unfortunately the injuries that have dogged him have limited how explosive he can be.
He's clearly not slow but he's not going to burn past defenders like Elanga does, but very few players in the Premier League actually leave top defenders for dead like Elanga, who is possibly the fastest player I've ever seen at Forest.
There's a reason Chelsea virtually gave a once-£30m worth CHO away for nothing.
Gyros Peter
Sauce salad?
I'm not sure 'reason' and 'Chelsea' go hand in hand in modern times.
Otis Redding
Try A Little Tenderness
Agreed Pete. Callum offers us a different approach from out wide in contrast to Elanga's rapid pace on the other side. The long period he had away from the relentless demands of PL football clearly had an impact, which was reflected in his modest fee, and he needs to rebuild his confidence as much as his physicality.
It was reassuring to see the manager show confidence in him by introducing him from the bench at half-time against Bournemouth despite us having a man less, and then giving him a start and plenty of gametime at Newcastle. Nuno's experience could play an important part in us potentially seeing him back to something approaching the form he showed when he was winning England caps and the subject of multi-million-pound offers.
Red Dog in a Forest
Viv Anderson
After January I think CHO will be back-up for Elanga, with two RW’s coming in.
I think he’s talented enough to play more central.
Red Dog in a Forest
Viv Anderson
W
With a smaller squad we will definitely need flexibility.
The notion of a smaller squad is interesting really, because you name 25, then we have several u21 players in addition. Murillo and Elanga are the 2 obvious first teamers now.
Aquilera, Omabamidele need to be loaned out. The lad from Chelsea sent back.
Would at least cap the ‘first teamers’ at 27 players.
Aquilera, Omabamidele need to be loaned out. The lad from Chelsea sent back.
Would at least cap the ‘first teamers’ at 27 players.
Rzar
Bob McKinlay
When CHO gets going he will make a real impact, you can see the quality is there. He will just need the regular run of games to hit his stride. No problems at all with his signing but we also need more competition.
forest_forever_99
First Team Squad
Anyone know yet when and how many we will be missing, for the AFCON?
Monkman
Grenville Morris
Sangare, Boly, Aurier, Niakhate and Kouyate all named in final squads so far. Nigeria's not yet announced presumably, though Taiwo isn't in the provisional longlist.