Post by QPR Report on Aug 22, 2009 6:47:03 GMT
Nottingham Evening Post
Chambers relishing Forest return
LUKE Chambers is desperate to make up for lost time when he returns to bolster Nottingham Forest's fragile defence at QPR today.
The 23-year-old was sent off late on in the opening day goalless draw at Reading for an off-the-ball incident.
But with no video evidence to show what had happened, Forest had to drop plans to appeal, despite believing Chambers was 100% innocent.
It has left Reds boss Billy Davies limited in the last three matches with Kelvin Wilson, Julian Bennett and James Perch all injured.
And with none of his defensive targets arriving in the meantime, midfielder Chris Cohen has been forced to play at left back with Joel Lynch at the heart of defence.
But now Chambers is back and after spending most of his Reds career as a makeshift right back, he is determined to take his chance in his natural position alongside Wes Morgan.
The 23-year-old, who is set to start at QPR today, said: "I can't wait to get back out there.
"I felt I did nothing wrong and the management and the boys know that was the case, so it has been even more frustrating for me knowing I had been judged to have done something wrong.
"I need to get back in and back playing again.
"I had my chance to nail down a place and get myself on a good run and then to have one game and miss three is disruptive.
"It is a chance to hopefully come back in and get the run I want.
"It has been no secret I want to play at centre half. I was a centre half before I came and with the games I have had there, I felt I proved myself right and that is my strongest position.
"If I can get the chance to get the run it will hopefully be all the better for the team and myself."
Chambers has been forced to watch from the stands as Forest followed up their opening day draw with back-to-back home defeats to West Brom and Watford.
But he feels they can get that first league win at Loftus Road today.
He added: "It has not been ideal having only three fit and eligible players.
"It has been harder for the gaffer.
"But it has been so frustrating, I don't like watching games very often.
"I am glad to be available again.
"We need to stand up and be counted a bit better than we did on Tuesday night and hopefully go down there and get the three points we need."
Chambers said the one positive he can draw is that two midweek games has seen him complete his ban in double-quick time.
And with Middlesbrough in the Carling Cup on Tuesday before Derby on Saturday, he will get the chance to play three games in a week.
"I have missed three games and especially missing three home games, it is hard.
"It has been an emotional thing for me, the first sending off of my career and the fact there are not many defenders about makes it more frustrating.
"But it could have been three Saturday games and a month out but it has only been a week really so I have not missed that long.
"And now I get the chance to hopefully slot back in there."
QPR are also without a win in their opening three league matches and Chambers knows the pressure will be on Jim Magilton's side today.
He said: "They are a club that can go either way and be great one day and poor the next.
"We have had good reports on them but we'll not go there concentrating on them so much.
"We want to put right things that went wrong on Tuesday and that is the first port of call really.
"Everyone wants to be a success and everything is geared up for success. The city deserves it, the club deserves it and the management, too.
"The fans have the highest expectations, as do we, and we did not expect to lose that game on Tuesday night, especially the way we did.
"We need to get that first win as soon as possible."
www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/homesport/Chambers-relishing-Forest-return/article-1274775-detail/article.html
Nottingham Evening Post
Davies laying it on the line
BILLY Davies today reiterated how he can take Nottingham Forest to the promised land of the Premiership if the club acts on his recommendations.
The Reds have made an indifferent start to the new campaign, taking one point from their first three league games ahead of today's trip to QPR.
Davies admits his message about the importance of strengthening his stretched defence is becoming monotonous.
But he believes it is one that needs rectifying if Forest are to challenge at the right end of the table.
After a slow start, he knows in football, fans will start to question the manager.
But he said: "At Preston at the start people were calling for my head. When I went to Derby County, people were saying I was the wrong man for the job.
"At the end of those seasons, I was the greatest thing since penicillin.
"It is the exact same here.
"My agenda was to keep this team in the Championship, which has been achieved.
"Second season, my agenda is clear, to show good progress and that is exactly what we will do. We keep working away to the bigger picture.
"I am not trying to pick a fight, not trying to irritate anybody, I have identified clearly recommendations that will take the club forward and identify the deficiencies we have in the side.
"I am trying to identify clearly what it will take to help this football club reach the Premier League.
"The problem is if they (the fans) get Davies out, they are going to lose out on an opportunity of Premier League football.
"I have said before I have no doubt in my mind exactly what my situation is.
"I am very confident in my job, I am very good at my job.
"We have not started particularly well this season but we know if we just keep working away, people listen to our advice and our recommendations, things will be good."
The club have splashed out nearly £6m on nine new players in the summer but missed out on defensive targets like Matt Mills, Shaun Barker and Fox.
And when asked if he can take the positives from his strikers getting off the mark in the midweek 4-2 defeat to Watford, Davies said: "Don't tell me we didn't make chances at Reading, don't tell me we didn't make chances at West Brom, don't tell me we never scored three goals against Bradford. Creating chances for this team is not an issue.
"Scoring two goals at home against Watford should win you the game, that is the bottom line.
"The fact of the matter is I cannot criticise my defenders because they have played non-stop minutes and that concerns me.
"I have great respect for the support the board have given me over the summertime and I am thankful to Nigel Doughty and the board for the support.
"My highlight of the deficiencies at the back is not to cause problems, or trying and be smart, it is just up to the manager to advise and recommend and that is what I will continue to do.
"At the moment, in my opinion, we are 80% there. We have showed some excellent positive signs and overall there is no doubt we do have some positions in the club to fill.
"Again I will advise and recommend, we have been for a long time with regards to this season but unfortunately we still ourselves in the position we are in.
"That is what happens in football
www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Davies-laying-line/article-1275044-detail/article.html
Nottingham Evening Post
Birtles: I understand Billy's fears over Forest Academy
NOTTINGHAM Forest's Academy has produced some great players in recent times and for me, that system has to be the way forward for so many clubs.
But I can understand why Reds boss Billy Davies expressed his worries over players coming through the ranks at the City Ground.
In the past, it seemed like a never-ending production line with the likes of Jermaine Jenas, Andy Reid, Michael Dawson and David Prutton all making the breakthrough.
Former manager Paul Hart realised how important the Academy was to Forest and how much it could benefit the club.
But it's not quite as straightforward as that, especially as Forest have recently spent a couple of seasons in League One.
The best kids always want to go to the best clubs – you can't blame them for that – and you just wonder if that has become a problem for Forest.
It's all about the top clubs and the Premiership these days.
You can't always convince the kids to come, even though the club has a fantastic reputation.
Forest may now have to look to pick up the diamonds that no one else has seen.
And I can understand totally where Davies is coming from on this.
I am sure he would love to play more youngsters from the Academy but as he points out, clubs now demand instant success and are the players who come through the Academy good enough to be thrown straight in at the deep end?
After all, it's Billy's neck which is on the block if results don't go his way.
If there is a chance to buy a proven player at Championship level or throw in a young, untested kid, there really is only one answer I'm afraid.
As for the midweek thumping by Watford, it just goes to show that you have to build any team from the back.
Davies knows he needs a commanding centre-half and to have the right players playing in the right positions because there's no margin for error in the Championship.
Brian Clough built his successful teams based on the defence and if ever he lost any key personnel, it was always his priority to try to replace like with like. When Viv Anderson left, in came Kenny Swain and while it will always be difficult to replace the likes of a Kenny Burns or Larry Lloyd, Cloughie then brought in another quality centre half in Willie Young.
When Shilts moved on, it was Hans van Breukelen and Steve Sutton.
It's always great to have plenty of option up front, but you're not going to win games if you can't defend. That was certainly the case against Watford.
You only have to look at teams like Newcastle under Kevin Keegan.
The football may have been exciting to watch but they could just as easily win 5-4 or lose by the same scoreline and ultimately, that inability to defend cost them the title.
If you can't defend, you've no chance and that's certainly the case in the Championship, where there are strikers of good enough quality to rip you apart if you don't get it right.
Ian Breckin may not have played in every game for Forest last season but his experience was invaluable at times.
It's that sort of player Davies is looking for now.
www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/homesport/Birtles-understand-Billy-s-fears-Forest-Academy/article-1274818-detail/article.html
Chambers relishing Forest return
LUKE Chambers is desperate to make up for lost time when he returns to bolster Nottingham Forest's fragile defence at QPR today.
The 23-year-old was sent off late on in the opening day goalless draw at Reading for an off-the-ball incident.
But with no video evidence to show what had happened, Forest had to drop plans to appeal, despite believing Chambers was 100% innocent.
It has left Reds boss Billy Davies limited in the last three matches with Kelvin Wilson, Julian Bennett and James Perch all injured.
And with none of his defensive targets arriving in the meantime, midfielder Chris Cohen has been forced to play at left back with Joel Lynch at the heart of defence.
But now Chambers is back and after spending most of his Reds career as a makeshift right back, he is determined to take his chance in his natural position alongside Wes Morgan.
The 23-year-old, who is set to start at QPR today, said: "I can't wait to get back out there.
"I felt I did nothing wrong and the management and the boys know that was the case, so it has been even more frustrating for me knowing I had been judged to have done something wrong.
"I need to get back in and back playing again.
"I had my chance to nail down a place and get myself on a good run and then to have one game and miss three is disruptive.
"It is a chance to hopefully come back in and get the run I want.
"It has been no secret I want to play at centre half. I was a centre half before I came and with the games I have had there, I felt I proved myself right and that is my strongest position.
"If I can get the chance to get the run it will hopefully be all the better for the team and myself."
Chambers has been forced to watch from the stands as Forest followed up their opening day draw with back-to-back home defeats to West Brom and Watford.
But he feels they can get that first league win at Loftus Road today.
He added: "It has not been ideal having only three fit and eligible players.
"It has been harder for the gaffer.
"But it has been so frustrating, I don't like watching games very often.
"I am glad to be available again.
"We need to stand up and be counted a bit better than we did on Tuesday night and hopefully go down there and get the three points we need."
Chambers said the one positive he can draw is that two midweek games has seen him complete his ban in double-quick time.
And with Middlesbrough in the Carling Cup on Tuesday before Derby on Saturday, he will get the chance to play three games in a week.
"I have missed three games and especially missing three home games, it is hard.
"It has been an emotional thing for me, the first sending off of my career and the fact there are not many defenders about makes it more frustrating.
"But it could have been three Saturday games and a month out but it has only been a week really so I have not missed that long.
"And now I get the chance to hopefully slot back in there."
QPR are also without a win in their opening three league matches and Chambers knows the pressure will be on Jim Magilton's side today.
He said: "They are a club that can go either way and be great one day and poor the next.
"We have had good reports on them but we'll not go there concentrating on them so much.
"We want to put right things that went wrong on Tuesday and that is the first port of call really.
"Everyone wants to be a success and everything is geared up for success. The city deserves it, the club deserves it and the management, too.
"The fans have the highest expectations, as do we, and we did not expect to lose that game on Tuesday night, especially the way we did.
"We need to get that first win as soon as possible."
www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/homesport/Chambers-relishing-Forest-return/article-1274775-detail/article.html
Nottingham Evening Post
Davies laying it on the line
BILLY Davies today reiterated how he can take Nottingham Forest to the promised land of the Premiership if the club acts on his recommendations.
The Reds have made an indifferent start to the new campaign, taking one point from their first three league games ahead of today's trip to QPR.
Davies admits his message about the importance of strengthening his stretched defence is becoming monotonous.
But he believes it is one that needs rectifying if Forest are to challenge at the right end of the table.
After a slow start, he knows in football, fans will start to question the manager.
But he said: "At Preston at the start people were calling for my head. When I went to Derby County, people were saying I was the wrong man for the job.
"At the end of those seasons, I was the greatest thing since penicillin.
"It is the exact same here.
"My agenda was to keep this team in the Championship, which has been achieved.
"Second season, my agenda is clear, to show good progress and that is exactly what we will do. We keep working away to the bigger picture.
"I am not trying to pick a fight, not trying to irritate anybody, I have identified clearly recommendations that will take the club forward and identify the deficiencies we have in the side.
"I am trying to identify clearly what it will take to help this football club reach the Premier League.
"The problem is if they (the fans) get Davies out, they are going to lose out on an opportunity of Premier League football.
"I have said before I have no doubt in my mind exactly what my situation is.
"I am very confident in my job, I am very good at my job.
"We have not started particularly well this season but we know if we just keep working away, people listen to our advice and our recommendations, things will be good."
The club have splashed out nearly £6m on nine new players in the summer but missed out on defensive targets like Matt Mills, Shaun Barker and Fox.
And when asked if he can take the positives from his strikers getting off the mark in the midweek 4-2 defeat to Watford, Davies said: "Don't tell me we didn't make chances at Reading, don't tell me we didn't make chances at West Brom, don't tell me we never scored three goals against Bradford. Creating chances for this team is not an issue.
"Scoring two goals at home against Watford should win you the game, that is the bottom line.
"The fact of the matter is I cannot criticise my defenders because they have played non-stop minutes and that concerns me.
"I have great respect for the support the board have given me over the summertime and I am thankful to Nigel Doughty and the board for the support.
"My highlight of the deficiencies at the back is not to cause problems, or trying and be smart, it is just up to the manager to advise and recommend and that is what I will continue to do.
"At the moment, in my opinion, we are 80% there. We have showed some excellent positive signs and overall there is no doubt we do have some positions in the club to fill.
"Again I will advise and recommend, we have been for a long time with regards to this season but unfortunately we still ourselves in the position we are in.
"That is what happens in football
www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Davies-laying-line/article-1275044-detail/article.html
Nottingham Evening Post
Birtles: I understand Billy's fears over Forest Academy
NOTTINGHAM Forest's Academy has produced some great players in recent times and for me, that system has to be the way forward for so many clubs.
But I can understand why Reds boss Billy Davies expressed his worries over players coming through the ranks at the City Ground.
In the past, it seemed like a never-ending production line with the likes of Jermaine Jenas, Andy Reid, Michael Dawson and David Prutton all making the breakthrough.
Former manager Paul Hart realised how important the Academy was to Forest and how much it could benefit the club.
But it's not quite as straightforward as that, especially as Forest have recently spent a couple of seasons in League One.
The best kids always want to go to the best clubs – you can't blame them for that – and you just wonder if that has become a problem for Forest.
It's all about the top clubs and the Premiership these days.
You can't always convince the kids to come, even though the club has a fantastic reputation.
Forest may now have to look to pick up the diamonds that no one else has seen.
And I can understand totally where Davies is coming from on this.
I am sure he would love to play more youngsters from the Academy but as he points out, clubs now demand instant success and are the players who come through the Academy good enough to be thrown straight in at the deep end?
After all, it's Billy's neck which is on the block if results don't go his way.
If there is a chance to buy a proven player at Championship level or throw in a young, untested kid, there really is only one answer I'm afraid.
As for the midweek thumping by Watford, it just goes to show that you have to build any team from the back.
Davies knows he needs a commanding centre-half and to have the right players playing in the right positions because there's no margin for error in the Championship.
Brian Clough built his successful teams based on the defence and if ever he lost any key personnel, it was always his priority to try to replace like with like. When Viv Anderson left, in came Kenny Swain and while it will always be difficult to replace the likes of a Kenny Burns or Larry Lloyd, Cloughie then brought in another quality centre half in Willie Young.
When Shilts moved on, it was Hans van Breukelen and Steve Sutton.
It's always great to have plenty of option up front, but you're not going to win games if you can't defend. That was certainly the case against Watford.
You only have to look at teams like Newcastle under Kevin Keegan.
The football may have been exciting to watch but they could just as easily win 5-4 or lose by the same scoreline and ultimately, that inability to defend cost them the title.
If you can't defend, you've no chance and that's certainly the case in the Championship, where there are strikers of good enough quality to rip you apart if you don't get it right.
Ian Breckin may not have played in every game for Forest last season but his experience was invaluable at times.
It's that sort of player Davies is looking for now.
www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/homesport/Birtles-understand-Billy-s-fears-Forest-Academy/article-1274818-detail/article.html