Chris Forrester

**CraftyToePoke** · 10/02/2016, 9:49 PM

Originally Posted by osarusan

If Peterborough had a striker worth a crap they might have gone through.

Was thinking the same as I watched it, they sold that player in the window, and it was apparent too in Forrester's game, he would usually pick a through ball or two out in a game but the runs weren't there tonight ahead of him.

He did play well though and the BBC guys had him as a possible for our squad for the finals, whatever info they are working off.

**Hitman** · 10/02/2016, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

http://www.balls.ie/football/chris-forrester-bbc/324128

BBC praise there. Pearce on commentary sounded in love with him

On the 5 Live commentary Phil Brown compared him to Jimmy Bullard. I'm not sure if that counts as praise or not.

**Stuttgart88** · 11/02/2016, 7:57 AM

How rubbish were Posh's missed penalties? I know they're only kids but they were awful

**DeLorean** · 11/02/2016, 8:14 AM

They were truly horrendous. They were both totally reliant on Foster going early, once he stood his ground they hadn't the momentum from their run ups to strike the ball powerfully enough. Foster is a good man for the penalties, he uses his brain and realises that the chances of all five being blasted perfectly into the corner is unlikely, so he either doesn't guess until very late, or doesn't guess at all. That's all I saw of the game but great to see Forrester getting so much praise.

**Stuttgart88** · 11/02/2016, 9:32 AM

The other keeper was as bad as Shay for diving out of the way

**CraftyToePoke** · 11/02/2016, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

How rubbish were Posh's missed penalties? I know they're only kids but they were awful

So were you disappointed CF didn't step up to a kick ? I was, a little, as you are looking for your key players to lead maybe, as the CB Bostwick did, but the midfield fulcrum and play maker after having taken their last spot kick in a league match (but missed) didn't. Instead an 18yo on loan with very few apps for Posh, and a striker only in the side cos the replacement for the striker they flogged in the window was cup tied took them, and looked terrified, the pair of them, and took two kicks so poor it was hard to watch.

Now maybe he did fancy one and his manager sent other guys up, who knows.

**DeLorean** · 11/02/2016, 11:37 AM

I was thinking the same. Was kind of hoping McClean would burst the net and run around the pitch giving fist pumps to the crowd too.

**Dodge** · 11/02/2016, 12:44 PM

Forrester missed a penalty for Peterborough in a recent league game.

**CraftyToePoke** · 11/02/2016, 1:22 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Forrester missed a penalty for Peterborough in a recent league game.

Originally Posted by CraftyToePoke

but the midfield fulcrum and play maker after having taken their last spot kick in a league match (but missed) didn't.

Yes Dodge, very good.

**DeLorean** · 11/02/2016, 1:41 PM

The fact that he even took one in a normal game makes it more strange, regardless of missing. Most penalty takers have missed at some stage. Maybe it's a Louis Van Gaal type situation and if you miss you're sent to the back of the queue! I'd like to think it was something other than simply not having the balls to take it. I suppose you could just not fancy it at a certain moment in time but you'd think after performing so well his confidence would have been up.

**bennocelt** · 11/02/2016, 3:16 PM

Great to see CF do well, but is he really a "M Carrick kind of player", surely he is better than that!

**Charlie Darwin** · 12/02/2016, 2:38 PM

Interview with him from today: http://www.thesun.ie/irishsol/homepa...at-Id-say.html

**Olé Olé** · 13/02/2016, 7:10 AM

http://www.theposhforum.co.uk/viewto...art=90#p408224

The Posh fans are waxing lyrical about Forrester. One reckons they need to hang onto him for a couple of yeas when he'll be worth £20m to them. But someone gives him a reality check by stating Delle Alli was sold for £5m so they won't get near £20m, closer to £10m maybe. Quite funny.

There's hype surrounding him but that interview CD linked shows what a grounded lad Forrester is and he just seems to be interested in reaching the highest level he can and earning enough to set up his family's future.

Now that the January transfer window is closed, it'll be interesting to see what happens to him in the summer, particularly if Posh don't go up. Championship move inevitable but the skillset he demonstrated and role he thrived in against WBA suggests to me he's more suited to the PL. No harm learning his trade in the Championship for a season though. He's young and many players don't seem to master the holding midfield role in England until later years (Whelan, Carrick, Barry).

**CraftyToePoke** · 15/02/2016, 1:14 AM

Peterborough 0 - Bradford City 4

I went to this on Saturday and CF was rested, after his mammoth efforts against WBA. His side looked flat, shapeless and the manager has since said he got his selection and set up wrong. He specifically mentioned CF in this but said he is trying to mind the player who hasn't had a break due to the timing of his move. He made one change well before HT and also introduced CF at HT, and while I would like to be able to say that changed the game, as Posh were 0-1 down only at HT, it didn't and they went on to take a right hiding at home. They are now tenth and six points outside the final play off spot.

CF didn't play badly, he did what he does, got on the ball and found passes. His side had been unable to do this well enough up to is introduction so ended up going long too often. So he did improve this aspect of their play but Bradford were set up well, and very effective in how they executed this. Something new I noticed in the usually quiet CF on Saturday was after possession was lost for the second and third goals, he was talking to the players ahead of him, the strikers mainly, and waving his arms around. The three up top for Posh all struggled, and their movement was lacking all game in giving good passing options and he wasn't shy about telling them this by the looks of it. But no two ways about it, a tough day and a huge comedown after the FA Cup plaudits of midweek.

On a brighter side of things, Josh Cullen started for Bradford. He was visibly and by some margin their smallest player, in a team of L1 giants. He started in the middle of a 4-4-2 with wide men. Early on he showed for it a few times but the CBs and FBs elected to pitch it over his head in a lesser risk, lower percentage ball down the field and after almost four minutes of play he still hadn't had a touch. Then his side were awarded a free kick and the Bradford LB couldn't make up his mind who to lump it toward, so after a couple of stalled run ups, Cullen ran over and hit a short free kick to the nearest player, the left winger, took it back off him, turned and spread the play over to the right. Very simple, but very nicely done too.

He did this type of thing all game, took it, took a good touch, found a possession consolidating pass and moved to give an option to his side. He didn't dictate the play or the pace of the game, didn't threaten his opponents goal with shots or through balls. But neither did he waste possession, selected good options throughout and was still doing so when the final whistle went. I counted six, or maybe seven pass intercepts also from him, three with his head and the others from reading the intention of his opponent and closing the angle well and after each of these there followed a good touch and a ten / twenty yard ball to move his side up the field. As the second half wore on his defenders even saw fit to roll a few into him to get turned on. As his side walked off I saw several of the Bradford City giants by comparison tousle his hair in a kind of 'you are tiny but you've done well' gesture which was funny and nice to watch.