20th
Feb1999
Score
1 - 3
Venue:
City Ground

Attendance:
26,351

Referee:
Mr J Winter

Goal 1:
Forssell(4mins)

Goal 2:
Goldbaek (25 min)

Goal 3:
van Hooijdonk(39min)

Goal 4

Goldbaek (84 min)

Nottingham Forest 1 v Chelsea 3

ht 1-2

van Hooijdonk

Chelsea arrived as the third team we had played at home in succession out of the top 3. Arsenal had been class, Man Utd had been awesome, what were the cosmopolitan Chelsea going to be like? Before Forest had really touched the ball, Mikael Forssell had the ball in the net after only 4 mins after a poor back header from Chettle left Beasant stranded coming for the ball and he put it away with ease. Unlike the previous home match against Man Utd Forest fought back and the game settled into a midfield battle, chances from van Hooijdonk and Darcheville went begging and Zola escaped from Bonalair to put the ball wide. It looked as if Forest would score and then on 25 mins Goldbaek latched onto a Desailly header to put away an easy chance with no Forest player anywhere near him. 36 mins Bonalair missed a good opportunity and Rogers kept putting in the crosses. On 40 mins van Hooijdonk latched onto a ball from a back header from Leboeuf to put the ball past De Goey.

Half Time and Forest were not being outplayed by a lack lustre Chelsea side. Forest came out for the second half firing on all cylinders and Ron Atkinson and Peter Shreeve looking very agitated on the bench. Crosses from Rogers and Darcheville went untouched and Louis-Jean had a good chance from a cross from Darcheville pushed wide. Forest dominated the second half for 40 mins until Flo on for Zola put a cross in which Beasant couldn't hold and Goldbaek jumped on the rebound to score his second of the afternoon totally against the run of play.

So we lost again but the difference was the way we battled for the whole game and never gave up Chelsea, well they went away with 3 points and I am sure the papers tomorrow will be full of how they have enhanced their chances of winning the championship.I think they are the weaker of the three top sides and lack the team spirit to go the end of the season and win the Premiership. As for Forest we have to say "until the fat lady sings" we have a chance, but with Charlton winning their 3rd game in a row it would take Championship form to escape.

From Teamtalk tonight:

Forest outcast Dougie Freedman could be about to move back north of the border according to reports on Saturday evening. Premiership Kilmarnock are said to be preparing a £750,000 for the 22-year-old Scottish striker who signed for Forest from Wolves for £900,000 just last year. Freedman was not in the Forest squad for today's game against Nottingham Forest and with Ron Atkinson now having a clearer opinion of the players he inherited, it is obvious the Scotland B ace has an uncertain future in the Midlands. It is well documented the club need to raise cash in a bid to sign Oxford United's highly-rated former Dundee United and Hull City striker Dean Windass. So a move to Scotland could be on for the diminutive striker.