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Sun Out, Focus Gone. 5–1

After the crappy rain and storms of the day before, Wednesday afternoon had perfect conditions at the Table of Dreams. The air was deadly still. If you stood at one end of the table then you were blessed by catching a winter sun tan. The rain had also washed off the muddy footprints from the entitled local middle class little shits.

GAME ON.

The weather may have been blessed, but as ever, my table tennis skills were a little left field. I actually do have the skills; it’s the focus and concentration that I find hard to maintain. I raced to a 1-0 lead. I couldn’t be arsed to continue with my tactical game of hard and fast, forcing backhand errors. Time for some spin. Time to walk away with a 5-1 defeat.

Oh dear.

Album of the Day: Siouxsie And The Banshees - The Scream

The Beatles released Let It Be only eight years before The Scream came out. It sounds like a musical lifetime has shifted in that period when you listen to the Banshees debut compared to The Beatles. The music of 2026 is very similar to that of 2018. Sure, the Banshees weren’t alone responsible for this transformation, but The Scream does show what is possible when you refuse to play alongside the established rules. It’s still accessible, with the rhythm and SHOCK tunes! Hong Kong Garden is a little, erm, awkward these days. Still a great debut.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

The Postman Delivers:

As the title suggests, Madcap is a BONKERS album. It most certainly wouldn’t have been released in 2026, with the fragile mental health of the artist exposed for all to hear. But I rather like the raw, emotional feel when compared to the shitty generic content that clutters up streaming services these days. Genius in the madness, etc.

Tupperware Skies, Power-Walk Vibes

Another day, another meh Weird Wiv walk. That’s unfair. The meh was in the weather, and not the sights around CO7. It was one of those Tupperware days where you appear to be living under a giant grey plastic roof. The solar light on my shed failed to flicker into action this morning. I’m still pounding the pavements, whilst semi-crocked. My calf is probably about ready for a return to running. But I’m rather enjoying these power walks right now.

Crap Match Report: Brentford 0, Forest 2

I honestly didn’t give a shit about this game after the disaster away in Braga on Thursday. My usual pre-match preparations of endless Forest podcast listening, and tuning into BBC Radio Nottingham ahead of KO, were AWOL. I had no nerves, no expectations. If the team can’t be bothered, then neither can I.

The team news landed - I think. I didn’t even give it a shifty until 15 minutes before KO. No surprises to see that it was the exact same starting eleven that battled so well for the point at home to Arsenal. It’s no secret that Forest have a core of eleven or twelve players that are trusted, whilst the rest can be written off as a summer transfer window that went very wrong.

With no Luiz even on the bench, it looks like the Bearded One has played his last game in the Garibaldi. I would hesitate to say GOOD. But we haven’t exactly seen the superstar Luiz that was billed back in those optimistic days of September. Any Forest player that gets the City Ground light show as part of the signing announcement tends to flop.

Sir Colin of West Bridgford played out the highlights of the 3-1 reverse fixture under Nuno at the start of the season. The world was a very different place back then. Forest were on course for another generation defining season, whilst the Brentford PE teacher Coach was odds for the Sack Race.

I stuck with the BBC commentary and muted the telly. Sir Colin and Perchy were in stitches when the Only Fools and Horses theme was played out over the Gtech speakers. The last time I checked, the TW8 postcode ain’t in Peckham, Bruv.

Forest started superbly. SHIT THE BED. The control and then volley from Jesus was spectacular. If this has been scored by a Cartel 6 club then it would be a shoe in for Goal of the Season. Who needs new strikers, anyway?

This team is infuriating to watch. From the ‘what the fucking hell was that’ in Braga, and then fantasy football away in bloody Brentford only three days later. Is it Morato time yet?

The second half was always going to be ugly. We had to play Nuno Ball, minus the spring of the attack. Elanga would have run riot through a static Brentford back line.

DEFEND! DEFEND!

DEFEND! DEFEND! DEFEND!

And then my own highlight of the season to date dropped.

OH TAIWO. Give that man a ten year contract. This was the Taiwo of old, bullying the defence and using his muscle to bulldoze his way through to the goal. The final shot was half decent as well.

We all know that the old Taiwo won’t come back, but this could add another £5m to his price tag during the last week of the window. If it’s a sign off for Forest, then what a way to say farewell.

The two goal cushion made for a comfortable final ten minutes or so. It was good to silence Brentford and their crappy Hey Jude celebrations come full time. I’ll take Brentford over Braga, any day.