City 0 Forest 0
Report by Stuart Dawkins
Despite recent inconsistent results, there was a real sense of expectation at the King Power Stadium before tonight's match: a win and City would be within two points of the play-off places. Those expectations were even higher when Forest's dismal performance in the FA Cup replay were remembered.
However, in the end nothing much happened.
City replaced the suspended Danns with Bamba. Initially lining up in a 4-4-2 formation, but as the game progressed this became 4-3-3, with Beckford the striker and any two of Nugent, Marshall or Dyer pushing forward.
Forest started the match well, having most of the pressure in the first 15 minutes – helped by City giving the ball away far too often in midfield, a habit which has haunted them all season. Eventually, however, City settled and dominated possession for the rest of the match.
The midfield formation was very fluid, which created some pretty moves on occasions, but also left gaps for Forest when some of those moves broke down. Whilst City had the best of the attacks, clear chances were very rare.
Beckford had a header easily saved, Bamba had a volley saved after a scramble following a corner. After 26 minutes we seemed to be witnessing another trade-mark Marshall 25-yarder, but Lee Camp saved well, palming it wide.
Ten minutes later, an excellent quick break – begun with two solid tackles by Bamba – led to Dyer shooting just wide from the edge of the box, when he probably should have done better. A few minutes later still, Forest broke equally smoothly and also sent a shot only just wide.
Half-time arrived, and there was little to choose between the teams. Leicester had the better chances and much more of the play, but Forest's defence were unrecognisable from the FA Cup replay – looking solid throughout, with particularly good performances from their centre backs and from Camp.
City dominated the second half, but Forest were generally comfortable defending and – apart from numerous corners and crosses – very, very little happened. I don't remember either 'keeper having a shot to save in the entire half.
Pearson was obviously pushing for a win: bringing Schlupp on for an unusually quiet Nugent and, later, Howard on for Dyer. Forest seemed content with a draw, particularly Camp who time-wasted shamelessly in goal.
City played quite well, but there was no consistent goal threat – particularly from set pieces – and it always seemed likely that Forest might sneak a break-away in the space left by Leicester pushing forwards, or from one of a number of well-drilled dead-ball routines. But neither side scored, and that was that.
Bamba had an eye-catching game in the holding midfielder role – putting in any number of tackles and interceptions. He still managed a couple of trademark mistakes, but overall he had a good match.
Marshall looked very quick and direct in the first half, but showed less in the second. The rest of the City team were OK, but none at their best.
The referee, Scott Mathieson, had a good, steady game. There were no big game-changing decisions to make, but he ran the game well with sensible use of the advantage rule and no fuss; that has been a rarity of late and is worth a mention.
It was all quite an anticlimax really. Should City miss out on the play-offs, as seems likely, it will be games like this that will have caused it: games which they should have won, but didn't.
City: Schmeichel, Peltier, Konchesky, Bamba, Dyer (Howard 78 ), St Ledger, Drinkwater, Marshall, Morgan, Beckford, (Schlupp 64). Subs not used: King, Kennedy, Moore
Forest: Camp, Wooton, Cunningham, Chambers, Reid (Higginbotham 90), Gunter, Moussi, Guedioura, Majewski (Tudgay 68), Blackstock, Lynch.Subs not used: Smith, McGugan, Miller
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation