Grabban Taking One for the Team

Lewis Grabban’s name seems to dominate many a conversation on social media of late, some highlight the fact he’s not found the net in six games, whilst others like myself, are more than happy with everything else that he brings to the table.

I wanted to have a closer look at the man himself, his adapted style of play and how important he is to the promotion cause at Nottingham Forest.

The 32-year-old set up the winning goal away at Cardiff last Tuesday, and despite missing another couple of decent opportunities, worked selflessly for his teammates. Had Grabban swept home the chance he dragged past the left-hand post in the first half at Cardiff, the plaudits would be unequivocally unanimous.

I replayed footage from the last few matches and focussed solely on the Forest No7, which confirmed my faith in his ability to lead the line for us. Yes, as previously stated, the gilt-edged chances that he spurned were there for all to see, however, his movement off the ball and general application for the good of his colleagues was also there in abundance.

At West Bromwich Albion, the bearded frontman created space for himself in the box beautifully before heading wide of the target from six yards out. Sitters like that can make or break you, but the same player again escaped the shackles of his markers before forcing an experienced defender like Kyle Bartley to put through his own net. You may argue that it was largely due to the delivery from Ameobi and you would not be wrong to state such a thing.

It’s a combination of the intelligence and awareness between winger and striker that led to Bartley’s OG; if Grabban goes near post the goal doesn’t happen. What’s more, Lewis knew exactly where Ameobi would be placing the cross. The two players in question have previous; Grabban’s goal away at QPR is a carbon copy of the first equaliser at the Hawthorns; movement creates goals!

I moved onto the QPR home game in which the Forest striker was guilty of missing great chances throughout the encounter. In the first half Lewis Grabban uncharacteristically snatched at a shot from just inside the box, when normally, he’d have the composure to judge the bounce and hit the target. As goal scoring chances go, it got worse in the second half as he headed wide from twelve yards before missing a sitter from six yards out. He seemed to take his eye off the ball at the vital moment, having been beautifully picked out from Tiago Silva’s free kick; lacking killer instinct.

You’re probably thinking, “he’s only picking out the bad stuff!” It’s more a case of experiencing the rough to appreciate the smooth as I move onto the facets of Grabban’s all round game that are really pleasing me.

Again, in the 0-0 draw at home to QPR, his runs off the ball were straight from the training ground. Early in the game he played in Sammy Ameobi, who’s shot from distance was brilliantly tipped over by Liam Kelly. If you watch it again, you’ll see Grabban dart down the left side of the box ready to anticipate a spill from the keeper, when it would have been easier to stand and admire his teammate’s effort. Late on, in the same game, he nips into the near post and drags two players with him, creating the space for Semedo who’s scuffed effort was cleared off the line. Again, it looks innocuous at full speed, but it allows others to get in on the act.

Back to the Cardiff victory; Lewis creates a clear-cut opportunity for Alfa Semedo in a passage of play that started as nothing more than a long, hoof forward. Joe Lolley smashes a seventy-yard clearance down the left wing, and in what looked like a lost cause, Grabban sprints ahead of Dion Sanderson to not only hold the ball up but carry it infield before putting it on a plate for his midfielder.

This tells me absolutely everything about the mindset of Lewis Grabban. Other strikers would have bemoaned the clearance from Lolley and refused to live off scraps, and even if they had chased it down as the Forest No7 did, they’d most likely have cut inside and shot from distance, working on the premise that “I had to graft for that opportunity, so I’m entitled to waste it!”

I’m not privy to information emanating from the Nottingham Forest dressing room, but It’s clear to see that Lewis Grabban is content with the directives enforced by Sabri Lamouchi. To the point where he’s sacrificing his own finishing at times, for the good of the team.

With eleven games to go, excluding the play offs, I’m still confident that Grabban will hit the 20-goal marker this season whilst continuing to take one for the team!

(Try not to envisage Steve Stifler in American Pie 2 when you read the last line) 😉