Forest have massively turned their form around recently especially on home turf. They have won their last four matches at the City Ground including a 1-0 win over local rivals Derby County back at the beginning of November. In addition to this, Forest ended their losing streak away from home and managed to secure two credible points away to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers. The recent upturn in form even has some fans dreaming of a play-off place which still seems a tough ask. However, if Forest can maintain their good form over this festive period, who knows?
2. Stability
Stability is a word not often used to describe Nottingham Forest in recent years, but the club seems to be improving in this regard. Fawaz could easily have pulled the trigger on Forest manager Dougie Freedman as many called for his head after a poor run of form. Despite this, he has stood by him and Dougie has now almost been at the club for a YEAR. In modern day football and especially at Forest this is a considerable achievement. If Dougie can last till the end of the season, he will be the first manager to last a whole season under Fawaz Al-Hasawi's ownership.
3. Fawaz
Fawaz seems to have finally learnt his lesson and is now appearing far less on social media. The summer brought huge confusion again with Fawaz tweets contradicting what was actually happening in regards to the Henri Lansbury and Michail Antonio situations. This caused many fans to lose their patience with the owner and react on social media. Fawaz now seems to have taken more of a back seat and allowed Dougie and his team to get on with their job which can only be a good thing.
4. Injured Players Returning
Despite the devastating injury to Dani Pinillos, there is positive injury news. Chris Cohen is nearing his return and is likely to play in the FA Cup match against QPR on the 9th January. In addition to this, Britt Assombalonga and Matty Fryatt are also close to making a return and hope to be back around February. With these three players back in the squad, it could allow Forest to push on up the table if they are within striking distance of the play-offs. Assombalonga and Fryatt will add vital firepower to the team which it has been lacking so far this season.
Britt Assombalonga celebrates scoring the opening goal of the 1-1 draw with rivals Derby County last September.
Credit: The Guardian Newspaper
5. Third Kit
Forest recently released their Third Kit and its fair to say its a beauty!
Britt Assombalonga presents the new Forest Third Kit which is already proving to be a hit with supporters.
On Saturday (19th December 2015), Forest return to the City Ground to face Karl Robinson's MK Dons. Last time out, Forest secured a credible point in a turgid 0-0 draw away to Blackburn Rovers on Monday evening. Forest will be looking to increase the significance of two hard fought away points with a win on Saturday afternoon.
MK Dons ended a horrid start to the season on Tuesday evening by beating Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 on home turf. This win ended a winless run of five games which included three defeats to the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford and Ipswich Town. MK Dons currently find themselves in the lowly position of 20th in the Championship table. However, they will now be looking to build on Tuesday's result and pull away from the relegation zone. The one factor which will give Forest great confidence is the dire away form of the Dons. They only have one away win to their name so far this season which came on the opening day as they came out 4-1 winners away to fellow strugglers Rotherham United. One player to look out for is Carl Baker who is currently top scorer for the Dons with three goals. In comparison, Forest are starting to build some momentum themselves. The point gained away at Blackburn on Monday evening, extended Forest's unbeaten run to four games. During recent times, Forest's home form has been particularly impressive. They have won their last three games at home and are unbeaten in the last five. The last two games included comfortable victories against Reading and Fulham both of whom are above MK Dons in the league table. However, there is no easy game in the Championship and Forest will know they will have to be at their best to secure the three points.
Chris Cohen is nearing a return to first-team action as he played 45 minutes of football for the reserves at Barnsley on Monday. Ryan Mendes should return to the squad after being left out with a slight knock for the trip to Blackburn Rovers. Andy Reid has been confirmed to still be struggling with his groin injury which has kept him out since September last year. Britt Assombalonga and Matty Fryatt are both making good progress and hope to be back in the New Year. Forest sustained no additional injuries on Monday evening.
My score prediction for this match is Nottingham Forest 2-0 MK Dons. I feel the combination of Forest's good recent home form and MK Dons's dire away form will ensure the three points go to Forest. However, I do not feel it will be as comfortable as some people may think due to the fact MK Dons are coming off the back of a very good 2-1 win against Sheffield Wednesday. This may well give them the confidence to come to the City Ground and believe they can grind out some sort of result.
As the transfer window slammed shut this evening, I have taken time to look at the ins and outs at the City Ground. As expected, there has been plenty of movement at the club as the Reds currently work under a transfer embargo. The day involved Michail Antonio sealing his move to West Ham United, Chris O'Grady signing on a season-long loan from Brighton & Hove Albion and Jamie Paterson leaving to sign a season-long loan deal at Huddersfield Town.
INS:
Chris O'Grady - Brighton & Hove Albion (Season-Long Loan):
Forest announced the signing of experienced Championship front-man Chris O'Grady around one hour before the 6pm deadline. Most Forest fans won't be too excited about this addition as they were for the likes of Britt Assombalonga and Michail Antonio last summer, but O'Grady could still prove to be a good addition to Forest's squad. It hasn't worked out for O'Grady during his time at Brighton scoring only 1 goal in 31 appearances for the Seagulls. However, he has already proven in the past that he can score goals at this level. He bagged 16 goals for a poor Barnsley side during the 2013/14 season, one of which came at the City Ground where he caused the Forest defence problems. I personally think this is a very good piece of business by Dougie Freedman. It is almost a 'risk free' deal due to the fact he will only be on around £10,000 a week and is only on a season-long loan. This means if it doesn't work out for O'Grady at Forest, the club aren't committed to any long-term deals worth a lot of money. O'Grady may also provide good support to Tyler Walker who often struggles to lead the line by himself for Forest at such a young age. We will have to wait and see just how good a piece of business this turns out to be.
Chris O'Grady's goals for Barnsley during the 2013/14 season including one against Forest at the City Ground.
Nelson
Oliveira - Benfica (Season-Long Loan):
Nelson
Oliveira was the second striker to join the Forest ranks on transfer deadline
day, aswell as Brighton forward Chris O’Grady. Oliveira will probably excite
Forest fans more due to his pedigree and experience at the age of just 24 years
old. He began his career at Benfica and has been loaned to plenty of clubs
during his career including Rio Ave, Pacos Ferreira, Deportivo La Coruna,
Rennes and most recently Swansea City. His best loan spell came at Rennes where
he scored 8 goals in 30 appearances. Even though his goal scoring record may
not appear too great, he has achieved 14 caps for Portugal scoring 1 goal. He
has been previously regarded as one of Portugal’s most promising talents. If
Dougie Freedman can get the best out of him at Forest then he could prove to be
a very good addition to the squad. He is also 6ft 1in showing that he can offer
an aerial threat to the team which Forest seem to currently lack from corners
and set pieces.
Ryan Mendes
- Lille (Season-Long Loan):
This
signing was actually confirmed by Lille on their official website on Monday
evening before Deadline Day even begun. However, Forest did not announce it for
some time due to the fact Mendes had to receive international clearance and
they did not want to embarrass themselves like they did for the Ben Hamer deal
earlier this summer. However, Mendes is a very talented player who has done
well throughout his career. As a winger his goal scoring record isn’t too bad
as he started his career at Le Havre scoring 20 goals in 84 appearances. He
then secured a move to Lille in which he has so far scored 7 goals in 47
appearances. He will now look to go some way to filling Michail Antonio’s boots
at the City Ground as he makes a move to England for the first time. Mendes
also like Oliveira has international experience and has represented Cape Verde
19 times scoring 4 goals. For a player at the age of just 25 years old, he does
seem to bring a lot of experience to the table. He could be another player who
could prove his worth to Forest if he gets off to a good start in the Sky Bet
Championship.
Jonathan
Williams - Crystal Palace (On Loan Until January):
This is the
deal which Forest fans will get really excited about as Jonathan Williams joins
the club on loan until January from Premier League side Crystal Palace. This is
arguably Forest's best piece of business this summer due to the quality he
brings to the table. He may be well-known for some Forest fans not least for
the fantastic performance he put in at the City Ground last summer as he
controlled the game and was a key influence for Ipswich Town. He could provide
the creativity needed in midfield and potentially help fill the void left by
Michail Antonio leaving the club. He was very highly rated at Ipswich last
campaign as he was seen as a key player in Mick McCarthy's play-off
semi-finalists team. He will add to a host of central midfield options Forest
have at their disposal with the likes of Henri Lansbury, Kyle Ebecilio, David
Vaughan, Michael Mancienne, Ben Osborn and Jorge Grant all available for
selection. This is before Chris Cohen, Andy Reid and Robert Tesche return from
their injuries. However, there is no doubt Williams will be a key member of
Freedman's squad this season.
OUTS:
Michail Antonio - West Ham United (Undisclosed Fee):
The first piece of transfer business to come from Forest on transfer deadline was the confirmed departure of winger Michail Antonio to West Ham United. The news will not have come as a shock to Forest fans as speculation had been circulating surrounding the player for a significant amount of time. Antonio will no doubt be a miss for the Reds having provided the same with pace, power and plenty of goals. He scored 15 goals for the side last season aswell as providing plenty of assists. However, despite scoring four goals for Forest in all competitions this season, it was clear to see that the player was unsettled and keen on a move elsewhere. That is what makes the reported fee of around £6 or 7 million very good business for the club. The sale also confirms the club will be out of the transfer embargo next summer which is fantastic news. It will be interesting to see how Antonio fairs in the Premier League and will also be interesting to see whether Forest included any sort of sell-on clause within the deal. Antonio will wear the number 30 shirt for the Hammers and thanked Forest fans for their support during his time at the club live on Sky Sports News.
Jamie Paterson - Huddersfield Town (Season-Long Loan):
Jamie Paterson followed Michail Antonio out of the door on transfer deadline day as he joined Huddersfield Town on a season-long loan. It is fair to say that Paterson has been unfortunate in recent times at Forest after impressing so much in his first season at the City Ground. In the 2013/14, he netted 12 times in 39 appearances in all competitions. However, he struggled to cement his place in this first team in recent years after being out of favour with the likes of Stuart Pearce and Dougie Freedman. There have also been questions on his attitude and commitment in training which may have limited his opportunities at the club. At the start of this season, Michail Antonio (before leaving to join West Ham), Jamie Ward, Oliver Burke and Chris Burke all found themselves infront of Paterson in regards to selection in the wide positions. The deal is said to include an option to buy according to the local press but from a Forest point of view it would be good to see him rekindle his form and then return to the club as a better player. It would not be a surprise to see Paterson be a success at Huddersfield as he is undoubted ability and it still just 23 years old.
On Saturday (29th August 2015), Forest return to the City Ground to face Russell Slade's Cardiff City. Last time out Forest recorded a 1-1 draw against Bolton at the Macron Stadium which would normally be seen as a reasonable point if Forest hadn't conceded in stoppage time. There is no better way for Forest to return to winning ways than at the City Ground against the Bluebirds.
After a disappointing second half of the season under Russell Slade last time out, Cardiff have had a good start to the season in the 2015/16 Sky Bet Championship. They have picked up some very respectable results which see them sit 7th in the table just outside the play-off positions. Some of these results included a 2-2 draw away at QPR credit to a long range strike late on from Scott Malone and also a 2-0 home win against Wolverhampton Wanderers who many people tip to be up there this season. One factor which could play a factor in today's game is the fact Cardiff had a League Cup game mid-week away to MK Dons. This actually resulted in Cardiff losing in extra time after playing an additional 120 minutes to what Forest have this week. However, this is unlikely to stop Cardiff's momentum in the league after their very impressive start. In comparison, Forest sit not too far behind their opposition and have the chance to leap frog them with three points today. Forest picked up what can be looked back on as a credible point at the Macron Stadium even after conceding a last gasp equalizer. Forest have had a better start to the season than many people expected and have picked up five points from four games and sit 11th in the table. Forest remain unbeaten at home in the league and will hope to continue that run today. They also haven't lost since being defeated 1-0 by Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on the opening day of the season. Forest will hope they can go into the international break on a positive note with victory this afternoon.
Forest winger Jamie Ward will miss out on this afternoon's match as he continues to struggle with a hamstring injury.
Dougie Freedman has confirmed that Forest winger Jamie Ward will miss out on this afternoon's game as he continues to struggle with a hamstring injury. Andy Reid has suffered a setback in his recovery and will be unlikely to feature until at least after the international break. Long-term absentees Chris Cohen, Matty Fryatt, Robert Tesche and Britt Assombalonga all remain on the sidelines. Dexter Blackstock is one player who has recovered from his recent injury and is available for selection. However, Dougie Freedman will hope he can add some more firepower to his squad before the deadline on Tuesday evening.
My score prediction for this match is Nottingham Forest 2-1 Cardiff City. I think it will be a very tough match but I think if Forest can match the performance they produced against Charlton at the City Ground last time out, they will go on to collect three points. I also think that Cardiff having to play 120 minutes midweek will have an impact and could see them tire late on.
On Saturday (22nd August 2015), Nottingham Forest face Bolton Wanderers in their second away game of the season at the Macron Stadium. Forest will look to build on two promising home performances against Rotherham United and Charlton Athletic during the last week. Manager Dougie Freedman and Matt Mills will both be eager to get a result as they return to their former employers.
Bolton Wanderers have had a pretty shocking start to the 2015/16 Championship campaign. They currently sit rock bottom of the Championship table and are yet to record a win. Wanderers are also the only team in the Football League who are yet to hit the back of the net. However, strikers Stephen Dobbie, Emile Heskey, Gary Madine among others can be dangerous on their day. They started the season off with a respectable 0-0 draw at home to title favorites Derby County. However, Wanderers have failed to build on this and have suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to Burton Albion, a 3-0 drubbing away to Middlesborough and a 1-0 defeat away to newly promoted MK Dons. Neil Lennon in the build up to the game has stated that performances have been good and if they continue playing as they are they will pick up results. Wanderers fans will hope they get off the mark on Saturday afternoon and get some revenge on unpopular former manager Freedman. In comparison, Forest have had a mixed start to the season but will be hoping to build on two promising performances in the previous week at the City Ground. Forest recorded their first win at home to Rotherham next week and followed that up with a 0-0 draw against Charlton Athletic. The performance against Charlton was particularly encouraging especially youngsters Oliver Burke, Jorge Grant and Tyler Walker who were all given a chance to shine. If Forest can secure three points against Wanderers it will be seen as a very good start to the season for the Reds.
Matt Mills celebrates scoring his first goal for the Reds against Rotherham United at the City Ground last weekend.
Forest face more injury concerns following a quick flurry of games. Jamie Ward has been ruled out for the next four to six weeks with a hamstring injury he picked up midweek versus Charlton. Dexter Blackstock will also face a late fitness test before the trip to Lancashire. However, after a turbulent week Forest are boosted by the fact Henri Lansbury and Michail Antonio are both still at the club following a huge amount of speculation. Lansbury's future has officially been resolved but for Antonio it is still unknown whether he will remain at the club before the transfer window slams shut. Forest also boosted their squad by adding box to box midfielder Kyle Ebecilio to their ranks on a season-long loan from FC Twente.
My score prediction for this match is Bolton Wanderers 0-2 Nottingham Forest. I think Freedman will get the players fired up for this one as he will also want to get one over his former club just like he did back in February. I also wouldn't put it past Matt Mills getting on the score sheet as I'm sure he is also desperate to impress. I also think Wanderers are a team low on confidence and I believe Forest can take advantage of this and should be full of hope after their performance against Charlton on Tuesday evening.
Nottingham Forest secured their first victory of the 2015/16 Sky Bet Championship campaign defeating Rotherham United 2-1 at The City Ground. Danny Collins stunned the Forest faithful by heading the Millers 1-0 in front. However, Forest responded with a Matt Mills header just before half-time to make it 1-1. Michail Antonio then sealed the three points for Forest in the second half.
Forest started off on the front foot after two disappointing results to start their season. Jamie Ward was causing the Rotherham defenders all sorts of problems right from the start and forced Rotherham keeper Kelle Roos into a smart save down to his left in the first minute of the game. However, Rotherham also had dangerous spells in the first half. Chris Maguire hit a free-kick just wide when it looked like it might just creep in with De Vries not moving a muscle. Matt Derbyshire then had a superb opportunity to put the Millers 1-0 up but his header was superbly saved by De Vries. However, the Millers did go 1-0 up soon after as no-one picked former Forest defender Danny Collins up from a corner and he capitalized by heading into the back of the net before celebrating infront of the Trent End. Tyler Walker thought that he had leveled the score line for the Reds but his close range goal was ruled offside by the officials. However, Forest did find themselves an equalizer in first half stoppage time as Matt Mills rose highest to meet a Jamie Ward cross and plant his header in the top corner to level the score at 1-1.
Rotherham should've restored their advantage after the break as a goal mouth scramble following some poor Forest defending resulted in Eric Lichaj clearing the ball off the line. Tyler Walker put in a good performance on his home league debut and his shot was well saved by Roos. Michail Antonio was the man who popped up yet again with a winner for Forest. Chris Burke's cross from the right hand side was fumbled by Roos onto the cross bar and the ball kindly fell to Antonio to smash into the back of the net to make it 2-1 to Forest. Michael Mancienne almost added some gloss to the score line as his shot from outside the area was pushed wide by Roos for a corner. Tyler Walker then delivered a superb cross into the area and Chris Burke's shot went agonizingly wide from the rebound. Forest then held out comfortably to secure their first three points of the season.
Overall, it was a pretty average performance from Forest but was very satisfying to secure the first three points of the season. It was all about just getting their first victory on the board rather than performance and they managed to do that. It now provides a great opportunity for Forest to kick on and go on a good run of results and hopefully put in even better performances. We all know Forest can play better than they did against Rotherham which is a very good sign for the rest of the season.
The
departure of Henri Lansbury is fast becoming a reality with rumours constantly circulating
around his future with the Reds. Forest have made it clear that they will not
allow Lansbury to leave until they have found a replacement. In this article I
compare two players Forest are sure to be looking at to fill the gap left by
Lansbury in the form of Gary Gardner and Adlene Guedioura.
Gary
Gardner is a player who is more than capable at filling the gap left by
Lansbury should he leave Forest to join Burnley for the reported £4 million. I
don’t think there is one Forest fan who would complain about Gardner returning
to the club after becoming a fan favorite during his loan spell in the second
half of last season. The 23 year old performed very well for the Reds and scored
4 goals in 18 appearances under managers Stuart Pearce and Dougie Freedman.
This included a range of stunning long range efforts against the likes of
Reading, Middlesbrough and Watford. Joining Forest on loan was arguably Gardner’s
most successful career move having only scored three goals in his career
previous to joining the club. However, Gardner has also managed to break into
the England Under-21 set up in recent years scoring 2 goals in 5 appearances.
Gary Gardner's stunning strike vs Reading at the Madejski Stadium last season.
This
potential deal does have substance with several sources claiming Forest are
actively interested in the midfielder. It would be possible for Gardner to join
back up with the Reds but it would have to be a loan deal due to financial fair
play restrictions. It would also involve Gardner having to accept a wage of
£10,000 a week although this was not a stumbling block previously. However, the
previous deal was aided by the club winning the Sky Bet Transfer Fund. Judging
by some of his comments, Gardner would not hesitate about re-joining the club
as it seems he thoroughly enjoyed his time on Trentside and made a connection
with the fans. He is currently out injured but once he is fit it would not be a
surprise for Forest to make their move.
Adlene
Guedioura is also a familiar name for Forest fans from the recent past and is
another player more than capable of taking over Lansbury’s role. At the age of
29 Guedioura is a player with a host of experience especially at Championship
level. He was also a fans favourite at the City Ground and scored 4 goals in 59
appearances if you include his original loan spell. He has scored more goals
than Gardner overall in his career scoring 21 goals to date. There is no doubt
Guedioura is a quality player and was a key figure during Watford’s promotion
to the Premier League last term with a string of impressive performances.
Adlene Guedioura's first goal during his loan spell at Forest against Leeds United at Elland Road.
This would
be arguably a much more difficult deal for Forest to pull off under financial
fair play restrictions. However, he is seen as surplus to requirements at
Crystal Palace as they have made additions such as the likes of Yohan Cabaye
this summer. It is common knowledge that Palace are looking for a sale rather
than a loan but if this doesn’t materialise than a loan deal could possibly
come into the equation. Even then it would still be a difficult deal to pull
off as I’m sure there would be a host of Championship and maybe even Premier
League teams chasing for his signature. However, this is where his previous
spell at Forest could work in the clubs favour when he is choosing which club
to commit to.
Overall, I
believe both players would be capable of stepping into Lansbury’s role if
required. It is still unknown whether Lansbury will stay or go but it is said
to all be concluded very soon. Gardner and Guedioura are two quality players
who Forest fans would be delighted to see return to the club. I believe that at
this moment in time Gary Gardner is the more realistic option and arguably a
better fit.
On Tuesday (11th August 2015), Forest face Walsall at home in the first round of this season's Capital One Cup in their first match at the City Ground. Forest will be looking to bounce back from their opening day defeat at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion by gaining a place in the second round with a positive performance and result.
League One outfit Walsall will be coming to the City Ground with plenty of optimism after witnessing Forest's poor performance on Friday night. Walsall achieved a 1-1 draw with Oldham at the Bescot Stadium on Saturday to give them a satisfying start to the season. It is difficult to predict how the Saddlers will perform this campaign due to it being so early on in the season. However, Walsall are expected to finish in the lower half of League One with odds of 11/1 for promotion and 4/1 for relegation with Sky Bet. There also very few if any names Forest fans will recognize from the Walsall line-up on Tuesday night but Jamie Paterson will be looking to play his former team after he joined Forest from the Saddlers for around £1 million not too long ago. Manager Dean Smith will be hoping they can cause an upset at the City Ground on Tuesday night. In comparison, Forest will be looking at this match as a good opportunity to get their season underway after a disappointing result and performance on Friday night. It is important for Forest to win their first match of the season on home soil to prevent early pressure building on Freedman and the team. It is likely Freedman will change the team around a bit and give some youngsters some game time against the Saddlers. Tyler Walker performed very well when he came on against Brighton and could be rewarded with a start.
Tyler Walker may be rewarded for his positive display after coming on against Brighton on Friday night with a start against Walsall.
Forest injury concerns grew even larger on Friday night as Robert Tesche hobbled off with what appears to be a broken foot. Dougie Freedman has already suggested that he could be without the German for several months rather than weeks. This already adds to other long-term absentees Andy Reid, Chris Cohen, Matty Fryatt and Britt Assombalonga. Other than that there were no fresh injury concerns on Friday night. It is likely Ben Osborn will be included in the squad after he wasn't risked on Friday night due to recently returning from a shoulder injury obtained in pre-season.
My score prediction for this match is Nottingham Forest 2-0 Walsall. I think Forest will make sure they respond from the disappointment of Friday night be achieving a victory on home soil on Tuesday night. It is also about time Forest had a decent cup run and the Capital One Cup could be the tournament to have it in. It will be a good chance for the youngsters to show the City Ground crowd what they are capable of.
Nottingham Forest began their 2015/16 Sky Bet Championship campaign in disappointing fashion falling to a 1-0 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium. It was a very cagey first half which saw the teams go into half-time goalless. Brighton upped the tempo in the second half and Kazenga LuaLua's low strike secured all three points for Albion.
It was the home side who started the game the more brightly out of the two teams. Tomer Hemed had a good chance to put Albion 1-0 infront but he failed to find the back of the net with his header. Forest gradually started to get themselves in the game and they came close when Henri Lansbury's well-worked free-kick agonizingly hit the outside of the post. Jamie Ward looked lively on his Forest debut after joining from local rivals Derby County and delivered in a great cross to Dexter Blackstock who failed to convert his header. Beram Kayal thought he had put Albion 1-0 up but his fantastic effort from the edge of the area bounced back off the post. Michail Antonio showed everyone why there has been so much interest in him this summer as he stormed through the Brighton half before forcing Stockdale into a decent save low to his right. Just before half-time Robert Tesche was on the end of a poor challenge from Kayal which it appears will leave him on the sideline for several weeks, the last thing Forest needed in their current situation. Forest found themselves lucky to go in 0-0 at the break as Dorus De Vries came up with an early contender for save of the season to deny Hemed from heading Albion infront.
Forest began the second half in the worst possible fashion, Kazenga LuaLua continued to cause Eric Lichaj all sorts of problems before going past him with ease and firing a low shot into the far bottom corner to put Albion 1-0 up. Henri Lansbury came close with another free kick as hit effort when fizzing over the bar. Danny Fox then stepped up for a free kick on the opposite side of the penalty area and arguably put in a contender for worst free kick of the season as it sailed miles over the bar to the disgust of Dougie Freedman in the dugout. Tyler Walker came on for Forest midway through the second half and made a good contribution. He went on a good run before his shot was saved low by Albion keeper Stockdale. Dexter Blackstock had a great chance to level for Forest as Tyler Walker headed on Michail Antonio's long throw but failed to convert when it looked easier to score. Albion then managed to comfortably retain their lead in the final moments of the match and achieve all three points.
Overall, it was an incredibly disappointing and frustrating night for Forest on the opening day of the new season. It was clear that Forest need to make additions in a range of positions most notably in the full back, central defensive midfield and attacking areas of the pitch. I thought Mills and Hobbs put a solid performance in at the heart of our defence but were let down by Lichaj and Fox on the night. Dougie Freedman will now know how important adding the likes of Michael Frey and Gary Gardner to his squad will be in the coming weeks.
On Friday (7th August 2015), Nottingham Forest will turn their attentions to the start of the Sky Bet Championship campaign as they travel to the Amex Stadium to face Brighton & Hove Albion. Dougie Freedman will be hoping that his side can make another flying start to the season as they did last year under returning club legend Stuart Pearce.
Brighton had a poor season last time out finishing 20th in the Championship after achieving a play-off position the previous two years before. However, Chris Hughton did steady the ship when he was appointed throughout the season and prevented relegation which many Albion fans may have feared whilst Sami Hyypia was in charge. Brighton have been busy so far this transfer window adding nine players to their squad with the likes of Gaetan Bong, Niki Maenpaa, Vahid Hambo and most notably striker Bobby Zamora. Zamora is actually a fan favorite on both sides considering he prevented Derby promotion to the Premier League not so long ago. However, Forest fans will be hoping their side can keep him quiet tonight as Hughton seems to have made a very good addition to his attacking threat. Forest similarly to Brighton had a disappointing campaign last time out finishing 14th in the league table. Dougie Freedman will hope that his hard work on and off the pitch this summer will bring greater success to the club in the upcoming season. Freedman had the team working very hard in pre-season doing up to three sessions a day. He has also brought in some very good signings in the form of Matt Mills, Jamie Ward and Daniel Pinillos. This has given the squad much more depth in positions we maybe lacked in last season. It has also been reported recently that Forest are very close to signing Lille OSC striker Michael Frey. This would arguably be the best signing of the summer so far for Forest if Dougie can pull it off due to the huge potential the player has after being linked with the likes of Liverpool and Juventus just last summer.
Bobby Zamora looks to be a very good addition by Chris Hughton to Albion's squad this summer.
Forest continue to suffer with long-term injuries as they have done for many years now. Andy Reid, Chris Cohen, Matty Fryatt and Britt Assombalonga are still all suffering with long-term injuries. However, it has been said a September return is achievable for Reid, Cohen and Fryatt which would be a huge boost to all at the club. Ben Osborn was the only player to be injured in pre-season receiving a dislocated shoulder but Freedman has stated he will be fit for Friday night. Other than that, Freedman has a fully fit Forest squad to choose from.
My score prediction for this game is Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 Nottingham Forest. I think it will be a very tight game as it always is in the Championship. However, this is even more the case on the opening day of the season where no-one wants to get off to a losing start. This is what makes me think it will be a very cagey encounter resulting in it being a score draw.
It finally appears that after a long two weeks of guessing games between Nottingham Forest fans, the 'mystery striker' has come to light. Michael Frey is the name suggested to be Forest's new recruit and has the potential to be a very exciting singing for the Reds. In this article, I will take you through everything to do with the player and why we should all look forward to watching him play in the Garibaldi! Frey, aged just 21, is still at a very good age meaning he still has a vast amount of time to improve his game and reach his potential. Just last summer he was branded as "one of European football's rising stars" by the Daily Star. Dougie Freedman has always stated his enthusiasm to work with younger players and help them develop into better footballers. This gives me every hope that he can help turn Frey into a better player than he already is and help him reach his potential. Everyone likes to see younger players playing for their team and at Forest it is no different. It is much better to sign players who are developing than ones who are already past their best. This is why I think Forest fans should be excited about this potential signing as he really could end up playing the highest level of football. At a younger age players are also more willing to learn from their managers, meaning it will be easier for Freedman to get him comfortable playing his style of football.
Michael Frey celebrates scoring for Lille OSC last season after joining in the summer of 2014 from BSC Young Boys. Another good feature of the 21 years old is that he is 6ft 2in. This could be a very useful commodity to Forest in the upcoming season considering Dexter Blackstock is really the only other target man option available to Dougie Freedman. Forest's other strikers Britt Assombalonga, Matty Fryatt and Tyler Walker lack this sort of height and aerial threat. This sort of attribute can be very useful in scrappy tight away games where Forest often fall short. However, Dougie will not be just planning to 'hoof it up' to Frey as many fans may presume. Frey is also a very mobile player who will be able to get around the pitch which at the age of 21 you'd expect. Although some fans have already stated their concerns on Twitter, Frey's goal-scoring record isn't all too bad. He made 73 appearances for BSC Young Boys between 2012 and 2014 scoring 17 goals. This is what caught the attention of Lille OSC who paid in the region of €3 million last summer, signing a four-year contract. He then went on to score 2 goals in 15 games for the Ligue 1 outfit last campaign. It is therefore no surprise that the player is said to be quite surprised at his availability. However, Forest appear to be the club now able to profit from it. Forest need a striker who can score goals on a regular basis to compensate for the loss of star striker Britt Assombalonga until January and Frey looks like he would be up to the task.
Michael Frey finds the back of the net for Lille OSC during their 1-1 draw with AS Saint-Etienne last season.
His ability is also proven by the fact he was on the brink of a huge transfer to the Premier League just last summer before he joined Lille OSC. Brendan Rodgers was said to be very interested in the player last summer and was pondering a £5 million for the Swiss Under-21 international. There was also said to be competition for his signature from Juventus and also Borussia Mochengladbach. To be linked with the likes of these sort of clubs he must have a great deal of ability. Switzerland rate him as their "most exciting prospect for years".
Everything in regards to contract negotiations seems to be going very well so far with Frey showing a great attitude to manager Dougie Freedman. Dougie and the club have now done everything in their power to make this move happen and it is now up to the player to decide his fate. We now all have to hope he signs on the dotted line as this player could really change our season. Thanks for reading, Come On You Reds!
Nottingham Forest have been under embargo since the 15th December 2014. However, the full impact of this embargo hadn't started to hit Forest until now. Dougie Freedman is limited to free transfers and loans throughout the duration of this summer. There has been a lot of debate between fans about whether the embargo may actually be a good thing or not. I thought I would look at both the reasons for and against the embargo being good for the club.
One negative factor about being under embargo is our inability to now pick up those real quality signings. Last summer Forest were very busy in the transfer market with Stuart Pearce at the helm and spent big on the likes of Michail Antonio, Michael Mancienne, Britt Assombalonga and more. These have all turned out to be very acute additions to the squad and have proved their worth throughout the season. Britt Assombalonga would've easily gone on to score 20+ goals last season if it was not for his horrific injury. It is these sort of players which Forest will not be able to target under embargo. This is arguably the worst part of being under an embargo. Championship rivals are already starting to spend big on who on paper our quality players. Local rivals Derby County have already spent in excess of £7 million on the likes of Andreas Weimann and Tom Ince. Forest are no longer able to compete in this sort of market not only because of the fees involved with these players but also the wages which they will be demanding. However, it should not be forgotten that Forest already have a significant amount of quality within their squad already. There is more than enough quality in Forest's current squad to remain competitive in the Championship next season even if they were to make no further additions.
Another slightly less significant negative factor about being under embargo is the loss of excitement during the transfer window. Throughout the past, there has always been plenty to talk about on the transfer front with excitement over who the club may be signing. This isn't the case this year which some fans may find frustrating. There is even a minority of Forest fans who seem to be oblivious to the fact we are actually under embargo and are still expecting us to splash out the cash on players such as Jordan Rhodes. Instead of anticipation for who might be coming into the club this summer, it is more anxiety on who might be going out the door. If Forest do manage to keep hold of the likes of Henri Lansbury and Michail Antonio this summer, then the transfer window can be viewed as a success in my eyes. Fans struggle to get enthusiastic about the upcoming season with the likes of Matt Mills and Jamie Ward coming to the club. However, a sense of realism is needed due to the fact we are not going to get much better players on a free transfer and on no more than £10,000 a week.
Despite the clear negatives about being under transfer embargo, there are also plenty of positives. We will now finally get a chance to see what fantastic young talent we have available at the club. It has become clear in the recent past that we have a very good youth team with the likes of Karl Darlow, Jamaal Lascelles, Ben Osborn, Jorge Grant, Oliver Burke and Tyler Walker all featuring in the first-team recently. Now we are under transfer embargo, it gives these youngsters a much better chance of finding a route into the first-team set up. Instead of splashing out the cash on a new striker, Freedman may have to utilize Tyler Walker more instead. I think this is a very good factor as it will help develop our younger players a lot quicker. They definately have the quality to make the step up proven by the quality of players we have produced in the past. We sold Patrick Bamford on to Chelsea for £1 million when under financial difficulties and more recently sold on Jamaal Lascelles and Karl Darlow to Newcastle for £7 million. Ben Osborn has now become a very prominent player in the Forest team and there are hopes Tyler Walker can make his mark next term after getting plenty of experience under his belt at the end of last season. The good thing about these younger players is that they are not playing for the money but their love for the club and desire to continue their development. A huge number of players in Forest's youth team have a great deal of potential and this embargo will hopefully allow us to see it.
Ben Osborn scores Forest's goal of the season away to local rivals Derby County after rising through Forest's youth academy set up to the first-team.
In addition, another positive factor about the transfer embargo that many fans will be happy about is that it prevents us overspending on players. This has something Forest have become accustomed to in recent years. Since the Fawaz era began there have been a range of deals where Forest have been ripped off by other clubs just due to the fact they know we have money to spend. This has resulted in us paying over the odds for players who just aren't worth it. This is ultimately what has caused us to end up under this embargo. The likes of Rafik Djebbour, Lars Veldwijk, Djamal Abdoun, Jamie Mackie just to name a few are players who have failed to deliver for Forest, costing them a hefty amount of money in the process. The embargo prevents this sort of money being spent which can only be a good thing for the club. Now we only attract players who want to play for the club. No player would come to Forest on no more than £10,000 a week when they had better offers elsewhere unless they wanted to play for the club. This is why I think Matt Mills is such a good signing as he is the sort of character we need in and around the club. Players such as Tom Ince who has signed recently for local rivals Derby County is going to have huge pressure on him due to the £4.75 million price tag above his head. If he doesn't go on to help win Derby promotion he will be seen as a waste of money by many. This is why sometimes it is a good thing to not be able to spend this sort of money.
Furthermore, my final point on why being under transfer embargo can be viewed as a positive is due to the lowered amount of expectation and pressure on the player's shoulders. Due to this embargo, majority of fans do not expect Forest to achieve much next season. It is unrealistic to expect Forest to be challenging for automatic promotion and even the play-offs would be a huge achievement. It is going to be very difficult for the club to achieve much realistically under embargo. However, due to this it reduces the pressure on the players and the whole club. This is why it can be viewed as good thing. Everyone knows that Forest play much better with no pressure on them. It is usually when the pressures arrives such as in the play-offs or when they are doing well that they start to crumble. This season with no pressure they may perform better and even surprise a few. This season it will not be a disaster to not get promotion which is how it was seen by many fans last season. We will not be experiencing the sort of pressure throughout the season as clubs such as Hull, Derby, QPR and so on will be feeling as they are expected to win majority of their games. This is the sort of feeling Bournemouth experienced last season and we all know how that turned out.
Overall, the debate surrounding the transfer embargo will continue for the foreseeable future. However, there is no doubt that the transfer embargo isn't all just doom and gloom and that the Forest fans should look at the positives of it and not just the negatives. It may even be that the embargo is lifted depending on the situation regarding QPR and their appeal. For now though we have to deal with the limitations of it but also revel in the fact we no longer have to worry about paying over the odds and can look forward to seeing more of our youth next year. Thanks for reading!
Nottingham Forest have this week confirmed the signings of Matt Mills and Jamie Ward. They have become Forest's first two signings of the summer as Dougie Freedman looks to deal with the limitations of the transfer embargo throughout the season. They are two players with vast experience of the Championship and could prove very useful additions to the squad.
Matt Mills was confirmed as Forest's first signing of the season on Wednesday when he joined on a free transfer. I personally think this is a very, very good signing considering our financial position. To get a centre half of Mills's quality on a free transfer and on less than £10,000 is a very astute piece of business. He joins a Forest squad which already has a good number of quality centre halves in the form of Jack Hobbs, Kelvin Wilson and Michael Mancienne. However, with doubts over the fitness of Hobbs and Wilson, Mills may well find himself a prominent figure in the Forest starting line-up next season. Another reason why this is such as good signing is due to the character of Mills. He is a leader and has captained his last three clubs Reading, Leicester and Bolton at some stage. This is the type of character who Forest greatly missed last season when we started to fall away under Stuart Pearce when Reid, Cohen and Hobbs were out injured for sustained periods of the season. There is a chance that Mills could lead Forest as captain this season due to his previous working relationship with manager Dougie Freedman. However, he will face competition for this status from Henri Lansbury and also Hobbs, Reid and Cohen if they can keep fit. Mills also come in as a direct replacement for Jamaal Lascelles as he departs for Newcastle United now his loan has expired. I personally see this as an upgrade as Lascelles arguably took a step backwards last season. Mills comes in with vast experience and is a very good replacement for Lascelles. The fact Leicester previously paid £5 million for his services in the past shows what a quality player we have on our hands.
Matt Mill's equalizes against new club Forest with a superb header back in 2014.
Jamie Ward finally became Forest's second signing of the summer yesterday after joining on a free transfer after being released by Derby County. I also think that this is another good piece of business from Forest and manager Dougie Freedman. I don't think it is as good as the Mills signing but I still think Ward could be a very useful addition to the Forest squad. Forest currently have a lot of injury problems with their attackers and this is somewhere Ward could be utilized even though he is predominantly a winger. He was always rated highly whilst at Derby and was one of their better players in my opinion and I was surprised to see them let him go. I was even more surprised when he decided to join Forest considering the history between him and the club. I would not be surprised to see him go on and be a success with Forest as I still think he has a couple of good years left in him at the age of 29. However, he is going to have stiff competition if he is to get in the starting line-up next year with the likes of Michail Antonio, Chris Burke, Oliver Burke, Jamie Paterson, Djamal Abdoun and Andy Reid all challenging for places. One game I would definately stick Ward in the starting line-up for is both Derby games as it is almost written in the script for him to bag a goal. That is one way he could easily win the Forest faithful over and wipe out any doubts they may have. The four-year deal is a bit kind but this is the only way Forest are going to attract players of Ward's quality.
Overall, I think Forest and Freedman have done very well with their first two signings of the summer in the form of Mills and Ward. I think even without an embargo Forest fans would not argue with these two signings. Both have a great chance of being successful additions to the squad next season. However, there is still a lot of work for Freedman to do this summer. I would still have a central defensive midfielder, a striker, a left back and a goalkeeper on my shopping list for the rest of the summer.
On Saturday (21st February 2015), Dougie Freedman will look to get one over his former club as Bolton Wanderers visit the City Ground. Freedman is currently unbeaten in his three games in charge of the club and won't want that to change against his former team. He will be more desperate to win this match than arguably any other match left this season.
Bolton Wanderers started the season under Forest's manager Dougie Freedman. It was a pretty poor start to the season which ended up with Freedman being sacked in October of last year. Freedman managed to last the first ten games of this season and in this time managed to achieve one win, two draws and seven defeats. This was a pretty shocking start to the season which ended with a 4-0 drubbing against Fulham at Craven Cottage. Freedman was swiftly replaced by former Celtic boss Neil Lennon. Under Lennon, Wanderer's form has drastically improved. He has so far achieved nine wins, five draws and six defeats. This form has managed to steer Bolton to 15th in the Championship and seven points clear of danger which is remarkable achievement considering the position Bolton were under when Lennon took charge. In comparison, Dougie Freedman seems to be having much better look at Nottingham Forest than he did in his time in charge at Bolton Wanderers. He has so far achieved two wins and a draw in his time in charge. These include a 3-2 win away at Brighton, a 3-0 win at home to Wigan Athletic and more recently a 4-4 draw at Blackpool. The latter also should've been a third win on the bounce considering Forest conceded in the last minute of injury time after only taking the lead moments before. However, Freedman and his Forest side will be looking to wipe this out of the memory by claiming all three points against his former club at the City Ground.
Gary Gardner celebrates his equalizer to make it 2-2 at Bloomfield Road last weekend.
Jack Hobbs went off injured in the game against Blackpool last weekend and will therefore miss out on this match. Freedman went on to blame the state of the pitch at Blackpool as the cause for Hobb's injury. It is still unknown exactly how long Hobbs will be out of action for. Forest will also be without Andy Reid, Chris Cohen and Britt Assombalonga as they all continue to recover from long-term injuries.
My score prediction for this game is Nottingham Forest 2-0 Bolton Wanderers. I feel that Forest are playing very well at the moment and were unlucky not to make it three wins out of three under Dougie Freedman last weekend. However, I think that Forest will have too much in attack for Wanderers to handle and will go on to achieve a relatively comfortable home victory.
Dougie Freedman maintains his unbeaten record as Forest manager as they were held to a draw in a thrilling encounter with Blackpool as it finished 4-4 at Bloomfield Road. Gary Madine put Blackpool 1-0 up on the stroke of half-time and Orlandi made it two soon in the second. Goals from Dexter Blackstock and Gary Gardner then pulled Forest level before Davies restored Blackpool's lead. Forest then took a 4-3 lead with goals from Henri Lansbury and Chris Burke before Blackpool equalized in the last kick of the game with a header from Ferguson.
The game started off very scrappy which was no surprise considering the state of the Bloomfield Road pitch. Perkins hit a shot which bobbled across the surface but Darlow did well to hold. Michail Antonio was looking dangerous and causing problems for the Blackpool defence as the pitch meant neither him or the Blackpool defence had any idea where he was heading. Another big injury blow came in the 42nd minute for Forest as Jack Hobbs came off with a knee injury and was replaced by Jamaal Lascelles. Then came another blow as Blackpool took the lead in first half injury time as Gary Madine tucked the ball home from a dangerous cross to make it 1-0.
Forest started the second half with a big chance when Burke should have done better with an Antonio cross but failed to control the ball. Oliver Burke got handed his league debut for Forest as he replaced Matty Fryatt who had little impact on the game. Orlandi made it 2-0 to Blackpool soon after as he hit a great effort into the top corner of the net with Darlow having no chance. Forest got back into the game as Oliver Burke's flick was met by Blackstock who scored to make it 2-1 at the second time of asking. It was then 2-2 immediately as Antonio caused problems in the Blackpool area before the ball rebounded to Gary Gardner who had a simple tap-in. However, Forest weren't level for long as Blackpool restored their lead as Steven Davies finished from close range after an initial save by Darlow to make it 3-2 to the home side. Blackpool were pushing for a fourth when Oliver Burke's clearance found Antonio on the half way line who ran through on goal only to be taken out by Aldred in the penalty area who was subsequently sent off. Henri Lansbury stepped up and converted the penalty to make it 3-3 in what was turning out to be an incredible game. Blackpool had nine men for injury time as O'Dea collected an injury when they had used all their subs. There were nine minutes added on be the fourth official. Then Forest took the lead in 90+5 as Chris Burke tormented the Blackpool defence before unleashing a stunning effort into the top corner of the net. Then Blackpool showed incredible character to level the scores again from a corner when David Ferguson headed home to make sure the match ended 4-4.
Overall, I don't think many conclusions can be made from what was a crazy match on a awful pitch. What can be said is that Forest clearly have no problem scoring goals even without top scorer Britt Assombalonga. However, without Jack Hobbs in the team, the defence totally fell apart and to concede four goals to Blackpool isn't acceptable. If Forest can sort out their defensive issues they will win more games than they lose.
On Saturday (14th February 2015), Dougie Freedman will look to make it three wins on the bounce as his Forest side visit Bloomfield Road to play Blackpool. He will want to build on two very precious wins against Brighton and Wigan and make sure it is three wins out of three and maximum points for his time in charge so far.
Blackpool have endured a horrid 2014/15 season to date, and it doesn't look like that will change anytime soon. They began the season with Jose Riga in charge and in their first game they lost 2-0 to Forest at the City Ground in what was Stuart Pearce's first game in charge. There was major controversy over Blackpool at the beginning of the season when they only had eight players signed on just a matter of weeks before the campaign began. This set off lots of protests over owner Karl Oyston which are still going on to this date. Lee Clark was appointed to continue Blackpool's struggles, and not too much appears to have changed. Some of Blackpool's worst defeats this season have been 4-2 away to Huddersfield, 6-1 at home to Bournemouth, 7-2 away to Watford, 4-0 away to Norwich and many more. However, last time out they only narrowly lost late on to Middlesborough who are challenging at the top of the Championship. In comparison, Forest have got the feel good factor about them once again under new manager Dougie Freedman. He has so far led them to two wins out of two against Brighton away which was won 3-2 and Wigan at home which was won 3-0. This has reignited Forest's hope to get something out of the season and at the same time diminishing any chances of relegation. Forest did suffer some bad news in the form that Britt Assombalonga will miss a years worth of football after coming off injured against Wigan. Freedman will now be looking for his other strikers such as Dexter Blackstock and Matty Fryatt to step up to the plate and fill Assombalonga's boots.
Chris Burke celebrates with Henri Lansbury after putting Forest 2-0 up against Wigan at the City Ground.
Forest will be travelling to Bloomfield road without star striker Britt Assombalonga who picked up a nasty injury against Wigan on Wednesday night and will now miss a years worth of football. This game is likely to come too soon for Michael Mancienne and Kelvin Wilson who are both set to return to training on Monday morning. Apart from that, the only other long-term absentees are Chris Cohen and Andy Reid with the latter not too far away from returning to full fitness.
My prediction for this game is Blackpool 0-2 Nottingham Forest. I think Forest will be too much for Blackpool who are a team really struggling to do anything in the Championship this season with every point being a bonus for them. I think the quality Forest have even without Britt Assombalonga will shine through on the day and allow them to collect all three points. The pitch is my only concern but professional football players should be able to play on any surface.
Dougie Freedman secured his second win in as many games, as he led Forest to a comfortable 3-0 victory against Wigan Athletic at The City Ground. Britt Assombalonga put Forest 1-0 up before the break. Second half goals from Chris Burke and Henri Lansbury added further gloss to the victory. This secured six points out of six so far for Dougie Freedman in charge of Forest.
Forest started the game very brightly as you'd expect after winning the first game under a new manager. Chris Burke whipped in a dangerous ball to Michail Antonio who headed wide when he probably should've done better with the opportunity. However, despite Forest's dominance, Wigan almost took the lead when Bo-Kyung let fly only to be denied by Karl Darlow in the Forest goal. Michail Antonio had another chance but his low shot was held by Wigan keeper Al-Habsi. Then came the first goal of the game, and it was a very good one. Chris Burke did well in the middle of the park before feeding a delightful through ball for Assombalonga who slotted home past the keeper. Forest could of made it 2-0 soon after as Antonio set up Lansbury for the shot but he fired over. Wigan looked a team who were beginning to struggle which wasn't surprising due to the dire form they were in.
Forest started the second half equally as impressive as the first. Michail Antonio did well to shrug off two challenges and set up Chris Burke on the right hand side who smashed the ball into the top corner to make it 2-0. Then came what was without doubt the best goal in the game. Assombalonga did well to hold the ball up and play the ball to Fox on the left hand side of the pitch. He then gave the ball to Lansbury who turned and curled a beautiful shot into the bottom corner from about 20 yards out to make it 3-0 to Forest and give no way back for Wigan. The game turned sour soon after as Britt Assombalonga picked up what looked like a serious injury and was taken off on a stretcher after a long delay. The atmosphere in the City Ground dipped after this but Forest still had enough about them to cruise to victory.
Overall, this was a very good day for Forest and it was very refreshing to see Forest completely dominating a team at home for once. It has been a long time since teams feared going to the City Ground because they thought they might be on the end of a battering. This was a fantastic team performance with so many positives to take. The only negative is the blow of the injury to Britt Assombalonga but he will be back. However, what must be remembered is how poor a team Wigan are at the moment.
On Wednesday (11th February 2015), Dougie Freedman will be looking to secure his first home win in charge against Wigan Athletic at The City Ground. He will want to build on what was a moral boosting 2-3 win away at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. He will be hoping to secure another three points on Wednesday which could potentially move Forest up to 9th in the Championship.
Wigan Athletic are another team like Brighton who have had a poor campaign to date in the Sky Bet Championship. Uwe Rosler was looking to build on an unsuccessful play-off campaign last season by gaining promotion this. Wigan were one of the favorites for promotion at the beginning of the season. However, Rosler endured what was a very slow start to the season, Wigan were a completely different team to the one which we saw at the end of last season. Under Rosler's management this season, Wigan achieved three wins, seven draws and seven defeats. This left Wigan placed 21st in the table, and with major fears of relegation. Rosler was replaced by controversial manager Malky Mackay. It caused Wigan chairman Dave Whelan all sorts of problems in appointing him which involved in himself being branded as a 'racist'. Mackay has failed to have much of an impact since taking charge, and Wigan's form has arguably got worse. Since he has taken the reigns, he has achieved one win, three draws and eight defeats. This is an even worse record than Rosler had at the beginning of the season. This has resulted in Mackay taking Wigan from 21st place in the table down to 23rd place, which is not good reading for Wigan fans. Wigan now look to be in a desperate situation, where League 1 looks the most likely destination. In comparison, Forest now appear like they could be on the up again after Dougie Freedman won his first match in charge against Brighton on Saturday. This leaves Forest 13 points off the play-offs, with a lot to do if they still want to achieve promotion this season. However, playing Wigan at home is a massive opportunity for Freedman and his men to get another three points and really build confidence. It is very important that Forest put on a good performance for the home crowd who have only seen four wins at home all season.
Henri Lansbury celebrates after putting Forest 2-1 up against Brighton at the AMEX Stadium at the weekend.
Forest have no fresh injury concerns from their game at Brighton at the weekend. However, Freedman has stated that this game has come too soon for Michael Mancienne who is still recovering from injury. The only other long-term absentees are Andy Reid and Chris Cohen. Apart from those three, Freedman has a fully fit squad to choose from. He has already stated that he probably won't make too many changes from the team who beat Brighton 2-3 at the weekend.
My prediction for this game is Nottingham Forest 2-0 Wigan Athletic. I am expecting Forest to build on what was a very positive result on Saturday with another three points. It is important that Forest go on a bit of a run now to make sure we are well clear of relegation and even maybe get back into the playoff race. Anything is possible in the Championship, and much stranger things have happened in the past. However, I think Wigan are more than beatable for Forest especially on home turf.
Dougie Freedman got off to a winning start as Nottingham Forest manager, as he led Forest to a 2-3 win against Brighton & Hove Albion at the AMEX Stadium. Brighton took the lead in the first half as Lewis Dunk headed them ahead. However, Danny Collins equalized with a header shortly before half-time. Goals from Henri Lansbury and Ben Osborn gave Forest a 3-1 lead in the second half before Kayal pulled one back for the Seagulls late on.
Dougie Freedman made a total of six changes to the team who lost 1-0 at home to Millwall the previous weekend. The most notable changes were the inclusion of Danny Collins and putting Karl Darlow back into the starting-11 ahead of Dorus De Vries who has played very well of late. Gordon Greer had a good chance to put Brighton ahead from a corner, but failed to do so. Forest were looking pretty solid and had appeals for a penalty turned down when Greer tussled with Britt Assombalonga. Holla had the best chance of the game so far for Brighton as his free-kick seemed to hit a combination of the post and bar leaving Brighton incredibly unlucky not to be 1-0 up. However, Brighton did exactly that just moments later as Lewis Dunk headed home. Forest took just two minutes to respond as a free-kick was headed in off the post by Danny Collins to level the scores.
Forest started the second half brightly and Dunk had to be alert to deny Assombalonga a chance to give Forest the lead. Forest did take the lead in the 63rd minute as Ben Osborn laid off a free-kick for Henri Lansbury to smash through a mass of bodies into the far bottom corner much to the travelling fan's delight. Forest then looked to have wrapped up the three points in the 86th minute as Chris Burke went on a good run down the right hand side and squared it for Ben Osborn to smash home and cause jubilant scenes in the away end. However, for Forest it is never that easy and Kayal headed home in the 90th minute to cause a nervy final few minutes for Forest and their travelling support. Then came a huge chance for Brighton to find an equalizer as Kayal's effort was cleared off the line by a combination of Jamaal Lascelles and Jack Hobbs. However, Forest managed to clear their lines and hang on for a moral boosting three points.
Overall, this was a much improved performance from Forest and it was nice to see the players playing with a smile on their faces once again. I don't think it is a coincidence that when Henri Lansbury plays well, so do Forest. I think if Dougie Freedman can get the best out of Lansbury then he will have a much more successful time in charge than if he can't. Freedman already clearly has the players on board and has already recorded one impressive result against a Brighton side who were much improving under Chris Hughton. He now has to build on this by securing a win in his first home match in charge against Wigan, another team with relegation fears in the Championship.
On Saturday (7th February 2015), Dougie Freedman takes charge of the Forest team for the first time since being appointed to replace Stuart Pearce on Sunday. He will want to get off to a good start after a poor result for Forest in the last outing in the form of a 1-0 defeat at home to Millwall which leaves Forest just seven points off the relegation zone. He will be looking to inspire Forest to all three points as the travel to the AMEX Stadium to face Brighton & Hove Albion.
Brighton had a very poor start to the season under new manager Sami Hyypia. During Hyypia's time in charge he achieved three wins, ten draws and nine defeats. This left Brighton sitting 22nd in the table and led to Hyypia's resignation from his role as manager. This was to the delight of majority of the fans at Brighton who weren't happy with how results and performances were going. It probably didn't help Hyypia, in the fact that Brighton had finished in the top six in the previous two seasons as this has risen the level of expectation at the AMEX. Chris Hughton has since taken over the reigns and seems to be gradually improving results. He has so far recorded three wins, no draws and two defeats in the Championship. This means he has already matched the amount of wins which Hyypia managed to achieve during his time in charge. However, Brighton suffered a set back last time out as they fell to a 1-0 defeat away to relegation rivals Blackpool. In comparison, Forest have now ended their relationship with Stuart Pearce as the manager was sacked on Sunday evening by chairman Fawaz Al-Hasawi. During his time in charge he achieved eight wins, ten draws and ten defeats. This was not good enough in Al-Hasawi's opinion for a Forest team which had a lot of investment in the summer with the likes of Britt Assombalonga signing for £5.5 million. Pearce did achieve some memorable wins in charge including his first match against Blackpool at home and the famous 2-1 win at local rivals Derby County. However, this wasn't good enough for him to keep his job and he leaves Forest thirteen points off the play-offs. Dougie Freedman now comes in with a relatively good managerial record for a young manager and will be looking to get off to a flying start on Saturday.
Forest manager Stuart Pearce was relieved of his duties by chairman Fawaz Al-Hasawi on Sunday night.
His replacement, Dougie Freedman, was appointed just hours after Stuart Pearce's sacking was confirmed.
New Forest manager Dougie Freedman has a fully fit squad to choose from apart from Michael Mancienne who is still recovering from injury and long-term absentees Chris Cohen and Andy Reid. Apart from that, Dougie Freedman has the whole squad at his disposal. It will be interesting to see what changes he makes to the team in his first game in charge. Dexter Blackstock has now recovered from a recent injury and Matty Fryatt is now fully fit after his run out against Millwall last weekend.
My prediction for this game is Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 Nottingham Forest. I think it will be a tight game between the two teams, with little to separate them. I think the introduction of Dougie Freedman will inspire a spirited performance from Forest and make them come home with at least a point from the AMEX. However, I think the home side will also gain something from the match due to the fact Chris Hughton is doing a very good job so far.
Nottingham Forest lost their second game in a row as they lost late on 1-0 to Millwall at The City Ground. Ricardo Fuller was the man to get the winner for the Lions, as he capitalized on a shocking error from Stephen McLaughlin. Forest didn't have time to muster a response meaning Millwall went back to the capital with all three points.
Forest did make a decent start to the match and looked to be the better of the two sides. Henri Lansbury had the best chance of the opening minutes as hit shot from inside the area deflected over. Michail Antonio and Britt Assombalonga were also looking menacing. Cummings then made what looked like it might be a costly mistake as his free-kick back towards his own goal was picked up by Antonio but he could only fire straight at Forde. Then came the first big moment of the match as Dorus De Vries made a superb save to prevent Beevers putting Millwall 1-0 up with a header. Half-time soon came, with little to talk about in what was a pretty dull contest between the two teams desperate for a victory.
Forest almost started the second half by going 1-0 up as Robert Tesche smashed a shot from 25 yards out against the crossbar. Chris Burke then followed it up with a header but this was cleared off the line by Beevers. Michail Antonio then did some good work down the right hand side and delivered a cross in which was met by Britt Assombalonga who hit the bar. Henri Lansbury then again came close as his curling effort from the edge of the box missed narrowly. Then came the vital goal in the game as Ricardo Fuller capitalized on a shocking header back from Stephen McLaughlin and rounded Dorus De Vries before tapping the ball into the empty net.
Overall, this was a shocking performance and result from Forest's point of view. To lose to a team like Millwall at home is completely unacceptable. They have arguably been the worst team in the Championship of late and Forest with the quality they have in their ranks should have been able to take advantage especially on home turf. However, it wasn't to be and the long ball football was even more evident than ever. Something has to change if Forest are going to turn their form around.
On Saturday (31st January 2015), Forest face Millwall at the City Ground in what is a great chance to get back to winning ways on home turf. They will want to wipe a disappointing 3-2 defeat away to Fulham at Craven Cottage out of the memory by securing all three points this Saturday. Stuart Pearce will want his players to respond to the defeat in the best possible way.
Millwall have had a shocking season to date and currently sit 22nd in the table and in the relegation zone. Ian Holloway's men have failed to build on what was a good end to the season last time out. They haven't won since 12th December when they beat Brighton 1-0 at the Amex Stadium in front of the Sky Sports cameras. Since then they have lost six matches and drawn two. Some of these defeats were also very heavy as they lost 6-1 away to Norwich City and 4-0 away to Bradford in the FA Cup. This has raised serious doubts about Holloway's future but he so far seems up to the challenge. Last time out they drew 0-0 against Reading at The New Den. They will most likely be coming to the City Ground with the aim of frustrating the hosts. In comparison, Forest seem to be taking one step forward and one step back at this moment in time. The dramatic late 2-1 win against local rivals Derby County looked to be a turning point in their season. However, this was only to be followed up with a 3-2 defeat away to Fulham which involved Forest going 3-0 down after 35 minutes. It was a shocking defensive display which resulted in Eric Lichaj getting subbed off after half an hour. This means that Forest's win over Derby is their only win in their last ten games. This is terrible form which has seen them drop into 12th place and 13 points off the play-offs. However, due to Watford's defeat last night, this gap could be reduced to 10 points.
Ross McCormack earned the match ball after his 35 minute hat trick against Forest at Craven Cottage last time out.
Stuart Pearce has confirmed that Matty Fryatt is fit and available for selection again after missing a couple of weeks through injury. However, this game is still too soon for Michael Mancienne. Gary Gardner will miss out after picking up an illness. Andy Reid will also miss out after having an operation but says he hopes to be fit enough to return in just four weeks. Chris Cohen is the only other long-term absentee.
My prediction for this game is Nottingham Forest 2-1 Millwall. I think it is going to be a very tough game as I think Millwall will come to try and frustrate Forest. Forest also seem to be very predictable so Millwall might be successful in this approach. However, I do think Forest will have enough attacking threat to breach what is a pretty shocking Millwall defence and go on to win the game.
Nottingham Forest returned to losing ways after they fell to a 3-2 defeat against Fulham at Craven Cottage. Ross McCormack scored a first half hat trick which punished Forest for yet another slow start and again gave them too much to do. Henri Lansbury scored either side of half-time but it wasn't enough for Forest to get anything out of the game.
Fulham's attacking threat was shown from the first whistle as McCormack tested Dorus De Vries in the Forest goal who made a superb acrobatic save. However, McCormack got the better of the keeper in the 7th minute as his left footed strike into the bottom corner from the edge of the area gave Fulham a 1-0 lead. McCormack then again punished Forest in the 18th minute as he popped up in a similar position and stuck the ball into the same corner as he previously had minutes earlier but this time the post came to his aid. Forest were giving the £11 million striker far too much room and space for a player of his quality and he was punishing them. Britt Assombalonga got his first chance of the game after a poor header but the Fulham keeper did well. One player who was playing well for Forest was Dorus De Vries who produced another save to deny Fofana. Eric Lichaj was taken off after half an hour after a dismal display and was replaced by McLaughlin. Ross McCormack then sealed his hat trick in the 35th minute as his deflected strike made it 3-0 to Fulham. A well worked free-kick did get Forest a slimmer of hope before half-time as Henri Lansbury curled one around the wall and into the top right hand corner to make it 3-1.
Forest came out for the second half looking a different team with arguably nothing to lose after a first half performance which left them with a lot to do. Jack Hobbs had an effort cleared off the line which signified Forest's intentions. Michail Antonio also then had a header saved as Forest piled the pressure on the home side. Forest then pulled another goal back to make it 3-2. Ben Osborn played a good ball into Michail Antonio who chested it down in the area and laid it off for Henri Lansbury to smash into the corner of the net in the 62nd minute. Assombalonga then had several great chances to level the scores, but failed to do so. One of his attempts was a failed lob of the keeper when he perhaps should have done better. Michail Antonio fired wide to end what was a very frustrating evening for Forest.
Overall, it was a very strange and disappointing evening at Craven Cottage. It is a shame that Forest could not build on the euphoria of beating Derby County just a couple of days previous. It is also disappointing that it was yet another slow start to a match which has ultimately cost us three points. If Forest had played like they had in the second in the first half, they would no doubt be coming home with all three points. It is games like this that Forest have to play ugly to start with to make sure they do not give themselves too much to do. Going 3-0 down after 35 minutes is unacceptable from any team in any division.
On Wednesday (21st January 2015), Forest will look to build on the momentum gained by a dramatic 2-1 win over arch rivals Derby County at the iPro Stadium on Saturday. It was a very impressive result which has given everyone connected with the club a much needed boost. Stuart Pearce will now urge his players to follow up this result with another one when they visit Fulham at Craven Cottage on Wednesday night.
Fulham started the Sky Bet Championship season in shocking fashion after their recent relegation from the Premier League. Under Felix Magath, they failed to win any of their first eight league matches. In this run it included heavy defeats to Derby, Reading and Forest. Forest beat Fulham 5-3 in a goal feast at the City Ground after Fulham were leading 3-2. This outlined the defensive problems that Fulham were suffering from. It was the result at Forest which confirmed Felix Magath's fate and he was replaced by Kit Symons. Fulham's form has improved sit he took charge of the team, and they have gradually pulled themselves back up the league table after sitting bottom when he took over. They have won their last two matches as they beat Wolves on penalties after a 3-3 draw in the Capital One Cup and also beat Reading 2-1 at Craven Cottage on Saturday. In comparison, Forest have been suffering the sort of form which Fulham had at the beginning of the season recently. However, that may all be set to change after a late Ben Osborn goal gave Forest a dramatic late victory against local rivals Derby County. After a run of just two wins in twenty matches, Pearce's men will now look to go on some sort of run which can pull them closer to the play-off places. Forest are currently sat in 12th position with Fulham in 15th position and within just three points. Forest need to start winning games if they are to overturn the ten point gap which separates them from the play-offs.
Robert Tesche celebrates with Ben Osborn after his goal secures a dramatic victory over Derby County which is Forest's first win over Derby on their turf since Rob Earnshaw scored a late winner in 2011 at Pride Park to give Forest a 1-0 win.
Forest face no fresh injury concerns ahead of this game. No injuries were caused in the Derby match on Saturday which is a surprise considering the amount of casualties there were from the previous meeting in September. Britt Assombalonga was said to have played through the pain on Saturday as he suffers with a slight hip injury. However, he is still said to be available for this game. Michail Antonio also came off due to injury on Saturday even though he wanted to play on with an injury to his ribs. He is also said to be available for the trip to Fulham. Andy Reid has recently been ruled out a further four to six weeks as he has now decided to have an operation which is a huge blow. This game is also likely to come too soon for both Matty Fryatt and Michael Mancienne who are both still suffering with injuries. Chris Cohen is the only other long-term absentee.
My prediction for this game is Fulham 0-2 Nottingham Forest. I hope that Forest will use the momentum gained from the Derby win to go on a string of positive results. I believe that Fulham are there for the taking and are a very beatable team for this Forest side. I think they should go there full of confidence believing that they can bring home the three points. I still believe that the play-offs are possible this season and as long as the players and management still believe this, then there is a chance.
