Your Thoughts On The Current Nottingham Forest Manager

[Strawberry Avenger]

Just one question that I’d like to pose:
Would you - at the start of the season - have been happy with 7th ( probably 8th by the end of today ) place & just 3 points off a play off place at Christmas?
Given everything that has happened to this club over the last few years and the fact that AK was effectively starting from scratch I’m certain I would’ve been.
We’ve hit a bad patch - but let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water!
We’re on our way back - possibly still this season ( more probably - as I’ve always believed - next season ).
Strap yourselves in, continue to fill the WFCG, get behind AK & his team & enjoy!

I would take top ten with this squad, have said it all along. 

I see posters talking about top two or top six in one post then saying we need four, five or even six new signings in another. The two viewpoints just don’t add up.

Top 8-10 would represent significant progress over last year.

Put like this:

Forest were 'top' of the bottom 8 last year (and it could have been worse if not for that January window...as Forest were getting that 'free fall' feeling...of a relegation battle.  Which I think it was.)

Forest are past the 'middle' 8 of the league.  That's what this year's investment has brought us.  I think that's impressive.  It's a fair return for a side that has had relegation fodder stamped on it for the last three years.

So where are Forest now?  '2nd bottom' of the top 8?  Is that fair?  Forest 'could' have beaten Norwich.  They 'could' have beaten Leeds.  They 'could' have beaten Preston.  They 'could' have beaten QPR.  ...and there's all those 'draws' that you could turn to victories such as Millwall etc.  The home form hasn't been as good where Forest have had to break down teams that have figured out how to play against us.  'Could' but 'didn't.'  (Cotter ill-esque?  But a useful examination of where Forest are and 'could' have been.  3rd?  2nd?)  There was a point where, if Forest HAD beaten Norwich things would, for a moment, looked very different for Forest.  But they went 1 nil, ALMOST 2-0 ahead then 'lost it.'  What happened?  What's happening now?  

Something IS missing.  And I think that is just the strain of 'reaching too hard' and 'too soon' for a side that was relegation material to a side that is almost promotion material.  Forest have 'bossed' all teams in the top 6 bar Norwich (and they did for 15 mins and then collapsed at home...)

I think that's where are.  HOW do you turn Forest from a 'could' have but DIDN'T side...a 'could' side, who is an 'almost' side into a 'we've arrived' side?

At our best?  We'd have Dawson at CH and Jack at LB.  But I guess we're not at our best.  QPR chanced their arm with their game plan yesterday.  Forest don't turn up and boom.  Another home loss.  Fine margins.  But that's the championship.  Don't turn up or show your best?  Then you don't win football matches.  Has Grabban got any real competition?  Has Car'?  Forest's squad is creaking' in the areas where they don't have true depth.  LW, LB, CH, ACM, STR and many have said GK has cost us points.  Forest are 6 players off the top two.  What are they now, 12 points off?  For a moment against Norwich, it was very different.  Out of the last few games, Forest have got 1 out of 9 points.

That's where January comes in.

We might not get 6 but I feel if Aitor picks the right 3-4 it will make us top 6.

Forest aint getting top 6 without a proper LB playing there.  Or without Dawson (or a Dawson class player) at CH.  Not happening.  And the current malaise has set in since he has been out and Jack has had to cover at CH thus  unbalancing the side.

Frustrating.  I turned the radio off before the Aitor interview.

It's obvious to me.  It's only because we are so close.  We've played the top 6 and largely blown them away.  1 win and we're right back with Boro' and co'.

Considering where we were last season, the current position is remarkable.

But who likes being teased?

SA.