Lewis Grabban

[Salvatore Matrecano]

I gave him stick last year too, thought he was done but he has shown that a fully fit Lewis Grabban is amongst the best in the league. Forget the goals, his work rate and pressing is often under appreciated and has been excellent. Also he showed on Sunday I thought that his footballing brain works at twice the speed of many defenders (at least 3x the speed of £50m Ben White).

But heres the thing, thats a fully fit and motivated Lewis. We already know he cant play 3 games a week and Cooper often takes him off before the end if he can, We know he struggles with injuries. I thought he looked superb as an impact sub coming on after 70 mins and would love to keep him for a couple of seasons in that role but would he be happy to accept not being the main man?

2 years for me but he would have to accept not starting every week. Also he is on 30k/wk, that is £2M over a 2 year deal, quite an outlay for a sub. Needs thinking carefully about.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

Yes he will have to take a drop in wages if he wants to stay and we want him to stay.

[Username]

I’ve been one of his biggest advocates but the primary factor to consider first and foremost is what division we are in.

If we somehow manage to burgle promotion to the Premier League then I would offer him two years, he would be a good player to have on the bench when chasing a game late on. He has a strikers instinct and you only have to see Newcastle’s struggles to recruit a striker in this window to see how difficult it is to find someone with those capabilities.

If we are still in this league then we probably have to shake hands and wish each other all the best, and the club need to dig deep to replace someone who’s contribution since being here has probably not been matched.

[ozzyten10]

It depends on what he wants at the end of the day. If he’s settled and is happy with a reducing role and payment then He will stay… if he wants one last money spinning contract he will go elsewhere- I can see him going abroad but don’t know his personal circumstances. It may be after a journeyman early career he wants to stay somewhere he is settled…

[Strawberry Avenger]

So Grabbs turns 34 today. I put my hands up and admit that I gave him some stick last season but I am delighted to say that he has proven me wrong and this season he has been superb.

So what do we do? He's now 34 and in the summer he's out of contract. Should we offer him a new one? Would he accept a one year extension or will he be looking for more? Should we allow him to move on a free if someone offers him a longer deal?

He's in the Swansong twilight of his career.  As he showed vs Arsenal themselves, with service, he'll score in the box.

Last season, he had 3 injuries and scored 6(?) goals and shocking service so there's no way he was going to get 20 in that scenario.  He did well to score 6.  He's about doubled that now he's fit and he's had better service.

The club may have had a preliminary chat with him.  I think a year's extension.  Off the bench in the Premiership?  (Or still able to a do a job in the Championship if we don't get promoted.). He's already shown what he can do given the service.  He just wouldn't be playing 3 games a week full-time.  He knows he's older know and that he needs to be managed.  He said as much in his post FA Cup match interview.

I'll be surprised if it's a two year deal considering where Forest are now under the new recruitment model.  But we're here again, many years after Sabri, talking about Grabban and the obvious implication that we need another striker, heir apparent.  It cost £6 million to get Grabban.  He's been full value for it blowing past DJ's record.  And putting Forest through to the next round of the FA CUP, he's partly payed for his services here.  It won't be cheap to replace him.  A test for the 'new' CEO. I'm not surprised we've been linked with strikers I'm sure Cooper will want at least a couple of new ones in.

SA.

[Strawberry Avenger]

I gave him stick last year too, thought he was done but he has shown that a fully fit Lewis Grabban is amongst the best in the league. Forget the goals, his work rate and pressing is often under appreciated and has been excellent. Also he showed on Sunday I thought that his footballing brain works at twice the speed of many defenders (at least 3x the speed of £50m Ben White).

But heres the thing, thats a fully fit and motivated Lewis. We already know he cant play 3 games a week and Cooper often takes him off before the end if he can, We know he struggles with injuries. I thought he looked superb as an impact sub coming on after 70 mins and would love to keep him for a couple of seasons in that role but would he be happy to accept not being the main man?

2 years for me but he would have to accept not starting every week. Also he is on 30k/wk, that is £2M over a 2 year deal, quite an outlay for a sub. Needs thinking carefully about.

Be interesting to see how this one plays out.  He's got a great football brain, experience.  He could be a valuable impact sub and support striker.

SA.

[McDurban]

Know when to let go.
Grabban has given us 4 great years and many great memories.
His contract is up though and it is time to move on.

[wassy04]

See I would say it is not time to move on as he's performing at a high level. I think the failure of Taylor to develop into an adequate option/replacement for Grabban show how difficult it is to find a striker of this quality. In recent years, our better runs of form have clearly coincided when he's been fit and playing well (and likewise bad runs when he was either not fit or went through that run of missing sitters!).

If he is willing to stay as a back up/rotational piece (there are a lot of games after all), then I would keep, with a view to finding a long term replacement for him at the same time. If he demands to be a starter or wants to go somewhere we have can guarantee a starting spot then let him go. I suspect whoever we bring in is unlikely to immediately displace him from the team though, Davis included.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

I think he has proved this season that he still has a lot to offer in some kind of capacity.

I would like to see him offered another 12 months.

[Dog and Bear]

12 months with a further 12 months option should be enough to tempt Lewis to stay.

[Mad Squad]

I would go along with that Grabs seems fit, happy and motivated under Cooper.

[tugger2018]

I would let him go his £30k weekly wage could be used better elsewhere I like him but he won’t be first choice next season