The new season is a few days away. Hurrah! It’s been a bloody long summer without the football. Proper football. Championship football.
If I’m perfectly honest, expectations for the new season are well in check for the moment. It’s not necessarily a bad thing when supporting Forest. A top half finish has to be the aim whilst we try to forge a new identity under Sabri Lamouchi. I don’t think any of us really know what this will look like yet. From the pre-season games I’ve watched, we’ll be compact but ready to cause damage on the counter attack. Classic Forest really.
Thus far, Mr Maranakis has been clear (in his actions) that promotion is the goal and nothing else will do. The manager turnover is well documented; I’ll conserve my energy on that matter for now as history tells me I might need it for later on. At the very least, it feels like a clean slate. The fan base is back on the same page. Martin O’Neill’s appointment brought out the worst in us. It wasn’t our finest hour.
The latest change in manager doesn’t detract from the reality though; we are starting over yet again. It’s asking a lot for a new manager, from a different league/country/culture to adapt from the off. To chuck in the same expectations for the new (largely unknown) players and expecting it all to come together by Christmas is pushing it. Will he be afforded ‘the precious commodity of time’ if it’s anything less? Probably not. People will say that Norwich achieved promotion last season with Daniel Farke but he was allowed to go through a slump in results the previous year.
With my glass half empty and given the variables thrown into the pot this summer, the plan has a slim chance of success. I’m finding it harder to get excited about some of our new signings these days. For each Joao Carvalho, we’ve had 3 Kyle Embecilio’s. I’m getting quite sceptical in my old age about our player recruitment. It needs to improve.
With my glass half full; Carvalho will be like a new signing when he’s fit again. The most natural talent we’ve had at Forest since Andy Reid came through the ranks? His individual performance in the thrashing of Middlesbrough was one of the best I’ve seen for a long, long time by a Forest player. God help us if Lamouchi doesn’t pick him (note to self: Keep positive Scott, keep positive). Joe Lolley is as good as it gets in the league for a wide player. He seemed to be affected more than most around with all the uncertainty last Christmas time. Whether that was down to the change in manager or rumoured January transfer interest, we can’t afford for Joe to have that lull in form again. These are high expectations but I think he’s got it in his locker to drag us out of the league. No player would deserve to hit those heights any more than Joe.
Arijanet Muric looks like he has some potential. I was horrified after his start at Olympiacos and wondered what we had signed but I’ve seen him a couple of times since and he made some cracking saves in the friendly against Palace. He looks a great shot stopper and assured in collecting crosses. Given his age, I think he’ll be prone to making a few mistakes but he looks to be positive in his decision making, regardless of the outcome. Pantilimon looked a lot better under Martin O’Neill but I don’t think he is the answer. It’s a fairly big call to make if we are going to lose Panitilimon in favour of developing a loan player. Time will tell.
Tiago Silva looks a busy type of player. A cultured Paul Evans! I’m not sure that he’s a No.10 but the thought of him linking up with Carvalho does genuinely excite me. His set pieces already look like they will be an asset. He has a doggedness about him that makes me think he’ll enjoy the needle of Championship football. High hopes for this signing.
Alfa Semedo had a really encouraging game against Real Sociedad. I’m not sure if he will cope with the pace and physicality of the Championship but he may well surprise if he can adjust. The head says he’ll be another Pele, the heart says he could be another Pogba (the footballer not the ego). Ben Watson has the experience to carry out the new managers instructions and I’m not sure Semedo will be able to do the anchor role. Whilst Ben Osborn seemed to get approval from every Forest manager he played under, Claudio Yacob can’t seem to impress any of them enough to get a run in the team! I know very little about Samba Sow but he looks a unit. Jack Colback will be missed so it’s going to be a key area to fill.
I’ve also high hopes for Alex Milosevic at the back. He’s a relatively new signing who went AWOL under Martin O’Neill. He’s got the physical attributes of your typical Scandinavian defender but he rarely goes to ground and is a composed figure at the back. Sometimes I forgot he was on the pitch, he’s so unassuming. The polar opposite to Benalouane! It looks like he’s going to start the season behind Michael Dawson and Joe Worral in the pecking order though. I’d still back him to have an impact this season when he gets his chance.
Albert Adomah is probably past his best but he’ll improve us I’m sure. His experience alone will help out the team and hopefully he’ll weigh in with goals and assists. We look really light up top and although the lad from Wolves, Rafa Mir, looks like he has pedigree, he’s another one that isn’t a proven quantity. Sammy Ameobi will have something to play for given he’s only got a 1 year deal and he’s already shown that he can create and score a goal. He could be a cracking impact player for us this season. He’s an upgrade on the departing Soudani and Goncalves.
I still think we are a few quality players short though of a genuine promotion bid so I’d expect a similar finish to last season. If Carvalho and Lolley can get in the team together again, a good run wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest. Michael Dawson’s leadership qualities showed how influential they can still be but the question is: will his legs hold out? With a young keeper and a new right back (in Matty Cash), his voice will be key in talking them through the game.
I’m convinced that if we can get Lewis Grabban’s tail up from the off, then he can easily get 20 goals if he stays fit. Hopefully his Achilles problem has gone away now. Whilst Lewis does look disinterested when things aren’t going his way, I thought he gave a few master class performances in playing up top on his own last season. He looked much sprightlier after his goal last Friday night. Forest simply have to play to his strengths. When we do, he has proven that he can score the goals.
All this glass half full thinking leaves me feeling pretty optimistic. The talent is there. We had a small taste of success last season but can we find the consistency both on and off the pitch?
The dream end in May would be; a last minute Wembley winner against Derby via a Joao Carvalho overhead kick, where the ball hits both posts before bouncing in off Richard Keogh’s face. If that’s not possible then I’ll settle for a top 10 finish, a decent run of performances, wins against the sheep and to finish the season with the same bloke in charge who started it. Progress.