For the last month or so, all eyes have been on the home Forest game vs Southampton, by fans and pundits alike.
With two simply bonkers games earlier on that Monday giving fans 14 goals to feast on, the stage was set for a barnstorming, nerve-shredding game, with Forest running out 4-3 winners. Nerve shredding it certainly was, with Southampton pulling back the Forest two-goal lead 3 times. But for Forest fans, what do you expect? Forest never seem to do things the easy way.
Having been a Forest fan since I was 4 years old, I am very used to the huge highs and lows that Forest provide. My nerves were at their worst last summer when I was in the US and watching the play-off final in a bar in the early hours. For that game, I simply could not watch the screens for the last 10 minutes and was in tears at the final whistle. The Southampton game was not far off those gut-wrenching nerves. I had a friend from Sky Sports on the phone for the whole second half, but I could not watch the final 5 minutes and just talked to him in a dark room until he told me it was all over and the 3 points were in the bag.
I have been telling the doom-mongers on Twitter to wait for this game and keep being positive, but looking back, the last four games are full of hope. Forest ran Liverpool close for points at Anfield. We then saw Forest beat Brighton 3-1 at home. At Brentford, a lack of concentration cost Forest 3, then 1 point but were again in it away from home with points in touching distance (they have not wildly been out of games like some others at the bottom end of the table). Then to the visit of Southampton, and a hugely ding-dong match.
Southampton were effectively relegated if they did not win. A draw was of no use to them. So they threw the kitchen sink at Forest and played well. Forest scored four goals, two out of the top drawer, one great team goal from winning the first ball in and around the box constantly, and a penalty (which is a large turnaround given the number of missed penalties this season). The three goals given away were individual errors from Gibbs-White, Yates and Surridge, not from being overwhelmed by superior play by the opposition. This cost Forest the win, and then draw, at Brentford, but shows Forest can beat teams, home or away, if silly mistakes are cut out.
Prior to the Southampton game, I was saying on Twitter that Gibbs-White was due a huge game that he would boss. He stepped up, although as mentioned it was not error-free. Sky Sports gave him man-of-the-match, but for me, that should have been Danilo. A huge goal, an assist and no mistakes.
Players are hitting form at the right time. The last 4 games have seen Forest score 10 goals. In those games, Gibbs-White has 3 goals and 2 assists. Danilo has 3 goals and 1 assist. Awoniyi has looked sharp since he has come back from injury (other than the Brentford game which was only his 3rd game back all in 10 days) and his two goals vs Southampton were taken with confidence and quality. Johnson looks sharp again, and the pace that has clocked him as the fastest player in the Premiership his season was back on display at Southampton and he was at the centre of all good things happening, especially on the break.
Malanga has quietly looked imperious in midfield of late and Yates is getting his fitness back. So the forward 3 and midfield 3 are really peaking, or getting back to their peak, right now.
Boly coming back from injury is actually VERY important for Forest. He is so key in the Forest defence, and Filipe is showing his value game in, game out (it was such a shame his striker-quality control and finish, and amazing celebration, did not stand for a Forest 5th goal vs Southampton). Niakhate is getting back to fitness and gives speed and mobility at the back. This now gives the solid option of 3 CBs and the use of wingbacks if needed (maybe vs Arsenal).
The worry Forest have is the wing/full-back positions with Aurier and Lodi coming off injured in the Southampton game. Putting on Worrall as an RB is far from ideal, but at least Toffolo can fill in on the left and has looked sharp in his recent sub appearances. Forest should be praying Aurier is ok. Williams is out for the rest of the season and Baincone has not been available all season. There are no other recognised right backed. Boly might be asked to play as RB, but Colback might be pressed into his utility role. Kouyate is also a possibility with good flexibility.
Navas is the interesting one. There is no doubt about his pedigree and he has pulled off some world-class saves. But there has been the odd dodgy punch / push out, a European style of wanting to punch rather than catch, and his distribution with kicks is actually quite poor. But he can pull off amazing saves, so in the grand scheme of the Forest run-in, he could well be man-of-the-match in a game and be a hero.
So Forest fans, stop being so negative online and keep the faith in Cooper and the team. If you were given this position at the start of the season, I imagine you would have taken it. If you could have 6 points from the Brighton, Brentford and Southampton games, I also imagine you would have taken that in advance.
If Forest do stay up, the job Cooper has done from when he took over Forest midway through last season, Forest being at the foot of the Championship, with an entirely new squad brought in over the summer and January, will be nothing short of miraculous.
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