TEAM PREVIEW: Nottingham Forest – David Johnson believes Forest can make a push

 

Last year season started so well under club legend Stuart Pearce, with new striker Britt Assombalonga scoring for fun. But injuries and a slip in form saw Pearce sacked and allowed Dougie Freedman to come in and steady the ship. But mid-table isn’t enough for a team like Forest and they’ll want to be back in the Premier League at any cost.

Last Season: Championship (14th)

Manager: Dougie Freedman

 

Squad

GKs: Dimitar Evtimov, Dorus de Vries
DFs: Eric Lichaj, Michael Mancienne, Kelvin Wilson, Danny Fox, Jack Hobbs, Roger Riera, Matt Mills
MFs: Chris Cohen, Henri Lansbury, Andy Reid, Michail Antonio, David Vaughan, Chris Burke, Radoslew Majewski, Stephen McLaughlin, Robert Tesche, Oliver Burke, Jorge Grant, Ben Osborn, Djamel Abdoun
FWs: Matty Fryatt, Britt Assombalonga, Jamie Paterson, Dexter Blackstock, Tyler Walker, Jamie Ward

 

Transfers

In: Tim Erlandsson (Halmstad), Matt Mills (Bolton Wanderers), Jamie Ward (Derby County)

Out: Danny Collins (Rotherham United), Greg Halford (Rotherham United), Dan Harding (Released), Jamie Mackie (QPR), Louis Laing (Motherwell), Lars Veldwijk (PEC Zwolle – Loan)

 

First Six: Brighton & Hove Albion (A), Rotherham United (H), Charlton Athletic (H), Bolton Wanderers (A), Cardiff City (H), QPR (A)

Likely Lineup: (4-3-3) Evtimov – Lichaj, Mills, Hobbs, Fox – Osborn, Lansbury, Vaughan – Antonio, Blackstock, Ward

 

 

A word from…David Johnson

On joining the club I couldn’t get in the team at Ipswich and it was an opportunity to go to a team that had just come down from the Premier League and sitting near the play-offs so it was a good chance for me to go to a big club that had a chance of going back up.

The first six months are very difficult when you’re settling in, I wasn’t really match fit or playing many games but a lot of senior players who would have put us in a better position were getting injured. The manager kept changing and the wage bill was being cut so I was sent out on loan. But I knew when I was fit I’d score goals and it took 18 months for that time go up.

The importance of a striker It’s timing in terms of a good goalscoring run. They’ve had god knows how many strikers since I’ve been there. Holt, King, John, Harewood etc have all left the club and gone on to score 20+ goals in other teams and if you ask Forest fans, they didn’t do well at the club.

It’s like a striker’s graveyard, they get brought in and it doesn’t click. Maybe that’s the pressure of coming to a club like Forest, a few did before my time but right now it seems the players don’t seem to match up to the expectation of the club. You’re only as good as your strikers. They’ll win you games when you’re good and draw you games when you’re losing.

Assombalonga came in with high expectations and the atmosphere around the whole club was good. One of the biggest legends came in as manager, confidence was high and the team were top of the league, that’s what I mean about timing. They had players scoring goals and that’s why now the likes of (Michail) Antonio are on the radar of Premier League, the pair together were devastating at the start of the season.

On returning to the Premier League The manager will need everyone to be fit and everyone to be playing at their maximum. If they can do that, they’ve got a chance. It’ll be a while until Britt comes back but they’ve brought in a couple of good players and they’ve got attacking options even without Britt.

I think we’ll have a good chance of making the play-offs if things start well but if you keep your Lansbury’s fit and keep hold of Antonio and be there or thereabouts by Christmas, we’ve got every chance of making a promotion push this season.

I don’t think we’ll be in the top two because that’s tough mentally but if they can keep everyone fit they’ll be up there.

 

The Offside Rule Podcast Prediction: Despite a good manager and some good players, it’s difficult to see Forest competing with some of the top teams this season. How Assombalonga performs upon return in the new year will be crucial, as will hanging on to Michail Antonio, which looks unlikely right now.

Key Player: Michail Antonio – An inspired signing last summer who linked up excellently with Assombalonga for Forest. Nobody has matched the fee the club requires yet so Antonio is still a Forest player for now and it’s crucial it stays that way for the club.

One to Watch: Tyler Walker – Son of Forest legend Des, Tyler Walker scored his first league goal for the club at the end of last season at just 18 years old, and with Assombalonga will out, the teenager could receive more opportunities to shine during the upcoming campaign.