The Inquest Begins

Is it too early? It all seems a little bit raw and emotional to start the inquest as to why Nottingham Forest failed to secure a playoff slot last night but in a couple of days, when the dust has settled, the question will need to be asked on who’s at fault and why did it happen.

We keep saying ‘progress’ has been made and under Sabri Lamouchi it certainly has. Forest have at least finished in their highest league position for nine years, but little does it matter today, less than 24 hours from dropping down two places from fifth to seventh and out of the playoffs in the most dramatic and inconceivable of fashions.

Cast your mind back to as recent as the start of the month. Forest had just beaten Huddersfield and were sitting fourth in the table seven points above the seventh placed team just outside the playoff zone. It all seemed to be going to plan… Bristol City up next, another win, not pretty but certainly effective, ‘if we beat Derby we go ten points clear of seventh with just five games to play.’

We all know what happened at Pride Park, what happened was something that has happened a little bit to often this season. Just think, if only one of those games against Reading was won, if Millwall didn’t equalise late on at the Den, Wednesday, Derby, Barnsley, just one of those points lost would have made the difference.

Was it down to tactics? Was it because the players weren’t good enough? Was it a little bit of both? Questions that now need to be asked.

Any knee jerk decisions by Marinakis could be costly for Forest and the ‘progress’ they are aiming to make, but sitting down with Sabri and seeing how to improve a) results and b) performances is something that needs to be done.

Tactically I think Forest and Sabri understand what they have to do. The problem is that the first XI can do it, those that come in however don’t always suit the system, something which needs to be addressed in the summer.

Should Sabri go? Is a question that needs seriously to be asked, should Sabri stay? I personally think the club will be in a better place if he does, but I wonder if his players now believe in his philosophy? Because results in recent weeks haven’t shown that they do?

With Sabri in charge, Forest need to recruit players that fit within the system that he wants to employ. The club should bring in players, enough in each position to fulfil the roles he’s asking them to do. Problem is now Forest are in the Championship next season, does that open the door for Matty Cash to move away? Does it mean that Joe Lolley could also go?

One player certainly out the door should be Joao Carvalho, he obviously doesn’t suit the Sabri way and with £10-12m in the bank for him that could be used elsewhere… But should Sabri call it a day? Should Marinakis (who has form for doing so) make a change? That then brings the diminutive Portuguese star back into play.

Let’s not forget there are still positives this season, The goalkeeper has been a terrific signing, the full backs are solid and the centre halves are good enough for the level they are at, Watson has been magnificent although not getting any younger, Sow too, when he plays, issue being he cannot be relied on over a demanding 46 game season. Ameobi has perhaps been the signing of the summer for Forest and Grabban is the first striker since David Johnson in 2003 to hit twenty goals in a season for the club.

The negatives perhaps are despite a hard core of players playing well, they have often fell short too often… The club have let too many goals in and how many Forest teams of the past have been thumped at home so often? Sheffield Wednesday, Millwall, now Stoke… It can’t all just be a fluke?

For Marinakis and co, the decision is now what to do next? First decision is on Sabri, second is recruitment and third is to see who they let go.

I relay that I hope Lamouchi stays but if he does he needs to be backed with all and sundry (including fans) singing from the same hymn sheet.. If that doesn’t happen then the club are fighting a losing battle… A rebuild process… Another year of not knowing what to expect.

So who do we blame? Who do we point the finger at? The blame may certainly lie at Sabri’s door… Why not play Carvalho?… Why drop our best players at home to Charlton?… Why play five at the back against Barnsley?…

Or we could blame those above the coaching staff, Marinakis and the recruitment process? Diakhaby in January?… Bong in January?…. Why oh Why?… Or do we say that our players are simply not good enough? Again does that not point to the recruitment door?

For now regardless of blame Nottingham Forest must simply pick themselves up and get on with it, they must work now towards a new season and how to make more ‘progress’ together… Because if Forest are to improve on this season, next season should be much better for everyone involved.