After falling to Newcastle United 3-2, Nottingham Forest is being predicted to “survive by the skin of their teeth” in their Premier League relegation battle.
Bruno Guimaraes’ second goal of the game sealed the Reds’ fate at the City Ground on Saturday night, despite the Reds’ two comeback attempts to tie with the Magpies.
Defeat leaves Forest teetering just two points above the relegation zone, and with the threat of a Premier League points deduction also hanging over them. But all is not doom and gloom Trentside, with supporters convinced their team can survive to fight another campaign in the top-flight – even if it promises to be a close run thing.
As they participated in a survey on Forest’s January transfer window transactions, supporters offered their prediction. Although the club’s player turnover since joining the Premier League may have put them in hot water with league executives, the majority of supporters expressed satisfaction with their January sales.
Attackers Rodrigo Ribeiro (Sporting Lisbon) and Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund) arrived on loan, and goalkeeper Matz Sels signed a three-and-a-half-year contract to join from Strasbourg.
January was actually primarily focused on cutting head coach Nuno Espirito Santo’s overinflated team and demonstrating to the independent committee judging on their Premier League allegation that Forest is a financially competent organization.
In light of this, Orel Mangala’s exit to Lyon on loan with a buyout option that may fetch Forest up to £30 million was the most noteworthy.
A number of players, including promotion hero Joe Worrall, went on loan, and Serge Aurier signed with Galatasaray. Gustavo Scarpa’s loan at Olympiacos was canceled so he could join Atletico Mineiro for £4 million.
Just 14 percent of respondents were unhappy with the Reds’ January, while 69 per cent were ‘satisfied’ and another 17 per cent “delighted”.
Asked whether Nuno now had a squad at his disposal good enough to achieve Forest’s goals in the second half – namely staying up – 76 per cent answered in the affirmative.
Main concerns focused on the scoring of goals and also conceding them – with 43 percent of fans who answered the poll worried about Nuno’s forward options. As it is, Chris Wood is injured again after showing his best form at Forest under Nuno, including that hat-trick in the reverse fixture against Newcastle. Luckily, Taiwo Awoniyi is fit again, but Forest are just an injury away from being seriously short of goals. Despite Sels arrival, 28 percent of fans are still underwhelmed by Forest’s current options between the sticks.
Unsurprisingly, both forwards and the goalkeeping department are the areas of the squad identified as being most in need of attention come the summer, when most respondents (54%) expect to see just three or four players recruited. Another 31 percent reckon one or two will be sufficient.
Asked where Forest will finish the season, 70 percent ticked the box “Survival by the skin of their teeth”. Another 16 per cent opted for mid-table while 14 per cent believed the Reds are heading back to the Championship. Obviously, the Premier League charges hanging over the club could yet be decisive in deciding Forest’s fate.
