Conjo

Bit of a blow with Targett out, but exciting to see Botman start. Think Howe would have gone with same line-up as against Forest if it weren't for injuries.

Isn't "that lot" the exact same line up that beat Man Utd last week?

Why is Lampard cosplaying as a hung over student on a sunday afternoon?

Two horrible cheating teams on display here. Matty Cash tried to get himself a penalty right before.

Don't see the rush tbh. Turns 31 in February, when current contract expires he'll be 32, ~half way to 33. Why not wait until next season and evaluate whether to extend or let him go at the end of his contract. I doubt we'll be in a position where we rely on 33+ year old Callum Wilson to score goals in 2-3 years time. If it's just a pay rise on the same duration then fair enough - keep the handsome devil happy and motivated.

Klarce's

The Botman question is interesting. I feel like he has to start sooner rather than later, he had a solid pre-season, but it's probably harsh to give him his first start against Man City unless we're going for a back 3 against them. On the other hand Burn did so well against Forest so it's not fair to bench him either, and he knows the opponent better than anyone in our team.

If they are going to continue with wing back system I don't know. Seems a waste for a newly promoted team to have such a talented front line and opting for a system where they cannot use all of them when fit.

------------Awoniyi------------- Dennis-----Lingard------Johnson ---------MC-------MC---------- DL-------DC-------DC--------DR ---------------GK---------------- Surely?

That heat map is ridiculous

This is the sort of prospects we should be targeting. If he continues his progression he'll be unattainable next season.

Nottingham Forest are certainly keen to secure a sponsorship agreement and the situation regarding the plain front of their shirts is not one they had planned for. According to reports from the East Midlands, numerous deals have been close to being agreed but none have got over the line yet. According to Sport Business, Forest chairman Evangelos Marinakis is holding for a £10m-a-season deal and was willing to start the campaign without a sponsor if his demands were not met. At the end of July, Sheffield Hallam University finance expert Dr Dan Plumley told Football Insider: “It’s ambitious. We have to look at benchmarks. "West Ham and Everton’s are around £10m or £11m. Newcastle and Leeds meanwhile are closer toward £7.5m. That is the region we’re looking at. “We know betting companies will often pay more than non-betting companies. "For a newly-promoted club, you are probably setting your sights towards £6m or £7m. So, Forest are going for above the benchmark there. “The risk is that the longer you go without naming a sponsor, the more likely it could backfire. "Sponsors want to be involved in every game and we are nearly at the start of the season now. “If it does come off, fantastic. It would put them among the biggest deals in the Premier League. But there is a risk we can’t ignore with this strategy.”

Tbf they did try to get Frenkie De Jong. Seems they didn't have any viable back-up targets identified though.

If that happend Bruce would definitely have a last minute unspecified family emergency or claim some sort of illness to avoid having to rock up at St. James' Park.

Yes......shame.....

Impossible to say, but you don't really need a big or good recruitment team to lap up the best players in the domestic top league and snap up the most highly rated youth players from top teams around Europe like Man Utd could back then and consistently did, but not anymore, so it could be that it's always been a poor recruitment setup.

Schar scored our opening goal. Burn was flawless defensively. Forests most talented attacking player didn't get a sniff at goal due to him. Edit: I should clarify, I had Joelinton as my motm. I don't think it's unreasonable (certainly not to the extent that people feel the need to have a go at the journalist on twitter ) to rate our CB's higher though despite that I disagree with it.

Ratings is all relevant to what opposition team and other players are scored at though isn't it? Only Schar and Burn got a better score. Provided none of the N.Forest players got above 6.5 that would make Joelinton & Bruno the joint second best players on the pitch according to Hope, which I think is a fair assessment.

Am I remembering correctly that they struggled massively with injuries, particularly in defence, when we played them?

Is it injuries or just a general fall in performances for Issa Diop who's led to this? Remember him being linked to Man Utd for £45m a few years back.

Not bothered. We need RW & striker more. I don't think we play as dominant against Forest as we did if he was playing ahead of Willock who was brilliant in the pressing to regain possession in their half.