As we approach the opening of the transfer window, now seems like a good enough time to assess the current state of the Forest squad. Those optimistic days of a £200 million boost back in August feels like a lifetime ago. Nuno who?
Build from the back was always the mantra of BC. And so I’ll start with the goalkeeper, and work my way forward. Who stays? Who goes? Who comes in? I’m not sure who the Robert Rosario of 2026 is.
Big John between the sticks has had the opportunity to claim the keeper’s jersey. He came close to holding on to it. Not a lot was done wrong - until Villa away and that horrendous ‘keeper come sweeper error. With a competent replacement in Matz Sels ready to step in, we can’t risk Big John away at West Ham.
The M and M partnership in central defence stays. Morato Time is not coming around anytime soon. Neither of them have done much wrong; neither of them have performed to the high levels of last season. It’s no surprise, when they have been coached to do one thing under Nuno, and then the exact opposite under Ange the Clown. Some more stability is needed with Dyche getting them back to being a solid pairing.
Neco Williams is the Player of the Season so far. He is pretty much reliable, week in, week out. Savona was a slightly better stand in for Ola than anyone was expecting. With Ola back fit once again, we now need to go back to what was the tried and tested immense back four from last season. Ola will take a little time to get back to fitness. Savona can shore things up after sixty, seventy minutes.
Elliot Anderson can’t be dropped. But he has been below par in the past few weeks. He needs reminding that a starting place for England in the World Cup is not guaranteed. You have to earn the right to play, just as he earned the right to be picked in the first place.
Another rare positive this season has been the performances of Sangare alongside Anderson. Oh how we miss him whilst he is aware at AFCON. It’s no mean feat to keep Douglas Luiz out of the starting eleven. But with Dominguez taking over from Sangare, I think the Luiz experiment has run its course. He’s getting dangerously close to the number of minutes when the loan clause becomes an obligation to buy. I think Dyche and the Forest hierarchy have already decided on this. Arrivederci, mate.
At the top of the midfield, MGW keeps his place, but we need more solidity here. A relegation battle is not the ideal moment in which to show off your BALLER skills. He can still provide a useful role with his box to box runs, controlling and dominating the midfield. It’s another case of the England carrot needing to be dangled.
And then we come to the wings. Woh. _Where to start? _Hutchinson stays. He will go from strength to strength. He now seems to have overcome the record signing tag that was weighing him down. I’m excited to see how far he can progress with Forest over the coming seasons.
CHO has been hit and miss. He’s clearly talented, but we can’t carry a wide player who will turn it on for Spurs at home, and then go AWOL when we play the likes of Everton.
The problem is that there’s not a great deal out there to compete for the wide position. We look like we’ve been sold a dud with Ndyoe, despite his international performances for Switzerland. He’s the Remo Freuler for the Class of ‘26.
Bakwa is another of the summer signing misfits. We need to offload him, along with McAtee, ASAP. I’ve no idea what’s gone wrong with McAtee. I did feel sorry for the fella when he was rolled out for the pre-match pressers ahead of the Utrecht game, only to get hooked at HT.
Up front and we’re looking stuffed. Which is a bit of an issue, when the game is all about scoring goals. Chris Wood’s season is over. Even if he comes back in late March, He’ll need another month at least to get back match fit. A relegation battle doesn’t allow you this time.
Jesus has been very good standing in, but is showing signs of tiredness. It doesn’t help when your goalscorer can’t score goals…
Taiwo is shot. We’ve all known this for the past couple of years. He seems to do remarkably well with his sense of timing at Forest. He should have been out on loan to the likes of Cardiff at the start of the season. He managed to blag a place in the PL squad because of the injury to Ola.
I’ve no idea what the story is with Kalimuendo. But he looks far from PL ready, and his bag already appears to be packed on a flight out to Germany.
This is the problem position for Forest. We need at least one new striker coming in, possibly two. But where the chuff do you find these in January, and how far are you prepared to push the PSR game? It would be SO Forest to get relegated on PSR.
Any new signings in the wide positions or up front will tell us a lot about the future of Dyche as well. I can’t see him being at the World Famous for the start of the new season. Does the Big Fat Greek make some Dyche signings now to keep us up, or is he already looking ahead to the arrival of Silva or someone else?
Looking towards the bench: Morato can stay for a Cup run. Angus Gunn is a gonner. Get Well Soon Ryan Yates. I’d love to see more of Jair Cunha. Willy Boly is a relatively expensive bench warmer. Zinchenko can do one. Zach Abbott needs to stay, if only to keep that proud homegrown record going.
Never a dull moment at Forest. I’m still there, week in, week out - well in front of a dodgy internet stream. A return to the Championship is not an option. I would rather we Dyche Ball it, and then dismantle the squad in the summer and start all over again.