If Evangelos Marinakis arrived at the City Ground contemplating Steve Cooper’s future, he should have left in little doubt of where the vast majority of Nottingham Forest fans stand on the matter.
As the Reds owner headed for the tunnel after stepping on to the pitch pre-match, amid some applause there was a shout of “don’t sack him” from the stands. When the Forest boss then made the same walk in reverse, he was met with an incredible show of support as he headed to the dugout.
Cooper always receives a terrific reception when he emerges ahead of kick-off, but this one was particularly loud. A clear response to suggestions of the Welshman being under pressure. The unfurling of a banner which proclaimed “leader of the Garibaldi” alongside an image of the head coach only emphasised the point.
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The full-time whistle of a game Forest should have won was not met with boos. Disappointment and frustration, yes, but also, generally, a recognition of a very good team performance in which, to a man, the players gave their all. There has been no downing of tools among the dressing room, no hint that the group are not fully behind - and trust in - the man in charge. Indeed, if anything, they are clearly committed to and have belief in the job he is doing.
Marinakis will understandably be exasperated at not getting back to winning ways against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Seeing the club still perilously close to the relegation zone, on the back of seven matches without a victory, will no doubt sit uneasily.
But look a little deeper and he should see there was enough on Saturday for the Reds to build on, having put in their best showing for some time. He should also see unity - a bond between supporters, team and manager - which not every side battling to stay up has.
Forest are still in the fight. There’s no denying it’s going to be tough, but there are a number of positives, too.
Missed chances
What cost the hosts against Wolves was not taking their chances. They were decent value for their lead at the break, courtesy of a well-taken Brennan Johnson strike, and should have gone on to put the game to bed.
The front three of Johnson, Morgan Gibbs-White and Emmanuel Dennis were a threat. On the counterattack, the Reds looked dangerous. And a well-balanced midfield proved proactive with their passing and ball carrying.
Forest created openings. They just failed to add to their tally.
One of the best opportunities came from an electric run by Dennis. He tried to finish it off on his own, rather than square for Gibbs-White, and the shot was blocked, with Johnson firing wide from the follow-up. It was a crucial moment, but it wasn’t the only one, and certainly shouldn’t result in any blame being attached.
Play like that again and the Reds will give themselves the possibility of claiming positive results, particularly with Johnson on the pitch. He is now on 10 for the season in all competitions, with eight in the Premier League. He is relishing being on this stage.
Others need to chip in, though. Nobody else is even close to his tally. Taiwo Awoniyi is next on the list, with four league goals, while apart from those two only eight other players have found the back of the net in the league.
Awoniyi making his comeback from off the bench comes as a big boost at a key time. Likewise, the return of Cheikhou Kouyate. If they can quickly get back to the kind of form they were in prior to injury, Forest will be much the better for it.
Substitutions made
Making the right changes at the right times is a tightrope-walk for every manager. Cooper’s haven’t always come off, but they weren’t his team’s downfall on this occasion. There was logic and reasoning behind them.
Harry Toffolo had done well at left-back but has been struggling with injury and was on a yellow card. Switching him for Renan Lodi, who was on the bench due to only just returning from Brazil, made sense.
Some have questioned the decision to bring on Joe Worrall for Dennis and alter formation a few minutes later. But Cooper was responding to changes made by Wolves, who put more players up the pitch. His thinking was to match numbers and hit the visitors on the counterattack.
Chances continued to be created after the tactical tweak and the Reds generally still looked solid. Keylor Navas had barely been tested in the second half. The equaliser came from the visitors’ only shot on target, with the help of a deflection. It was a real kick in the gut, but the match should already have been wrapped up by that point.
Midfield combination
The centre of the pitch has been a problem area in recent weeks. This time, though, the trio of Remo Freuler, Orel Mangala and Danilo worked well together. All three had very good games.
Mangala and Freuler haven’t been at their best of late. The former wasn’t even included in the squad against Newcastle United after being hooked at the break against Tottenham Hotspur. Both were on it this time, though.
And then there was Danilo. He is going to be some talent in the future - Cooper knows it, too, he’s just trying to manage him carefully, as a young player still new to English football.
The Brazilian brought an energy and a dynamism which has been lacking previously. He demonstrated exactly why he is rated so highly and capped his performance off with a nice assist.
Having hit upon a formula which worked, the dilemma for Cooper is whether to stick or twist. With Kouyate fit again and Ryan Yates still to come back into the fold, he should have options for the remaining games. There is much riding on picking the right ones.
Positive performances
The afternoon didn’t end with a clean-sheet, but it wasn’t for the want of trying by Felipe. He is arguably the most important and effective signing the club made in January.
He just oozes class and was a colossus at the back again. There is the potential for his partnership with Moussa Niakhate to be a strong one - and Forest will need it to be for the tests ahead.
The whole back line was solid, though. Toffolo and Neco Williams both played their part on rare starts. Indeed, there wasn’t a bad performance throughout the whole team.
They needed to show grit and composure at times amid a tempestuous encounter which spilled onto the touchline. Both assistant managers were sent off amid a melee prompted by Wolves arguing for a penalty, while the Football Association are set to investigate whether goalscorer Daniel Podence spat in the direction of Johnson.
The result wasn’t the one the Reds wanted and really needed. But the performance was one which should give all concerned hope and encouragement for the challenges ahead.
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