Nottingham Forest defender Harry Toffolo is determined to ensure the team control their own destiny.
Leeds United handed the Reds their fifth defeat in eight games on Tuesday night to leave Steve Cooper ’s side narrowly above the drop zone on goal difference. It feels a far cry from the unbeaten run that Forest enjoyed at the turn of the year but the club will have been buoyed by the clarity surrounding the manager’s future.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis sought to end the speculation that surrounded Cooper and the team will want to prove that it was the right decision, starting at Aston Villa on Saturday. Toffolo felt the club started well against Leeds but has promised that the team will be putting in the hard yards in order to end their eight-game winless run.
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“We got off to a dream start, but we lost a few duels in the game and when you do that you get undone at this level,” Toffolo told the club website.
“The first 20 minutes of the game was exactly how we wanted it to go before they scored, but it’s pointless doing it for 20 minutes, we need to compete for the whole 45. It’s about remaining positive, there are nine games to go and this is far from done.”
“We have to get back to the training ground and work even harder now,” he added. “We’ll look at it, we’ll keep moving forward and there’s nine games to go to control our destiny.
“We need to start winning, we know that, and it won’t be due to a lack of trying. We’re going to compete and make sure we are at our highest level.”
Forest head to Villa Park for a 3pm kick-off on Saturday and will be eager to record only their second away win of the season, having registered their sole win on the road against Southampton in January.
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