The World Cup break may have come at a time when Nottingham Forest were just starting to build up a bit of momentum, but boss Steve Cooper will still be aiming to use this period to his advantage.
The Reds signed off with a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace which moved them off the foot of the table, and which came immediately after an impressive Carabao Cup triumph over Tottenham Hotspur. The signs were pointing to a corner being turned, after a tough start to life back in the top tier.
A summer overhaul had posed particular challenges. With 22 signings made, players needed time to gel and to get to know each other, and the manager needed time to get to know his best team.
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The nature of the transfer window meant much of that process had to take place on the job, all while trying to adapt to the step up and pick up points in arguably the toughest league in the world. In effect, the developments which would usually be made in pre-season were having to be done during the campaign.
With a five-and-a-half-week hiatus before they return to action against Blackburn Rovers in the Carabao Cup, the Reds will now have valuable time on the training ground with Cooper. After some time off, the players will head to Greece for a training camp, with friendlies against Atromitos and Olympiacos planned, followed by a trip to face Spanish outfit Valencia. We take a look at some of the key issues for the head coach to work on.
Get players back fit
Forest have had rotten luck on the injury front in the first few months of the campaign, particularly with some of their summer signings. Those who have been absent have been sorely missed.
Giulian Biancone is ruled out for the rest of the season with an ACL injury. But Cooper will hope others who have been sidelined are closer to returning after the break.
Omar Richards has yet to make his debut since making the switch from Bayern Munich, having suffered a hairline fracture of the leg in the summer. He stepped up his recovery before the break by joining in part-training, and will hope to push for the left-back spot once he is fully fit.
Centre-back Moussa Niakhate had looked to be a great addition during pre-season and in his first two appearances. His hamstring problem has not been a “straight forward one”, but the hope is he will be back involved around the turn of the year.
Harry Toffolo (hamstring) will also hope to be nearing a return by the time the visit to Ewood Park comes around. Once the former Huddersfield Town man and Richards are both available, there will be some serious competition on that left flank, with Neco Williams and Renan Lodi having been battling for a place in the team prior to the break.
It will be a huge boost when the injured trio do return. Given how little they’ve played, for Niakhate and Richards, especially, it will be akin to having a couple of new signings involved.
Keep Lingard flying
Jesse Lingard arrived with plenty of fanfare and expectation when he put pen to paper. It has taken the former Manchester United man a while to get going Trentside, however.
Having had a year of little football, it, understandably, took him time to build up fitness and match sharpness. And, initially at least, he was finding it difficult to have an impact on games.
All of that changed in the final week before the break. Lingard really announced himself as a Forest player in the matches against Spurs and Palace.
By some distance, they were his best two performances in the Garibaldi. And getting his first goal for the club will have given him a significant confidence boost.
The aim has got to be to keep that kind of form going. He has shown what he can do and how influential he can be on the pitch, and the Reds will benefit hugely from a fully fit and firing Jesse Lingard. He can be a key player in the second half of the campaign.
Work on attacking prowess
On the back of a miserable run of five straight defeats which culminated in that 4-0 thrashing at Leicester City, Forest went back to basics. Eighteen goals shipped in that losing sequence meant tightening up at the back was a priority.
Cooper set about making his team harder to beat. They have definitely improved on that front - aside from their dismal trip to the Emirates Stadium, when they were blown away by league leaders Arsenal.
Finding a way to get more goals at the other end of the pitch was harder to do. But progress has been made in that department, too.
However, it is still an area for the Reds to work on. There is plenty of attacking talent in the ranks; the challenge is how to keep getting the best out of those players on a consistent basis.
If there is one thing Forest have learned about the Premier League early on, it is that you have to take your chances when they arise. You don’t always get too many of them.
Having as many players as possible who can contribute to finding the back of the net is crucial. Lingard and Morgan Gibbs-White getting off the mark was a significant step, while Taiwo Awoniyi currently leads the way with three goals. In the coming weeks, time will no doubt be spent on the training ground working on attacking play.
Get to know the best team
Tied to the above point is the challenge Cooper has faced in settling upon his strongest line-up. With so many new players, that has not been easy.
Of course, certain XIs will suit certain games; some selection dilemmas will be based on the specific test the opposition poses. But finding a more consistent starting line-up should help in the second part of the campaign. That was something which really stood the Reds in good stead on their way to play-off success last term.
Last season, Cooper made very few - if any - changes week to week. This time around, he is yet to name the same side in consecutive games.
Just as the players have needed time to get to know each other, so the manager has also needed time to get to know their strengths and weaknesses, as well as which combinations work best. An extended spell on the training ground, coupled with the three friendly games, will hopefully build on the work which has already been done.
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