A tough start to the season hasn’t changed Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper’s football philosophy - but the harsh reality of the Premier League does make it harder to implement his ideas.
Following a run in which they shipped 18 goals in five games, the Reds have focused on tightening up at the back in recent outings. They registered their first league clean-sheet on the road on Tuesday night at Brighton and Hove Albion, making it two goals conceded in three matches.
At the other end of the pitch, creating chances and finding the back of the net remains an issue, however. That is in contrast to last season, when Cooper was quick to instil an attacking brand of play which saw Forest go toe-to-toe with Saturday’s opponents Liverpool in a pulsating FA Cup tie back in March.
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The Welshman says his footballing principles have stayed the same amid the step up in divisions. But he acknowledges sometimes compromises have to be made at the top level as the Reds go in search of results.
Asked whether he has had to adjust his philosophy, Cooper said: “The games might have looked that way. But listen, let’s be honest, we were shipping in goals - and not just goals, but also opportunities. We were conceding too many set-plays and shots on goal. The data wouldn’t read well and you have to address that.
“But we haven’t changed how we want to play with the ball. The only real time I never liked our intentions was in the first half against Wolves, and that was addressed straightaway.
“For all the defending we’ve had to do, and might have to do going forward, when we get the ball, our ideas haven’t changed. It’s difficult to apply it; more difficult to apply it, for sure.
“But we’re not going to change our ideas. We’ve just got to work harder to implement them, because of where we’re at now and the challenge of the league.
“But we have always had a defending plan and have always had an attacking plan. What’s that built on? Seventy, 80, 90 percent of, ‘this is what we want in any game we play’, and then the rest of the percentage is ‘against this team, it might look like that’. That hasn’t changed.
“We were able to attack more last year and have more of the ball. I understand there is maybe a comparison of that, but it’s just a completely different challenge.
“The moments we can look like that, that’s what we want do and where we want to go. And we have had some signs of it, albeit when you don’t make the most of it, you can get punished going the other way. If you make the pitch too big and too open, every team you come up against has high quality players who can make a difference in space.
“But my feelings on how I want the game to be played have not changed one bit. If anything, I’m even stronger on it. It’s just implementing it.”
Forest go into the game against Liverpool (12.30pm kick-off) sitting bottom of the table and without a win in nine league games. Following a summer overhaul, it is taking time for the squad to gel and for some players to find their feet.
“For a newly-promoted team, you are expected to defend more and better. And when you get the ball, you also have to be better, because players are quicker, stronger and tactically well set-up,” Cooper added.
“With the ball, we’ve been really clear that you really are getting tested technically. Because of the intensity of the Premier League, even the guys who might have played in top leagues in other countries, they can see English football is still different.
“I had a good chat with Remo (Freuler) about that. Remo has played at a really high level for a number of years now, including in the Champions League. Even he said English football is different.
“We’re having to adapt, but it’s an exciting process. Harsh at times and you get punished - and we have. But if somebody said this time last year that we would have been going through these challenges, then we all would have accepted it.”
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