Boss Steve Cooper has warned his Nottingham Forest players they cannot afford to lose focus as they aim to cement their place in the top-six.
The Reds went fifth in the table with Wednesday night’s 2-0 victory over Coventry City. They are now unbeaten in nine league games, and hold at least one in hand on most of their rivals.
But as they prepare to host Birmingham City on Saturday, looking to make it three wins on the spin since returning from the international break, Cooper has sounded a note of caution. Building on what they have already done, and not looking too far ahead, is the key for Forest, according to the Welshman.
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“We need to stay in our bubble. We need to stay focused on being as ready as we can be for the next game, whether you are starting or not, and take it as it comes,” he said.
“We are just trying not to look outside of what is next. If you take your eye off the ball, this league can slap you right in the face, as we know.
“We’re not thinking about anybody else but ourselves, trying to play well in the next game and win. That’s all my message is to the players, that’s all our work is on and all the language and terminology we use is about. I expect the players to be doing the same as we are as staff.
“I don’t know how you measure momentum. But I think you can feel it when you have it. You certainly feel it when you don’t have it. In this league, because we play so many games in such a condensed period, it’s a real key factor in putting good or bad runs together.
“If we have it at the moment, great, we have to understand why we have it and work hard to keep it going. But certainly, I do think momentum and consistency are key to this league. You see teams who have done well over the years, I think they have done that part of the game well."
