After early encouragement, Nottingham Forest head into the international break needing to find a way to stop the rot.
Four defeats in a row and two successive second half capitulations at the City Ground have left boss Steve Cooper with plenty to ponder during the next fortnight. While losing to top-class opposition in Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City came with certain caveats, the manner in which the Reds fell to fellow promoted sides Bournemouth and Fulham is a matter of concern for the Welshman.
Getting a new-look squad to gel amid the harsh glare of the Premier League was never going to be easy, and Cooper is still figuring out his best team. A number of players have not yet shown their best form, but some have caught the eye nevertheless. We take a look at three who have made a difference so far this season.
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Dean Henderson
Forest have shipped a whopping 14 goals in their last four games. But the Manchester United loanee is still proving to be an excellent addition and has deservedly earned an England call-up for the upcoming Nations League fixtures.
He has made some superb saves, including a couple of brilliant penalty stops from Declan Rice and Harry Kane. And he has quickly struck up a good rapport with fans.
There’s no doubt Henderson will come to the Reds’ rescue plenty of times before the campaign is out; they are going to need him to keep up this kind of form. The priority is to tighten up in front of him.
Lewis O’Brien
Up there with Henderson among the pick of the summer signings with the way he has started the campaign. The midfielder has not looked out of place in the top-flight, and has been a bright spark in tough times.
He could feel hard done by at being left out of the last two starting line-ups; it certainly wasn’t a case of having done anything wrong. The centre of the pitch is an area where Cooper has plenty of options; there is fierce competition for a starting spot - even more so when Orel Mangala returns.
O’Brien must surely be in line to make the XI when Forest return to action at Leicester City, though. He made an impact when he came on against the Cottagers - not just by reducing the deficit with his first goal in the Garibaldi. He brought the kind of bite and drive the hosts had been missing.
Morgan Gibbs-White
Admittedly, there is still some way to go before the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man finds his top level; his has been a steady, rather than flying start. But nevertheless, he has shown glimpses of what he has to offer, with the promise of plenty more to come.
There have been times where he has looked lively and dangerous. It was his deflected shot which earned an early corner on Friday night, and his ball in from which Taiwo Awoniyi scored.
Cooper made Gibbs-White his top target this summer. There is potential there, but the challenge is to get the best out of the Reds’ attacking threat in general.
Who has stood out for you so far this season? Have your say in the comments below
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