Nottingham Forest have reached the first international break in a position not all that dissimilar to the one they found themselves in 12 months ago.
The general consensus is that progress has been made.
The 2018-19 campaign was something of a rollercoaster ride.
Highs were hit, then lows suffered.
An upturn towards the end bode well, only for another passing of the managerial baton to be enforced.
Forest, in mid-July, were back at square one.
How far have they moved from that point?
Well, they are two points better off than they were at this stage last year.
Aitor Karanka oversaw one win, four draws and a defeat out of the blocks.
Sabri Lamouchi has two successes, three stalemates and a solitary setback.
Change
Summers of much change were taken in by Spanish and French tacticians.
Fresh faces aplenty were welcomed to the City Ground, with the challenge being to bring all of the right pieces together.
Plenty believed that Karanka was the man to solve the puzzle.
Many were less than amused at a parting of ways.
With Martin O’Neill’s tenure doing little to lift their mood.
Another foreign fancy has the Reds daring to dream once more.
Lamouchi has, in what is another learning curve for all concerned, delivered glimmers of hope.
Consistency is still an issue.
When is it ever not with Forest!
The Reds are, however, establishing the same kind of top-six platform that they put in place last year.
With Karanka at the helm a couple of draws were ground out on the road, coming find behind on each occasion – a la Leeds and Charlton this term.
Another point was rescued in a home date, with Preston playing the role of Birmingham 12 months on.
There was a win at the City Ground (Birmingham replacing Reading) while this term has delivered an away triumph – something Karanka had to wait for until October 6.
Draws became something of an issue for the Reds last year, with 10 taken from an opening 20-game run which only delivered two defeats.
The hope will be that similar frustration can be avoided this term.
Preferable
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Not losing is always preferable, but stalemates can be a problem if they are ultimately followed by an untimely dip – as proved to be the case through Christmas and New Year in 2018-19.
Lamouchi’s class of 2019-20 will get the same opportunity to kick on after the international break as Karanka’s did.
A trip to Swansea awaits.
The seventh game of the current campaign will take place at the same venue as it did in the last.
Forest drew 0-0 with the Swans in 2018.
They would probably take a repeat of that if offered a share of the spoils now, with Steve Cooper’s side sat at the top of the Championship table.
Karanka’s Forest did a steady job from that stage to lift themselves into fifth by December 1.
Then the wheels came off.
Lamouchi must look to emulate the achievements of a predecessor heading towards another festive period, while ensuring that his team are then ready to kick on rather than fade away.
We’ve been there before and don’t need another source of déjà vu!
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