Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi has defied some supporter expectations already with just 11 games ticked off in the 2019/20 Championship campaign.
The French boss was tasked with replacing club legend Martin O’Neill who was sacked by Forest just a week into pre-season training. Naturally, the way in which the club dealt with the firing and hiring caused a stir with some people.
Lamouchi has quickly got his feet under the table. Forest are currently producing results that would have people guilty of thinking the Reds are being managed by someone who has worked in English football for many years.
With the second international break now upon us, the Reds sit second in the Championship and following Saturday’s win over Brentford, Forest are unbeaten in 10 league games.
A number of factors have contributed towards the successful results on the pitch. Of course, Forest have won more than they have lost which always helps matters.
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A look at the bigger picture, however, suggests that lots of finer details in Lamouchi’s management have contributed towards making Forest better.
Here at Seat Pitch, we looked at three aspects that have vastly improved under the Reds boss during his first 11 games in charge.
Discipline
Forest’s discipline has improved considerably this season under Lamouchi’s stewardship.
After 11 games last season Forest had collected 28 yellow cards. That figure is down to 21 after as many games of the 2017/18 campaign.
Over 100 cautions went to members of the Reds squad last season and it looks like that number could be improved considerably during the current campaign.
Forest also had four red cards last season and in the game where the dismissals occurred, only one win was claimed.
Lamouchi is certainly on the right track in encouraging his players not to pick up needless bookings.
Calamity corner concerns corrected
Costel Pantilimon kept 15 clean sheets last season and for that, he should take some credit. From corners, however, supporters never truly felt comfortable with the uncompromising stopper coming to take them out of the sky.
Brice Samba does look a calming influence between the posts having replaced Arijanet Muric in the team early into the campaign.
In recent memory, Forest have always looked like conceding a goal from a corner kick but that has changed this season under Lamouchi.
In truth, the Reds have looked more resolute than ever from set-pieces. Forest are no longer conceding soft goals that mean two goals must be scored to win every single game.
Goals, goals, goals
Forest might be second in the overall league table, but there is one statistic that puts them top of the pops.
Lamouchi’s team are the only side in the Championship that has scored at least once in every single league game this season.
Scoring goals wins football matches at the end of the day and Forest are now giving themselves a platform to win every game they play.
Three of Forest’s last four wins have been via a 1-0 scoreline. Some will cite that as being boring but football is all about scoring goals and keeping them out at the other end.
At the moment the Reds look useful at both ends of the pitch and Lamouchi must take great credit for overseeing a remarkable transformation in such a short space of time.
Statistics provided by Who Scored
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