Nottingham Forest is currently experiencing a six-game winless streak since their 1-0 victory over Chelsea in September. This slump has sparked discussions about the future of manager Steve Cooper, with some cautionary advice for the club.
During their last match, Nottingham Forest suffered a 3-0 defeat against Liverpool, contributing to their drop to 16th place in the league table. Criticism of Manager Cooper has emerged from some parts of the fanbase, particularly as the team has won just one home game this season, with the last three ending in draws. Their next match is against an in-form Aston Villa at the City Ground on Sunday.
Pundit Michael Brown, ahead of the upcoming game, has shared his perspective on Forest’s season. He highlighted Forest’s performances against the “big six” teams when playing away from home.
“I’ve been reading the criticism around Steve Cooper and how he is not setting the team up right, that he’s not very adventurous, but you have got to look at his record in the Premier League this season,” he mentioned to BBC Sport.
Brown continued, “They were really unfortunate against Manchester United, against Arsenal they were close, then there was the Chelsea game that they actually won, so away from home they have been solid. So what do you do? How much do you change? Against Manchester City, they were in and around the game and pushed hard. They caused them a few problems, so you have to say away from home they have been successful with the system they have used.”
Furthermore, the former Leeds United, Tottenham, and Manchester City player offered a word of caution to Nottingham Forest, urging them to exercise patience with the Welsh manager, as they did last season.
Brown emphasized, “Cooper has had tonnes of injuries to deal with and changes in staff this season. I think he’s a talented coach, and I just think everyone has to be patient at Forest. You have to be careful that you don’t want too much too soon – that is the danger.”