Post Match Reaction - Round 15

[Nick@ManCity]

Missing
Fulham - LAST CHANCE

Errors

Bir
Error: Player M_Tavernier wasn't found in the roster

mil
Error: Player E_Baldini is listed twice in the teamsheet

[Hoa@Forest]

Bournemouth 1-4 Nottingham Forest

I'm absolutely delighted with the performance and result today. To come to a difficult ground like the Vitality Stadium and score four goals shows the character and quality in this team. The lads implemented our game plan perfectly, especially in transition moments.

Credit to A_Correa for setting the tone early with that magnificent finish, and I thought N_Williams was immense defensively despite taking a knock early on. Obviously, we're disappointed with M_Gibbs_White's red card - that's something we'll address internally - but to score twice after going down to ten men shows the tremendous spirit in this squad.

N_Dominguez was exceptional coming off the bench. That's exactly what we need from our substitutes - making an impact and changing games. I'm pleased we've continued our good form and moved up to 5th in the table, but there's still a long season ahead.

Reporter: Congratulations on the win. Does being in the playoff positions now change your ambitions for the season?

Look, we're only 15 games in, so I don't think it's helpful to focus too much on the table right now. We've been building momentum with three wins in our last five, but this league is incredibly competitive. You can see how tight it is - only six points separating Brentford at the top and us in 5th.

Our approach won't change - we take it game by game. What pleases me most is seeing the principles we work on in training being executed on matchday. The character shown tonight, especially after going down to ten men, is what will serve us well through the ups and downs of a Championship season.

Reporter: Nicolás Domínguez scored and was named Man of the Match despite only playing 30 minutes. Does he deserve to start the next game?

Nicolás gives me the kind of selection headache managers want! His impact was tremendous today - not just the goal but his overall contribution in helping us control the game with ten men.

We've got good competition for places throughout the squad, and I'll assess everything in training this week. Danilo has been excellent for us as well, so these are the tough decisions I need to make. What's important is that players take their chances when they come, and Nico certainly did that today.

Reporter: What did you make of Morgan Gibbs-White's red card? Will you be appealing it?

It was two yellows, so there's no appeal process. Morgan knows he let himself and his teammates down. The second challenge was unnecessary given he was already on a booking. That's something we'll discuss as a group.

The positive is how the team responded - scoring twice after the sending off shows tremendous character. But discipline is crucial in this league, and we can't afford to lose key players to avoidable suspensions.

Reporter: Angel Correa scored again today. How important will he be this season?

Ángel has been exceptional since he arrived. His quality is obvious - that finish for the opening goal today was world-class. But what impresses me most is his work ethic and how quickly he's adapted to the physical demands of the Championship.

He sets the tone for our pressing game from the front and his link-up play with Hudson-Odoi and Gibbs-White has been developing nicely. Great players make those around them better, and we're seeing that with Ángel.

Reporter: You're now just six points off the top. Do you consider Forest genuine promotion contenders?

I understand why you're asking, but my focus is solely on our next match. This league is a marathon, not a sprint. We've had a good run, but we need consistency over 38 games.

What I will say is that we have a squad with both quality and depth, which you need in this division. The Championship is incredibly competitive - look at the table, there are probably 10-12 teams who could make a genuine promotion push.

Our job is to focus on our performances, keep improving, and the table will take care of itself. Ask me again in April and I might give you a different answer!

Reporter: With a red card suspension for Gibbs-White, will you be looking to change formation for the next game?

We have options. One of our strengths is tactical flexibility - we've shown we can play different systems effectively. Morgan is an important player, but this is why you build a squad with depth.

Someone else will get an opportunity now, and it's up to them to take it like N_Dominguez did today. We'll assess everything in training this week and pick the team that gives us the best chance of continuing this good run.

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GG Marshy, good luck for rest of the season!