BETTER BEWARE OF THE HAT-TRAP
Lamouchi warns Forest about Luton danger
SABRI LAMOUCHI has warned Nottingham Forest that the visit of bottom club Luton is “a trap”.
The Hatters have lost their last nine games away from Kenilworth Road and sit rooted to the bottom of the Championship.
But ahead of tomorrow’s clash at the City Ground, Forest manager Lamouchi warned his promotion hopefuls by saying: “It is a trap game so we have to be careful.
“We need to focus on our performance. It is not easy to play a team that is fighting to stay in the league, so we need to play our football and produce a big performance.
“They will come to defend and to try and play on the counter-attack and disturb us on set-pieces.”
With Lewis Grabban left as the only recognised forward in the squad after Rafa Mir’s loan spell from Wolves was cut short, Lamouchi is desperate to bolster his attack.
Watford striker Andre Gray and Crystal Palace front-man Connor Wickham are on Forest’s radar after Eddie Nketiah stayed put at Arsenal.
Lamouchi (below) added: “It is not only Nottingham Forest looking. Many clubs are looking for a striker and to do a deal. But it is not easy so I am waiting, too.
“There are a lot of clubs looking for strikers, wingers and quality players. I said at the start of the window that January is difficult. It is so, so difficult.”
On Gray and Wickham, he added: “I can talk only about my players. They are great players, but they are not my players.”
Luton boss Graeme Jones is also desperate for reinforcements to boost a squad that is battling to beat the drop, four points from safety.
Jones has come under pressure to keep his job after a poor run that has seen Hatters sink to the foot of the table. He said: “Everybody’s working really hard behind the scenes to improve things, but we’ve got nothing imminent.
“Everybody knows I wanted to get a couple through the door because I feel like the group needed a real lift, some help and energy, but so far it hasn’t happened for us.
“It hasn’t been for the want of trying, and that doesn’t mean to say it’s not going to happen. We’re still trying.”