FOREST FINAL MATCH ANALYSIS AND REACTION:
A DISAPPOINTING season came to an end in suitable fashion as Nottingham Forest fell 2-1 at home to Preston North End on the final day.
James Garner had put the Reds in front with a stunning strike, but the hosts were left to rue a number of missed chances as the visitors hit back.
Tom Bayliss and Liam Lindsay netted to secure three points for the visitors, although there was an element of controversy about both goals.
With the campaign over, attention now turns to the summer transfer window as boss Chris Hughton looks to put his stamp on the squad.
Here is what he had to say after the full-time whistle at the City Ground.
What did you make of the result and the two goals you conceded?
“Ultimately, we haven’t won a football match. But, for me, both goals shouldn’t have been allowed.
“We’ve seen the correct angle. Someone might say I’m wrong on this one, but the first one was handball. If I’m looking at where the ball comes off - the top end of his arm it’s definitely handball.
“The controversy over the second one was because the linesman puts his flag up. Where the referee is right is (Alan) Browne was in an offside position, came back to an onside position and didn’t touch the ball.
But what he did do was impede Cyrus Christie.
“They are the things I have spoken to him (the referee) about. He felt he made the right decision.
“It’s frustrating with the two goals we conceded. But probably more frustrating in a game where we were really good in the first half and had good chances, we’ve come away having lost the game.”
Does it sum up the season?
“Yes, it’s probably been a recurring theme.
“In the first half period, we played well and had a lot of possession. In a game where we had 16 shots, you expect to get more than one wonderful goal from James Garner.
“That probably sums up the season.
“If I look at the two goals we conceded, there have been elements of that, where we’ve made mistakes.
“Unfortunately, we’ve needed to not make those mistakes to get results in games. That puts a lot of pressure on the team. That’s certainly an area we need to be better at next season, otherwise we’ll be up against the same problems.”
What did you make of Loic Mbe Soh?
“Apart from being a young lad who we think is a good player and a good prospect, he’s worked hard.
“He’s found it difficult, because of the three players in front of him. But for what he’s given us, in training and some of the cup games he’s played, we felt he deserved a chance.”
What did you make of Lewis Grabban in that different role?
“There are certain aspects of Lewis’ game where he tends to play that way anyway. He tends to be that little bit more of a link player off the front.
“It gave us an opportunity to see him playing that more, with somebody ahead of him.
“Certainly in the first half, he received a lot of the ball and had a big influence on the game. “It’s an option for us. “Lewis is a good footballer. He is good on the ball and tends to link up play anyway.
“That’s something to look at for next season - another option.
“We have to look at ways to get more goals. It’s either playing somebody off the front, a little bit more of a midfield player that would give us good possession of the ball and be creative, or the type of player off the front who we think can also get goals.”
Have you got plenty of plans on that front?
“We’re trying. It’s going to be an uncomfortable summer. A busy summer.
“There will be lots of videos to look at and lots of phone calls.
“A summer period is never as straight-forward as you would like it.
“All I want is, come pre-season and the start of next season, we’ve got somewhere close to the type of squad that I think would be capable of competing.”
Glenn Murray looked deep in thought after the match, is there anything you can tell us about his future? Could he have been saying a farewell to football?
“What he’s definitely saying a farewell to here is an enjoyable period that he’s had here.
“He started here with some games. He probably hasn’t played as much in the last couple of months as he maybe would have liked.
“But he was really pleased to come, and really pleased that he did come.
“He came from Watford, where he wasn’t involved at all. For him, just to get back on the training pitch and having an involvement in games was a big thing for him.
“Certainly, he’s still got enough if he wants to carry on, because he’s a very fit lad and is a good trainer. He’s been fortunate in the last 10 years with injuries.
“I think he’ll probably have a good think over a period of time.”
Does that imply you’re unlikely to pursue anything with Glenn this summer?
That’s certainly an area we need to be better at next season, otherwise we’ll be up against the same problems.
“In all honesty, I don’t know. “What we have to look at is what options we have. I don’t think it would be unfair to speak about Glenn that way, that we have to look at younger options and other options. “But you never know - the exact same way that we took Glenn very late in the January window, if he still wants to play and we’re in a position, or somebody is in a position (to sign him).
“But at the moment, we have to look at the best options we can.”
What do you mean when you say ‘uncomfortable summer’?
“It will be a hard summer and a busy summer.
“The uncomfortable bit, always, is probably 95 per cent of the work we do in the summer - the calls you make and the videos you look at generally doesn’t come to anything.
“It’s that work-to-success ratio that you have to do.
“Providing, come pre-season or the start of the season, we’re happy with what we’ve got, then all of that work has been worthwhile.
“But I think it will be a difficult summer. The circumstances are different for a lot of players.”
What are the chances of getting James Garner back next season?
“James knows what we think of him and Manchester United know what we think of him.
“That’s probably all I can say, because he is a Manchester United player.
“James and Manchester United will have the say on what happens to him next season.
“All I can say is we’ve been absolutely delighted with him.
“He’s come in and made an impact. Four goals from a midfield player in less than half a season is a wonderful return.”