Tym not on Chris’s side
CHRIS HUGHTON already looks like a manager under pressure after Josh Tymon sent Nottingham Forest to a fourth straight defeat – and left fans calling for his head.
Forest are rooted to the bottom, without a point to their name, after another defeat by a solitary goal.
And the mood of the disgruntled Forest supporters was not helped when the tannoy at the bet365 Stadium announced that all trains back to Nottingham had been cancelled.
They serenaded Stoke fans with chants of “You’re nothing special, we lose every week.”
But after Forest spent last season at the wrong end of the table after appointing Hughton in October, the pressure is on – especially as his predecessor Sabri Lamouchi was axed four games into last season.
Hughton said: “That’s not something I think about. What I think about is we are going through a transitional period.
“You take it. You have to. Would I prefer not to? Yes I’d prefer not to.
“But these are the emotions of the game, the ups and downs of the game. We bought wonderful support today who were very, very vocal.
“But when things don’t go their way, I have to take the brunt of that as manager. All I can do is work as hard as I can.”
The contrast could not be greater with Stoke and their boss Michael O’neill, who has seen his side start with an unbeaten run and join the early-season promotion pacesetters.
O’neill said: “There’s a lot for us to be positive about. The players we have brought to the club have all been the right types, in terms of the level of player.
“It’s a squad that’s very together. It looks a happy squad when you go into the club.”
Tommy Smith screwed an early effort wide and Sam Clucas headed off target after some creative skill from Stoke playmaker Mario Vrancic.
But the game burst into life just past the hour when the ball broke to Steven Fletcher whose shot was kept out by goalkeeper Brice Samba.
And left-back Tymon struck after 66 minutes, a fine goal to mark his first in the pro ranks.
He finished a stunning team move into the bottom corner after Fletcher’s clever dummy gave Vrancic space to pick out Tymon down the left.