Unai Emery

[RamboandBruno]

Normally agree with most everything you say Smithy, but whilst I do think the S/F will be tough (obviously hope Im wrong and we cruise through), i think its a leap to say Forest will be in the hunt for Europe next season. They might be of course, but Pereira had a really big impact at Wolves before it all unravelled really quickly and whilst Forest have better players than Wolves, who knows which ones they’ll sell this summer. I can’t see Gibbs-White being there for another year.

Wolves sold a number of their better players from underneath him without replacing them properly.

Their form had started to nosedive again once they were safe last season

[andyh]

A very interesting point I heard in a podcast talked about the value of Unai and the fact that he has not only lifted the quality of the playing side, but this has resulted in an increase of revenue of £100 - £150m, all down to him.

I hadn’t really thought of the financial benefits he has brought to the club and it probably puts him up there with the most important and impactful people we have ever had the club.

His impact has been truly transformational.

[PaulWinch again]

Pereira has been at a club more than 2 years once and he’s been at his last 5 clubs a year or less. It’s reasonable to take a punt and suggest he starts well and tails off.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

He's had more clubs than Tiger Woods but does attract the loony owners which goes a long way to explain the number. He's got Forest organised and believing again in themselves. I'm not taking their Sunderland result too seriously other than their clinical finishing, Sunderland gifted them almost all the goals. Unai will have a plan.

[Smithy]

Normally agree with most everything you say Smithy, but whilst I do think the S/F will be tough (obviously hope Im wrong and we cruise through), i think its a leap to say Forest will be in the hunt for Europe next season. They might be of course, but Pereira had a really big impact at Wolves before it all unravelled really quickly and whilst Forest have better players than Wolves, who knows which ones they’ll sell this summer. I can’t see Gibbs-White being there for another year.

I think they're better than their current league position indicates, and not quite as good as the Champions League chasing side of last season (mainly because Chris Wood has reverted back to the mean).  But given how close the league is this year from 12th to 8th, I think the Pereira version of Forest would be slap-bang in the middle of that had he had the entire season.

As others have said, he did an amazing job to keep Wolves up given their position when he took over (much worse than Forest when he took over in Feb), and then they dropped off again the following season, but I really think that was more to do with the weakening of an already struggling squad - with their best two players in Cunha and ait-nouri leaving last summer and not being adequately replaced.  They spent money, but badly (no idea how much of that lies with Periera).

I don't want people thinking I'm saying Periera is a brilliant manager who is going to best Unai.  I'm absolutely not. I'm just saying he's better than the two chancers Forest have had in post this season before him, and he's got them back to playing at a level that I think is about right for an upper-mid-table side, rather than being the relegation threatened side they've been most of the season.

We should absolutely have enough to beat them over two legs, and if we don't, there can be no excuses.

[FatSam]

I think they're better than their current league position indicates, and not quite as good as the Champions League chasing side of last season (mainly because Chris Wood has reverted back to the mean).  But given how close the league is this year from 12th to 8th, I think the Pereira version of Forest would be slap-bang in the middle of that had he had the entire season.

Chris Wood was out injured for six-months of the season, so I don't think he can be held responsible for this.

[Smithy]

I think they're better than their current league position indicates, and not quite as good as the Champions League chasing side of last season (mainly because Chris Wood has reverted back to the mean).  But given how close the league is this year from 12th to 8th, I think the Pereira version of Forest would be slap-bang in the middle of that had he had the entire season.

Chris Wood was out injured for six-months of the season, so I don't think he can be held responsible for this.

Of course, I should have made it clear I meant the lack of striker like Chris Wood who became a 1-in-2 striker during last season.  The fact he's back match-fit is a worry, obviously.

[SamTheMouse]

I strongly feel that the real question here is: how much wood would Chris Wood chuck, if Chris Wood could chuck wood?

[RamboandBruno]

Im being a bit pedantic Smithy, but Wolves L3 and D1 of their last four games last season, so the Pereria shine had started to wear thin before the summer transfer business.

[Smithy]

Im being a bit pedantic Smithy, but Wolves L3 and D1 of their last four games last season, so the Pereria shine had started to wear thin before the summer transfer business.

Not pedantic - entirely accurate :-)  But it's also fair to say that their form only dropped off only once they were mathematically safe (which looked unlikely when Periera took over) and had little left to play for.   I remember our last day collapse against Palace after we also had nothing to play for.

Again, I'm not making Pereira out to be a genius, just that we probably need to be more wary of his 'current' Forest than of the 'average' Forest this season.

[eamonn]

But you do think he's better than the fêted Ange?

[Smithy]

But you do think he's better than the fêted Ange?

I think I'M better than Ange...

[PaulWinch again]

Unai is the master, but I worry we’re going to fritter what we have away. We now have two absolutely massive home games and we need to win both. Please think about how we’re going to attack the opposition Unai.

[usav]

I criticised him on Saturday, but I am finding it a little harder to do that tonight. We were one stupid handball away from a really good away result in a European semifinal.  The only thing I will be critical off is the decision to start Buendia.

[PaulWinch again]

The thing is if you are basically playing like we did, you’re always at risk of a flukey goal derailing things. We need to be much more proactive - there’s no choice next week. Our attack is so flat.