Nottinghamshire

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

Vitor Pereira was sacked at the weekend with his Wolves side propping up the table.

The question is, was he sacked because they are bottom or are they bottom because he and other Wolves managers have been sacked too quickly?

The next Wolves boss will be the fifth in five seasons. Does that really give anyone the time to develop a squad, especially if someone else is choosing the players?

West Ham are on a measly seven points from 30 so far, with a record of three managers in the past 18 months after foolishly getting rid of David Moyes.

With the spirited victory against Newcastle, Nuno Espirito Santo showed that there is a team in there somewhere but will they stick with him?

The other team currently in a relegation spot is Nottingham Forest. They have gone through more than a manager per year in the eight since Evangelos Marinakis got hold of the club, surpassing himself lately with three different managers this season alone.

This many changes can be made to work in the short term. Chelsea did it brilliantly for years with some of the greatest coaches in the world but it cost a huge amount of money. Roman Abramovich had the dosh and was willing to spend it. More crucially, he was allowed to spend it back then with different rules in place.

I would hazard a guess that the three currently at the bottom will each get relegated if they change managers yet again and destroy the last vestiges of stability and any remaining facade of intelligent planning at their clubs.

Any one of them might still go down anyway because of rash decision-making in the past that has finally caught up with them.

Sign up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter

Pat Riddell
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

There's a certain irony in Nottingham Forest's ability to be so effective from set pieces at both ends of the pitch last season, only for it to be our undoing this term.

Saturday's 2-2 draw with Manchester United had its controversy, of course, but fundamentally, our inability to defend set pieces again cost us.

Arsenal sit pretty at the top of the table with eight league goals from corners in their first 10 games - a Premier League record, and seven consecutive clean sheets in all competitions.

The Reds, in contrast, have scored just twice from set pieces this season. More worrying is the fact that they have conceded nine league goals from set pieces. Sean Dyche has a lot on his plate at the City Ground, but this is at the top of his to-do list.

Dyche is no stranger to organising his sides, with his Everton side one of the strongest in that respect during his time on Merseyside. Over 40% of the manager's goals have come from dead-ball situations in his Premier League games with both the Toffees and Burnley.

Everton's reliance on them could be attributed to their difficulties in scoring from open play, a problem which Forest have struggled with this season, but one which the Reds have the attacking ability to ultimately address.

At the back, there should be good signs for Dyche, with Matz Sels, Murillo, Nicola Milenkovic and Neco Williams part of last season's successful back five, but organisation and confidence count for everything in these situations.

In the so-called season of set pieces, Forest have been at the wrong end of the trend. But, as proved last year, it's something that can be turned around. Sooner rather than later, we hope.

Find more from Pat Riddell at The Famous Club, external

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Nottingham Forest and Manchester United.

Here are some of your replies:

Forest fans

Kevin: Fight, bottle, determination. Sean Dyche has unlocked everything that Ange Postecoglou failed to. A fair result in the end although I don't think it was a corner that led to the opening goal.

Malcolm: Improved cohesion, looking more likely to score and Callum Hudson-Odoi is looking sharper. We need to put our best competitors in the six-yard box to defend set-pieces and our goalkeeper needs to be much more assertive in his domain. He needs to try to dominate his space, with more punching practice and strength under pressure. Dan Ndoye is settling in and looks strong. A win will give us all a massive boost.

Gary: Despite the set-piece issue, I think Forest turned a corner in this game. There is cause for real optimism for the first time since the opener against Brentford.

Rob: Supporters are craving stability after a farcical start to the season, and I'm confident this manager together with his backroom team will give us that. You can see the impact he is having already, but we are still very much a work in progress. Players clearly knew their roles, especially in midfield where Elliot Anderson, Morgan Gibbs-White and Ryan Yates were excellent and disciplined. Onwards and upwards.

Man Utd fans

Stefan: Despite leading and being pegged back, this is still a game United would've lost last season. We are still showing improvement and there is still something to build on. If you can't win, make sure you don't lose.

Mark: Almost lost this game due to not being competitive enough on too many levels. Poor defending, lacklustre midfield and attack and giving the ball away cheaply yet again. All these faults need to be addressed in order to continue to moving upwards.

Edward: This defence is really getting embarrassing - playing Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw together just doesn't work. I can see that, the fans also see it, so how on earth does the manager not?

Robert: If there is improvement, I don't see it. When you are losing and you have a very ineffective centre-forward on the field, why wouldn't you replace him? Why change out the backline when you need to get forward and score goals. United were very lucky to escape with a point.

Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche speaking to BBC Radio Nottingham's Colin Fray: "It is a positive thing to say on this occasion. I think it was a marked improvement om the Bournemouth performance. The reaction today was first class I thought. We came in at half time a bit aggrieved with the situation but we haven't dealt with the situation either, so we have to do better with that. But second half the reaction was excellent."

Dyche on controversy over the awarding of a corner for Manchester United for their first goal: "The thing that is really annoying. The assistant is 75 yards away, how can you see that? Those decisions are massively important. The goal line technology says if one millimetre is on the line, it's not a goal. However closely we look at this, it is on the line. Why not just use VAR for that one, it'll take five seconds. Don't give it from that distance. If you're 10 yards away I may give the benefit of the doubt but not 70-80 yards away. I am aware there have to be rules but there has to be an override for me. There has to be someone who overrides it and says that can't count as the ball was in.

"The reaction today was first class from the players. The fans were brilliant as well, especially when we got the second. The noise, tremendous."

Listen to Dyche speak to BBC Radio Nottingham here

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has praised the "courage and selflessness" of those caught up in a mass stabbing on a train on Saturday night.

Eleven people were injured and received hospital treatment after the attack, which took place on a train travelling from Doncaster to London.

Two British men in their thirties were arrested and police said there was currently "nothing to suggest" it was a terror incident.

Forest said some of the club's London-based supporters were travelling home from their fixture against Manchester United.

"The Club is aware that many individuals demonstrated extraordinary bravery which undoubtedly helped prevent even greater harm," a statement read.

"The entire Nottingham Forest family stands firmly behind them as they recover from the events of yesterday."

Evangelos Marinakis, Nottingham Forest's owner, said: "Everyone at Nottingham Forest is shocked and deeply saddened by what happened. The courage and selflessness shown by our supporters on that train represents the very best of humanity and the very best of our club's community.

"We will make sure any supporter caught up in this incident receives whatever financial support they require to enable them to access the best possible medical care as they recover. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected."