Nottingham Forest is preparing to play Brentford this weekend and is aware that recapturing their stellar City Ground performance from last season is not a guarantee.
The Reds had some impressive home performances last season, not least the victory over Arsenal in May that guaranteed Premier League survival. Given how poorly Steve Cooper’s team performed away from home, losing just five league games on home soil was essential to ensuring their survival.
The extraordinary environment that Forest supporters generated on the banks of the Trent had a significant role in their team’s remarkable record. Cooper has emphasized the crucial role fans continue to play, but he also acknowledges that his squad must contribute on the field if they are to turn the stadium back into a fortress.
Before the match on Sunday, the Welshman said, “We take it game by game. “We are aware of the away games from the previous season, but we always entered a game hoping to give it our all and believing that if we did certain things, the appropriate outcome would follow.
“At home, nothing is different. There is no question that the environment at the City Ground and the support that the team, myself, and the staff receive are tremendously beneficial.
It’s so genuine. It is not something that has just appeared; it has a true history.
“The team has undoubtedly benefited from it, but we don’t take it for granted. We are aware that the most crucial thing we must do is concentrate on what we can control, which is playing the game how we want to.
“We must adhere to a strategy, play according to our principles, and uphold our core values and ideals. Due to the opponent and what it takes to succeed, that isn’t always simple to execute.
“We have a very specific idea of how we want to play. We are extremely clear about the skills we believe are necessary to succeed in a game. Performing it is another matter, whether at home or elsewhere, but we must simply enter
