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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
The international break may have come at the worst possible time for Nottingham Forest.
Following an opening day defeat against West Brom, they’ve now gone unbeaten in five straight matches which sees them sit tenth in the Championship and two of their last three results had been nothing short of spectacular.
Forest downed playoff occupying Fulham at Craven Cottage before trouncing arch-rivals Derby in the Carabao Cup, so they may have wanted to keep that run going, but September’s international matches have put an end to that.
Though, it shouldn’t be considered a bad thing at all. In fact, it could be game-changing for their playoff hopes.
Manager Sabri Lamouchi was appointed at the end of June, rather suddenly as Martin O’Neill was sacked, so the time he had available with his team before the start of the 2019/20 campaign was minuscule.
Eight matches in a month quickly followed, so the former Ivory Coast manager probably relished the opportunity for some further time with his squad away from the intensity and pressures of competing within a match.
It gives the chance to implement further the way he wants his side to play, the styles, the tactical nuances that just can’t be filtered through when games come quick and fast.
Another key benefit is the fact he has pretty much all of his squad available to train – only Aro Muric (Kosovo) and Brennan Johnson (Wales U21) are away on international duty so that will only help instil his philosophy even more.
It also means Joao Carvalho is able to fully integrate his place back amongst the starting line-up following an injury that kept him out for the start of the season and has restricted him to just two substitute appearances.
Even Joe Lolley missed a game through injury, so it gives enough time to ensure that his problem has fully settled too.
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