After Nottingham Forest signed off with two successive wins before the international break, they’ve now started back up again with consecutive 2-0 defeats after Bournemouth brushed them aside at the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday.
Junior Stanislas found the net in each half as the Cherries eased their way up into the automatic promotion places, but it’s not a result that does much for Forest, who remain on the edge of the relegation zone.
Nobody can begrudge Jason Tindall’s men the points, and while they march up the table it’s back to the drawing board for Hughton and co.
Here are the talking points from the south coast.
When your luck’s out
As if Forest’s fortune with injuries at the moment wasn’t bad enough. As if the list that includes Michael Dawson, Joe Worrall, Lewis Grabban, Fouad Bachirou, Tyler Blackett, Samba Sow and Alex Mighten wouldn’t be enough alone to set Hughton’s heart racing.
Aside from those players, the boss then lost Luke Freeman with a minor groin complaint before the trip south, and then Gaetan Bong - set for only his third Forest appearance - minutes before kick off with a similar injury.
With the new rules stipulating that managers in the EFL now may use five substitutes over the course of a game, the return of the above host of players cannot come soon enough to dramatically strengthen Hughton’s hand.
Poles apart
Make no bones about it - Bournemouth were well worth their victory and they already appear a very good bet for a place in the top six, perhaps even inside the coveted automatic promotion places.
This was their third win in a row, they’re the second highest scoring outfit in the division and they still boast a number of players who have been playing regular Premier League football in recent years.
In short, Forest will have less tricky outings over the course of this campaign - but they must buck up their ideas in front of goal. Bournemouth will be in the upper reaches of the table - where Forest themselves desire to be.
Make them pay
On a couple of occasions Forest had chances to inflict the Cherries with some late ‘squeaky bum’ time, but it was to no avail.
Ryan Yates has to find the net from close range with his header. Sammy Ameobi, too, might’ve scored. Forest just needed something to run with, a shot of momentum that might’ve given them belief that they might steal a share of the spoils. Ultimately, Bournemouth were comfortable and any kind of threat that Lyle Taylor might’ve posed was totally snuffed out over the course of the evening.
It’s something Hughton alluded to himself upon reflection - Forest simply must sharpen up in front of goal.
The bigger picture
Things don’t get any easier for Forest in the near future.
Their next five games involve coming up against four of the current top six, while the fifth side are Brentford - and they’re on the march after an indifferent start, too.
It’s Swansea at the City ground this weekend, and then Watford - in the same boat as Bournemouth - and table topping Norwich, who are looking to repeat what they achieved in this division two years ago.
The coming weeks will serve as a real test of Forest’s mettle and Hughton’s ability to squeeze the pips out of the squad that he’s inherited and currently has at his disposal.
