After getting to know the player, Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi is now getting to know the man as he aims to help Reds ace Joe Lolley retain top form.
The winger was back to his best in the 3-0 demolition of Birmingham City on Saturday, having had a quiet start to the season by his own very high standards.
Lolley opened the scoring at the City Ground with a trademark rocket shot from outside the box on the quarter hour mark, then set up Lewis Grabban for the second soon after.
It helped Forest secure their first three points of Lamouchi’s reign, after losing to West Bromwich Albion and drawing at Leeds United in their opening two games.
And the Frenchman is confident the Reds will be a match for anyone in the Championship, if Lolley and the rest of their key players continue to hit their peak.
“We need him at the top,” Lamouchi said of the club’s reigning Player of the Year.
“If you have Lolley at the top, Grabban at the top and all the players at the top - and if each one plays for the team - the team will be very difficult to play against.
“We will have more chance to disturb the opponent then. If we don’t do that, it will be easier for the opposition.
“Of course, all of them can improve.
“Our key players, like Lolley and Grabban, they did a lot on Saturday. But for sure, they can improve and they can help us more; help us to play better and be a stronger team.”
Lamouchi says he did not know a great deal about Lolley before he took charge at the City Ground, having previously been managing Rennes, in France.
But he quickly became aware of the winger’s quality when he saw him in action, and is now looking to understand his mentality.
“Honestly, no I didn’t know a lot about him before,” Lamouchi said.
“But from many months, I saw many games and I know perfectly the players. So I just needed to understand the man, to get inside his head and to help him to be much better on the pitch because he is a key player for us. He is a really important player for the team.”
A boyhood Aston Villa fan, Lolley enjoyed celebrating his goal in front of the travelling supporters.
It is the fifth time he has found the back of the net against the Blues during his career - three of those strikes coming while wearing the Garibaldi.
“Unfortunately we can’t play all games against Birmingham or a teams who are rivals of Aston Villa,” joked Lamouchi.
“But I’m sure he is happy, and his family will be as well.
“He played very well and, for me, it was the best performance from Lolley up until now.
“He needs to keep up that performance and repeat in London on Wednesday, against Charlton.”
