Nottingham Forest blog: Henry Lansbury must keep up desire and performance levels

Lansbury is staying again, but Antonio’s future may be in doubt once more, add the threat of a winding up order, plus a new signing and it’s just another week in the life of a Forest fan!

I don’t pay too much attention to the debt paying anymore because to me it seems like the Kuwait style of running a business.

As for Lansbury, I’m happy to see him stay, but only if he continues to put in the same application that he’s shown whilst in the shop window.

This is what I referred to last week; he can’t decide to go missing anymore especially now that he’s set such a high benchmark.

As for Antonio, well your guess is as good as mine? The proof is usually in the performances so we shall watch with interest!

Last Tuesday we entertained a well organised Charlton Athletic and played out one of the best goal-less draws I ever seen.

Despite all of the controversy Dougie Freedman galvanised what players he had, which didn’t include Michail Antonio.

The top scorer was omitted from the squad due to another transfer bid, this time allegedly from Derby.

Next up was Bolton away, they hadn’t scored a goal all season and when De Vries saved Gary Madine’s penalty, that run looked to have continued.

Zach Clough, who has previous, went down far too easy when challenged by former team mate Mills. Michail Antonio returned to the side following an apparent truce with the club.

Forest gave debuts to full-back Daniel Pinillos and midfielder Kyle Ebecilio and both did a steady job.

However this game hinged on two Forest substitutions, the first was an immediate impact from an improving David Vaughan.

With virtually his first touch he thundered in a contender for goal of the season, from 30 yards out.

With ten minutes left it should have been the winner, but Freedman decided to make the fateful safety sub.

He dragged off Walker and replaced him with Fox for the remaining five minutes.

And although Bolton’s equaliser through guess who...Stephen Dobbie, was not the fault of Danny Fox it was the sheer unsettlement of the side so late on that did the damage.

If your side has kept a clean sheet by defending as a team, then it’s best not to change that.

Just ask Notts County fans about the latter stages of Gillingham away last season and their relegation, having also led 1-0.

Or indeed Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final.

In all fairness to Dougie, he did make the goal scoring substitution for Vaughan so I guess it’s evened out.

Dorus DeVries was voted man of the match and he is fast becoming a fans favourite, coupled with the youngsters, the retainers and the new boys, it’s fair to say that if we can just get a striker we’re not far off.