Good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to Gary Borde Red, the Nightingham Forest podcast from Nottinghamshire Live. Tempts here, sitting in for our regular host, Matt Davies, who's taking a well earned break, but he has left me in the company of BBC East Peninsula presenter, Emily Anderson. Emily, good morning.

Good.

Afternoon. Afternoon, rather. And as I always say, the legend of the forest, Dan's Greg Mitchell. How are you, Greg?

You had to do it, didn't you? My mates are just stopping calling me that after last time. A year to the day, pretty much. But yeah, I'm good. Thank you.

Yourself? Nothing like a bit of recycled material to kick things off. Good, thank you. Greg, we'll start with you. Just your feelings on this window so far in which we've heard plenty of whisper and forest clearly being far more considered last year. But to this point, no business.

I don't mind it. This time next year, we might be singing Zero Sign In Zoom. You know what? But I don't mind it at all. You look around the whole transfer window, there's not a lot happening. There's not a lot happening. I was googling, thinking, what's happening to all these Southampton players that were going here, there and everywhere? There's just no movement. There's the odd big sign in that we all knew about months ago. But at the minute, the transfer market is stale and it's not just for us. So the mini meltdowns are always quite fun to read on Twitter, but at the minute, there's no panic at all required.

What's your read on what's actually happening? Are forest being consistently frustrated or is this just a window of refinement rather than mass change?

It could be both, really, couldn't it? Yes, we haven't made any signings yet, but there are other clubs that haven't either. As Greg said, it's been really quiet. When you look at how many players we signed last year, we don't need many. There are players like Omael Richards that still hasn't kicked the ball for us. That's essentially a new signing. We've got the younger players that are coming through. Clearly, frustrations are happening with regards to Henderson. I'm sure we'll talk about that in more detail because he's clearly a player that wants to be at Forest. We want him here, but we can't seem to work out a price for him that we're happy with and that Man United are happy with. I do feel frustrated. I am slightly worried, but I just keep thinking to myself, actually, we don't need many players. And I'm just grateful that we haven't lost any players to Saudi Arabia. We have n't currently lost any of our big players to any of the top six clubs or even lower down the Premier League. So, yes, we haven't signed any players, but equally, we've still got that squad that we had at the end of last season that was working so well.

Dean Anderson, probably the best place to start. Some leaks in the Manchester media around the potential structure of that deal. Greg, a suggestion that Forest were looking to secure his services on loan with an obligation to buy. What have you read into the reported shenanigans around the negotiation so far?

I was surprised that it was going to be so complicated. I did think right from back in May it was going to be one of the first quick signings. But there's a lot more factors, isn't there? We had to wait for Man U for starters. They've now finally got their man. Maybe there just isn't the interest in him and his big wages that Man U might have thought there would be. They've tested the water, they've said they're going to put him on the plane and go on their tour. We've shown our cards now, though I don't think our owners got where he is just by being a soft touch and saying, Oh, yeah, we'll pay 30 million. Let's get a man straight away. He knows how this market works. I'd be very surprised if we got him on loan with a view to buy because we've already had that this season. So, man, you understandably will want money in the bank, but I think we'll pay it. I think we'll get there eventually. It just doesn't have to be today, does it? So I'd love to get him signed. I'm sure there's backups and lists and month and months and months worth of lists ready for other players if it doesn't turn out.

But the key for me is he sounds like he wants to come. And if you've got a player of that standard wanting to come to our squad who's been here for a year, he's had a year's interview, hasn't he? For us and for him and for him to want to be here and want to come. I think that's a great sign for us. So I think we just got to take a time and hopefully he'll be here for a bit of preseason. But like someone else said, I don't think Gibbs White was signed until a week after the transfer last time. So we haven't got a worry yet. We haven't, I think.

I certainly share your read on Henderson's desire to become a forest player. Strong arming tactic, though, as you say from Man United sticking him on a plane to the States, delaying any start that you may have with forest. Emily, is this just a classic negotiation? And if it is, could it go to the wire? Are both teams likely to find that breakthrough as the clock ticks down towards the end of the window?

Yeah, I think maybe both sides have been quite stubborn and they're digging their heels in at the moment on both sides, aren't they? And I think like we've said, because we've showed our hand, Henderson showed his hand, so Man United are like, Well, we want to get the best price for him. If you really want him, if Henderson wants to be there, you pay the money. I'm 99 % sure the deal will get done. And if it doesn't get done, I think we'll all feel very, very disappointed. No more so than Henderson himself, because he's clearly not got a future at Man United. I know they put on their Instagram yesterday a picture of him in his Man United training kit over with the team, and it jarred with me a little bit. But I just thought, slowly, slowly, we'll get there. I think we will get there, but I can't see it being resolved this week for example. But I guess because he's had that year with us and because of the petition, he plays in goal. Yes, it would be great to have him for pre season, but it's not essential is it?

Because we know what he offers and he knows how we work. I just think we'll all be happier once he's signed on the dotted line to have someone of that calibre as one of our players.

Greg, a suggestion emerging yesterday that Cailan Navas might be the next name on the Forest list if this negotiation does prove insurmountable. Are you happy with that? And is goalkeeper the absolute priority?

It made me laugh the other day when he put a photo on his Instagram with him and like, M Beth Bay. And you think, God, where we've come from to having players in our squad who's playing against well, with players like that, of course, it'd be a great second option. His wages would be astronomical. That's the deal that you'd expect to take a long time. That won't be a, oh, we can't get Henderson, let's get Navas in. The prior re has to be Henderson and we need to get that done. But if not, if it is someone like Navas, then yes, please snap your hand off, get him in. But yeah, that would take a lot more work, I'd imagine.

It's the hilarious though that we're even talking talking about Navas as a backup. I mean, I just think that's ridiculous. We're even there, but I guess we are with the big boys.

Yes, indeed. We'll talk about some of the names Forest have been linked with. One that's now beyond our grasp is William. Forest did make a contract offer there. He elected to stay put. Emily, does that strengthen our resolve to sign someone in that bracket? Elanga, Hudson, and Doy have been mentioned. Or were you disappointed to miss out on the Brazilian?

I was disappointed because it looked like it was nailed on, didn't it? And there were obviously side teams of him in and around the ground in the training ground. But part of me thought, actually, we'd probably only get a season out of him, wouldn't you? He's in 35, I think. So I me, obviously, he's a fantastic player and it would be great to have him in our squad because he could fit straight in. But actually, I've heard that he's played this game before where he's played a couple of clubs off each other to get a bit better deal. And I'm wondering whether he ever really wanted to come to us anyway. And I think we'd get more out of someone like Hudson Doy, who already knows Cooper, he's worked alongside him, who's young, who's keen, who's eager. It's not worked out for him necessarily at Chelsea yet. So for me, if we can get him, then forget William. But like lots of other fans, I was disappointed because it felt like that was our first signing and it's quite a high profile signing as well. And I'm not so overly enamoured by him because I guess he's not really done a lot, has he?

And a lot of the Man United fans are saying, Oh, take him off our hands. But then we've heard that with Gibs White before, haven't we, from the Haw's fans that said he's not very good. So if anyone can help play his career, please feel free to come and feel a little piece of magic on Alanga and make a langer. It may be good work for us.

Well, look, I'm sure you'll keep talking to Natalie Jackson for us. And next time she spots someone in the training ground, let us know. Greg, who should be our top priority as a winger now?

Well, I like a langer. I say I like him. Quick YouTube and have a look at transfer market mark it every time. It says that he's not only a left winger, he's played 43 left wing, 28 times right wing, 27 times centre forward, a couple of games at right back, a couple of games at left back. He's 21. He's the player that if Cooper is going to be our man for a season, he can transform that guy's career again, just like he has done with previous players. Reading all that, Swedish International, his age is a massive thing. He's not going to count towards the 25. He's not going to be a massive wage either. You wouldn't think just quite yet. I'm sure it'd be a contract with a lot of game perks. But yeah, I like it now. I really do. And I think if we might get him on the same day if we're working with Man U twice with Henderson. So yeah, I'm all for that now. I really am.

I just want to highlight a comment from Hussein Akhtar. Do like and subscribe if you're on YouTube. Drop us a comment if you're watching live on Facebook as well. Hussein asks, do we have serious issues with financials, which is dictating who we can go for this season? This might be in the context of FFP allowable losses. Regardless of the depth of your owner's pocket, there's a structure by which they're allowed to inject cash into the football club. Are we seeing that play out? Is there an issue at this moment in time with not how much money forest have got, but how much money they can spend in that window, at this window. And are we going to see slightly more refined and negotiated offers off the back of that? What's your read, Emily?

Yeah, it feels like last year it was like a kid in a candy store, wasn't it? We just bought whoever was available, it felt like. And a lot of those signings did work. You'll know much more temps about FFP and the financial side of things, but the way I see it is, we do just have to pick and choose, don't we? There was talk of maybe offloading one of our future stars. I know Brennan Johnson is a possible one that might go to give us a bit more money in the bank. Hopefully that won't happen. But I think we just need to be really careful. And maybe that's why we're still tuing and throwing money in the eyes over Henderson because we can't just say, Oh, yeah, here's 30 million quid for him. I'm sure we will. I just hope we can stay within those boundaries of FFPE because I'm sure they'll be hot on our heels if we get close to that. I don't know where we stand with regards to that, but it does feel like it's really tight, again, with the talk of a possible Brendan Johnson move and not having any time in the tall.

My read on FFP, as briefly discussed last week, it is a factor. We know it's audited pretty tightly in the Premier League, some high profile cases at the minute of clubs under pressure. Forest have a championship season in their three year FFP window as things stand. So cautious financial management required. Certainly no lack of finance available from the owner, but he needs a structured manner in which to inject it, which brings us onto a few comments about shirts, which are coming through. Greg, your view on the big adi dash reveal. Would you like to see a brand front of shirt?

I thought the few comments were going to be on these very unfounded PSG rumors, which I always smile at when we see and get excited about. But we do need a front shirt sponsor. I think we missed out on a lot of income last year. What, £6 million? That could pay a lot of players wages and keep us a little bit more on that green line than red. But for me, I think it depends on what type of sponsor. I personally wouldn't want a betting sponsor. I mean, I have the odd bet, but I know it's not something that's really seen as the right thing to do at the minute. So I hope we'd avoid that. I loved what we did at the end of last season with obviously the UN Charity. I think that was super, but you and showed what club and what ownership we've got. But we now have we've got IDGN on the sleeve and that's going to be a big sponsorship. A local company as well. They're based literally across the road from me. But I'm sure there's plenty of companies out there baying to get on our shirts, but we play a hard bargain and maybe that's why the signing is on there as well.

Just look at how we work it with the shirt sponsor. If it's not right, it's not happening. But I'm sure there'll be something in mind. There's plenty of people at that club doing good enough job to get something sorted.

Let's talk about Brendan Johnson then and specifically, Emily, what next for Brendan Johnson? I'm sure we all want him to stay. We saw Aston Villa on the verge of announcing a DRB from Leverc usin in a 51.9 million pound deal. Should that end their interest in Brendan? And do we think he's pushing to leave? Or is this just a case of representatives keen to see what's out there?

I would hope from Aston Villa's perspective, they've been pretty busy actually, haven't they? In this transfer market, they've had quite a few really good signings. I guess they need it because they've got Europe next season, haven't they? I hope that ends their interest in him. You'd hope you'd be surfaced requirements there now that they've always got that deal through. From Brendan's side of things, we can't read his mind, can you? He's a Nottingham lad. He's fallen bread here. Obviously, has links with the club for his dad. I would like to think that he would like to stay in because it's the second season in the Premier League at the very least. He's recently changed his agents, I think, hasn't he? So maybe they're pushing for a big money move, or are they just pushing for a better deal for him here? Because he's on it. I know he signed a better contract with me when we got promoted, but actually, when you look at maybe what some of the other players are playing and then what he provides to the squad, you could argue that maybe he should be on a bit more. The only thing I will say to take my heart completely out of it is we did all right without him at the end of last season.

Actually, he felt like a bit of a luxury, didn't he? And we were fine without him. But as a Forest fan, I would not like to see him go. I'd like to see Brendan stay for at least another season if we can. And I hope he feels like that as well. I hope he wants to stay and is happy here. He seems happy, but you never know these things, do you? Loyalty doesn't seem to exist in football anymore. It's all about money. It's all about business, which is why we're seeing so many players going off to sounding for millions and millions. And I just hope maybe his heart is in forest and then more season one.

Greg, Brendan's one of our own. He's a goal scorer, one of the biggest attacking threats in the side. Would you let him leave under any circumstance given that he's under contract for such a long period of time.

The only way I'd let Brendan leave is if it's literally saving the club, saving the finances of this club. If you're playing money ball with a player like Brendan, and if his side are as well, he hasn't by any means, reached his peak yet in skill level and in money terms. He has another year at Forest. Whatever happens with us, if he plays game, his value goes up. He gets better. Where he gets better wages, everything's going up and up, especially under Cooper and the way he manages him. So I think his advice is deep down, he's better with us for this season. He goes to West Ham or someone of that elke, that level, Palace West Ham. It is a sideways move. It'll get a bit of your open league, but it's not that big money move that players of past years, when they've reached that development, go for. He wants to be looking at a top six club who can be there for six, seven years after this and make mega, mega money. So for me, his side and Forest side, it'd be crazy thinking about it unless the finance has dictated that he's just the only guy that can get us what we need to improve ourselves.

But we're going to be sensible with stuff like that. He's certainly not in the shop window. It's a boring transfer market. Who have Forest got of any value, who could be a decent story to get fans talking and we are doing and it's Brendan.

Let's just highlight Mark Hudson's comment on Facebook. Mark's obviously got a long list of ins and outs. Get Henderson, Martson, Sangeet, R. A. Hudson, and Duya Langer, Stryker from Strasbourg, SeL Johnson, to balance the books, along with O'Brien, Shelby, Surridge, Dennis, and Freula. One thing we should say is an academy product, any sale of Brendan Johnson would be 100 % allowable profit, 40 million of allowable profit going into that FFP calculation. So the devil's out of question then, Greg, should we countenance raising that level of finance to strengthen central midfield, for example, would that be a better means of spending our cash or do you want to stick with the Academy product?

I don't think we have to this season. I think that's the conversation for next season when we really need to... We stay in the Premier League, we push on again next season, but next season, financial fair play from what you read is going to be really tight for us. This season, we've still got that leeway where we could do with Brendan Johnson for another season because he's improving, he's getting better. He's our player. Him and Gibbs White, the way they link up. Brendan improves Gibbs White and the other way around. And players like Danilo will play off that. So you don't sell Brendan Johnson this season. The conversation next season when we think, God, financial fair play, we're going to need 80 million, 100 million. You just don't know how good he's going to be next season. Then you have the conversation, then I'd agree with comments like that. But it's just not for this season. It's certainly not for this preseason.

I agree. Match winner for me, he's got important goals at important times. I think he'll continue to do that. Continue to develop as well. And the one thing he's got that can't be coached is pace. I think I'm right in saying he recorded the fastest sprint speed in the Premier League next year. And as an ageing full back myself, pace terrifies defenders and I hope he s here to stay. Let's touch on the other potential leavers then. Plenty of players on the bomb squad list who can't get a parking spot on the Astro turf while the first team are in warmer climes. No movement yet on getting anyone of any significance out of the door, but that's going to be so important, isn't it, Emily, as we look to trade our way through the rest of the window.

For me, the first person, John Joe Shelby, I know there was interest from Sheffield United for him. I think Dennis, probably you can tell, I don't know if either of you saw or went to the Notts County games. It didn't really seem like you wanted to be there. Freya, I was really impressed with Freula for the first part of last season, but it doesn't feel like it fits into how we work now with Danilo. There's loads of others that I can't bring to mind now, but there are a lot of those on the periphery, aren't there? Sam Surridge, he's almost signed a deal to go to America, I think, hasn't he? O'brien, I'm not sure if he's someone that necessarily fits into our squad. He's had a good season away, but again, I just don't know where we put him. Those are the ones that stand out for me. But I think if we can get rid of them, then hopefully that will help us shape our squad, balance the books, and it takes the pressure off us financially as well.

Very important to make some headroom in the wage structure. Greg, would you sell by any means at any price or do we need to be equally as hard nosed in negotiating departures as we do in negotiating signings?

I think the departure side is about the wage bill for me. I don't think there's a lot of value in some of those players we've talked about in getting a fee, but it's getting them off the wage bill. But then those players are going to have to agree to a wage cut to play football because they could just happily sit in our bomb squad and get paid and that's it. And we've seen it before, haven't we? With these long contracts and players. So there's certain players that I think we talked about Bolly already. He's been told he's free to leave, apparently. So he could be a very good player for someone. But it's whether these players are willing to take the right cut because it isn't going to be... These players that we want to leave our squad aren't going to be leaving because they're going to get better offers elsewhere. It just isn't like that. So it's how hungry they are for football. And I think we'll struggle. I think we'll struggle to get rid of five or six of these ones. We'd love to, maybe one or two, but that'll be it for me.

Let's turn our attention to forest preparations on the pitch then. We've had two initial glimpses at the side. Emily, were you at Notts County? Am I right in saying that?

No, I didn't make it to that. So I just read up on that afterwards. But from what I was reading, it sounded pretty mediocre, pedestrian, very preseason friendly, which you'd expect it to be. I watched the Valencia game and again, that just felt really laboured. But I guess it was really teething and hot. I could tell that from how much they were sweating. Danilo had a few moments, I thought, in that. He seemed like out of all the team, he was the most up for it. But it just felt very soaring and I wish I'd not sat and invested in watching it. But I thought, he pays for this, I'm going to sit and see it out. But I left feeling a bit... And even more so, as well as George Shelby's doing in Goldforum. I thought, You need a keeper, we need to find a keeper. We all know preseason is getting matchstick in the tripleg, isn't it? And to maybe try players in different positions and play some of the younger players that don't normally get a shout. But then I keep reminding myself, actually, there was no ball from dips, no Brendan Johnson, no Philippe, obviously no recognised goalkeeper, no proper goalkeeper, really.

So lots of players weren't featuring and it'll be a different story, hopefully, once we start the season of Ester. I hope so.

We shouldn't attach too much meaning to these early season, preseason friendlies at 10 changes at half time at Meadow Lane, for example, Greg. However, we have started to see some semblance of shape with a back 4 deployed in both matches. Greg, your thoughts on the games we've played so far?

My mate summed the Notts County game up perfectly. He said it was a very friendly, friendly. And it was. I'm I'm not drinking this month, by the way. So it was a very interesting watch for me. I think the most entertaining thing was the little Notts County Altras in their cup that were making a smile of it. They were a loving life against the big boys. But yeah, it was a run about, wasn't it? It was getting the legs stretched and reminding themselves of what a crowd's about and playing a bit of a competitive game. But it was very 50 %, wasn't it? No one wants to get injured this time of the year. They're just finding the shape. I really enjoyed watching some of the youngsters that have been included into the squad. I thought the goalkeepers played well both times, although not really tested a lot. So that's a shame. Shelby, isn't it his name? But it'll be interesting I think, when we start playing teams that aren't going to give us much more possession because I think that's what's going to be happening at the beginning of the Premier League again. We're not going to be getting the amount of possession we got against Notts County.

So when we play the Eindowens and Frankfurt, I think that's going to be a lot more of a gauge of how we're going. It's still very early, isn't it? So that's it, really.

Dr. Peck on YouTube draws attention to Josh Powell making an impression at left back, basically because he had to. But it's fair to say he looked comfortable when called upon. Good range of passing, certainly stuck to his man out wide. Emily, still so encouraging to see young players coming through. It's that much harder to break into this forest side now. You're not going to get blooded in quite the same manner that you would if we were in the championship or League 1. But the academy production line continues to roll.

Yeah, which is really good to see, isn't it? I know he's not from our academy, but another young player who I thought impressed in the last game, Brandon Aguilera, who, again, I know is probably one for the future, but he seems to have really come on in his time away. And watching those young lads grow and probably looking at players like Yates and Warrell who have come through the academy, I hope they'll give them a bit of hope that they can do that as well. One really disappointing thing that I forgot to mention is Neill Parra's injury. Because when I first saw it, I thought, Oh, he'll be fine. It's just fallen for me. He's mislocated his elbow. His elbow is mislocated. Yeah. So that's a little bit of a worry because he was so influential when he came back from injury. I'm just worried about his injury record. But hopefully he'll be okay. And the other thing, a lot of people on Twitter particularly were getting very stressed out about our name not being in the camp and was with the off somewhere else. It was really nice that Forest posted the picture of him with the guys.

So panic you not, worry you not, I want you's there. Who'd have thought a year ago that we'd be so concerned about him? Because when he first started to do it was just tummies, to say the least, wasn't it? And now we feel like we can't start a game without him.

Yeah, he just surged through, didn't he? Particularly in the second half of the season, I think we demonstrated in his absence that we needed that physical presence resence up front and scored some crucial goals at crucial times. The near cart injury, a minor concern. Obviously had a disruptive season last season, but in the main in his career so far, he hasn't missed too many games for injury, so we wish him well. Hope he's back out there pretty soon. Greg, lots of plays we still haven't seen in preseason. Morgan Gibbs White given an extended break after his exploits in the Euro, so Jorry hasn't taken to the field yet. Are you starting to form an 11 in your mind if we end up with the person available to us at the minute, if we look to go into that final threat of our strongest possible 11, who's getting the nod for you?

The positions is obviously replace in Loddie's position. He's a player who's not going to be with us. And the goalkeeper. But yeah, I mean, Gibson White comes straight in, fitness dependent. And as does Johnno at this time. I think we had a little chat in our WhatsApp group about Tyreke and maybe his fitness isn't quite there yet. But again, everyone was at 50 %, weren't they? For that game against County. So I do think it's going to be very similar to how the season ended last season other than your Loddie and obviously Navas, really. And again, that's the talk of does Johnno necessarily start at the start of this season? For me, he does. It was just the way the way it finished last season probably wasn't made for him. Talking about Scarpa in the comments as well. He's not played yet and he put something on his Instagram, didn't he? The other day, basically quashing rumors saying, I'm happy in Nottingham or happy in the UK. So that was good to see. A player that starts this season who we didn't even know his name last season is Danilo. The way he came on towards the end of season, he's one of the first names for me in there.

Whatever happens after the January window, which with Philippe, again, Philippe hasn't featured, we start stronger this season as a squad than we did last season. So all this panic and stuff, a bit of perspective. You look at the start from last season and the way we're going to start this season, those January signings, a couple of them, we'll say, have been key. So get them fit. I'm not sure what the Philippe thing is. Did he feature against Valencia or... I can't remember. No. So that'll be one to look out for.

Emily, the man you mentioned at the top of the show, Oma Richard, we haven't seen him yet. We're desperate for him to play and do well. Can you see Forest starting the season with him and Toffalo as the options at left back, Josh Powell potentially backing up. We know Nia Corte can play there if needs be. Is Forest in the market for that? Or are we gearing up to give Oma Richard the first opportunity to him practice?

Well, he hasn't played for a year, has he? So that's a worry. Where's his match fitness is going to be? He hasn't featured in any of the frontiers have their own way of thinking. In an ideal world, we'd like to have an established left back, wouldn't we? But our options are thin, to say the least. Top Glove is with the squad still is niggling the preseason, so he's an option. I think we need to buy a left back. That is my overriding worry because I wouldn't want to start Oma Richard at the emirates against Arsenal for him to maybe get injured or not be up to speed. I'll be honest, I feel quite relaxed about the goalkeeping situation. The left back position is stressing me out. And when you just said, Name your 11, I was going through who I thought. And I was like, Who do you put left back? And it's tough for Richards, isn't it? Powell, possibly. But again, that's a lot to put on such a young lad. I'm stunned a bit. What do you think? I think we need to get in.

I think the one thing we.

Don't know.

I'm speechless. First time ever.

Well, the one thing we don't know is Steve Cooper's thoughts on this. James Pressing in the YouTube comments wisely says, keep calm and believe in Steve. As the head coach, he'll have an influence on signing, but ultimately it's those on the training field that he can influence. What do we think his mindset is at the minute, Greg? Will he be desperate to get guys through the door or will he be pretty relaxed about the process and the people surrounding him?

I think he'll be pretty relaxed. He pretty much got absolutely everything he wanted last season. We haven't heard any comments from him. He manages very clever with how to get messages out, whether they're happy or unhappy, aren't they? We've seen it many times and there's not been none of that. There's plenty of players that haven't featured last season, pretty much. Beer cone in the comments, of course. Niko's been playing a bit like that. These players can adapt. I mentioned about that, Alanga, the amount of positions that guy can play in. We've got a lot of players like that. And it's a season of so many twists and turns that there's going to be plenty of players for the positions. It's just the quality of them. And like I just said, two minutes ago, we're certainly a stronger team currently than we were this time last season in.

A week of training. We can't forget that either, can we? If you look at where we were last season, we literally didn't know what we were doing, did we? For the first however many games. And if you look at every part of the pitch, we've got experienced players that we never get through. I forgot about Sergio, of course. He's been fantastic. In the centre of the park, we've got Danilo who's shown through. Yatesu, we've got Warrell at the back. We've got our one, we've got O'Wanley, we've got Gibbs White, we've got Brendan Johnson. So we've got all these established players that work really well together. And yes, I'm panicking about the left back position, but actually, you're absolutely right. Steve Cooper will know exactly who can play where and how he can fit people into different positions. So I think we need to remember that. Look at where we were last year and where we are now, it's so much better. It couldn't be more different in a real world, could it?

Yeah. My mate sent me this as well. It's a Twitter account called the random pundit. Just to bring some positivity back to Forest, with our existing squad, the final six Premier League games last season, we got 11 points, which was fifth in the league. We scored 12, which was second in the league, only conceded eight, which was the eighth best in the league. This is what I love. This is what I'm all over. That level of performance has us fifth with 70 points. With what you see on Twitter now, and I know we're never happy. Of course, we're not. We want to be top of the Premier League next season or else. But when you see a bit of realism like that, you think, you know what? We're not in that bad a position. You've got to look at where we ended, not where we started. Where we're going to start this year is completely different.

Those in the comments asking about FF P and our thoughts on Callen Hudson and Do, do watch this back. You'll hear our debate and discussion around those points at the top of the show, five more friends to come in this preseason, including Leeds United at the Pirelli and the German away trip, which I know Greg's all over. At what point do you think we'll start to see this 11 taking shape? Leeds probably provide the right opposition to benchmark ourselves against. Do you see Forest starting to get towards full strength out of the Pirelli on Thursday?

Yeah, I think that's a real tough challenge, Leeds, because they haven't weakened and they weren't a lot worse than it was last season, were they? We got them at home and they got us away. It was two very even games. So that's going to be the gauge so far of where we are. And they've had a little bit longer preseason, I think. I think they've been back a week or two earlier. And then, yeah, it's the Eindove and then it's the Eindorf and Frankfurt games that are really interesting for me and we'll get to see all of that. So but preseason, just results do not matter. I know it's so easy to say that, but you have teams like Arsenal getting thrashed a couple of seasons ago and then suddenly playing really well for the season. The results doesn't matter. It's getting through it without too many injuries because five preseason games, a lot can happen there without too many injuries and just getting minutes in some of these players' legs that haven't had many, not just preseason, but last season as well. So yeah, not too worried about that. It's just the amount of minutes for me to keep everyone fit.

Brilliant. Thanks for your thoughts. Do like and subscribe and share if you're watching this on YouTube or Facebook. Emily, any final thoughts, words from you? Or is all well in the garden? And as you called for earlier, just maintain this patience and see what happens next week.

Yeah, I think we all need to relax and keep calm. I just wanted to mention the forest women because I'm really pleased that they're starting this new hybrid professional model. I think it's fantastic for the women's game. And as a mother of a daughter who played football, that is so important to me because she's now got these women that she can see as being professional. And I'm really excited to be able to tell her that. And they've also got their new home ground in Long Eastern. So that's really good. And also good luck to England Women tomorrow in their first world cup game.

Absolutely right. Greg Mitchell, final word from you.

I've got... Is this my AOB bit? Because I've got two. This is it. Let it rip. The national not very long. The RISM books that a lot of you have ordered, they're now being delivered to Simon's house. And I'm sure everyone's very happy about it. He's home, but he's got a room full of books, so they're going to be out. They're being sent out next week, and also a few of us are going around this week and posting them locally. So hopefully you should be getting them within a week or so. And then I've got quite a strange one that I don't think it's going to offend the guys involved, but there was that infamous video last two seasons ago in Lower Bridgeford where there was a bit of a frocus about, I think on YouTube it was called the last pie. I've been asked if either of the guys involved would want to get in touch. It's quite an exciting little project. Let's just say that when I read it, I thought, you know what, if I was one of them guys, I'd really want to find out about this. So if anyone knows either of those two, or if they watch this and they want to send me a Twitter DM or just get in touch.

No pressure, but I think you'd like to hear it, let's just say. So if you are out there, just send us a message and I'll tell them what it's about.

There you go. A bit of intrigue from Greg from his Hollywood debut about a scrap for a pie on the mainstand concourse. I don't think we can take it any further than that. Thank you very much for listening. Do check out Matt's Monday features with the great and the good of Forest's recent history, particularly the chats with Louis Magugan and nick Marshall and David Phillips, well worth a listen. We'll be back next week, but really appreciate you joining us this.