---
title: "Nottingham Forest: Frank Clark defends Sabri Lamouchi’s style as it is producing results"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/frank-clark-sabri-lamouchi-forest-news-quotes/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Kealan Hughes"
section: "uncategorised"
published: "2020-02-20T07:50:18Z"
modified: "2020-02-20T07:50:18Z"
---

# Nottingham Forest: Frank Clark defends Sabri Lamouchi’s style as it is producing results

**Former Nottingham Forest European Cup winner Frank Clark has spoken out about the current team and he has shown support for the side amid accusations that they have a negative style of play.**

Slaven Bilic’s [post-match comments](https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/west-bromwich-albion/2020/02/15/slaven-bilic-it-feels-like-two-west-brom-points-dropped/) after the West Brom match indicate that he believed Forest were lucky to come away from the Hawthorns with a point, but Clark has a different view.

The Reds’ style of play may be different to their promotion rivals but the ex-player suggests that doesn’t mean Forest should be discredited or overlooked as candidates to go up.

In defence of Sabri Lamouchi’s style of play, Clark told [NottinghamshireLive](https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/football-news/nottingham-forest-legends-advice-reds-3865857):

> “Apparently the pundits don’t seem to rate us because we tend to be a counter-attacking team, but that’s a way of playing.
>
> “Not everyone has to play a high tempo game and play on the front foot. We’ve not got the players to play that way. We’ve got players who are good on the counter-attack, and that’s okay.
>
> “There’s more than one way to skin a cat. We don’t all have to play the same way.
>
> “Just because we don’t have the majority of possession in all the games doesn’t mean we can’t win them – and we’ve shown that.”

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/THE-BREAKDOWN.png)

West Brom and Leeds may occupy the automatic promotion places due to their expansive style and a focus on keeping the ball, but it is worth mentioning that they have only [conceded 36 and 30 goals](https://www.skysports.com/championship-table) respectively from 33 league games.

That is clearly a respectable return and shows defensive solidity is essential for promotion, and therefore Forest’s [33 goals conceded](https://www.skysports.com/championship-table) shows that Lamouchi has taken the right approach in adopting a counter-attacking style.

He has realised the strengths of his players and used a style which fits those at his disposal, and although Forest have [averaged just 47% possession](https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/252/Tournaments/7/Seasons/7840/Stages/17629/TeamStatistics/England-Championship-2019-2020) – and rank 19th in the Championship in that area – it has produced success.

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Verdict.png)

Recent wins against high-flying Leeds and Brentford evidence that, and also suggest that the Reds would be able to overcome any opponent in the play-offs, should they miss out on the top two.

Despite a low rate of possession Lamouchi’s side have still averaged the [seventh-most shots per game with 13.1 per game](https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/252/Tournaments/7/Seasons/7840/Stages/17629/TeamStatistics/England-Championship-2019-2020), showing they can still be effective, and that means Clark is right to defend the style in place.

***So Forest fans do you like the team’s current style and has Lamouchi’s decision-making worked well so far? Let us know if you think his tactics can bring the Reds promotion…***