Aitor Karanka has guided Forest away from any fears of relegation with a six game unbeaten run.

The Spanish manager was brought in at the start of January after the board lost faith in Mark Warburton.

His start at Forest was poor as they only won of their five league games with a massive squad overhaul playing a major part. However, he has started to turn it around in recent games with the draw in their last game against local rivals Derby County being a high point of his tenure so far.

Forest appear to be finishing in mid-table because they are nearly bang in the middle with 16 points separating them from the play-offs and 15 points separating them from the drop.

A strong end to the season could help them start next season strongly because of the confidence it will bring to the team as well as how it vindicates Karanka's methods.

Karanka had this to say via the Nottingham Post about how teams setup to play Forest: "Now, when we go out on the pitch, we feel like a team. More than that, the teams we play against, when we face them, they change their shape and approach."

“They approach games now in a different way because they respect us more now.”

He also praised his team's solidity and how their togetherness is helping them individually as well as a team: "It is more than just the back four. It is the keeper behind them and the two in front of them – two massive players in front of them, in Watson and Colback."

“To play four against XI is impossible, but we look strong as a team.”

“When you are in an organised team it is easier for everyone. One month ago we did not look like a team on the pitch. You need to work as a team and now we look like a team.”

The Verdict

Karanka's methods are clearly starting to produce results as the team buys into his philosophy. This run of form has increased the confidence among the group, so they play better individually which also helps the team due to the emphasis on the team's shape by Karanka.

They may not have anything to realistically play for this season, but a run of form could make them strong promotion candidates for next season especially because they have a good blend of experience and young talents in the team.