Nottingham Forest are enjoying a good spell under new manager Sabri Lamouchi and fans are already getting excited about the possibilities of a play-off campaign, which would be their first since the 2010/11 season where they ultimately lost in the semi-finals to a Swansea side who would go on to be promoted.

Nottingham Forest fans will be looking at a play-off berth and could even possibly meet Swansea again, if anything from the start of the season is to go by.

Here we are going to look at the two reasons Nottingham Forest will be in and around the play-offs...

Sabri Lamouchi

Sabri Lamouchi arrived in Nottingham in the summer after taking a year out of management. Lamouchi was previously at Stade Rennais and guided them to a european spot during his one year spell at the club.

So far this season Lamouchi's tactics and play style have suited Nottingham Forest perfectly, he has given more freedom to danger man Lewis Grabban and in the tough games away from home has played a deep defensive line, looking to hit teams on the counter-attack with the pace of Carvalho, Lolley and Ameobi and for the most part it has worked.

If Nottingham Forest can keep hold of Sabri Lamouchi past this season, if they don't achieve promotion this season then they have the best chance again next season with Lamouchi in charge.

Michael Dawson

NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03: Nottingham Forest's Michael Dawson during the Sky Bet Championship match between Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United at City Ground on November 3, 2018 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Rachel Holborn - CameraSport via Getty Images)

Michael Dawson was a product of Nottingham Forest's academy so knows the club inside and out and he knows what it means to the fans to be in and around the promotion hunt.

Dawson is an experienced defender who spent most of his time at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and Nottingham Forest will be hoping that his experience will be one of the key factors to them closing out games and being a lot more resolute than in previous years.

As well as his experience, Dawson's leadership will be a massive influence in a dressing room full of young talent such as Joao Carvalho, Matty Cash and Joe Worrall. Dawson's influence on Worrall will be key as Worrall looks to grow into a much more mature defender than when he left a year ago, out on loan to Rangers and stake a claim to keep his spot next to captain Dawson for the remainder of the season.

One of the key aspects to promotion is having a settled team, which looks like forming at Nottingham Forest.