When Sabri Lamouchi first arrived at the City Ground in the summer, you could have forgiven Nottingham Forest fans for believing that Ben Watson wouldn't have too big of a part to play for the Reds this season.

Lamouchi's appointment initially raised eyebrows. The club went continental in their search for Martin O'Neill's replacement, whose departure was announced a matter of moments before Lamouchi took the reins.

The Frenchman was an unknown quantity, enjoying success with Rennes and Ivory Coast but hardly pulling up any trees before his arrival on Trentside.

Nevertheless, the 48-year-old boasted an impressive resume, and would have been keen to bring his own philosophies and ideas to the club - summer signings Tiago Silva, Alfa Semedo and Samba Sow proof of that.

Four first-team midfielders arrived at the club in the summer, with John Bostock, Semedo, Silva and Sow all looking to add competition to what was already a overly-congested area of the pitch.

Naturally, Forest fans were quick to forget about their current crop of players, with the likes of Claudio Yacob, Adlene Guedioura and Ben Watson all somewhat forgotten about by supporters, as though they would be deemed surplus to requirements in the near future.

But it has turned out to be quite the opposite for the latter, who has been nothing short of influential in the Reds' bid for promotion.

Can you get full marks on this Forest quiz?

Watson had received criticism from a majority of Forest supporters before this season. The 34-year-old - drafted in on a free transfer from Watford in February 2018 - struggled to cement a place in the first-team under Aitor Karanka last term.

Whilst Forest have plenty of creative, flair players in their ranks - the likes of Joao Carvalho and Silva coming into mind - Watson's lack of mobility and guile stands out like a sore thumb - and yet, he's been arguably Forest's most important player in their promotion push.

Of course, it would be unfair to compare Watson to the likes of Carvalho and Silva, with the former playing in a slightly deeper role that focuses more on him dictating play rather than directly affecting it.

But still, midfield is a crucial area of the pitch, and Forest have plenty of talent in theirs, which ultimately leads to supporters picking and choosing their favourite combinations.

At the heart of their midfield is Watson, though, and the truth is, every side chasing promotion from the Championship needs a player like him. Leeds have Liam Cooper leading from the back, Jake Livermore continues to pull the strings for West Brom, whilst the likes of Kevin McDonald and Stefan Johansen have been there and done it before for Fulham.

He's a player that possesses so much experience and knowledge in the middle of the park, and even though his presence is big on the pitch, it's likely to be even greater off it.

He's a player who breaks up play with such ease, acting as a really clever pivot in Lamouchi's trusted 4-3-3 set-up, and he often starts every attack after picking the ball up in defence and spraying it out wide to the flanks.

Starting every game in the Championship is a remarkable achievement for any player, but it's even more remarkable for a player who is rapidly approaching the age of 35, yet still acts as a real driving force for Forest on a weekly basis.

A big decision awaits the club at the end of this season. They could well be playing in the Premier League next season if all goes to plan, which adds even more complications when it comes to deciding whether Watson's contract will be extended or not.

But with a few months left on his current deal on the banks of the Trent, Watson's performances are certainly helping him in his hopes of earning a new deal at the City Ground.

What would generally be seen as a calculated footballing decision is slowly but surely turning into a no-brainer for Nottingham Forest.