Nottingham Forest are set for another lower mid table placing in the Championship this season, but speaking after their most recent defeat, manager Aitor Karanka made it very clear what he expects next season.

His side lost 2-1 at promotion-chasing Cardiff City yesterday and although Karanka was positive about the performance, it will be his assessment of next season that gives fans hope for the future.

“It is a game we could have won 2-1 or 3-1, but that we have lost," he told the Nottingham Post. "We had the clearest and the best chances to score. We had two chances in the first half and another one at the end, but we lost the game again because of set pieces. We knew that they were strong from set pieces."

Whilst that summed up last night's game, it was his next statement that signalled his intent for the 2018/19 campaign.

“It is a game to learn from, for next season because, next season, we cannot make these same mistakes. We must learn from these mistakes; we must add more quality to the team and ensure we can compete against every single team next season.”

Karanka took over at the City Ground with them 16th in the table, they're currently 17th, four points behind QPR but with a game in hand.

The Verdict

I'm not sure anyone thought Karanka would spur Forest on to greatness this season, but his bullish comments about next season will delight fans.

As two-time European champions, Nottingham Forest should be competing much higher in the Championship, if not the Premier League. Karanka is clearly imagining a much brighter future for their long-suffering fans, something they thoroughly deserve.

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