Former Nottingham Forest defender Michael Dawson has suggested that he believes the Reds can make a push for the Championship play-offs under Steve Cooper this season.

Cooper took over at Forest when they looked like they could be a side more closer towards the relegation zone this season than the play-off positions.

However, since then, the former Swansea City boss has transformed his side into one of the most difficult ones to beat in the league and the Reds have continued to gradually move up the table. 

Forest have won their last two matches against Peterborough United and impressively at Swansea to close the gap on the top-six to just four points. 

They are also eight matches unbeaten in the league since they suffered a 4-0 defeat at home to Fulham, and if that sort of run continues then there is every chance they could break into the play-off places. 

Forest were in an opposite sort of position a few seasons ago under Sabri Lamouchi where they had a strong first two-thirds of the campaign before they fell away in the crucial end-of-season period. This time around it could be that they are able to use their momentum going in the right direction to come from further back in the table and secure a top-six finish.

 

 

Speaking to 90 Min, Dawson outlined that he believes Cooper has done an excellent job in his first few months in charge. He also added that he is confident that the Reds can be serious contenders for the play-offs now this season. 

He said:  "At Forest, Steve Cooper's come in and done incredibly, just one loss in 15. That stat is amazing. I can see them coming with a late push, though there's an awful lot of football still to be played. I think they're a team that can get into the playoffs.”

The Verdict 

You have to agree with Dawson here that Cooper has done a remarkable job to turn around a side that were on their knees after the dreadful start to the campaign they endured. 

He has been able to free up their performances a little bit and they are now more dangerous going forwards and also proving to be a difficult side for opposing sides to beat as well. 

Already the same sort of stamp that he had at Swansea is on this Forest side. It was a blueprint that twice took the Swans to the play-offs and you could not bet against it working out for the Reds this time around. Getting them into the top-six would be a brilliant achievement and show what a coup it was to bring him in as manager. 

Dawson knows all about what the Forest squad has to offer and it will be interesting to see if they prove their former team-mate right by going on to secure a top-six finish this season. Given the form that they are, it will not be long before they are in the play-offs if it continues, but it would then be about whether they could sustain that form.