Nottingham Forest youngster Tyler Walker believes he is improving the mental side of his game which is helping him develop as a player.

The 21-year old hit his third goal in just his eighth game of the season on Saturday and it was one of few positives for the East Midlands side to take after a very disappointing 4-2 defeat at Ipswich Town.

The academy graduate looks increasingly at home in the Championship after loan spells to lower leagues over the years and he told the Nottingham Post a key reason for that. “Probably just the mental side of things. I feel mentally stronger going into games now.”

“The Championship is a tough league. You have to have that mental strength, otherwise you can go under a bit. I feel as though I have got better at that. But you do need that.”

Another motivation for the youngster is striving to improve in order to get ahead of the healthy competition that manager Mark Warburton has in those attacking positions.

“That is a good thing for the players, that fight for places. You cannot just rest on your laurels and think ‘this is my place now’.”

The Verdict

Forest fans will be delighted with Tyler Walker’s attitude and it appears he is a very level-headed player and understands the game.

His emergence into the first-team has been a real positive and it’s fully deserved with the performances he has put in over recent months.

Clearly, he still realises he has to continue to work hard and it’s good that he recognises how important it is to be mentally strong which will help him in his career.

Thoughts, Forest fans? Let us know in the comments below.