Nottingham Forest have made a strong start to life under Steve Cooper and the Reds are seemingly heading in the right direction now after a troubling start to the campaign.

The Reds have managed to find a formula to start getting more creativity and goals into the side with the switch to a 3-4-2-1 formation over the last few weeks. That was first adopted by Steven Reid in caretaker charge against Huddersfield Town, but has been continued by Cooper in his first three games.

Forest have managed to claim seven points in their first three matches under Cooper with that system. The shift to a 3-4-2-1 means that it still remains that both Lewis Grabban and Lyle Taylor are battling for that one position in the side as the lone forward with the two other players playing off them.

Grabban has scored in two of Nottingham Forest’s first three games under Cooper with him finding the net in their wins at Barnsley and Birmingham City ahead of the international break. That means that for now he has likely established himself just ahead of Taylor in the pecking order.

Despite Forest having both Grabban and Taylor to call upon upfront, Cooper has suggested that signing another striker to add to the mix is something that he could prioritise.

It was even suggested that the Reds would not rule out the prospect of signing a free agent to improve their options in the final third.

Signing free agents though at this point in the season is always a major gamble considering that players that are still without a club in mid-October are not going to be match fit to come straight into the side and make a real impact.

Therefore, Nottingham Forest might be best waiting until January and taking the time to assess their options to make sure that the right forward arrives through the door at the City Ground.

 

In that regard, Forest could have the chance to make a move for Aston Villa’s Keinan Davis. That comes with the latest report from The Athletic outlining that the forward is now going to be allowed to leave Villa Park on loan in the winter so long as Dean Smith’s side avoid any forward injuries.

It is believed that Davis was a player that Nottingham Forest held an interest in during the summer transfer window, and that they failed to make a successful move for the 23-year-old who ended up remaining at Aston Villa.

Given Villa’s shift in stance over Davis, after he has struggled to get any game time at all so far this season for them in the Premier League, has now opened the door for Forest to try again for him in January.

Admittedly, Cooper was not in charge of the Reds when they wanted to sign Davis, but the forward still offers a lot of the qualities that Forest’s other options upfront do not really possess.

You could see Davis adding a lot of pace to the side upfront and he would provide the option to stretch defences in behind a lot more than both Grabban and Taylor.

This is a move that should be a priority for Forest in January and you could see Cooper getting the best out of Davis as he has done with other loan players from the top-flight in the past at Swansea City.