Nottingham Forest - Can they Consolidate?

Nottingham Forest are a club that once rested at the very pinnacle of European Football, and were widely regarded as one of the top sides competing in the English game, boasting a proud history. But the last few years a noticeable decline began to set in for them, as they slid all the way down into the Football League's third tier, otherwise known as League One. After a few years competing in League One, last season finally saw them get their act together and the club won promotion back to the Championship. Do you think firstly and foremost that they can consolidate their position as a Championship Club and perhaps look to a Premiership return in the future? Or do you think with the already well documented departures of key players such as winger Kris Commons and Ghanaian forward Junior Agogo will see them return down into League One?

I hope that they can at least become a steady Championship Club but talk of Prem might be a bit too much. I think the two players who they have sold will be a miss for them. However, they were not superstars so they should have a good chance to replace them. They already have Earnshaw who has proved he can play at this level. With Earnshaw and Andy Cole upfront they should be able to get a load of goals. A few more signings and they should be OK. It was nice to see them promoted last season and i look forward to seeing how they do this season.

I hope they come back down but there signings have been pretty good so i think they might stay up. I think they will only survive just tho.

Most fans will want to see Forest back in top flight football - myself included. Lets hope they can build on last season, and consolidate their place in the Championship. This team currently isn't good enough for a top 6 finish, so it depends on how they do this season, and how they strengthen the squad in the next few years.

They were lucky to come up never mind wanting them to stay up. Carlisle just f#cked up in the last few games of the season.

I think just staying up this season should be their sole objective, rather than attempting to pull off a feat similar to what the likes of Bristol City did last season. Their squad currently does not look hugely strong but then again the form book often goes out of the window in the Championship and anyone can simply beat anyone on their day and a run of form can often see a side shoot up the table, I have enough experience of watching my side at this level to know that. The concerns seem to be with those departing, I think Commons and Agogo are big losses for them, particularly the former, both playing big parts in their achievements last season. Kris Commons has been widely regarded as the next big thing in the lower leagues for sometime now, so losing him to bitter rivals Derby on a free contract must have been a very hard pill to swallow indeed.

The signings of Earnshaw and Cole are interesting. Cole showed in his short spell at Burnley towards the tail end of last season that he still has the ability and focus to compete at such a competitive level, and having someone of his caliber and experience i am sure can benefit everyone in their squad to some degree. With Earnshaw, you seriously get the feeling he is now very much knocking around in the last chance saloon as far as his chances certainly with John Toshack and his international career, due to his recent rifts with both Billy Davies and Paul Jewell at Derby Earny has slipped down to seventh choice striker in the Wales squad. This could be the last chance he really has to prove himself and whether he takes it or not is down to him and him alone.

Earnshaw is a fantastic player at this level, and really can do a job at Forest. I watched him rise up through Cardiff youth system, and he was a phenominal young player. He scored for fun, then broke into the City team and broke records. I would love to see him regain some of that form. Maybe the Premier League was a step up to far for him, but we know he can do it in the Championship.

By all accounts, and according to both Davies and Jewell and Toshack also I believe, it's very much his attitude and complete lack of motivation that lets him down.