Lamouchi stays grounded despite Forest win at Swansea

Posted Sunday, September 15, 2019 by PA

Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi insisted he would not get carried away by his side upsetting leaders Swansea.

Substitute Alfa Semedo’s 85th-minute strike gave Forest a deserved 1-0 victory and inflicted Swansea’s first home defeat in the Sky Bet Championship since Boxing Day.

Forest are unbeaten since the opening defeat of the season, but have yet to win successive league games under Lamouchi.

“I don’t want to think about the future,” said Lamouchi.

“I only know a little bit about the place and a little bit about my job, and I just enjoy it.

“I have a nice group, they trust me, and for the moment they are doing a good job.

“I wanted my players to play with personality and no regrets, because we were playing the best team in the league at this moment.

“We deserved this victory, it was so difficult to imagine this performance before the game.”

Forest are now eight games unbeaten, but have yet to win back-to-back league games under former Rennes boss Lamouchi.

“We must think about the Barnsley game now because we never win two games in a row,” he said.

“We deserved to score maybe in the first half – one or two goals – and our goalkeeper didn’t have a lot to do.

“I told my players to respect the plan, play together and fight together. But it was not easy for Swansea.

“(Bersant) Celina has played for the national team (Kosovo) and (we) were so compact, we did not give them the time and space the way they like to play.

“They have deserved the first position, but we were more compact, more aggressive and more determined to take the points.”

Swansea manager Steve Cooper had been named manager of the month on Friday after winning five and drawing one of his first six league games.

Another win would have seen Swansea secure their best ever start to a season, but they misfired in front of goal and their solitary goal attempt was comfortably held by Forest goalkeeper Brice Samba.

“I don’t think we did enough to win the game that’s for sure, and that’s probably the most frustrating bit,” Cooper said.

“I am not sure we deserved to lose either, but we made a mistake and conceded an awful goal really.

“I think we had issues at the top end of the pitch, and ultimately it cost us because we did not create enough good chances.”