Hello, everybody, and welcome back to the Garabaldi Red podcast, a Nottingham Forest podcast. I'm Max Stade, your host. And well, it's been another busy week for Forest, hasn't it? With transfers after Forest completed the signing of Alex Moreno from Villa on a season long loan with an option to buy. And then Forest heavily linked with Eddie Nketia. If you haven't checked out our episode, first of all on Moreno, we'd highly recommend you do that. We speak to someone that knows a little bit more about him, so we'd recommend you go and watch that. And today we thought we would do a podcast, of course, on Forests, the small matter of a away game in the Premier League, the second game of the season away at Southampton. And we'll also discuss the latest transfers around Forest with Eddie Inketia in late stages, really, of talking to Forest. So we expect him to be announced pretty soon. And to discuss All of that and much, much more, I am sure, is Mark Turner. Mark, good to see you, mate. How are you? Your second podcast in a few... In fact, your third podcast in a few days.

How are you, mate?

Yeah, and that's just the ones I'm doing with you. You have no idea of the podcast I have going on on OnlyFriends, but that's a conversation for another day. We've had some feedback, Max, in regards to your background. Where has the brick on? So I just want to assure our listeners and viewers that this is still Maxwell's house.

Yes, it is. I see what you did there. Clever. I thought I'd change the brick up because I was sick and tired of the comments. And you know what? Even my grandma said to me at the first Forest Home game, she said, Max, she says, I'm really enjoying the podcast at the minute, but she says, I really don't like the brick background. So as soon as my grandma said it, I knew it was time to change. So here we are with the lovely white background with the Forest calendar. I think that's Anthony Alanger and Ryan Yates. I can't work out who the player is, but it could be Joe Warrall, actually, which we'll get on to in a minute. In fact, let's start with Joe, actually, before we talk about anything else. He's expected to leave. He's in late stages talks with Burnley, which will be a great club for him in the Championship under Scott Parker, aiming to get back to the top flight. Just really, Mark, we talk a lot about players like Ryan Yates and homegrown players. Joe, despite maybe not just almost making that step up sometimes to the Premier League, shall we say, he's been a He's a top all-around bloke, and we'll always be grateful for him for being part of the Forest Promotion Squad, really.

Yeah, I'm guttied, Max. I'm guttied. I really am. I know I'm going to split the masses here. There are some that feel like Joe Warrall isn't fit for purpose in the Premier League. I know there's some consternation out there about suspected leaks in regards to lineups and so and whether or not that came from Joe Warhol and all that. Just wild speculation. But setting all of that aside, I mean, what a servant to this club. What a spokesperson, even before becoming captain of Nottingham Forest, spoke his mind, gave us all, and clearly had the best interests of this team at heart. And I don't know that anyone celebrated harder than Joe Warhol, with perhaps a possible exception of Ryan Yates at Wembley when we finally secured promotion back to the Premier League after 23 long years. So it's interesting in regards to his playing ability, Max. I actually think he held his own in the Premier League. Yes, there were a few occasions where he got caught out. But I think the same could be said of Murillo. I'm not suggesting Murillo isn't a better player than Joel Warhol. I think he's naturally more talented.

But Murillo has his shortcomings, and we're And they're very tolerant of that. We talked about this before, Max. When people come through our academy and we chant the one of our own, the only one of our own until they make a mistake, and then they get a battering like nobody's business. And I feel like Joe Warhol has been subject to that a little bit. And if folks are doubting what I'm saying, this is a fellow who stood up at Glasgow Rangers under Steven Gerard. You can argue about the quality of the Scottish League, but he's still playing for a team that routinely play in the Champions League or on the European scene. Likewise, for Sigtas, where he was a regular and even notched a goal, I think. He has quality. He can be nurtured. I think this is a big loss for Forrest in a number of different ways, but the club will go on, and I'm sure, like you said, Joe will thrive at Burnley. So all the best, Jim. Thanks very much, Skipper. We appreciate you.

Yeah, absolutely. Second that. And I'd also just say as well, from From a personal point of view, when I went down to the training ground a few times to do some filming a couple of years ago, even though I'm still young, even though when I was younger, Joe was great. And I can remember interviewing him loads. And just the way he conducted himself around the club, everybody spoke highly of him, whoever you spoke to, whether it was the media staff at Forest, whether it was the cleaning staff, the kitchen staff, whoever. He was just a real top bloke and a nice guy around the football club. So you're right, he can get criticized. And to be fair, he did stand his own. I think he had a game when Forest got battered in the first season away at Manchester City. I can't remember by how many. It was five or six, wasn't it? And Joe actually was maybe one of the only players at the end that came over and stood and applauded the Forest fans for a while rather than just coming over a quick round of applause and going back to the dressing room straight away.

So I'd always say that he's been a great servant. And it's almost been a pleasure watching Joe from when he was a young lad, when Gary Brazil gave him his chance and almost him survive under Forest during all the turbulent times, including Fawaz and including the depths of the Championship to win in promotion. So, yeah, absolutely fair play to him, and we wish him the very best at Burnley. Right, let's move on to another piece of transfer news before we talk about Sal Hampton, which is Eddie Inketia linked. He's been a player that I think Forest had some slight interest in last year. But when I say links, it's pretty much all agreed. That's after another bid was rejected for him. And as we spoke quite a lot about on the last podcast, Mark, but what do you make to Inketia? I've noticed on social media, as always on Twitter, it causes divide. It causes that 50/50 split down the fan base. But this is a Premier League proven striker from Arsenal. Forest are going to be paying a fair bit of money for him. What do you make of the signing?

Well, I take umbrage with several of the things you said there. So you're right, it is a potentially divisive signing. I don't think it's a 50/50 split. On the WhatsApp group that I'm on with the North American lot, they threw a poll up there, and Jimenez came out strongly favored. And I think if you look across the tweety and the social media, it's a similar story. I think Jimenez is the favored candidate. He has a couple of years on Eddie and Ketia which in the grand scheme of things is neither him or there. But in terms of salon, it can be. He's also the number one striker in a FIFA ranked top 20 international team. Jimenez has pedigree. Obviously, the Dutch League, as we talked about in the last episode, Max, is very different to the Premier League, but there's nothing to suggest that he couldn't adapt. When you say Nketia is a Premier League proven striker, a few people have said that to me, and I've asked him to qualify that. What does that mean? It means that he's made a living in the Premier League for the last few seasons. Fair play. That's not an easy gig, but he's never proven himself in his role, and he's had opportunities.

I've had a couple of instances since Nketia has broken into the team where he's had a run of games. Everyone talks about, oh, he's coming off the bench. That's not easy. His scoring record isn't the worst, considering the circumstances. He's had stretches of games. And there's an English pub here in town that I frequent, and one of my best mates is an Arsenal fan. And so we'll go see Forest games together. We'll go see Arsenal games together. And his position on Eddie is we love Eddie, great bloke. I likened Anderson in the last pod to an over-eager puppy. Eddie and Ketia fits that mold also. But there's just no end product or very little end product. And it's been frustrating for the Arsenal crew. And I think, unfortunately, I think it has the potential to be similarly so for Forest. That being said, I said in a previous pod, I'm not one of those crazies who say a player is no good even before he pulls the shirt on or within 20 minutes of their debut. I'm obviously going to give the guy a fair crack. And I think there is Daylight Max in the potential partnership that could develop between MgDub, Chow, Alanga, and Nketia.

All lads around the similar age, got a lot of experience for their age in the Premier League. And if they can click, there's the potential for something special. On the surface, I don't see it. But again, let's give the guy a fair crack.

Just going to throw it out there, Mark. Eddie and Katia has never scored 10 goals in a Premier League season. Chris Wood scored 10 goals in a Premier League season for the last five years.

Well, and it's a similar thing. Chris Wood, again, number one striker in an international team. Again, New Zealand aren't ranked as the top 20. I don't know where they are, probably in the top 60 or 70. But yeah, a guy with great pedigree who's led He set the line for every team he's been in who's not been a bit part player. Eddie Inketia has very much been a bit part player. Doesn't mean he can't step up. I just mentioned Alanga, I just mentioned MDW, I just mentioned Joe, all of them on the fringes of the teams they came from. And you'd say now they're jewels in our Crown, in Forest's Crown. Can and Ketia do the same? Potentially. Will he? Jury's out.

I think he will. I think that there's time to almost reignite his... My only point to differ would be, Mark, that he is a young lad and he is... I think often for young players that can break through or not even break through, that just gets signed, it can be hard to find your way occasionally, maybe in a top six club like Arsenal, because the ability difference is so high between who's in the first team and who might be on the bench or who might be breaking through. So for a player like Eddie and Katia, I think maybe you mentioned the run of games and maybe the talk around that. Maybe he just needs a bit of that. Maybe he needs a coach taking him under his arm and just giving him a bit of support. I think it could work out. I can see your point, and I agree. I think him and his would have been the better alternative. And I think for the fee you're paying for Nketia as well, around 30 million, that's quite a big fee, right? That's quite a big fee. That's not even wages, which speculation suggests you may end up being the highest paid player in the team.

Yeah. And for that, he's going to have a point to prove, right? We talk lots about when Morgan Gibbs-White came into the football club and he was the most expensive player at Forest. He was around the region of 40 million. He had a point to prove. And boy, has he proven that point? And Ketia has got to do the same and hopefully he does. We'll see.

I'm going to bring up a stat. He's quickly to counteract that. He said, in Arsenal, he's competing with other great players. Sorry, I know you just brought your graphic up there. Oh, good grief. Cut you off at the knees. Competing with other good players, and that's really difficult. It's hard for him to get chances, but he's gotten chances in the last two seasons, Max. And as a forward, he's been being provided, try saying that fast three times, by players like Saka, by Odegard, by Martinelli, by Jesús. Those are players that demonstrably are better than the guys he's going to be playing with at Forest. And so when you got those guys providing you with opportunities and your goal scoring record still isn't particularly impressive, there is going to be concern. And I think you're right, that's only compounded by the potential transfer fee and him potentially now being the highest earner at the club as well. But set all that aside, give the lad a chance. If he ends up scoring 12 or 15 goals a season, we will be giddie. And that could be the difference between survival or not this year.

Yeah, you're right. It absolutely could be. And also, he's a young player. He's got a lot to prove. No disrespect to Taewo and Chris Wood, but they are both injury prone. Tywo more than Chris would. So Forest maybe look at this from a point of, actually, let's give Eddie and Katia a chance if we're giving Taewo and Chris Wood numerous chances, given their age and given maybe their previous injury record. So three Premier League strikers, albeit maybe two at the minute, given Taewo's fitness, potentially. I think Forest are in a good position. I just wish it I agree. I just wish it was maybe him and us. Maybe we'd be a bit more excited. But we're football fans and opinions can quickly change.

Absolutely.

If the field gets excited.

And it just occurred to me that I'm the Chris Wood and you're the Eddie and Ketier of this podcast.

Yeah, exactly. Give me a chance. That's what I wanted to say to people when I first took over. Just give me a chance. All right.

Come on. Hit your fancy graphics.

Let's go. I'm going to hit the fancy graphic. Who needs a girlfriend when you can show graphics like this, which is provided to us by the great guys at WTAnalysis on xTwitter. We highly recommend you go and check them out. And it just shows really Eddie and Ketia in the final third. And a bit of information that the guys put with the graphic if I can find it in time, while I try and find it in time. But you can see the area, and it shows a lot of his work is in the six-yard box. And And it shows... I suppose with fancy stats like this in graphics, Mark, it's hard to tell, but it's a player that gets over the pitch quite a lot. But a lot of his work is done in the six-yard box, which may work with Forest, given a langer, Hudson Sonadoi, Morgan Gibbs-White, surrounding him. Maybe that is the answer to Forest's problems at times. Yes, Chris Wood can get on the end of stuff. But if you've got a player that's a little bit more reactive in that six-yard box, because Taewo can struggle at times. Chris Wood can struggle at times.

They're not the, shall we say, the fastest player, maybe Taewo is, but in terms of reactions and in terms of quick reactions and quick turns in the box, and Katia can provide that. Maybe Chris Wood and Taewo don't. Do you agree?

Yeah, I mean, one thing that jumps out of me here, looking at these fancy graphics, and again, thanks WT. These are fantastic. And I'm about to argue with myself now, which when he gets my age, Max, is an uncommon, by saying that one of the things we talked about with Jimenaes is that he was very good in the air. And again, I keep referring to previous parts, but you should go check out all our previous parts if you haven't seen them, because Max always does a good job. The rest of us, not so much, but he drags us One of the things I mentioned regarding Jimenaes was how strong he is in the air and how he would thrive on delivery into the cross, into the box, which isn't really what we do. With the wingers we have, their tendency is not to get to the buy-line, it's to cut inside is to try and thread the eye of the needle or get a shot off themselves. And Inketia is definitely more of a fox in the box. He's there to pick up scraps. And so even though I just said our attacking line isn't the quality of Arsenal's attacking line, there are a lot of similarities in terms of how we build to goal.

And so that could benefit in Ketia. He could potentially slot into and get up to speed with the Forest Way quicker than a player like Jimenez, for instance, who's looking for that service from different angles and in the air and so on. So, yeah, those graphics seem to stand that up. Actually, in the space of about 60 seconds, he'd give me more hope. So thanks for sharing that.

Yeah, a few more bits of information on him. The guys at WT analysis do almost these player cards when a player signs. And Inketia scored 14 league goals in just over 3,000 minutes in the last three seasons. You talk about his goals, but it's a strike rate of 0.41 goals per 90. So it isn't fantastic looking at that. However, on his little card that they've done, they mark him a B for defending, a B for possession. In terms of creativity, they have him as a D and attacking as a C. So it's all a bit over the place. In terms of his strengths, though, accurate passes into the final third were up there, including his fouls, one per 90, accurate short and medium passes were one of the highest in the Premier League for a young striker. However, weaknesses was more accurate, progressive passes and ultimately scoring goals and creativity, which we've just mentioned, he gets a bad mark for, if you like. But that's just a bit of stats and information. And it is difficult because you can bring the statistics, you can bring the fancy information surrounding a player, Mark, but we won't know what he's like until he puts the Garibaldi red shirt on.

I have hope. I genuinely have hope. And I think you'll think you'll do well. I just hope that Forest aren't in a situation in a couple of weeks where we've got three strikers and none of them are scoring goals because that would be real.

Well, let me ask you this. There's been some speculation online, and when you look at our age profile, Forest seem to buy low 20s, right? We're buying players that are 21 through 24, generally speaking. You mentioned, obviously, Chris Wood is a little long in the tooth, though he still does a great job. Tywell, however, as much as we love him, is just constantly broken, like a packet of hobnubs. That's what we've talked about before. Love the guy to bits, lots and lots of strong characteristics to his game and potential. But he's 27. So do you think there's still potential for the club to bring in Inketia? And also during this transfer window, potentially Jimenez as well, assuming we have a bid accepted and Taewo goes out the door before the transfer window closes. Or can't go out the door before a window closes, but you know what I mean.

I get what you mean. I mean, that would be 60 million, right? On two strikers.

What would we recoup on Taewo? Maybe 20?

I think we'd be lucky to get 20. 15, 13 maybe. I think given his injury record- It's Chelsea. It's Chelsea, yeah. Or if it's Newcastle paying 25 million for for Vlaca Dimos. No disrespect to those players, of course. But yeah, I can't see Forest bringing in Jimenez. I'd be really surprised. I mean, there was lots of talks that Forest were almost, so we say leaking some stuff to the media surrounding Inketia in order to get him in as, which is quite a clever tactic. I don't think that's the case. I really don't think that is. And obviously, Fabrizio Romano, the king of football transfers, that's me and Mark aspire to be every single day, he pretty much said that the deal is done and that it's in the closing stages. So I think Inketia will be announced maybe before the Southampton game. Obviously, he's not going to play, but I think he could be announced on Saturday. I think we'll see him in a Forest shirt for the Wolves game. Genuwinly, I think that could happen quite quickly. Right, let's move on to the Southampton game. We've spent quite a bit on Inketia, and obviously we've done all the bits and pieces in the pod, talking about Joe Warrall leaving.

But it's another big game. I mean, it's a newly promoted side, Mark. We touched on it a little bit in the podcast after the Bournemouth game. You'd think on paper you'd be again targeting Forest to win, but this isn't going to be easy going away to a packed out St. Mary's Stadium, they'll be full of energy and optimism, shall I say, after getting promoted. So it's going to be difficult, but there's no reason why Forest shouldn't be going there aiming to almost turn Turn around the away form, because that is what's let Forest down, right, in the last two Premier League seasons.

Yeah, but I'm right in saying this, right? Southampton is one of the few places we've picked up points on.

Yeah, we've won. We won once when the season that they got relegated. We want to weigh 1-0.

Absolutely. So that's a great omen to begin with. I don't think we have anything to fear from Southampton. I mean, they look decent against Newcastle, but then Newcastle playing a man down for what was it, an hour? And they still were able to get the win. Now, again, Southampton were on the road. We know that St. James's Park isn't the easiest place to go to. We started our latest Premier League crusade at St. James's Park. And it's a difficult place. It's a difficult place to even get a point. So I'm not knocking Southampton for that. But nevertheless, they were numerically better off on the field for a good chunk of that match and still not able to come away with anything. And I think when you look at their squad here, obviously, you've got Ben, Brewer, and Dias, who's becoming the most reviled man, I think, not only in Nottingham, but perhaps across the country after his antics in that game against Newcastle. I'm really struggling with Ben Burton as well because I used to wish him all the best, and then he went to play for Sheffield United, and now he's throwing himself to the floor for Southampton.

Yeah, interesting individual. But their squad reads like an island of misfit toys. I mean, You've got Adam Lillana in there. You've got Kyle Walker-Peters. You've got Joe Arribo. I mean, this literally is where players' careers go to die. I may be a man being a touch harsh there, but their recruitment policy certainly doesn't mirror Forests. We know as Forest fans that if we fall in love with it, well, we know not to fall in love with a player too deeply because chances are we bought them at 21, 22, 23 years old. They're going to be shipped out for more money within a couple of years. At least that's the plan. Hopefully, as time rolls on, we're going to be able to hold on to those players and build something. Southampton, I feel like I've just cobbled together their squad. They play some decent football. There's no doubt about that. The way they go about the game, I appreciate. And I don't think we're certainly not going to roll them over, nor do I think the reverse is true. I think it's going to be a tightly contested match. But quite honestly, I expect Forrest to come away with something.

I genuinely expect. I'm not hoping, it's not fingers crossed, we come away from St. Mary's with at least a Yeah, me too.

I am hopeful. You just wonder, though, Mark, and maybe this is something that Nuno has been having to work on during preseason and still now, the mentality, perhaps, with some of the players going away from home because Forest have struggled for so long in the Premier League, well, for the last two seasons away from home. And you just wonder why that is and why Forest can't go and play the style of football and the way that we play at the City Ground the same way we can do and do it away from home. So that is a concern that surely he would have been working on, right?

Yeah, I would think so. But then in the last part, you've ermoned the mentality around conceding late in the city ground again. And so mentality is always going to form a part of what happens in a match and across the season. I'm also a big believer in momentum, again, both within games and across the season. All of these things influence things. It's not simply a case of spend the most money, bring in the most talented player per FIFA, and then go win everything. All of these things, of course, will influence outcomes. And I'm sure Nuno is doing work around strengthening mentality and around positivity and saying, eyes on the prize, staying focused on the goal game to game across the season. I'm sure they have a target set throughout the season, a way we want to be come Christmas and so on and so forth. But I wouldn't read too much into that, the mentality piece. I really wouldn't. Nuno is building something here. There are some fans that criticize the fact that the starting lineup this season varied almost not at all from the final game of last season. I don't consider that to be a weakness.

Like I said, you and I last part. I see what we have on the bench. I see what we have potentially coming through the door. I'm very optimistic about the direction in which Forrest are going. So I think the fact we have consistency, cohesion, there it is, folks, in this team beginning to develop, I think it's a really positive thing. So it's early doors. It's game two. It's not get too carried away. Again, I expect us to come away from Southampton with something.

Just you wait, Mark, until you eventually come to the UK this season. I'm going to get a sharp I'll be, and I'm going to write cohesion on your forehead.

I just want... Presente me with a T-shirt. I will wear it the entire time. All right.

Yeah. Deal. Let's do it. And you know what, Mark? I'll make a deal with you. If Forrest finish, because it's not going to happen. If Forrest finish in the top six this season, I'll get cohesion tattooed on me somewhere. That really isn't going to happen, right? Surely Forest, I'm going to finish in the top six. Moving swiftly on. Final predictions, Mark. What do you reckon? I'll say, I hate to do score prediction things, but we've got to do it. I'd say Forest. Forest 2-1. I fancy it.

Didn't I say 1-0 in a previous pod? I can't remember.

I can't keep it straight.

But I'm going to say 1-0. So perhaps I'm repeating myself or remaining consistent depending on how you look at it. But yeah, I think we'll come away with a 1-0. What I'm curious to see, Max, is whether Milinkowitch comes back in. Because I think defensively, we didn't look horrible against Bournemouth, but we didn't look great. But again, I can't put that down to game one. What are your thoughts? You think Milinkovitch comes straight in for his debut?

Yeah, it's funny that I was literally just about to mention it. I think he does. I think he slots straight into that starting 11. I thought Boli had an okay game. However, at times, I think, mentioned it in the previous pod. I think he ought to calm down a little bit. He made some rash decisions at time and his decision making was all a bit over the place and there was skewered passes everywhere. And I just thought, come on, Bolley, you're a Premier League center back. Calm it down a little bit. And he was all a bit all over the place. He was talking about over-excited puppies. I felt like Boli was a bit like that against Bournemouth. So I think Milencovitch slots straight back in. I think Nuno knows that that is the partnership to build on, and I think That will be the partnership. We're looking at cohesion, but the cohesion in the defensive line, I think it's going to be Milencovitch and Marillo. It's obviously going to be interesting since the new additions, especially with Moreno. So let's see there what happens and how Forrest sets up. So I think that will be the main partnership.

I think him and Marillo are going to be the main two. And I think they're going to lead that defensive line for Forest. Do you agree?

Now that you just give us the alliteration around the Ms, I'm thinking that might be why Forest are being heavily linked with Montiel. Perhaps you wanted an entire line of Marillo, Montiel, Malinkowitch, and Moreno.

And Matt Sels, if you include the first one.

Oh, look at that. It's beautiful. A thing of beauty. Yeah, I think Malinkowitch will come straight back in. I think Boli will be a bit part player this year, or as I've speculated, preseason, he could form part of a back three when the occasion calls for it. Moreno is an interesting one. I don't know whether he will slot straight in. I think it's based on ability. There's no reason he couldn't. I just don't know if that's a change Nuno is going to make this weekend, although there was some suggestion that maybe Eina and Williams, both of them, were struggling a little bit after the opening game against Bournemouth. So if either are carrying knocks, then Moreno would be a fantastic débutant, quality player, good in the air, great left foot, gets up and down, wow. So not only a group defensive player, but offer something to the offense as well. So, yeah, it'll be interesting to see, but I think Milanković in for sure. I'd be disappointed if not. I think all things being even and there not being stupid FIFA rules of bands carrying across countries for meaning in these competitions, he would have started against Bournemouth.

So that is what it is. But, yeah, look forward to seeing him when he finally makes his debut, hopefully this weekend.

Yes, hopefully this weekend and hopefully three points to kick it all off. It would be nice for Forest to get a win to kickstart the season, really, giving a point against Bournemouth. Right, that does us nicely, I think, Mark. We will see you in the next few weeks, I am sure, and we will see everybody back on Monday for our review episode. We're hoping to get Sarah back on. She's had a bit of time off recently, so she should be back with us. And yeah, it's all fun and games. Hopefully, Forest gets three points, and we're talking about a positive performance, but we shall see. As always, if you did enjoy, like and share, subscribe on the Garabaldi Red podcast and YouTube channel. Give us a follow as well. Leave us a review. See, I've messed up the outro because I haven't even got a script with me today, Mark. There you go. These presenters, hey. We will see you next time from the 2ms. Plenty of alliteration and stuff like that in this podcast. We'll see you then. Bye-bye.