Nathaniel Chalobah on target for his first goal in red but the critics are starting to voice their opinion.
The young Chelsea man got his first goal in red on Saturday as Nottingham Forest fell appallingly to bottom of the league Yeovil Town.
The promising Chelsea star started in midfield against a Yeovil side that went into the game expecting very little and came out winners, due largely to the heroics of on loan Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey.
Chalobah was the only man in red to get the better of the Welsh international throughout the game as a Forest free kick was headed back into the box, finding the Chelsea man on the far post to head in from 2 yards.
The goal did little to convince manager Billy Davies that he should have remained on the pitch being substituted minutes later during the half-time interval. The Glaswegian manager will have undoubtedly been unimpressed by the player’s inability to restrain two-goal midfield hero Ed Upson from running riot in the middle of the park.
The Nottingham Forest fans after the game were equally unimpressed with the Chelsea man and questioned the signing all together. During the post-match reaction there were supporters asking for him to be replaced in the starting 11, calling him a ‘bad fit for the club’ and ‘seriously average’.
It’s incredibly harsh to lament an 18-year-old for not impressing straight away but after being integral to Watford’s promotion push last season and an outstanding figure in the nations under-21 side, it’s fair to expect more.
I personally think Nathaniel will turn good for Nottingham Forest and games like this will act as a warning call that the Championship is not a walk in the park and requires an intense amount of effort.
The ability on show last season at Watford was not a one off, he showed that he had the potential to be a future England international and I don’t think it will be long before he does that at the City Ground.
The next game for Forest is at home to promotion chasing Blackpool. The seaside club have been in tremendous form this season and currently sit two places and a point above Forest despite all the pre-season trepidation of relegation.
Nathaniel Chalobah will more than likely be called upon to stop his England under-21 team mate Tom Ince from causing any more upset to Forest’s promotion chances in what I expect to be a key battle for the game. I back him to use this game to come out his shell and put Nottingham Forest back on track for a top 6 finish.
image: © stadiumguide
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