Nevertheless, Gary Lineker hit the nail on the head with an evaluation of Nottingham Forest he had made a long time ago:
This is a young team, dynamic and energetic. So, they are not afraid of any opponents and display a strength beyond any of our expectations when they play against strong opponents. But because they are young, their performance is very unstable. Therefore, when you want to have high hopes for Manager Twain's team, they are likely to disappoint you. And when you no longer have any hope for them, they can surprise you. So… don't believe any bookmaker's analysis of the team before the game. That's all nonsense.
After winning their first game of February, everyone agreed that Twain's team should continue to close the gap on Chelsea and that it was time to put pressure on them. Instead, they lost to Arsenal in the 25th round on the February 4 home game.
