Davies heads for shaky ground as Iwelumo arrives at a happy place
Burnley 1 Nottingham Forest
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Your support makes all the difference.Billy Davies is not a man short of a word or two, yet, with the season just a couple of days old, the Nottingham Forest manager already finds himself in danger of talking himself into trouble.
Having seen his side succumb to Burnley on the opening day, Davies heaped pressure on Forest's controversial "transfer acquisitions committee" – a panel that includes David Pleat, Nigel Doughty, the chairman, and Mark McArthur, the chief executive, and decides on the comings and goings at the City Ground – by insisting his squad is not big enough or good enough to win promotion.
"In my opinion, we need three to five stellar signings. We need more quality and we need more quantity," Davies said after watching fellow Scot Chris Iwelumo sentence last season's third best side in the Championship to defeat. "For a long, tough season in the Championship, you need a squad with depth and, at this moment in time, I would like it better.
"I am very confident about the acquisitions committee. I'm confident in the chairman, David Pleat and Mark McArthur, that over the next few weeks they will bring in what is required."
Last year, Forest started sluggishly, but there were few expectations. This season, the mood is very different and a slow start under Davies might leave him under pressure less than two years after taking over the former European Cup winners.
Davies clearly has his work cut out if he is to secure the club's return to the Premier League for the first time since 1999 after watching Iwelumo give his attacking players a lesson in the art of finishing. While Dexter Blackstock, Rob Earnshaw and Nathan Tyson spurned glorious chances, Iwelumo marked his debut with the winner after connecting with Wade Elliott's cross on the stroke of half-time.
Having been limited to a handful of appearances at Wolverhampton Wanderers last season, Iwelumo opted to step down to the Championship in order to play more, a fee of about £500,000 sealing his move to Turf Moor. Burnley is his 12th club in 14 years yet the striker says he is now in a 'happy place'.
"I had a good chat with [Wolves manager] Mick McCarthy at the end of last season and told him I needed to play more football," said Iwelumo. "He couldn't really promise anything. The opportunity came up to talk to Burnley and I didn't really think too long about it. It's perfect for me. I'm in a happy place right now."
Burnley (4-4-2): Jensen; Mears, Duff (Carlisle, 30), Bikey, Fox; Elliott, Alexander, Marney, Wallace; Paterson (Rodriguez, 76), Iwelumo (Thompson, 84). Substitutes not used Grant (gk), Edgar, Cort, Eagles.
Nottingham Forest (4-4-2): Camp; Gunter, Morgan, Wilson (Chambers, h-t), Bertrand; Tyson, McKenna, Moussi (Majewski, 82), Cohen; Blackstock (Anderson, 69), Earnshaw. Substitutes not used Darlow (gk) McGugan, Adebola, McCleary.
Referee C Webster (Tyne & Wear).
Man of the match Elliott
Attendance 17,496.
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