FRANKLY, it was an embarrassment. Every one of those Nottingham Forest players should be feeling ashamed about not only the defeat to Derby County but also the manner of it. They owe the fans a humble apology.

I heard all sorts of comments from players in the build-up about payback, ramming Robbie Savage's antics down his throat.

But I am afraid talk is cheap and on the pitch on Saturday they failed to find any spirit, fight or hunger for the battle.

It was a disgrace and they should hang their heads in shame.

Robert Earnshaw grabbed a consolation goal late on to make it 3-1 but that flattered a very poor Forest.

It was a shambolic endorsement for Nottingham Forest Football Club.

It was poor from start to finish. For me, James Perch and Lewis McGugan in the middle were non-existent and that is your engine room. Without that functioning, you are always on a hiding to nothing.

That needs changing and the defending was slack for the goals, the marking poor and Paul Smith in goal just looks a bag of nerves every time the ball comes near him.

And the key battle was lost. Rob Hulse, for a third game in succession, gave the Forest defenders a torrid time.

If Ian Breckin comes up against him again this season, it will probably send him into retirement.

He held up everything, won his headers and fed Kris Commons. And then he scored with a great header from a set-piece.

Hulse was just too physical, they could not handle the big man and as soon as he went off, Forest found it much easier. But by then it was too late.

And the defending from set-pieces was nothing short of abysmal.

It is worrying times and Forest are right back in the dogfight and I for one am worried after what I witnessed on Saturday.

So many things are wrong and I keep repeating myself but that is because nothing is changing. It is crying out for new signings and you look at the Derby side and you would grab six of their players without hesitation.

Forest need a Hulse figure up front, somebody to hold up play. The problem is they play as if they do, but balls in the air to Nathan Tyson and Robert Earnshaw are no good.

For one Tyson does not win headers. He jumps when the goalkeeper kicks it, he couldn't time a boiled egg.

Tyson wants it on the floor, slipped in front of him to use his explosive pace.

And haven't the others fathomed out yet that Earnshaw is only four-foot-nothing?

They need a target man, they need people for the midfield engine room and they need leaders out on the pitch.

It is crying out for somebody with those leadership skills to be Billy Davies' right-hand man out on that pitch. It is badly missing.

And on the evidence of Saturday, you have to question whether this group of players have the bottle to handle this relegation fight.

I hope Saturday proves to be an off day, not the norm.

Forest need men to lead them out of trouble, fighters. New faces are needed in double-quick time. But those who are already there need to prove they can have more fight then they showed on Saturday.

It was a game lost all over the park, none more so in not being able to shackle Hulse. Again.

Reading this Saturday is a daunting task. I just hope the embarrassment and hurt from this Derby defeat creates a positive reaction.