ROBERT Earnshaw is a journalist's dream. Never short of an opinion and never shy about sharing it, the striker can always be relied upon to provide an interesting, thoughtful interview.

So much so that on Saturday evening, he had spoken for so long that he was left to scamper after the team coach as it pulled towards the exit gates at Turf Moor, missing one notable passenger.

But then, given the subject matter, it is perhaps no surprise that Earnshaw had plenty to talk about.

The most debated topic of the summer has been that of Nottingham Forest's transfer acquisitions panel – and the players they hope to bring in.

With the delicate touch of a politician, Earnshaw manages to convey the mood in the dressing room without straying into controversial territory, insisting that, while new additions would be welcome, the squad is already capable of achieving the club's primary goal – promotion.

"We will see what happens over the next couple of weeks. If the manager wants new signings, that is what he wants," said Earnshaw.

"But the players here are good enough. That is the thing. You might want to add to that quality. But the players here are good enough already.

"That is what we have to focus on now, we have to remember that. We are good enough already.

"But, at the same time, if quality players are wanted by the manager and board to come in and add to the team, then brilliant."

The identity of Forest's two primary targets is the worst kept secret in football, with the club keen to plunder two players from Earnshaw's Welsh homeland, in the form of Cardiff's Peter Whittingham and Darren Pratley, the Swansea midfielder.

"That would give us more ammo and quality," said Earnshaw. "The two players you've mentioned are quality players and they would bring extra quality.

"We have seen them play and do well last season. We will see what happens.

"We haven't a clue whether people are signing or not. But if the manager wants to add players, that will give us more depth in the squad. We would welcome it.

"But the players, to be honest, don't get involved in that. We want to play, we want to be in the team and go on to do the best we can.

"Everything else is not really in our hands. We don't get involved in anything else.

"We just have to concentrate on what we have been doing. Whether there are people coming in or going out, that has to happen. We have to concentrate."

Earnshaw came within inches of making himself the hero at Turf Moor on Saturday, smashing a rapier shot against the foot of the post with the score still at 0-0.

And, while a Chris Iwelumo goal was enough to earn Burnley an ill deserved victory, Earnshaw says there were positives to take from the match.

"It is hard to take. We will play worse than that and win games," he said. "From our point of view, I didn't think we could do any more.

"We gave away a sloppy goal at the wrong time, you do not want to concede just before half-time. Apart from that, I thought we had the game in our hands, I did not think we could do any more.

"Nathan Tyson had a couple of chances, one in the first half when he could have squared the ball and another in the second when he could have scored.

"It was a good effort overall, I think. If we scored the first goal, we would have gone on to win the game.

"We created enough chances. We just didn't have that final edge.

"We played some great football, we worked the ball well. I hit the post in the first half and I couldn't believe it. I had caught it so sweetly.

"We played well and we created chances. But that is just how it goes sometimes. We lost, but we did not deserve that.

"Burnley must be thinking it is a bit mad how they have come away with three points."

Having produced a positive performance, but not a positive result, Earnshaw says Forest must try to remain upbeat.

And, while he will not be involved at Bradford in midweek, having joined up with the Welsh squad for international duty, the striker says Forest should be confident when Leeds visit the City Ground next weekend.

"The first couple of games can be difficult. There have been some crazy results in the Championship already. Sometimes it goes that way," he said.

"We should have got a win or a draw, sometimes you don't get what you deserve.

"But we will be okay, we have really stepped it up in training and, in the game on Saturday, you could see that we had the bit between our teeth."

And, if Earnshaw can do his talking as effectively on the pitch next weekend, then that first win should not be far away on the horizon.