Forest hoping to upset the odds at Reading

AT a time when the national media can be alerted to a potential managerial departure by a simple change of odds offered by bookmakers, the betting market has never before been such a clear barometer to the future of the game.

Most betting companies suspended betting on the future of Rafa Benitez long before their game against Real Madrid even kicked off, amid speculation that the Spaniard was ready to walk out.

With the rapid growth of internet betting, highly paid analysts have become as adept at unearthing the latest news and predicting events for the bookies as anyone in the media world.

Whether they were right, earlier this week, in their predictions that Benitez is set to leave Anfield before next week, remains to be seen. But there were certainly confident.

One bookie was even quoted insisting: "I would be amazed if Benitez was still manager of Liverpool by Sunday."

All of which may be a bad omen for Nottingham Forest.

Because, if the bookmakers are as confident about as big an issue as that, then, when they predict that the Reds face a difficult task tomorrow, it must be hard not to listen.

While it is hardly a surprise that the Reading are the overwhelming favourites to triumph at the Madejski Stadium, the odds – of 6/1 on a Forest win – are telling.

Such generous odds are normally reserved for FA Cup miss-matches – in fact the same terms were offered for Forest to triumph at Manchester City, earlier in the season.

But, the situation – and the mood – have changed, since that memorable day at Eastlands.

Yet, while he may retain a cautious stance as a result of Forest's injuries, suspensions and lack of form, Billy Davies remains determined his players will give their all in an attempt to cause another upset.

"In my opinion, our problems have only grown since we picked up injuries to senior players and had to introduce young, inexperienced players to a level of football they are not quite ready for," said Davies. "If you look at the games we have played in recent weeks, we have also been a little unfortunate. We could be in a much better position and we should be, if not for individual error and a little bad luck.

"We are creating chances, we are certainly getting plenty of effort from people and the spirit is first class.

"But I was not fooled when I came to the club, I wasn't fooled by the early results. I wasn't fooled at Manchester City.

"Hence the reason why I felt we needed to add to the squad. Unfortunately that never happened.

"But we need a little calmness, I have great faith and confidence in the club and the board and the direction that this club is going in.

"The leap from League One is a massive one, it was always going to take time.

"There is too much shouting and balling from the outside, but we know what we are doing on the inside of this club. I have great faith that we will push this club to where it needs to be."

And Davies believes he is managing to retain a sense of self-belief in the dressing room.

"Nobody will be down about it. I made sure that everyone had a smile on their faces in training. I am not going to let anyone be down about it," he said.

Davies also has some sympathy for Forest fans who, following the joy and relief of promotion are now facing the very real prospect of an immediate return to League One.

"At this moment, the fans are frustrated and I can understand that," he said. "I have criticised not the quality of the squad, but their age and experience. This is a man's league we are in and the young players are giving us everything they have got. You can't blame Sinclair, Health, Moloney, Newbold, McGugan, Perch – because they are 24-years-old or less. If you look at the teams we have faced in the last few weeks and the money they have spent, the experience they have, we find ourselves in an unfair fight.

"We are getting maximum effort and work rate, but our inexperience is causing us problems in terms of the goals we are losing."

Davies admits his frustration at Forest's failure to land new faces during the January transfer window and, subsequently, on loan.

But he says he was aware of the situation he was taking on when he arrived.

"It was a must for us to bring in players from day one, back in January," he said. "We knew that. All we can do is work with the players we have got. If there are any fans out there who can come up with a better formation, who can find the winning formula, they are welcome to come in and advise us.

"I can tell you I have some very intelligent people working with me to come up with the right formations, the right personnel.

"We are doing all we can. We are not daft. We know the fans are frustrated, we know that the squad is young.

"We know we are having to put round pegs in square holes.

"Nobody is telling me anything I don't know. But what I am saying is that we are very confident that we will get the points we need to stay up. I am certainly very confident that we will complete major surgery over the summer to make sure we are competing with the top sides next season."

As things stand, Charlton (1/4), Southampton (1/2), Norwich (7/4) and Plymouth (7/4) are all considered more likely to be relegated than Forest (2/1). Between now and the end of the season, Reds fans will be hoping, in ever increasing desperation, that the bookies know what they are talking about.