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Nottingham Forest manager Sabri Lamouchi gives very honest answer to number of changes in Chelsea defeat


Nottingham Forest manager Sabri Lamouchi defended his decision to make nine changes in their defeat to Chelsea, admitting that he didn't believe they could win the FA Cup.

Forest ended up on the wrong side of a 2-0 scoreline at Stamford Bridge, with first-half goals from Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ross Barkley enough to send Frank Lampard's side through to the fourth round.

That led to some questions about his decision to make wholesale changes for the trip to a team in the Premier League top-four.

However, Lamouchi defended the move; outlining that the priority for Forest needs to be in their promotion campaign from the Sky Bet Championship.

"This is my responsibility, and this was my choice," Lamouchi said after the game.

Chelsea 2-0 Nottingham Forest | FA Cup Highlights

"We can't win the FA Cup. And we can't miss our targets. We just want to focus on our goals and to fight until the end.

"If we win or draw here we play at least one more game. It's a serious challenge, to play against a Premier League team, the difference between them and us is massive.

"With my team, with where I am now, in Nottingham Forest, the target, the goal is not to focus on the cup games, but in the league.

"Because the fans, the club, everyone of the Forest community, they want not to win the FA Cup, not to go to Wembley for one more final, they want to get back to the Premier League.

"This is the first target, for everyone at Forest. But you know that better than me; 21 years is too long outside the top division for this club."


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