Semi defeat but Forest showed why they are on right track

NOTTINGHAM Forest left the Wembley pitch much the same way as they had entered it, backed by a sea of Garibaldi Red.

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Scarves were vigorously whirled around heads, flags were waved and Nuno Espirito Santo’s men departed to loud applause from the thousands still in the stands.

Anyone none the wiser could have been forgiven for thinking the FA Cup semi-final result had gone the other way.

The Reds might have lost the battle on the pitch, falling 2-0 to Manchester City, but they were certainly the winners off it. Defeat, yes, but reasons for pride and encouragement also.

This is a club tied to an upward trajectory. Sunday's loss, painful though it was, wasn’t the end of Forest’s season so much as a launchpad for more.

It was a marker, too, of the progress already made. The reaction at the full-time whistle was an acknowledgement of what has already passed, of a memorable cup campaign, as well as being a rallying cry for what is still to come.

Below is a look at some of the big talking points from Sunday's game.

Selection calls

Nuno admitted afterwards that this had not been an easy team to pick.

Short of full-backs, he needed to do something different. Not ideal when coming up against serial trophy winners City who have suddenly found some form.

Ola Aina has been a big miss while sidelined with a calf injury. And at the national stadium, the Reds were also without the suspended Neco Williams. Had either or both been available, perhaps it would have been a different story.

Seeking to find a solution, Nuno drafted in teenager Zach Abbott as part of a three-man back line. Meanwhile, Anthony Elanga had to settle for a place on the bench as Callum Hudson-Odoi and Morgan Gibbs-White tried to provide attacking support for Chris Wood.

Any game plan Forest had quickly went out of the window when Rico Lewis opened the scoring with only two minutes on the clock. A sloppy start turned into a fairly timid first half from the Reds.