Chelsea 2-0 Nottingham Forest: 3 reasons why the Blues won | FA Cup 2019-20

#1 Forest didn’t seem to take the competition seriously

Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi may not have been taking the FA Cup seriously

Recent seasons have seen Premier League sides, particularly those with one eye on Europe or those involved in a relegation battle, criticised for seemingly not taking the FA Cup seriously, with them often playing youth team products or fringe players rather than fielding a full-strength side. Well, judging by today’s tie at Stamford Bridge, the same criticism could be levelled at EFL Championship sides too.

Nottingham Forest’s boss Sabri Lamouchi had apparently predicted that his side had “no chance” of beating Chelsea away, and that rang true as his side only had one shot on target during the entire game. But it must also be noted that he made 10 changes from the side that recently beat Blackburn Rovers in league action, including a first start for 17-year old Alex Mighten and opportunities given to various fringe players.

Essentially, it felt like Lamouchi had decided that it would be better for his club’s fortunes to focus on a potential promotion to the Premier League than a cup run, and with the financial implications of making it into England’s top flight, not many would blame him.

It’s notable though that despite sitting in 4th position in the Championship table, Forest are currently 9 points adrift of the two automatic promotion spots. The debate about the importance of the FA Cup will definitely rage on, but Lamouchi’s decisions today suggest that the once-beloved competition is certainly losing its lustre, even outside the Premier League.