The post-match interviews at Nottingham Forest require each manager to sit on a solitary chair in front of an advertisement which offers the paradox of the bottom club in the Premiership being backed by Pinnacle Insurance. On the opposite wall hangs a photograph of Brian Clough and Peter Taylor holding the European Cup. It is sponsored Mastermind with a touch of Torquemada thrown in.
After Ron Atkinson's latest attempt to rescue the perishing had begun with a predictable home defeat by Arsenal, he was asked about Forest's chances of avoiding relegation and could have been forgiven for answering: "Pass!" Had he been asked how his new charges could best improve their chances of staying up he might also have replied: "Pass!"
Instead Atkinson, baggy- eyed after returning from a Caribbean holiday to sort out things at the City Ground, uttered the standard Ron-isms about attitudes, belief and fighting spirit. It was probably the jet lag but he sounded a mite world-weary. While he would have been under no illusions about the size of the task he was about to take on, the limitations of Forest's performance against an Arsenal side playing some way below their best must have presented a bleak prospect even for one of football's more incurable optimists.
Once Martin Keown had met Emmanuel Petit's corner to head Arsenal in front 11 minutes before half-time the outcome was seldom in serious doubt. The speculative long shot from Andy Johnson which rebounded from a post in the opening minute of the second half remained Forest's sole glimpse of salvation.
Otherwise the general pedestrianism of their football merely served to emphasise the enduring qualities of an Arsenal defence which, with Tony Adams and Nigel Winterburn recovered from injuries, was at full strength for the first time in two months.
Atkinson's rescue mission will begin in earnest today, when Carlton Palmer is due to arrive from Southampton. Originally Forest had blanched at the player's wage demands but, provided he passes a medical, Palmer's spidery aggression will be added to their fight for survival.
The thought may have occurred to Forest supporters that, if troubled Southampton are prepared to let somebody join their fellow strugglers, he cannot be much of a buy. Yet Palmer has never given any of his teams less than maximum effort and he should be the sort of player Forest need to carry the game to the opposition at greater speed. For Forest the reality is that after 19 matches, the equivalent of half the Premiership programme, without a victory their chances of avoiding another return to the First Division are already minimal. Should 40 points become the benchmark for staying up they will need to take 27 from their last 16 fixtures, a tall order to put it mildly.
"Fortunately our next home game's against Man U," said Atkinson wrily, "and they look as if they've gone off the boil." If ever one-liners can revive flatliners, now is the time. 99125854
Nottingham Forest: Beasant, Rogers, Hjelde, Gemmill, Johnson, Bart-Williams, Armstrong, Bonalair (Shipperley 75), Darcheville (Quashie 85), Lyttle, Van Hooijdonk. Subs Not Used: Crossley, Woan, Edwards. Booked: Darcheville, Johnson, Gemmill.
Arsenal: Manninger, Dixon, Keown, Adams, Winterburn, Parlour, Garde, Petit, Overmars (Vivas 69), Bergkamp, Anelka (Upson 86). Subs Not Used: Wreh, Lukic, Caballero. Booked: Winterburn, Garde. Goals: Keown 34.
Referee: P Durkin (Portland).
