O’Brien

[eteb]

A flat three of Franco sitting with O'Brien and widdel as marauding 8s will be very tasty

 

[Darran]

1 more year on loan.

I know who you are.
Keep up the great info.

 

[AusinIsOurHero]

AS asked him to stay, HD said no, AS punched his lights out. Simples.

No more Mr Nice Guy.

if only football was that simple

 

[Dillwyn the Dog]

Just asked my butty about this and was told that Forest preferred option is that they want to sell him, which is what they are aiming to do. So unless they change their mind or someone doesn’t offer to buy him, then I can’t see it happening.

What if the agreement is a loan til the end of his contract then we get him on a free?

 

[Dillwyn the Dog]

I have no doubt he could play there but he hasn't played there since Sheehan took the reigns.

He has when Allen and Fulton weren’t playing . O'Brien has been the box to box player and a few have shared the number 10 role (mostly Cullen and Eom).
Franco might appear to be playing further forward but I’m sure the whole team have gone ten yards further forward under Sheehan

 

[Neath_Jack]

What if the agreement is a loan til the end of his contract then we get him on a free?

No idea Dil, I didn’t press who I spoke to, just asked the question if it was true that LOB was coming back next year. It’s obviously possible that he does, but unless Forest agree to not sell him elsewhere, as was / is their preferred option, then it is unlikely I was told. Perhaps they have agreed to that and my contact hasn’t heard it yet.

 

[Swansea93]

MM has been told by Sheehan, Key & O Brien himself that he will be coming back for a season long loan so how can the source be doubted.

 

[Risc]

MM has been told by Sheehan, Key & O Brien himself that he will be coming back for a season long loan so how can the source be doubted.

Not doubting the source but it’s a long summer.

 

[monmouth]

sorry if i've missed something as i haven't read the full thread.

why would LOB be allowed to come here in his last year at forest? they'll want a sale. No chance of this happening despite him being happy and enjoying his football, the summer is long, it's got Leicester all over it for me.

I've thought that for a long time.

 

[Ringwood]

So there is no agreement for LOB to return next season as stated on here and elsewhere.

 

[T8AD365]

What if the agreement is a loan til the end of his contract then we get him on a free?

Why would Forest agree to that?

 

[bytholwyn]

We've definitely been set up in a 4-1-4-1 in some games under Sheehan, with Allen or Fulton sitting in front of the back 4, and Franco and O'Brien further forward. There have also been other setups with Franco alongside Fulton or Allen.

 

[bakajack]

The flexibility to flip the triangle in midfield from 4-1-4-1 to 4-2-3-1 from game to game or even mid game and have the players comfortable enough to pull it off is surprisingly underrated. Depending on the flow of the game being able to push from a more defensive approach when you are under the cosh to an attacking one when the flow of the game changes in our favour offers a huge number of advantages.

 

[FearOfAJackPlanet]

I can see a scenario where our club, Sheehan and LOB have agreed in principle on a year-long loan and that's what is being talked about, but I do find it hard to believe Forest would have done so at this stage.

Maybe if we've agreed some whopping loan fee and to covering most his wages, but then why not just buy him outright? I don't really see what's in it for Forest.

Then again, you'd think Sheehan & Co would not be so naïve as to be talking about a loan deal if they'd not spoken to Forest about it, right...? Would be reminiscent of the welsh EFL clubs talking about playing in Europe again, and spending months working on all the internal details, when it turns out the most important voice was the FA and when they got around to asking them it was, 'oh, 100% no, go away' and that was that.

 

[JackSomething]

I paid no real attention to Lewis O'Brien before he came here, so was looking at his career just now. I'm obviously not going to cry for a PL footballer on huge wages, but he really has been around the houses the last few years hasn't he?

21/22 Season - Huddersfield
22/23 Season - Nottingham and Washington DC
23/24 Season - Nottingham, Middlesbrough, Los Angeles
24/25 Season - Los Angeles, Nottingham and Swansea

Nice problem to have, but with a young family, I can see him digging his heels in about coming back here for the whole of next season and then having his choice of destinations next summer, as someone else said. Forest can't force him to sign for anyone else, so he does have a fair amount of agency over his next steps.

Of course, I'm sure someone offering him a 3 or 4 year contract on the same money he's on at Forest would change his mind!