After a good spell featuring three consecutive wins and an unbeaten run of nine games, the wheels have somewhat fallen off Forest’s promotion charge during the Christmas period.
A 2-0 away loss to Middlesbrough on Boxing Day was followed by a damaging defeat at home to Huddersfield Town four days later, with a Duane Holmes goal on the half-hour mark proving to be enough to claim all three points.
Those results have seen the Reds slip away from the playoff spots, now five points behind sixth-placed Huddersfield and with Queens Park Rangers and Stoke City in the two spots above them having two games in hand.
Many of the sides below have also played at least two fewer matches and if they were all to win their games in hand, Steve Cooper’s side would in fact drop all the way to 15th place.
That is, of course, a big if, but the Forest head coach will want to ensure his side return to winning ways on Monday nonetheless.
Barnsley may be 23rd in the table but they are only four points above a Derby side who have now been deducted a total of 21 points and are also five points off Peterborough United in 22nd.
Links >>> Stream 1 HD Stream 2 HD Stream 3 HD
There are a further two points to safety and, just like their hosts, the Tykes have played more games than all their nearest challengers.
Their biggest deficiency is plain to see, having scored just 16 goals in 24 games, with just four coming during their current winless run of eight games.
Recently-appointed head coach Poya Asbaghi will feel that some progress has been made with three draws in their last five, but they will have to start claiming three points somewhere soon or they will find themselves adrift at the bottom.
