Like so many Forest fans across the country, today I am feeling a warm sense of satisfaction at the announcement of not one, but two signings at last made official. The confirmed signatures of Paul Anderson and Dele Abebola have brought Nottingham Forest’s success in the transfer market to a total of three secured players, with David McGoldrick having put pen to paper yesterday.

Adebola’s signature had evidently been secured months ago, with Bristol City manager Gary Johnson even hinting so in an interview conducted for the official Bristol City website last month. Anderson’s signature had, however, seemed unlikely with a move to former loan club Swansea City beckoning. This potential move was almost certainly ended though, with the departure of manager Roberto Martinez to Wigan Athletic.

After weeks and weeks of speculation, finally things are starting to gather pace, and with pre-season training set to begin tomorrow, Forest fans can only hope that these three signings shall not be the some total of players to be brought to The City Ground this summer.

Eternal links to players such as Paul McKenna (Preston), Matt Mills (Doncaster), Lee Camp (QPR), and Chris Gunter (Tottenham), have given many fans food for thought. And, to use another food idiom, the cities appetite has merely been wetted by recent acquisitions.

It does look, however, that the long hoped for purchase of loan-Wonder Dexter Blackstock (QPR) may be on hold, with new QPR manager Jim Magilton said to be interested in keeping hold of the 23 year old powerhouse. A fee was implied to have been agreed when Blackstock joined on loan at the backend of last season, but no word has come out so far on the veracity of that claim.

One of the most significant weaknesses in the Nottingham Forest side last season was without a shadow of a doubt the defence, which on many occasions left more than a handful of Forest supports holding back sobs of despair with heads in their hands. I for one certainly shed a tear when young Luke Chambers stuck the ball in the back of the net for Norwich City to cost us the game.

The verdict still remains out on Paul Smith who, although a very fine shot-stopper, seems to have little confidence in his ability to deal with his area, which seems to reflect in his defenders having little faith in his ability in that department also. Many a goal could have been avoided conceding if communication had of been coherent and certain. This though, it must be said, can not be entirely the keepers fault.

A noticeable trait amongst the current crop of Nottingham Forest players is that they are not exactly vocally vociferous. Morgan, Wilson, and former-Red Breckin most certainly were not for the majority of last season. It seems that Forest players are happy to whine at their ‘misfortune’, yet not to take command themselves.

Billy Davies will be sure to tighten this aspect of the team up in both pre-season routines and activities and in his thirst for acquisitions. The potential signing of Shaun Barker from Blackpool would also fit into this category with him being highly thought of as a leader of men. Both Mills and Gunter can also be said to fit this category, as does Rob Jones, the gargantuan Hibernian centre-half, whose name has been mentioned on more than one occasion over the course of the last six-months.

With the defender anxious to move south of the border and Hibs prepared to sell if the price is right, Forest fans may find Jones rolling into the City Ground car park in the not too distant future.

But here is to a good week of acquisitions so-far. May it continue to be so fruitful over the course of the coming weeks? I am sure that I am not alone in hoping so too.