Oh well, we'll see you in the Premiership then, Everton?

So our participation in the FA Cup is over for yet another year, and to use one of those time-worn footballing clichés, 'we can now concentrate on the League'. Our unbeaten record in all competitions may have come to an end, but we can still say that we haven't tasted defeat since September in the Championship, and hopefully that record will go on for some time yet.

I really couldn't care less that we are out of the Cup. I know that might offend some people, but that's just the way I feel. It's always been about the League for me. Maybe if we were doing nothing in midtable, it would be more important, but the prospect of automatic promotion, or if not, a virtually guaranteed place in the play-offs, is far more exciting, and now there are no annoying distractions that are going to get in the way. With two home games coming up followed by a trip to a Derby deep in disarray, we have a really good chance to accrue some serious points in our quest for promotion.

The only disappointing thing about losing last night was the fact that we were the better team. But we came up against a brilliant goalkeeper in Joe Hart, who many are tipping for big things with England. When Barry Ferguson gave them the lead just after the hour, it was very much against the run of play. But once Forest were behind, they lost their way a little bit, and didn't seem that interested in doing anything about it. We would have been rewarded with a trip to Everton's Goodison Park had we made it into the fourth round, which would have been nice, I suppose, but we might well be playing them anyway in the Premiership next season! Judging by Billy Davies' decision to rest no fewer than seven of the players who figured in the win at West Brom, he will welcome the break when Forest have a blank weekend on the day of the fourth round. The fact that Derby face potentially two extra games in the Cup heading into the big game with us could be seen as an advantage!