2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Sarah Clapson)
If Nottingham Forest want any extra motivation as they prepare for a crucial few weeks, they need only look at what has been said by various pundits and ex-players. The Reds have had their mentality questioned, had their game plan picked apart and been told Nuno Espirito Santo got his team selection completely wrong. All after back-to-back defeats which they were so close to claiming draws from.
There is no doubt Forest face a real fight to claim a top-five finish and secure Champions League qualification. With six games to go, the table is tight and the battle to get over the line seems likely to go right to the wire. But Nuno’s men are up there challenging for a reason, and that is because they have been superb this season - even if their last two results have not gone their way.
NottinghamshireLive takes a look at what the Reds need to do as their resolve is put to the test. Remember that Forza Garibaldi display from last season? Morgan Gibbs-White in fingers-in-ears pose alongside the message: “Shut everything out and play your game.” Well, exactly that.
The Gibbs-White tifo came in very different circumstances, with the club mired in a relegation battle at the time and reeling from a points deduction for breaching financial rules. But the same sentiment applies now. The challenge for Nuno is to ensure his squad are not listening to the outside talk.
For much of this term, they have simply focused on the next game in hand. It is a cliche but it has worked well until now and can do so in the remaining weeks. Having said that, as Nuno has pointed out, there is no getting away from the fact this is the business end of the campaign.
Against Everton last weekend, there was a sense that the magnitude of what is at stake was weighing on a few minds. It is certainly not a case of panic stations after successive losses as the Reds’ destiny remains in their own hands. But navigating through the nerves will be key over the next few weeks.
We have produced a special 48-page edition of the Nottingham Post celebrating the club’s two European Cup wins. Nottingham Forest are flying high in the Premier League and Reds fans are dreaming of a return to European competition. It has been an outstanding campaign for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men, who are on course for a place in the Champions League next season.
And Forest supporters can whet their appetite for a possible return to football’s top tier on the continent with our 48-page special edition celebrating the club’s two European Cup wins. Buy now and have it delivered directly to your door. Alternatively you can purchase in most supermarkets, high street retailers and independent newsagents in Nottinghamshire from April, 2 2025.
For online order postage and packaging applies, orders will be posted from April 2, 2025. Forest have been excellent at both ends of the pitch for the vast majority of this season. They have a clear way of playing and it has been incredibly effective.
The Toffees managed to stifle them at the City Ground in last Saturday’s 1-0 loss. Finding a way to cope when the opposition do that is something for Nuno to be aware of, but there is no need to rip up what has worked. But for a rare mistake from Murillo the hosts were minutes away from adding another clean-sheet to their tally.
The Brazilian has been immense this term and certainly shouldn’t be singled out for blame after that error. Dusting himself down and forgetting about it should be the aim. At the other end, the Reds lacked a creative spark against Everton.
Jordan Pickford had a relatively comfortable afternoon between the posts. Forest looked jaded, but a week earlier they had not been short of energy as they peppered Aston Villa’s goal in the second half of their 2-1 defeat in an attempt to rescue a result. To say the Reds have run out of steam doesn’t quite tally with those 45 minutes at Villa Park.
They just need to get back to doing what they have been good at. Tied to the above point is how injuries have hit Nuno’s attacking resources since the return from the last international break. Having been able to rely on a relatively small group of players week to week, the squad depth has suddenly been tested.
A few extra days of recovery time before the trip to face Tottenham Hotspur next Monday (8pm kick-off) will hopefully prove beneficial. Chris Wood looked rusty last Saturday, after being out for a few weeks with a hip problem, while Nuno said he was having to manage Anthony Elanga following the knock he picked up against Villa. Ola Aina has been a huge miss since he was forced off against Manchester United earlier this month with a calf issue.
The sooner he returns, the better. Likewise, it would be a boost to have Taiwo Awoniyi available again soon. The Nigerian has not been at his best this season, but having another forward option to come off the bench and give Wood some relief does help.
Last week, Nuno said he hoped Aina would be fit to take on Spurs. And after the final whistle on Saturday, he said: "It is amazing to have him (Wood back). Hopefully we will try to recover T (Awoniyi) and Ola.
"We need all the players. It is going to be hard work to the end, so having all the players available would be helpful.”.
