Nottingham Forest have had an exciting start to their second season back in the Premier League. They are currently sitting at 14th in the table with a game in hand. If Forest can win their next match they will move up to 13th. Although this isn’t great, it could definitely be worse. They are still all but safe from relegation.
Their second season back has been rocky to say the least. They were stuck in the relegation zone for quite some time. As time goes on, they find their form and lose it time and time again. They are now on their way to a mid-table finish, which would have excited any fan if you told them at the beginning of the campaign.
Nottingham have brought in the most signings of any club this season. They’ve also set a Premier League record. These players are merging together and are starting to play like a team. This has largely contributed to their recent success (although it hasn’t been consistent).
Forest are also looking forward to players returning from injury. Moussa Niakhaté has recently returned to training after his season long injury. Jesse Lingard and Ryan Yates are also back. These are players that could fill a starting role and raise the level for Forest.
In recent matches Forest have come up against Man City, West Ham, and Everton. These three results could have hardly been more different.
In the match against City, Forest were definitely the underdogs. They were planning to be dominated. They knew it would be troublesome to keep possession. They planned against doing so for this reason. They knew that against a team like City, they would have to play counter attacking football. They used this plan to perfection. They pulled out a tie against possibly the best club in the world. The next week would not be as pleasant for Forrest.
After a successful match against City, Forest seems to have forgotten that they were in the topflight. They assumed West Ham would be a cake walk. They couldn’t have been more wrong. From the jump Forest were playing a lack luster match. You could say they looked off color. Neither team scored in the first half. That said, a goal for one of the sides was definitely to come. That side was not Forest. Goals from West Ham’s Danny Ings came in the 69th and 73rd minutes. At this point Forest didn’t look like they wanted to be on the pitch. They conceded two more before the final whistle. They needed three points against Everton.
Forest went into this match with a bad taste in their mouth. Despite this hunger, they gave up an early pen. Gray was there to slot it away. That said, a Brennan Johnson goal was afoot. Forest had momentum and they needed to use it. This momentum came to an abrupt stop when Abdoulaye Doucoure scored a towering header. Forest needed a goal. Luckily, Brennan Johnson was on his game that day. He passed his way through the midfield and put away a beauty of a weak footed shot. This leveled the match at 2 a piece. Neither team could find a winner. This tie would prove disappointing but not devastating.
As Forest looks forward, their upcoming matches look like really tough ones. They play two strong sides. They play a 4th and 6th place team. They play Spurs, who have kept solid form throughout this campaign. They also play Newcastle, who are also a tall task. They need mid-season points, but this will be a tough couple of matches to get them in.
Forest have played 25 of their 38 matches. As they look forward, there is still much to play for. The league is tight this season, as some of the big clubs are struggling. Anything can happen on any week. This has likely been the most exciting season yet.
