Back in early November, there was talk about how Nottingham Forest were entering a significant few weeks.
A brilliant start to the season was about to be put to the test. A tough-looking run of fixtures was viewed as an examination of the Reds’ credentials amid their early form. How would Nuno Espirito Santo’s side stack up against some of the so-called big guns?
Fast forward a few weeks and we have our answer. Not only have Forest emerged from that sequence of fixtures in very good shape, the case for a European push has arguably been strengthened.
Of course this doesn’t mean their schedule is suddenly about to get any easier - the Premier League doesn’t work like that. But with every passing week, belief is solidifying and momentum is growing. Below, we look at some of the big talking points from Boxing Day’s 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.
Rock-solid Reds
Goals win games but clean-sheets carry teams a lot further in the long run. To get anywhere in this division, a solid defence is key. Forest’s rise up the table has come from granite-like foundations. As a collective they are well-drilled, organised and resolute from front to back.
In Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo, the Reds have one of the strongest defensive partnerships in the league. And in Matz Sels, they have a goalkeeper who has been in sensational form and now has seven shut-outs to his name.
Spurs have been far from goal-shy this term, but they came up against a brick-wall at the City Ground. Brennan Johnson was on his own personal mission to find the back of the net against his former club, but Sels proved to be the Nigel Doughty Academy graduate’s nemesis.
Come the final whistle, the Reds keeper wheeled and pumped his arms in celebration as the crowd sang his name. Meanwhile, Murillo finished the afternoon with a stats tally of nine clearances and three blocked shots.
Sels and the two centre-backs were at the heart of the hosts’ display, but Neco Williams merits a special mention. The Welshman has been terrific of late and he helped keep a lid on countryman Johnson. As it stands, Alex Moreno has his work cut out to reclaim the left-back spot.
Three in three
Nuno’s men had to soak up a fair bit of pressure at times. Spurs had 70 percent of the possession and notched up 13 efforts at goal.
But Forest are very comfortable without seeing much of the ball, and when they did get it the quality was there to cause their opponents problems. With plenty of pace in the side, counterattacking always had the potential to hurt Tottenham - and so it proved.
Morgan Gibbs-White’s pass in the 28th minute was sublime. And the finish from Anthony Elanga was superb. It was a goal worthy of winning any game.
"Teams can have the ball as much as they want but it's about who wins the game,” Elanga told Amazon (via Sky Sports) afterwards. "The manager is always able to adjust and we have done that brilliantly.”
It is three in three for Elanga now. Nuno admitted afterwards that for attacking players in particular, form tends to fluctuate throughout a campaign. After a slow start to the term, the winger has found his groove.
"I think everyone knew he is always at it,” Elliot Anderson said of his teammate (via the BBC). “You've just got to believe in him and know that he can bring these moments. He's flying at the minute and hopefully it continues.”
Transfer talk
Owner Evangelos Marinakis’ decision to rebuff Newcastle United’s late summer interest in Elanga was a real statement of intent at the time. With January just around the corner and the team riding high in the table, resolve might be tested again - and not just over the ex-Manchester United man.
Eye-catching individual performances throughout the side are bound to have piqued the attention of potential suitors. Murillo, Morgan Gibbs-White and Callum Hudson-Odoi, like Elanga, all had their admirers in the previous transfer window.
All season, Nuno has stressed how important it was to keep the core of the squad together. Doing so has paid dividends. Now for the same again next month.
There is no need for a major overhaul. If anything, too much disruption could have a detrimental effect. A few key signings could make a difference, but the overriding priority should be to retain the bulk of this group. They are onto a good thing, and consistency can keep it going.
Top-four challengers
Victory made it four Premier League wins in a row for the first time since 1995 for Forest. As it stands, they are one point below second-placed Chelsea and five clear of Newcastle United in fifth. With 34 points in the bank before the year is out, Nuno’s side have already passed last term’s total of 32 points.
Nuno continues to keep a level head but he also talked about the importance of momentum in his post-match press conference. The Reds have a clear identity under the Portuguese; a way of playing perfectly suited to the players in the squad. They are looking increasingly assured and confident in themselves.
"There's no harm in looking and seeing how well you are doing,” Anderson said of the table. “I've been keeping an eye on it and I'll probably check again but you have to stay level-headed and keep your feet on the ground."
The home crowd taunted promotion hero Djed Spence with chants about how he “used to play for a big club” amid a miserable afternoon for the Spurs defender which ended in him being sent off. Nuno might be keeping his feet on the ground, but fans are revelling in the moment. The players are enjoying it, too, with Ola Aina and Callum Hudson-Odoi once again doing a jig at full-time before the former piggybacked his teammate off the pitch.
There is a clear bond between this team and supporters. There is also a strong spirit in the dressing room and an understanding that everyone has a part to play. Moreno summed that unity up by leading the victory fist-pumps, despite not getting off the bench.
It is notable that after the last two home games Nuno has made reference to listening to Reds fans singing long into the night as they celebrate three points. He wants them to continue to dream, and they will go into 2025 doing just that.
