Nottingham Forest have endured a rapid progression in such a short period of time under Nuno Espírito Santo in the last few months, achieving the unthinkable so far this campaign.
The Reds currently sit in fifth place after a run of five wins, four draws and two losses – accumulating 19 points in the process and sitting ahead of the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
As a result of their displays, striker Chris Wood claimed the Premier League’s Player of the Month award for October, with boss Nuno winning the Manager of the Month award after going unbeaten.
The main difference between the last campaign and the current one is the significant improvement within the backline, conceding just ten goals in the opening 11 matches – with only Arsenal shipping fewer.
Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo have been pivotal to the huge turnaround, forming an excellent partnership at the heart of the defence and looking real bargains for their combined £27m.
It’s a noticeable difference from a couple of seasons ago, when the Reds struggled defensively, shipping countless goals in the process.
Nottingham Forest’s defence in 2022/23
After the play-off victory the season prior, it was crucial that the hierarchy invested in the playing squad to give then-boss Steve Cooper the best chance of securing survival in the club’s first season back in the Premier League in over two decades.
Over £150m was spent all over the pitch to try and provide that added quality, with the likes of Taiwo Awoniyi and Morgan Gibbs-White still remaining as part of the first team.
However, the defence was still desperately lacking, with a trio of Scott McKenna, Joe Worrall and Steve Cook the main options during the opening stages of the campaign.
They all played a key role in the promotion-winning season, but it became evident that they simply weren’t at the level required to make a positive impact on England’s top flight.
In the opening weeks, the Reds shipped six against Manchester City, along with five against Arsenal – looking completely up against it in their battle for survival.
January came around, with Felipe joining from Atlético Madrid transforming the backline and helping Cooper and his side get across the line, producing some key results towards the back end of the season – including a 1-0 win over Arsenal at the City Ground.
Forest ended up conceding 68 times during that season, but still managed to get themselves over the line, with Nuno subsequently able to build on the foundations that were laid that year.
It could’ve been hugely different though, had Cooper utilised one player who arrived in the East Midlands with high hopes of being a success but ultimately never had the opportunity to showcase his ability.
The player who Forest must regret not keeping hold of
Centre-back Loic Bade arrived at the club on loan with an option to buy from French side Rennes, adding that needed quality to the Reds’ defensive unit.
However, his move to Nottingham was a disaster, failing to appear at all that campaign, before being recalled by his parent side and shipped to LaLiga side Sevilla for the remainder of the season.
The 24-year-old has since joined the Spanish side permanently, winning the Europa League during the same season – highlighting the nature of the mistake made by the former Forest boss in not starting him during his time on Trentside.
He’s also become a regular in the French U23 setup, featuring at this summer’s Olympic Games, before subsequently losing in the final to Spain.
Bade, who’s since been dubbed “world-class” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has made 69 appearances for his current employers, attracting interest from the likes of Liverpool, who are willing to negotiate a deal despite his £50m release clause.
Season
Fee
1) Brennan Johnson
2023/24
£47.5m
2) Orel Mangala
2024/25
£30m
3) Moussa Niakhate
2024/25
£27m
4) Odysseas Vlachodimos
2024/25
£20m
5) Britt Assombalonga
2017/18
£15m
Forest have often conducted exemplary business in the market, as seen with their current centre-back partnership of Murillo and Milenkovic.
However, they could’ve had another elite-level star on their hands, improving their top-half ambitions under Nuno this campaign whilst also making them another huge payday boosting their FFP and PSR standing.
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