Nottingham Forest’s crushing 5-0 defeat to Bournemouth felt like watching a train wreck in slow motion. Their unbeaten run was always bound to end, but when the inevitable collapse came, it was more devasting than fans had feared.
For Forest supporters, this season has felt like a long-awaited dream. For the younger generation especially, it’s truly uncharted territory. But aiming to extend their unbeaten run to 10 matches in all competitions, they stumbled against a team they haven’t beaten since 2015.
Bournemouth away was always going to be tough, as this season’s unlikely contenders went head-to-head. Though it was only Forest’s fifth loss of the campaign, the scale of the defeat is hard to ignore – especially for a side usually so defensively solid.
Now, the unavoidable question looms: Is this the beginning of the end, the inevitable drop-off that many have expected all season?
The club’s meteoric rise – from narrowly avoiding relegation to becoming European contenders – has surpassed even the wildest expectations of their most hopeful supporters.
One such fan is Max Hayes, journalist, broadcaster, and host of Garibaldi Red – A Nottingham Forest Podcast. Ahead of the season, Max boldly predicted a12th-place finish – a forecast that was considered optimistic, to say the least.
“When you’re a side at the bottom of the Premier League, fighting against relegation both seasons, plus a points deduction last season, I was just hoping that this season would be a bit more stable,” Max told the Sports Gazette, before the Bournemouth match.
“I’d be totally lying if I said there was any glimmer of hope in my mind that we’d be challenging for European football. I thought the highest we could finish was tenth.”
Who could blame him? After finishing 16th and 17th in their first two seasons back in the top flight for 23 years, the success that followed seemed unimaginable. Yet, here we are – Forest currently sitting third in the league, three points ahead of Manchester City, with just 15 matches remaining.
The Nuno effect
Cast your mind back to December 2023 – Forest with just one win in 13 matches, and Steve Cooper sacked after two years in charge. He was always going to be a tough act to follow, perhaps not in performance but in the hearts of Forest fans. After all, he took over when the club was bottom of the Championship and led them to play-off glory.
It was Nuno Espírito Santo who subsequently took up the mantle. After excelling at Wolves but faltering at Tottenham, he returned to the Premier League with a daunting task ahead.
Once again, Forest had found themselves in a battle for survival, sitting just one place above the relegation zone. That’s exactly where they finished, only securing their top-flight status on the final day.
While his early tenure was solid, there was little indication Forest would soon be in contention for a Champions League spot.
“The key to the turnaround? You’d have to put it down to Nuno,” Max declared.
“The summer set Forest up for a perfect season. We quietly flew under the radar with the signings we made. Considering where we’ve been previously with Marinakis, and the mistakes made by the Greek ownership, this time they seemed to hire the right people, bring in the right players and make the right decisions.”
The foundation of Forest’s impressive season has been their seemingly rock-solid defence. Even after the recent loss, only Arsenal, Liverpool and Bournemouth have conceded fewer goals. Much of the credit goes to Nikola Milenković, the £12m signing from Fiorentina, who is proving excellent value for money.
Max added: “I also think, if you’re going to put it down to one word, I’d say ‘togetherness’.
“Everybody’s together and pulling in the same direction, from the top to the bottom of the club. We talked about the culture Steve Cooper created in the Championship, and Nuno has done a great job of building on that.”
He also pointed out, “There are players in this Forest squad who are effectively reigniting their careers.”
Take Neco Williams, for example – once written off by Liverpool fans. Callum Hudson-Odoi battled a near career-ending injury, while Anthony Elanga struggled at Manchester United. Ola Aina was a free agent before joining Forest. Then there’s Chris Wood and Matz Sels – both doubted, yet now challenging for the golden boot and golden glove, respectively.
“All these players have had to pull together. It’s about the unity at the football club – that’s what’s different. The right decisions have been made, and we’ve got a brilliant manager in Nuno.”
How far can Forest go?
With just 15 games remaining, the league is still incredibly open. Bournemouth marked the start of a tough run, with Brighton visiting the City Ground today. After that, Forest face the four other teams that have bested them this season: Fulham, Newcastle, Arsenal and Man City.
Was Bournemouth a sign of things to come for the Tricky Trees, or can they bounce back against a Brighton side also reeling from defeat last weekend?
“It’s a really difficult run,” Max said. “But then again, if you went round the terraces at the City Ground, most people would tell you that we don’t fear anybody this season.
“Every game is difficult in the Premier League. Even against Southampton – the first half was a breeze, then suddenly, in the last 20 minutes, we’re worrying. You’re biting your fingernails, thinking, ‘Is this going to be the old Forest? Are we going to throw it away?’
“They need to maintain the energy, tenacity, and desire they’ve shown all season, and hope it transfers into every game.”
Nottingham Forest last played in Europe in the 1995-96 season, reaching the UEFA Cup quarter-finals. They haven’t competed in the top tier of European football since 1980-81. For the first time in decades, the dream is alive.
“Thinking back to the summer, no one expected Forest to be in this position. They just have to keep doing what they’re doing, and if we’re still in the conversation in a month’s time, we can continue to dare to dream.
“I genuinely believe we’ll be buying place tickets,” Max revealed before the Bournemouth match. “Forest will be playing European football next season – whether that’s in the Europa League or the Champions League.”
A new hope
Only time will tell if Forest can turn their European dream into reality. But regardless of what happens this season or in the years to come, this feels like a moment fans will be telling their grandchildren about.
Everyone is aware of Forest’s storied history, but that’s precisely what it is – history. For an entire generation of supporters, Premier League football remains a relatively new reality they’re still are adjusting to.
“It’s been so special as someone who has followed the club my whole life, especially considering all the turbulent times. I can still remember my first game when Forest were in the depths of the Championship, just after we’d just come up from League One.”
Once, the Forest-Liverpool clash was the highlight of the football calendar. In the late 1970s, they were the dominant forces in English football. Since then, however, one has remained at the top while the other slipped away.
Until this season, that is, when Forest claimed their first win at Anfield in 55 years.
“Standing in the away end, I looked at that result and thought, ‘Is this the start of something special?’ And it obviously was. That has definitely been the highlight.
“It was such a special moment for both the older and younger generation of fans.”
With a 1-1 draw at the City Ground, Forest have secured four points against Liverpool – remaining the only team to beat them. Since then, however, Forest have struggled defensively, conceding a further seven goals in just two matches.
Max added: “It’s also special for the city of Nottingham, which has seen some awful times recently. We’re really putting Nottingham back on the map – both as a city and as a footballing city. Long may it continue. It’s just been brilliant.”
Finally, when asked for an updated prediction, he said: “I think Forest will finish fourth. If not, my original prediction of 12th still looks alright.”
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