Nottingham Forest have made a great start to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign with Nuno Espirito Santo leading by example.
It was claimed that Evangelos Marinakis considered sacking Espirito Santo twice last season but he must be glad that he didn’t.
Forest are doing great things in the Premier League and sit seventh in the table after nine games of the campaign.
On Friday, Leicester City were put to the sword. Forest ran out 3-1 winners with supporters chanting old boss Steve Cooper’s name during the victory.
Gary Neville praised Elliot Anderson for his performance, whilst Chris Wood took his tally of goals for the season to seven from nine appearances.
There was also some praise for Ryan Yates who bagged his first goal of the campaign and his second as a Premier League player.Alan Shearer knows why Nottingham Forest are flying under Nuno Espirito Santo
Forest are yet to taste defeat away from home in the Premier League this season and solid foundations are being built.
Forest have the second-best defensive record of the season – conceding just seven goals – and that is in stark contrast to last season.
The defending at times during 2023/24 was horrific and Forest conceded more goals from set pieces than any other team in the division.
Shearer believes that sharpening up at the back is something that Espirito Santo deserves undoubted praise for.
He’s named him in his Team of the Week with Forest the only team to win away from home during matchweek nine.
He told the Premier League’s official website: “He’s made Forest so hard to beat. The tactics he’s created are perfect for their style of play and that’s why they have the second-best defensive record this season.”
Forest now have defensive unit to be proud of
The Reds needed reinforcements at the back this season and in the summer the club did well to get the right players over the line.
Nikola Milenkovic has been a quality signing – with Morato added as a backup – whilst Alex Moreno has added balance to the back four at full-back.
Espirito Santo knows what he’s doing and he’s firmly got Forest on the right track this season as the club bids to avoid a relegation battle.
It’s a great start after nine games of the season but the Reds have to stay grounded and believe that even more points can be picked up in the weeks to come.
Defensively Forest now look very capable and hopefully, the club can really stabilise in the Premier League this season.
