Nottingham

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

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Nottingham Forest's transition from new arrivals hoping to avoid relegation into an established Premier League outfit is gaining momentum.

After 16th and 17th-placed finishes since their return to the top flight in 2022 - the latter made more nervy by a four-point deduction for breaching financial rules - Nuno Espirito Santo's side are in the top half after seven games.

The foundation for this positive start has been their impressive defence.

At full-back, Ola Aina has finally found consistency and fitness, while Alex Moreno has largely impressed since his loan move from Aston Villa.

In central defence, the arrival of Nikola Milenkovic to partner the revelatory Murillo has added aerial presence. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Matz Sels was inspired during the 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and has conceded just six goals all season. Only league leaders Liverpool have let in fewer than Forest with Sels the only keeper to keep a clean sheet against Arne Slot's side.

Forest's defence is solid, making only two errors leading to an opposition shot - and that is the joint lowest in the league.

They have made 125 tackles so far this season, joint 10th, which shows they do not dive in despite giving up possession.

They also do not play the ball unnecessarily around the defence, having the fifth-lowest touches in their defensive third [1,209], the third-lowest short passes - between five and 15 yards - completed [1,001] and having made the second-most clearances [198] in the division so far.

At Anfield, quick transitions from their compact defensive unit stood out, with pacy wingers Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga coming off the bench to supply the winning goal on the counter attack.

This form is no fluke. Only Liverpool, Tottenham, Fulham and Manchester City have recorded fewer expected goals against so far this campaign than Nuno's team.

After all, this is a manager who guided Wolves to consecutive seventh-placed Premier League finishes on solid defensive foundations.

Forest supporters could be forgiven for looking up the table rather than down - and possibly at their defence rather than attack as a means by which to climb it.

*All stats provided by Opta

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Nottingham Forest may not statistically be the best team defensively but their record should be admired and that is why they are up there.

Nuno is definitely shaping his team in that image because you have to be good defensively to have a chance.

Years ago the critique around him was, 'they don't score enough goals whichever team he has', but Nuno knows the importance of a good foundation. What makes it more dangerous is that they are very hard to break down, so they almost encourage you to over-commit. The moment you over-commit is when you see their wingers and forwards really pop up the pitch and have a huge impact.

They will not pass you to death, but they will make you play the game that they want you to play.

With this Forest side, at times players will respect it but not in the same way they might respect it if it was a bigger-name team, so they will still believe they can just go and take it to them. However, as we have seen, some teams have been really stunned by that.

Some wins in football happen and they age really well. Forest beating Liverpool at Anfield is arguably the biggest result of the whole season because we have seen the Reds under Arne Slot win every game apart from that one since he took over.

That performance summed up how good their defensive structure and their attacking intent can be and why they should not be underestimated this season.

There is potential they will be a thorn in the side of top teams this campaign. For the way football works, you obviously have good teams but what is key is the way styles match up against each other.

Forest's style - being comfortable not having possession at times but still maintaining an element of threat - that is the type of strategy you need against the sides who want to keep lots of possession.

So even though there is a chance you might lose to these teams, you will never offer up an easy game.

Nuno's side could be a really significant part of how the Premier League's top six or seven looks this year.

And, with some good fortune, they may be a top half team themselves.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

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We asked you to tell us one thing that is going under the radar at Nottingham Forest at the moment.

Here are some of your comments:

Danny: We should be talking more about Ryan Yates. You can tell how well Forest have done in a game by how much hate he gets from opposition fans after 90 minutes. Yatesy can single-handedly stop the other team playing. He draws more fouls than anyone else, as well as fouling more than anyone else - all with a grin on his face. He's the master of 'housery.'

James: Yatesy is so good and underrated. The beating heart of the team - he'll battle, scrap and work for everything, setting the tone for the whole team from the centre of the park. Playing against him must be a nightmare.

Kris: Forest are a different proposition this season, if feels like the team have finally grown into the Premier League. One player who’s surprised me, and who doesn’t get enough credit, is Ryan Yates. England have needed a player like him for a while and maybe Lee Carsley will be brave enough to give him the chance he deserves?

Stewart: Chris Wood needs to be seen for what he is, a top-flight striker. One of the top half dozen last season when you look at all the important stats. The goal he scored at the weekend was actually started by him receiving the goal kick, holding it up and laying it off. Be happy, Forest fans.

Paul: Forest have the second best defence in the Premier League (equal with Arsenal) with only six goals conceded. Now we have locked the door at the back we need to be pushing on and scoring more goals. We have scored as many goals as Man Utd (that is BAD!).

Franko: As positive as the start has been, the points total is probably what we would have hoped for from Wolves, Bournemouth and Fulham at home and Southampton away. We didn't win any of those home games. A big improvement overall but let's hope for a home win before the big boys come to town!

Pat Riddell
Fan writer

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Last season, Nottingham Forest's defensive record was their soft underbelly. Despite having several outstanding players across the back four, we shipped goals - often from set-pieces - that seriously undermined our league position.

This time around, match reports increasingly refer to the Reds having the Premier League's second-meanest defence, after only Liverpool and equal to Arsenal, with just six goals conceded in seven games.

Matz Sels deserves all the plaudits after his performance against Chelsea. World-class save after world-class save was only matched by his opposite number, Robert Sanchez.

And while Sels has, at times, not been regarded as Forest's long-term solution in goal, he has made a huge difference since replacing both Matt Turner and Odysseas Vlachodimos between the posts.

But the addition of Nikola Milenkovic solved one of the Reds' most obvious deficiencies in defence: height. The 6ft 4in centre-back won more aerial duels than most other defenders in Europe last season, and that alone has solved part of our problem.

Yet his assist for Chris Wood's goal on Sunday proves his value at the other end of the pitch, partly addressing our weakness at set-pieces in both penalty areas.

Height, of course, is not his only value. His partnership with Murillo has flourished, he reads the game well and the midfield are very much playing their part in shielding the back four.

The commitment, resolve and determination across the starting XI is obvious from kick-off. The organisation and understanding to close down attacks, win second balls and get behind the ball when necessary is a team effort and one that is serving us very well this season.

It has been a balancing act for Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, and Nuno Espirito Santo is still finding the line.

But a stingy defence and some serious attacking flair is proving many pundits wrong.

Find more from Pat Riddell at The Famous Club, external

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A VAR related question was put to chief football writer Phil McNulty on Monday's Q&A.

@nubiblue on 'X' asked: Is the new improved VAR working? To me it continues to favour certain clubs.

Phil answered: First of all, I don't believe VAR favours certain clubs and quite honestly, I've not noticed too much difference or huge improvement.

Maybe a little less interference but I confess I lost a lot of faith in VAR after initially being a strong advocate.

I would be happy with semi-automated offside and line technology.