Nottingham Forest

Pat Riddell
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Some Nottingham Forest fans will have the seen the stat circulating at the weekend, highlighting that the Reds were the highest-placed club left in the FA Cup.

Anyone who knows Forest knows that these kind of details are almost meaningless: firstly, because the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Aston Villa are still in the fifth round; and secondly, we still had to play Exeter City.

The fourth round proved how effective clubs such as the Grecians, Plymouth Argyle, Leyton Orient and Birmingham City can be against Premier League opposition. And the fact that it took penalties, and a few scary moments for the Reds to progress, prove how well Exeter played.

The first XI will be more familiar against Fulham on Saturday but, if nothing else, last night's game proved that Nuno Espírito Santo's second-string side is not as effective as we hoped.

Some performed admirably — seeing Ibrahim Sangare pulling the strings in midfield and displaying his wide passing range was a positive. However, some clearly need match time and will remain squad players for the time being.

Hopefully Taiwo Awoniyi and Carlos Miguel will recover quickly, as Forest's record of having the fewest injuries in the Premier League (and days lost to them) are a clear factor in their current position in the table. Keeping the players fresh is undoubtedly at the forefront of Nuno's mind — although a long night in Devon might quickly erase the memory of a week in Dubai.

Our opponents in upcoming weeks are facing their own injury issues and, with two games against Ipswich Town in quick succession — an FA Cup fifth-round tie at home followed by a Premier League game away — the Reds will be depending on their stars of the season so far to keep things alive.

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We asked for your views on Nottingham Forest scraping through to the FA Cup fifth round after beating Exeter City on penalties.

Here are some of your comments:

Peter: We made very hard work of it. Exeter really did raise a lot of questions about the quality of our squad members. However we are through to the next round, unlike Liverpool or Arsenal. I hope Taiwo is OK.

Kris: No big surprises, Forest often make it harder than it should be in matches like this. Even with 10 changes and playing on a poor pitch on a Tuesday evening, we came through it. Romance is dead - we are through and that's all that matters.

Tony: A hard game against tough opponents. Well done to Exeter for taking us to the wire. We should have done much better all over the pitch, but we made it harder with mistakes from the start. Hopefully we can learn from this.

Graham: We made 11 changes so there were no real starters playing. They were not used to playing together, and it showed. Nobody really staked a claim for a first-team start. We have to stop buying dodgy goalkeepers and get a new striker sorted.

Steve: If you want to win, you field your strongest available team. The coach got it wrong and almost paid the price.

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Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels, speaking to ITV: "We knew before the game it would be difficult.

"We didn't start the game well so I think after we came back well, we finished the game. It was just about ourselves and we made it difficult.

"You always need to be ready. I was ready and was helping the team in the right moments. It is a positive to go to the next round.

"Step by step - we have some important games in the league and then full focus on the cup. We try to continue as long as possible and we will see how far we can go."

Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo, speaking to ITV: "It was a hard game."

On what could have been better: "So many things. It was hard to play.

"We started in a bad way but the response was good. We had another setback after half-time and it became so hard. Credit to Exeter.

"I am happy in the end that we are going through."

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Nottingham Forest's performance

Come back to this page on Wednesday to find a selection of your replies

I know it is being televised but I don't really understand why this game has to be on a Tuesday night - and I don't like it.

The timing might affect Nuno Espirito Santo's team selection before Nottingham Forest go to Fulham on Saturday. It seems unfair they cannot play at the weekend like everyone else, and have a clear week before travelling to Craven Cottage.

It won't stop 'The Wood-Chopper' [Chris Wood] from sending Forest through, but it could mean Nuno makes more changes for this tie. I hope he doesn't, but I think he might - although they should still have too much for Exeter.

This is the first time Exeter have reached the fourth round since 1980-81, and they went on to lose to eventual winners Tottenham in the quarter-finals.

I'd love to see Forest - have I mentioned they were my boyhood team? - repeat that feat and go all the way to the final this season. If they do make it to Wembley, I will definitely be there cheering them on.

Sutton's prediction: 0-3

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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Exeter City are winless in four previous meetings with Nottingham Forest (D2 L2) - though this is their first encounter since April 1951, which ended in a 5-0 home defeat.

The draw for the FA Cup fifth round has been made. Here is a list of all the ties involving Premier League teams in the order they were drawn.

Games will be played over the first weekend of March.

• Aston Villa v Cardiff City

• Crystal Palace/Doncaster v Millwall

• Man Utd v Fulham

• Newcastle v Brighton

• Bournemouth v Wolves

• Man City v Plymouth

• Exeter/Nottingham Forest v Ipswich

See the full draw

Is there something you want to ask about a Premier League club?

Former Premier League defender Nedum Onuoha is ready to answer your burning questions and give his thoughts on some of the biggest talking points for a special Q&A.

Submit your questions here and come back on Thursday for his answers

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's FA Cup fourth round tie away to League One Exeter City (20:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Nuno said "everyone has to be assessed" before he decides who will be in the squad for Tuesday. On Callum Hudson-Odoi he said: "We will have to see, he's coming back."

• The manager said Murillo is "much better" and has "re-joined the group normally."

• On how important the FA Cup is to Forest's season: "It is the priority now. It is the game we have to focus on. The approach is exactly the same. We try to find all the details, we have had a good look at our opponent. It's a reward for the players who are working so hard to have a chance to play."

• On Forest's warm weather training in Dubai: "It was good. The schedule allowed us to have a nice trip. It was important for us to be together. We could work in nice facilities, good training sessions and we had a chance to enjoy ourselves and spend some time together."

• Nuno reflected on "a quiet window for the club", stating: "It's very difficult to operate, we were aware of that. We had a clear intention to retain the key core to our squad, they are all here. We didn't achieve what we want [in terms of incomings] because it's very hard but we keep going."

• On James Ward-Prowse re-joining West Ham: "It was very hard. James was a big help to us. Then there was a time he is not playing. It was not an easy situation. It was the best decision for all the parts."

• He indicated he will rotate his team on Tuesday, stating: "The FA Cup allows these teams from different competitions to have a chance to compete. I'm looking forward in the aspect that I think it is a good moment for us as a squad to take advantage of this game and reward the players who are working so hard and don't have minutes."

• On preparing for the challenge of facing a side lower down the pyramid, Nuno said: "We have to get ready for that [big atmosphere with fans close to the pitch]. In these game it is important to try and to find simplicity and solve the problems in a simple way. Our talent and quality will show I hope."

Follow all of Tuesday's European and domestic news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to live commentary of Exeter v Nottingham Forest on Tuesday from 20:00 on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

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The fifth-round draw will take place during Monday's episode of The One Show on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Former England winger Theo Walcott, who won the trophy twice while with Arsenal, will conduct the draw at about 19:10 GMT.

There are 16 Premier League teams left in the draw, with Leicester having been beaten by Manchester United on Friday, and Arsenal, Brentford and West Ham exiting in the third round.

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BBC Radio Nottingham's Colin Fray believes Nottingham Forest's quiet end to the winter transfer window - in contrast to those of previous seasons - shows how much progression the club has made in recent months.

On the Shut Up And Show More Football podcast, Fray said: "Deadline day was a lot quieter than the past few have been, which I guess shows where Forest are as a club because they have moved on.

"They're not in a situation where they're desperately needing to add players to stave off the threat of relegation or, in the case of the first season back [in the Premier League], to continue that rebuild.

"They're now in a position where their squad has done very well and they're quite relaxed about whether or not they can bring anyone else in. If they are to bring anybody else in, as Nuno said throughout the month, they have to be to improve Forest and have the character to fit into the dressing room.

"And when Forest have got players who are playing as well as they are at the moment, you're fishing in quite a small pool in terms of the players you can attract - and that pool is a very expensive pool.

"To get a player who was going to improve them and be able to fit in, given how well they're playing this season, was basically going to cost them too much money and put them at risk of PSR issues again."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

On the latest episode of BBC Radio Nottingham's Shut Up And Show More Football podcast, David Jackson and Colin Fray discuss a far from normal week at the City Ground, with Nottingham Forest's 7-0 thrashing of Brighton followed by a relatively quiet transfer deadline day.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Now that transfers are done and dusted, we know who has what for the final push this season.

I have Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea finishing in the top four, so that leaves two positions in the top six up for grabs.

I am so torn as to who will fill them because Newcastle and Aston Villa are going to face a serious challenge from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth.

It would be so nice to see Forest and Bournemouth do it and it would be deserved because they have performed so well this season and have adopted a brilliant style.

Everyone wants to watch teams play out from the back and play 'beautiful football' but really, it is juts about finding a style that suits your players and winning games. That is what I have enjoyed about Forest because they don't mind playing from the back, but they also don't mind being direct.

By playing on the defensive and thriving on counter attacks, they have been an enjoyable watch. But looking at their xG in games, they have to be clinical in order to win games. That is working for them at the moment. Whether that is luck, or something that is being coached on the training pitch and being pulled off in games we don't know. But they will have to keep it up.

I am going to be bold and predict Bournemouth to finish fifth, just slightly above Forest.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford

Nottingham Forest rejected a deadline day offer from Chelsea for Brazilian defender Murillo, 22. It would have been a club-record sale. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Pat Riddell
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

After Saturday's 7-0 thrashing of Brighton, you could argue Nottingham Forest did not need to strengthen. After all, with midfielders Danilo and Ibrahim Sangare returning to the squad, the Reds are already better off than they were last month.

The three strikers we pursued last summer have all moved on - Omar Marmoush and Santiago Gimenez to Manchester City and AC Milan respectively in this transfer window, and Eddie Nketiah to Crystal Palace at the start of the season.

And Chris Wood is in the form of his life, with a new contract to boot.

The current ownership - and, indeed, the previous one - often placed quantity over quality, or quality over quantity. But regardless, every transfer window usually yielded arrivals. Not so this time around.

Defender Tyler Bindon arrived from Reading on a three-year deal, and has headed back on loan to the League One club for the rest of the season. James Ward-Prowse, already down the pecking order before the returns of Danilo and Sangare, ended his loan deal early to join new manager Graham Potter back at West Ham United. And the likes of Lewis O'Brien, Emmanuel Dennis and Josh Bowler made temporary moves elsewhere.

With the Reds sitting pretty in third place in the Premier League, ensuring the squad stayed in one piece is perhaps the most important piece of business achieved.

Tying down Murillo to a new, long contract was key to Forest's ambitions, particularly with interest from certain well-funded rivals.

The only real interest shown was in Brentford's Yoane Wissa but with the Bees reluctant to sell, West Ham's reported interest in Taiwo Awoniyi was fruitless.

As it stands, Nuno Espirito Santo's team remains in good shape for the final 14 games of the season.

For once, no new major signings and everyone's happy on Trentside.

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Nottingham Forest striker Emmanuel Dennis has joined Blackburn Rovers for the remainder of the season.

The 27-year-old had spells at Istanbul Basaksehir and Watford last season and has not played for Forest since the final game of the 2022-23 campaign.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest striker Emmanuel Dennis is close to a loan move to Blackburn Rovers.

Rovers have been interested in signing him during this window, but earlier on Monday, there was not a huge amount of confidence that the deal would get done.

However, they have managed to find a breakthrough, with Dennis poised for a move to Ewood Park to help the Championship play-off challengers.

Dennis has not played for Nottingham Forest this term and has spent time on loan at Watford and Turkish side Basaksehir in the past two seasons.