Nottingham Forest

Pat Riddell
Fan writer

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It is the business end of the season. We do not know if the next three Premier League games will define Nottingham Forest's season or not, but Newcastle, Arsenal and Manchester City are the three clubs around us in the table who really threaten our position in the top four.

Having started off the season thinking a comfortable, mid-table finish would be satisfying - avoiding a relegation battle the minimum target - the Reds have been in the top three for so long now that anything less than a place in Europe will be disappointing.

Except, we have to be prepared for disappointment... or do we? The complicated Uefa coefficient means England are quite likely to gain a fifth Champions League place next season, meaning eight clubs could qualify for European competition in 2025-26.

These sorts of permutations are, obviously, a long way from Nuno Espirito Santo's mind as Forest focus on the job in hand. Losing 2-1 at Fulham was not the ideal follow-up to thrashing Brighton 7-0. But then Brighton beating Chelsea 3-0 at the weekend was hardly predicted either.

The Premier League has occasional seasons where almost anything can happen, and when these kinds of ups and downs occur it can often be in Forest's favour. At the moment, keeping our core squad fit and maintaining the mentality, momentum and belief is all important.

The fans can be thinking as far ahead as we like - and there is no doubt we all have - but Nuno is always focused on the immediate.

The back five worked against Brighton to great effect in the absence of Callum Hudson-Odoi, but backfired miserably against Fulham.

Hopefully we have our first-choice XI fit for the next three games and beyond, and the permutations will be left for other clubs to ponder.

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Fulham and Nottingham Forest.

Here are some of your comments:

Fulham fans:

Bill: A very classy performance from everyone, and nice to do the double over Forest. Wonderful cameo from Willian!

Michael: I consider it one of the team's best performances of the year.. As an old Fulham fan, it is a delight to watch this - let's be happy! Please keep hold of Marco Silva. We are on the brink of something special over the next few years.

Derek: Overall we were excellent. Built from a platform in midfield by Sander Berge and the excellent Sasa Lukic. His contribution often goes unnoticed other than the regular yellow cards, but he was immense.

Wayland: The whole team stepped up to another level, Adama Traore was superb. We should have been out of sight but the Forest keeper was their best player to somehow keep it to 2-1.

Forest fans:

Fraser: Difficult away at Craven Cottage. Onwards and upwards for the mighty Reds. Tough games coming with Arsenal and Manchester City to play in next few games. We're still defying the odds!

John: We got what we deserved. Disappointed as we lost the midfield and created very few chances - Chris Wood doing it all on his own to equalise. Matz Sels was fantastic again, keeping us in it till the end. They always looked like scoring, not us.

Oliver: From start to finish Forest were not clinical enough and their goal was dodgy as Calvin Bassey slipped. They were too laid back and let Fulham cut right through their defence, play the ball out wide and cross it in. This led to them conceding easy headers. Forest didn't have the composure that Fulham had and this ultimately lead to a shocking performance and a brutal defeat.

Mike: Credit to Fulham, they played well. But Forest gave this game to them. Tactically, the manager got it wrong and the team spent most of the game playing like they were just trying to hang on. The players looked lethargic and devoid of inspiration. Maybe they should have spent their break in Skegness instead of Dubai?

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from Friday's game between Brighton and Chelsea.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Man City 4-0 Newcastle

• Crystal Palace 1-2 Everton

Timothy Abraham
BBC Sport Journalist

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For the majority of Nottingham Forest's defeat to Fulham, the visitors struggled.

At times Nuno Espirito Santo's side looked lethargic, lacking in ideas and a little leaky at the back.

Goalkeeper Matz Sels had another superb performance between the sticks for Forest and had it not been for him the margin of defeat would undoubtedly have been a lot greater.

Nuno's decision to play five at the back meant Forest were inviting Fulham on to them from the outset as they just looked to hang in the game.

Chris Wood equalised with the only time he touched the ball in the box during the first 45 minutes, and it was very much against the run of play.

It was a slightly curious approach for a team who had spanked seven goals past Brighton in their last Premier League game.

When Nuno introduced Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Forest switched to four at the back, they looked a completely different side.

There was an immediate energy and urgency to their play, which begs the question why did Nuno play it so safe in the first place?

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Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo, has been speaking to BBC Match Of The Day after today's loss: "It was a competitive game. We tried to the end but it was not possible [to equalise again]. They played good and won the game so we have to learn and go again.

"Chris Wood made his goal by himself, and that gave us hope for the second half. I think we started the second half well but a couple of set-pieces put us down. Then it was about reacting and the boys tried hard until the end. Now we have to go to the next one. Of course this is the time of the season when we have to go stronger."

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Fulham's performance

What did you make of Nottingham Forest's display?

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

Seven matches make up Saturday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Leicester City v Arsenal (12:30)

• Aston Villa v Ipswich Town

• Fulham v Nottingham Forest

• Man City v Newcastle - BBC Radio 5 Live commentary

• Southampton v Bournemouth

• West Ham v Brentford

• Crystal Palace v Everton (17:30) - BBC Radio 5 Live commentary

All kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here.

For the first couple of months of the season I was talking about how good Fulham are at home - I obviously put the mockers on them because they have not won any of their past five league matches at Craven Cottage.

Nottingham Forest, who needed penalties to get past Exeter in the FA Cup on Tuesday, have got an excellent away record and Liverpool are the only top-flight team to have picked up more points than them on the road this season.

This is hard to call, though, because we know Fulham can turn it on, and they are a hard team to predict.

They won at the City Ground earlier in the season but this time I am going with my club, Forest, to get a point and continue their push for the top four.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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BBC Sport pundit and former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha has been answering your questions on your club.

Dave asked: Nottingham Forest tried to sign a striker as back-up for Chris Wood in the January transfer window, so who do you think they should go for in the summer if they do qualify for Europe?

Nedum replied: If Forest are going to make the step up to playing European football, quite possibly even Champions League football, then they don't want to sign someone who is going to change the fundamental style of the team.

Chris Wood works hard and he has made sure he is in the right place at the right time this season, so that he complements the players around him.

So if we are looking at who they could sign, then it needs to be someone who is patient like Wood and who understands the team's link-up play. I am not sure who exactly they may sign or approach in the summer.

It is also key to look at whether they are signing someone as just a back-up - because which players will be entirely happy with that role? It might be that they bring in a younger player with significant promise rather than a prominent player who will want game time and especially minutes in Europe.

I wish I could give a name of who that might be but I can't. The one thing I will say is that Forest's recruitment has been pretty solid in recent windows, so I am sure they have someone lined up.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford

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Scotland Under-17s goalkeeper Alastair Graham has moved from Dundee to English Premier League side Nottingham Forest for an undisclosed fee.

Graham had been for trial spells at Newcastle, Southampton, and Arsenal before opting for Forest.

The 16-year-old almost moved to the Champions League chasers last summer as part of a swap deal with Aaron Donnelly, who ended up joining the Dark Blues last month.

Graham played for Dundee's Under-18s and reserves but never made a first-team appearance having come through SFA performance school St John's Academy.

He is the second Dundee youngster to leave for the English top flight this season after Seb Lochhead moved to Wolves last summer.

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Fulham have won four of their five Premier League games against Nottingham Forest, including both meetings at Craven Cottage, racking up an aggregate score of 7-0.

Nottingham Forest have benefitted from more errors that have led to a goal than any other side in the Premier League this season (13), while only Arsenal (zero) have made fewer errors leading to a goal than Nuno Espirito Santo's side (two).

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Former Forest midfielder Steve Hodge believes Nuno Espirito Santo and his players will "feel the benefits down the line" from their mid-season warm-weather training trip to Dubai.

Hodge was part of regular mid-season trips while playing for Forest in the 1980s under Brian Clough but joked on the latest episode of Shut Up and Show More Football: "We didn't see a football pitch - we just saw a bar!".

Nuno said the trip helped develop a "tight bond" between his squad as they prepare for a crucial stage of the season in their bid to qualify for European football.

"The players have been around Nottingham, the City Ground, and have been travelling on coaches to games for the past seven, eight months," Hodge told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"There is a monotony about it. It's a great life but there is that sameness every trip, on the same bus with the same routine so it's good to get out in the sunshine.

"We haven't seen the sun here for a few months so everyone wants to get in that and feel that on your back and get in the swimming pool. You lose that mental pressure of having to perform and be at it every game.

"As great as we have been this season and how much the players have loved it, there is still pressure and that will ramp up now we're in that top four or five and there is a chance for Europe.

"You do feel the benefits down the line - when the going gets tough you still feel pretty fresh. Mentally, you just feel you have more to give as the season progresses.

"It always worked for us. We loved it. The only conversation we had after getting knocked out of the FA Cup early was knowing we'd be in Cala Millor in 48 hours.

"It was not quite Dubai - the guys go out there, they're training every day and they're super fit. We didn't see a football pitch - we just saw a bar!"

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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BBC Radio Nottingham's Colin Fray says it is "no surprise" that Forest's players have averaged more Premier League minutes than any other team this season.

He believes that avoiding injuries will be "key" between now and the end of the campaign.

As analysed on this page, Matz Sels, Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo have played more than 2,000 league minutes this season - more than double the individual average for any other top-flight team.

Nuno Espirito Santo made 10 changes for Tuesday's FA Cup tie at Exeter City but Forest needed a penalty shootout to beat 10 men after a 2-2 draw.

"Forest's squad is actually pretty small," Fray told the Shut Up and Show More Football podcast. "I know it's not how it is perceived around the country but it is a fact. They've got empty slots in their 25-man squad, even more after the January window.

"The stats are indicative of a small squad. You've seen what Nuno has done with his team - 11 changes for the third round of the cup, 10 for the fourth round - I think that is showing you there is starting to be a gulf between the Premier League starting XI and the others.

"The players who have played over 2,000 minutes in the league are all in defence. They have an understanding and have developed well, first with [Alex] Moreno now with [Neco] Williams. They have been excellent defensively so it is no surprise to see they have been so settled.

"The key is keeping players injury-free going forward, especially without strengthening and looking a little light in attacking areas."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your views on the one thing no-one is talking about at Nottingham Forest.

Here are some of your comments:

Matt: Not trying to be negative, but if Nottingham Forest make the Champions League next year, I really worry about how we would handle the extra bloat in games. I'm sure we'll spend in the summer but you see a dip from most teams - Newcastle and Aston Villa spring to mind. If this purple patch is only that and not a more permanent uptick in form, then we could be in for a rough time.

Kev: I love my club, I have been supporting them for 60 odd years, but having watched Tuesday's match at Exeter City, I'm worried about our squad depth if we start getting injuries.

Sean: Just how good the 'Geordie Maradona' [Elliot Anderson] is. Just how good Ibrahim Sangare is going to be. Can't wait to see that midfield pairing.

Simon: The ground redevelopment or non-redevelopment is what should be being properly talked about and updated.

John: We need to get the upgrades done to our beloved City Ground so we can get more fans in and extra revenue.

The latest episode of the Shut Up And Show More Football podcast has landed.

BBC Radio Nottingham's David Jackson and Colin Fray are joined by former Nottingham Forest midfielder Steve Hodge to debrief on a very late night at St James' Park, as the Reds booked their FA Cup fifth round spot on penalties.

They also discuss Forest's chances of winning a domestic cup this season, the depth of Nuno Espirito Santo's squad and mid-season training trips.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game at Fulham (15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On whether Forest have enough strength in depth to maintain their European hopes: "When things happen then we have to find solutions. Regarding the depth of our squad, I think we have solutions. It would be better if we maintain healthy and everybody available. I think we can compete in both competitions until the end of the season. But, we don't operate on ifs. The reality is I think we have balance and a good squad."

• Despite Forest's positive position in the table, Nuno is not looking beyond the next game and did not comment on the push for the top four: "We have to enjoy it. The players are enjoying working together and competing. We are looking forward to the match - nothing changes."

• Taiwo Awoniyi broke his nose in Tuesday's FA Cup win over Exeter, with Nuno stating: "He is with the medical department and waiting for the right protocols to be followed. We have to wait and see if he is available. With concussion we have to be really careful. He is OK - he is smiling."

• Callum Hudson-Odoi is "progressing", trained yesterday and today and will be assessed before Saturday. Nuno said he is "positive" about the winger's chances of making the trip to London.

• On the penalty shootout win against Exeter in the FA Cup: "We have been recovering the players who due to overtime put in a big effort. We are trying to get them back to normal. It was very important for us to achieve what we went there to do. We did it in a hard way but I think we dealt with it well. Exeter were really good so I am glad."

• On Saturday's opponents: "Fulham is a very good team - we have to be ready for a tough match. [They have a] good manager. It will be a new game that we have to be ready for. Marco [Silva] has quality and energy all over the place."

• On talks over a new deal for defender Ola Aina: "Things are going well. I am positive and confident everything will be solved."

• On warm weather training in Dubai last week: "It felt good. We worked intense and had good training sessions. At the same time, we had time to be together off the pitch. That enforces the players make this tight bond between themselves. It was good for us to go."

Follow all of Thursday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Joe Bradshaw
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

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Nottingham Forest are undoubtedly this season's surprise package.

No-one expected Nuno Espirito Santo's side to be fighting for the Champions League places, but halfway through February, they are in the thick of the race.

But, do problems lurk around the corner?

Tuesday's going-the-distance FA Cup tie at Exeter City exposed the limitations of Nuno's second-string, with key players Matz Sels, Morgan Gibbs-White, Chris Wood and Elliott Anderson among those summoned from the bench to perform a rescue act.

So far this season, Forest's players have averaged more Premier League minutes individually than any other team – and Nuno has only needed to use 26 players.

That hints at good fortune with injuries – and it is true that the likes of Tottenham (who would normally be expected to be in the top-four hunt) have suffered wildly on that front.

True, Danilo was ruled out on the opening day with a significant ankle injury and has only just returned. But beyond that, Nuno has been able to deploy many of the same players every week – and that consistency has borne out in results.

Indeed, in Sels and defenders Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo, Forest have four players with more than 2,000 league minutes this season. Only Fulham have as many.

A key reason why the Reds' defensive record is so good no doubt.

However, if any of that trio should be sidelined, Forest's resilience will be severely tested.

At the other end of the field, if 17-goal top scorer Wood was to pick up a knock, who is ready to replace him? Winger Anthony Elanga has played in all but one game and helped himself to eight assists. Is there anyone of sufficient quality that could deputise for him?

As the above chart shows, Forest have used the fewest number of players of all Premier League clubs this season (23). That does not necessarily mean success at the top of the table but it is interesting to note four of the top six have used fewer players than anyone else - bar Everton. (See here for an interactive version, external)

Nuno will know the strength of his back-ups – and yet he did not panic in January by opening the cheque book. He has earned the right to be trusted with his judgement.

But as games against top-four rivals Arsenal and Manchester City loom on the horizon - not to mention a promising FA Cup run - it will be interesting to see how effectively the Forest boss can shuffle his pack to keep the Reds afloat in both competitions.

Nottingham Forest may have hit an unexpected stumbling block when they succumbed to a heavy 5-0 defeat by Bournemouth, but putting seven past Brighton in the next game was a statement of intent.

The Reds do not look to be going anywhere as they continue their hunt for Champions League football - and the FA Cup draw is opening up too.

Nuno's side continue to make headlines for the right reasons but you know your club best - so tell us, what's the one thing that no-one is talking about at the City Ground but really should be?

Let us know here