Hours of practice, a moment of focus, a thump of the ball and a Nottingham Forest record equalled.
It will be only a matter of time before Chris Wood is out on his own as the Reds’ all-time leading Premier League goalscorer. His emphatic penalty to see off Ipswich Town saw him go joint-top with Bryan Roy on 24 goals for the club in the competition, but he won’t be level with the Dutchman for long.
Wood is thriving under Nuno Espirito Santo at the City Ground. He barely got a sniff on Saturday, but he took his chance when it mattered - as he has many times this season.
The New Zealand international was composed and clinical when his team needed him to be, having taken a few seconds to steady himself when he stepped up to the spot. He spends time taking penalties after training sessions to make sure he is primed for such moments - just as he dedicates himself to ensuring he remains in peak condition at the age of 32. It is why Nuno believes the forward can keep going for several years yet.
Wood’s strike was an important one. This wasn’t a must-win game, but the three points were certainly big ones for Forest. Below, we take a look at some of the talking points from their 1-0 victory.
Contracts required
The Reds are reaping the rewards of some excellent transfer business in recent windows - summer signing Nikola Milenkovic’s performance being a case in point. But Saturday was also a reminder of some pressing deals they still need to do. Specifically, getting Wood and Ola Aina tied down.
As things stand, the duo will be out of contract in the summer. The club have been in talks with both of them about extending their stays, and the signs have certainly been positive that agreements will be reached. But the sooner pens get put to paper, the better.
Wood’s goals are vital for Nuno’s side and he is the epitome of the model professional. Speaking to BBC Radio Nottingham afterwards, Morgan Gibbs-White hailed his teammate as “the best striker” he has played with throughout his career.
Wood had dropped to the bench for last weekend’s 3-0 defeat to Arsenal, largely because he had travelled halfway around the world on duty for his country during the international break. But Nuno quipped that there had been “time to sleep” for the front man before this one.
Just as crucial as Wood’s strike, though, was an intervention by Aina at the opposite end of the pitch. Amid an all-round terrific performance, he made a superb last-ditch clearance to keep out Cameron Burgess in the first half. If Forest needed any extra encouragement to get contracts sorted for two of their key players, Saturday provided it.
Back to basics
Make no mistake, Nuno was not happy about the six goals his team had shipped in two games prior to this one. Having made defensive solidity such a cornerstone of his philosophy, losing 3-1 to Newcastle United and 3-0 to Arsenal hurt.
After the thumping at the Emirates, the Reds boss admitted he was “worried” about how leaky the back line had been. Not least because Forest had been quite the opposite of that in the opening weeks of the campaign.
Work on the training ground ahead of taking on the Tractor Boys was all about “getting back to basics” and doing what this team had previously been so good at. The message relayed to the players centred around restoring a tough-to-beat mentality.
Goalkeeper Matz Sels actually had very little to do thanks to the sterling work of those in front of him. And that was despite the fact the visitors looked dangerous at times and proved no pushovers.
Milenkovic has made a huge difference since making the switch from Fiorentina. He is helping Murillo to progress, too. Together, they made sure there was no way through for their opponents.
Even a change to the back line didn’t knock Forest off their stride. Having a settled defence has been integral to their early-season form, but Neco Williams was preferred over Alex Moreno at left-back and slotted in as if he had never been out of the XI.
As in previous games, Morato was then entrusted to come on and help see out the win in the closing minutes. The Reds are still yet to concede a goal with him on the pitch and he continues to look a very good prospect, underlining the strength of options at centre-back.
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Chances taken
On another day, the return of Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson after recovering from injury might have been the main talking point. But while having the pair available again was a huge boost and they played their part, two other changes to the line-up caught the eye.
Williams certainly made the most of his opportunity. As did Jota Silva on his first Premier League start. Both will have given Nuno food for thought.
Omari Hutchinson is a tricky customer but Williams dealt with the threat and kept him pretty quiet. Considering it was the Welshman’s first Forest start since August, he handled the task very well.
Other than having a tough day at the Emirates Stadium, Moreno has been pretty consistent in the Garibaldi. But with parent club Aston Villa due Trentside on December 14 - and the Spaniard ineligible to play in that one - giving Williams a run-out was a wise decision. And his performance proved he remains a good option.
Jota has also had to bide his time to get into the XI. When he earned a corner inside the first minute, it was evidence of the winger being determined to grasp his chance with both hands. He went on to win the penalty, too. With Anthony Elanga yet to hit top form this season, the Portuguese will hope he has done enough to keep his spot.
Confidence boost
After a couple of sub-par performances and two defeats on the trot, victory was just the tonic the Reds needed. And particularly with the testing week they have ahead of them.
The hosts were not necessarily at their best, but they ground out the result. More importantly for Nuno, they did so with solid foundations. Making progress in the Premier League comes in many forms, and it includes finding different ways to win. Forest did that against Ipswich.
Next up, a double-header in Manchester. City away on Wednesday night, followed by United on Saturday. December has a few potential pitfalls with some difficult-looking games, but they are also big opportunities.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis was in attendance at the City Ground after serving his five-match stadium ban. If the Reds are still well placed in the table by the end of the month and European football is a possibility, it would be no surprise if the Greek businessman is tempted to really splash the cash in the January transfer window.
“We want to aim to be one of the best teams,” Gibbs-White said post-match on Saturday. “And I believe we're on the right path. It's a massive week. Two really tough teams, incredible teams. But why not, eh? Why not?”
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