Nottingham Forest shattered Brentford’s home record with their ninth victory of the season, winning 2-0 to keep them in the Premier League top four for Christmas. George Edwards was at the match
What a difference a year makes.
Christmas 2023 was a time of misery with Forest languishing two points above the Premier League relegation zone, without a win in eight and tearily waving goodbye to their lauded manager.
Fast forward to Christmas 2024, the same Forest side sits in the Premier League top four — the first time that’s happened in 30 years — having just demolished Brentford’s storming home record, with three wins on the bounce and genuine excitement better than any present a Forest fan will receive in three days.
If last season wasn’t a vintage one, this campaign is the definition of one, with new heights being climbed to — the sort of which we haven’t done for decades.
Forest showed no fear entering Brentford’s fortress and reaped their rewards, with Ola Aina and Anthony Elanga’s goals in either half earning Forest their ninth victory of the season, with defensive resolve and tactical prowess coming out on top.
A superb defensive display
Forest’s back six yesterday cost a total of just over £50 million. About right for a mid-table and established Premier League outfit, but for a team sitting fourth with the third-best defence, quite remarkable.
At the heart of it is a goalkeeper that just keeps excelling.
Matz Sels finally received vocal recognition from the raucous away end throughout the game, and rightly so. His confident aura saps through to the four or five in front of him and he is always in the right position to do what’s necessary, earning his sixth clean sheet of the season.
Not only did Sels do the basics and make two excellent saves when relied on, he went above and beyond to aid the aerial battle, claiming every ball within reach, never scared to get hurt.
In front of him it wasn’t always smooth. Nikola Milenkovic and Morato did struggle with pace at times, particularly in the first half when Brentford’s counterattacking threat was at its peak.
However, they won every header that mattered. Not every header, but every important one, with Brentford failing to create once Forest sat behind the ball and forced the onus on them.
It was a masterclass in holding a lead and not for the first time this season. The Bees had 67% possession in the second half but only mustered three shots, with Forest only the third side to shut Brentford out this season, the first at the Gtech.
Plus, despite their defensive dominance, it was the fiery wing-backs who combined for the opening goal. Not a bad day’s work.
Nuno’s tinkering worked again
Doubt was cast once again at 1:45pm when another perplexing team selection came through, with Forest reverting to a back five from the start despite Brentford deploying a back four.
As mentioned, certain players struggled, with Forest often failing to play through the middle and often hoofing long to Chris Wood, fighting an enthralling but losing battle against Nathan Collins.
However, Forest just get the job done these days. Whoever’s on the pitch gives 100%, makes themselves known and sticks to the game plan, confident it’s the right one. They dominated the wide areas, limiting Brentford’s crossing ability, and excelled in front of goal, with two confident finishes making the difference.
Once again, Nuno’s substitutes hit the spot, with Ryan Yates’ midfield physicality dominating, and I’m pretty sure Nico Dominguez would have run all the way back to Nottingham if instructed to by his manager.
The Reds have this ability to perform so differently yet produce the same output. They have won in so many different ways this season, thoroughly deserving victory in all despite differing setups and selections throughout.
Nuno was warmly serenaded throughout and after the match, the Santa-like figure giving every Forest fan the prefect present on the fourth eve of Christmas.
Out of the goals but leading by example
Neco Williams’ reintroduction to the side has been a breath of fresh air, running up and down his wrong side like there is no tomorrow, chasing after Bryan Mbeumo one way and running past Calum Hudson-Odoi the other for 90 minutes, capped with a deserved assist.
Murillo shone again too, with his judgement in tight situations constantly improving and his position as Forest’s central defender allowing him to spray the ball left and right as he pleased, despite his side’s lack of possession.
Another goal for Anthony Elanga, gambling on a defensive mistake and clinically punishing, two in two for the Swede who is coming into form just as the games begin to come thick and fast.
But the shining light was Chris Wood. In a goal drought for him, now two games without netting, Wood’s performance shows why he is undroppable and why Taiwo Awoniyi is limited to seconds on the pitch.
Despite being beaten to nearly every ball, he jumped and fought for every one. He never stopped running right until his substitution and looks the most fit he ever has done in a Forest shirt. And his selfless run to create Elanga the space to score the goal should not go unnoticed, such a clever ploy that ultimately won Forest the game.
He had chances to score and will, inside, be annoyed he didn’t take one, but his attitude and application sums up this Forest team and why he is the man that constantly spearheads it.
Top four at Christmas
Some 1,700 visiting supporters drove home for Christmas with their side in the Premier League top four — the things that dreams are made of.
The wins aren’t a surprise anymore. Neither the performances. This is the standard Forest have set themselves this season, standards they are constantly living up to.
But despite this, they still bring the same joy and delirium. The Brentford away end was one of the best of a season that is destined to go down in Nottingham Forest history for all of the right reasons.
Their current tally of nine wins matches the total amassed in each of Forest’s last two seasons; their five away wins matches the total in both of those seasons combined and their points total is just one away from the final tally last season, and they haven’t even played every side once yet.
They are fearless, with no challenge insurmountable, and it makes you wonder where Forest would be had they believed in themselves at Arsenal or had Chris Wood scored when Forest were 1-0 down at Man City.
Come full time, the Reds sat in third, just five points behind leaders Liverpool. Sentences that just don’t come out of the mouths of Nottingham Forest fans.
Well, they do this year. Everyone is standing up and listening to this incredible season. There are no signs of it slowing down, no reason to believe that it will and every reason to dare to dream.
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