A small step rather than a giant leap. Conference League rather than the Champions League football Nottingham Forest had been dreaming of.
But the progress made is still significant. And there remains an opportunity to be grasped, if the Reds can take it.
Qualifying for Europe for the first time in three decades, regardless of the level of competition, is an incredible achievement. Likewise, finishing seventh in the Premier League.
Before a ball had been kicked in the 2024/25 campaign, many on the banks of the Trent would have snapped hands off for that. It is just they have been left wondering, what if?
Losing 1-0 at home to Chelsea on the final day to miss out on the chance of a top five finish with all its Champions League trappings stings. Even more so given results elsewhere went in Forest’s favour. There is frustration and disappointment among the Reds contingent, as well as pride.
That raw emotion is another sign of how far Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have come. Great strides have been made this season and plenty of learnings will have been taken, too.
Realism won out over romance in the end. Forest are not there - not where they want to be - yet. In time, though, they could be. It all depends on how they utilise this platform. Below, NottinghamshireLive looks at some of the big talking points from Sunday’s defeat.
Missed opportunity?
Matchday dawned with all three European tournaments still a possibility for Nuno’s men. They were guaranteed to be in one of them, it was just up in the air which one.
They started brightly at the City Ground and played well in the first half without really testing Robert Sanchez. But the Reds have struggled when they have fallen behind this term, and when they conceded a scrappy goal in the 50th minute it sucked the life out of them.
For all that was on the line, with the message getting across that rivals Newcastle United and Aston Villa were losing, the hosts lacked urgency and intensity in the second half. That is where the frustration lies. There was no real chucking of the kitchen sink at Chelsea.
Even one goal would have made a difference. A draw would have resulted in a sixth-placed finish and Europa League qualification.
There is no ignoring the fact the Reds’ form has faltered in the final stretch of the season. Sunday was symptomatic of that. Still, 12 months ago, Forest had gone into their final game of the campaign without Premier League survival mathematically secured. They have come a long way since then.
As full-back Neco Williams said on social media: “So proud to be a part of this team. Everyone underestimated us at the start of the season & the fact we’re frustrated we didn’t get Champions League football shows how far we’ve come. SEE YOU IN EUROPE.”
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Stretched squad
After the final whistle, Nuno admitted it had been a tiring campaign. Players have played at their limits for so long and have racked up an exhausting amount of minutes.
Having had relatively good fortune on the injury front in the first half of the season, the squad became stretched in the latter stages. Nuno hinted some have been playing through the pain barrier.
The Portuguese clearly trusts some players more than others, and that is an issue which will need to be addressed in the transfer window. Despite being desperate for a goal and more attacking impetus, for example, Ramon Sosa remained an unused substitute on the day.
The bench looked thin, in truth. Other than Callum Hudson-Odoi, who was perhaps not fully fit, the home side lacked options capable of coming on and changing the game.
Nevertheless, bringing off Ibrahim Sangare before the hour raised a few eyebrows. He had been the best performer in the Garibaldi.
There was a welcome sight before kick-off when Taiwo Awoniyi made his way onto the pitch. The Nigerian was met with a standing ovation and a huge round of applause from the crowd. His teammates stopped their warm-up to show their support, too.
The front man is recovering from the serious abdominal injury he sustained when he collided with a post a fortnight ago. It has been a tough season for him for many reasons but he was still sorely missed as an option on the pitch on Sunday.
Players who shone
When Forest needed some big performances against the Blues, too many key men fell flat. Morgan Gibbs-White couldn’t impose himself on the game, Anthony Elanga couldn’t make the difference, Chris Wood spurned a couple of the types of chances he would have gobbled up a few months ago.
It is hard to be too critical, though, given how much the Reds have given over the course of the campaign. Effort and commitment levels could never be faulted.
Missing out on the top five - a position Nuno’s men were in for so long - wasn’t down to Sunday alone. Forest ran out of steam throughout the final stretch having exceeded expectations by challenging at the top in the first place.
A few players merit noteworthy contributions against Chelsea, though. Sangare, in particular, was outstanding. He delivered a midfield masterclass of poise and composure. The hosts suffered when he went off.
Sangare has finished the season strongly; showing the qualities the Reds hoped they were getting when he signed from PSV for £30 million two years ago. With better luck on the injury front, he can be a key figure next term.
Nicolas Dominguez has also been in superb form of late. Whatever role he has been asked to play, he has performed it to a high standard.
A mention, too, for Matz Sels. Although the Belgian goalkeeper didn’t sign off with a clean-sheet, he still shared the Golden Glove with Arsenal’s David Raya.
Sels has been phenomenal this term. He is the first Forest player to win any of the Premier League’s Golden awards - the Golden Boot (top scorer), Golden Glove, or the Playmaker award, for the most assists.
What next?
Sunday was not the fairytale end to the campaign the City Ground craved. But perhaps that is because a few more chapters of this story are yet to be written. Use this opportunity well, and this can be the start of something rather than an end.
If anything, the summer has suddenly taken on even greater significance for the Reds than if they had made it into the rarefied world of the Champions League. Overseeing the right recruitment and making the right transfer decisions will be crucial for pushing on.
At the final whistle, Forest players collapsed to the floor. They looked devastated and heartbroken.
Fans did their best to rally them, in recognition of what has - over the course of the year - been a tremendous effort. The entire squad and coaching staff got a terrific reception as they completed their lap of appreciation.
Nuno went on to say he believes the club is in a good place. The foundations are there to go again. Sure, there is room for significant improvement and there are further levels to climb, but all of that requires time and small steps. A frustrating finale should not detract from what has been a thoroughly memorable and excellent season - one which yielded Forest’s best finish in the top flight since 1994/95.
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