It has already been quite the rollercoaster ride for Nottingham Forest this season, and the 2025/26 campaign still has some way to run.
What started off as a year where the Reds should have been building on last term’s seventh-placed finish hasn’t quite panned out like that. Nevertheless, they have an opportunity to achieve something special in the weeks to come.
Forest will head to Portugal after the international break for the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final with Porto. Bolstered by their comeback against FC Midtjylland in the last 16, Vitor Pereira’s side will have their sights set on continuing their continental adventure.
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Likewise, in the Premier League, the 3-0 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday was a real shot in the arm for the club’s survival hopes. Staying above the dreaded dotted line will be the goal in the remaining seven league games.
Head coach Pereira will need his entire squad to step up in order to succeed in both competitions. Below, NottinghamshireLive rates how the players have fared so far. We have only included those still at the club.
Matz Sels: After the high of last season’s Golden Glove success, it has been more of a mixed bag for the Belgian this time around. Has been in and out of the team, with injury playing a part, but has still come to his team’s rescue with some important saves. Rating: 7/10
Angus Gunn: Sole appearance so far came as a half-time substitute in the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace last month. Gave a decent account of himself during those 45 minutes but is unlikely to see any additional game time before the campaign is out. Rating: 6/10
John Victor: Abiding memory of the Brazilian’s contribution this term will be his huge error against Aston Villa. Hadn’t done too badly before that, but that moment was a real gaffe. Left the pitch in tears after sustaining an injury and has been sidelined since. Rating: 5/10
Stefan Ortega: The pick of Forest’s three winter window signings. Bringing him in from Manchester City has proved to be a good bit of business. Has looked good when he has played and it would surely make sense to look into extending his stay. Rating: 7.5/10
Neco Williams: Bar the odd slip, the Welshman has been the model of consistency this term. Can always be relied upon to give top effort and full commitment, and has regularly delivered high-level performances. In the running for player of the season. Rating: 8.5/10
Willy Boly: Made three appearances early on in the campaign but was left out of the revised Europa and Premier League squads for the second half of the season due to injury. Has almost certainly played his last game for the club given he is out of contract in the summer. Rating: 6/10
Ola Aina: Standards have been so high in the past that any drop-off by the full-back tends to stick out. It hasn’t been a vintage campaign for him, but he remains a key part of the back line and will be needed during the run-in. Rating: 6/10
Murillo: Finally bagged the type of goal he has been threatening to score since his arrival in England when he netted a stunner against Fenerbahce. His opener away to Liverpool was a special moment, too. And above all, he remains a top-class defender. Rating: 8/10
Nikola Milenkovic: Has had a few dips in form, certainly compared to last term’s sterling effort. Coping with the defensive demands of four different head coaches perhaps hasn’t been easy, but recently there have been signs he is back to his best. Rating: 7.5/10
Morato: Has made some mistakes and been part of some poor performances from the team as a whole. But a key issue for the Brazilian is that he is not Murillo and isn’t at that kind of level. In that sense, he tends to suffer by comparison. Rating: 5.5/10
Jair Cunha: A real shame he picked up an injury when he did earlier this month as it had looked as though he was set to see plenty of minutes under Pereira. Definitely has something about him and can be one for the future. Rating: 7/10
Zach Abbott: Whatever happens, it has been a big season for the 19-year-old and he can hold his head high after it. Forget that game against Leeds United, when he had a tough time out of position, on every other occasion he has been excellent. More to come, too. Rating: 7.5/10
Nicolo Savona: Might not be seen again this season after undergoing surgery, and it has left Forest short on the full-back front. Difficult to know what to make of the Italian, really. Looked good at times and less so at others, but he is still relatively young. Rating: 6.5/10
Luca Netz: Can be frustrated over his lack of minutes as has given a decent account of himself in his two substitute appearances to date. Slotted in well against Leeds and Brighton and Hove Albion and deserves more of a chance to show what he is about. Rating: 6.5/10
Ryan Yates: Always know what you are going to get from the club captain - and each of the managers he has played under has recognised as such. Pereira was full of praise for him in Denmark, and that game against Midtjylland summed up what the midfielder is about. Rating: 7/10
Morgan Gibbs-White: If the Reds stay up, it will be their No.10 who has largely helped to drag them over the line. Has stepped up when required, especially in recent weeks with some big goals. Will need to keep that up during the run-in. Rating: 8.5/10
Nicolas Dominguez: Can sometimes go under the radar with the work he does but will always put a shift in. Versatility has proved useful once again, even if it can sometimes count against him. Has become master of the looping header. Rating: 7.5/10
Callum Hudson-Odoi: Has provided the odd spark but not as regularly as he really ought to have done. Six goals in all competitions isn’t a particularly bad return, but this hasn’t exactly been a standout season for the winger. Rating: 6/10
Ibrahim Sangare: This has been the season where the midfielder properly lived up to his billing. This was the version Forest hoped they had signed back in 2023. Various factors have hindered him since then but he has now hit his stride. Rating: 8/10
Elliot Anderson:When he inevitably moves on (most likely in a few months’ time), debate will rage about where he ranks among Forest’s best players. Not the finished article yet but there is no doubting he is an absolute superstar. Rating: 8.5/10
Dan Ndoye: Started off well enough, with a goal against Brentford on the opening day, but then dropped off. Has picked back up again of late, though, so there is hope he can have a strong end to the campaign. Rating: 5.5/10
Omari Hutchinson: None of the Reds’ wide players have particularly grabbed the season by the scruff of the neck - the £37.5 million man included. Has shown glimpses of what he can do in fits and starts, and it should be remembered he is still only 22. Rating: 6/10
James McAtee: Pereira recently said the summer signing is capable of doing “magical things” on the training pitch. The challenge for him is to start showing that talent in games. Has had a couple of big performances but still needs to do more. Rating: 5.5/10
Dilane Bakwa: Has looked lost at times. Confidence clearly took a big hit amid early struggles, and the managerial changes probably didn’t help while he was trying to find his feet. Pereira seems to have provided a welcome arm around the shoulders, though. Rating: 5.5/10
Taiwo Awoniyi: Said everything about the striker’s popularity and what he has been through that the entire Forest bench rose to their feet when he scored away to Brentford. Brought a smile to the face again when he netted against Spurs.Rating: 7.5/10
Chris Wood: Can he be the saviour in the final stretch? It might be a big ask for him to hit the ground running after so long on the sidelines, but it would be foolish to bet against him adding to the three goals he scored before injury struck. Rating: 6.5/10
Igor Jesus: Seven goals in Europe is a fine return. The Premier League has proved a harder nut to crack for the Brazilian, with a tally of just three, but he has generally put a shift in regardless. Has looked tired of late, perhaps understandable given the number of games played. Rating: 7/10
Lorenzo Lucca: It had all seemed so promising when the Napoli loanee found the net against Leeds on his debut. Hasn’t offered a great deal since, although did put in a decent display away to Midtjylland as he caused the Danish outfit problems. Rating: 5/10
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