Transfer trolley-dash, Nuno future, Sangare hype – key issues for Nottingham Forest

With their Premier League safety on the line in their final two games of the season, Nottingham Forest will be looking to finish the job as soon as possible.

The Premier League table is back to normal after the Reds’ appeal against their four-point deduction was denied. The team led by Nuno Espirito Santo is still three points clear of the relegation zone.
Prior to the season’s last home game against Chelsea on Saturday (5.30pm kickoff), Forest reporter Sarah Clapson conducted a live Q&A on our Reds Facebook page, sparking a lot of discussion. A few of the queries posed and their responses are shown below.

A lot of the summer’s events will be determined by the division Forest is preparing for. Should the worst occur and they fall, the summer becomes very different. The selling club is typically powerless to stop other teams from cherry-picking the best players from relegated clubs.

Although it is hoped that Forest is not in that circumstance, sales will still need to occur during the summer. When Forest was originally docked four points, the independent commission’s written reasons explained that the team was taking precautions to make sure they wouldn’t break any rules for this fiscal year. Their projected losses for the year ending in June 2024 ranged from £12 million to £17 million, and all of this indicated that player sales would be necessary this summer. Forest needs to sell, but that doesn’t always mean there will be a fire sale.
If the club’s resolve is put to the test for players like Morgan Gibbs-White and Murillo, it wouldn’t be shocking. Since they have truly made an impression this season, they have their fans. Both of them are highly valued by Forest, but it would be interesting to see what would happen if someone were to make a sizable offer for them. When that kind of thing occurs, any team has important decisions to make.

In any case, Forest should reevaluate the team in the summer. I hope that this summer won’t see any more significant adjustments made because I don’t think they’re necessary. But there will be a lot of players about whom decisions must be made. Many have been out on loan, some with doubts about their futures, and some are nearing the end of their contracts.

Q: We must reduce the team size. Let a few of the u21 players pass through and bring in the odd player.

A: It is true that playing in the Premier League makes it more difficult for young players to succeed at Forest. Playing in the top division is a significant step, but Nuno has given some players a chance. That also applied to Steve Cooper.

However, I do believe it is crucial that the club continues to demonstrate that pathway. The younger ranks contain some gifted individuals. Preseason hopefully presents an opportunity for a few of them. Choosing between keeping young players in the first team and sending them out on loan is always a very tough balance to achieve when it comes to their development.

There’s going to be a lot of interesting stuff with Brandon Aguilera. Preseason could be an opportunity to see what Nuno thinks of him after he returns from his loan, especially since Cooper really rated him. Will he be ready for the starting lineup, or would a loan be a better option? Given his talent and high regard, Forest will need to make a significant choice regarding this player.

Regarding just adding the occasional player, I concur. Not too much, in my opinion, is needed. Nuno wants to work with a small squad, and he made that clear in January, so that will remain the case for the upcoming campaign.

Both incomings and outgoings will occur. Only a few new additions, in my opinion, are necessary. I hope there isn’t a significant overhaul because I believe the core of a strong team is in place. Should they manage to hold onto Gibbs-White and Murillo, as well as Anthony Elanga, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Neco Williams, Forest will have some talented young players to build around. All of them are extremely gifted young athletes with many more years of playing ahead of them. There is potential.

This summer is going to be exciting. There is a lot riding on getting it right if Forest hopes to advance and start strong the following season.

I’m hoping Taiwo Awoniyi will be ready to go.

A: Since he has just returned from a lengthy absence, it would be surprising if he started on Saturday. Prior to this most recent injury, Forest had been managing him cautiously after he had missed a significant portion of the season following groyne surgery. They’ll undoubtedly act in the same manner this time around. They won’t want to take a chance on a setback of any kind just before summer.

Seeing him again against Sheffield United was fantastic. He provides Nuno with an additional choice; a substitute who can enter the game and score a goal. Forest were a little short on options in that area without him. That’s where Awoniyi’s return will be significant.

A few weeks prior, I would have predicted that he would find it difficult to overtake Chris Wood in the starting lineup because Wood was so hot. But Wood has become less accurate in front of goal in the last few games. I sincerely hope he regains it, as it would be truly unfortunate if his season ends with a tonne of wasted opportunities following that incredible run he had.

Nuno now at least has the choice to switch to Awoniyi in the event that Wood struggles in the final two games. I believe it would be a stretch for him to start against Chelsea because he came on fairly late the previous weekend.

Not even a few weeks following his recovery from the groyne surgery, he appeared to be somewhat impaired. This time, I’m sure Forest will keep that in mind.

Hopefully, he can overcome his unfortunate injury history and make a serious impact on the team the following season. He’s a real handful who scores goals when he’s in peak physical and mental condition.

You understand perfectly why we purchased Ibrahim Sangare. I hope he plays well because there’s room for a strong No. 6 to defend the back four (assuming we stay up).

A: Sangare was brought in as the club record signing and was expected to be a game-changer, so I feel a little sorry for him. Forest thought he was a player who could change the way the game was played. He was regarded as a key member of the group that was hoping to advance this season.

However, it’s obvious that he’s had trouble adjusting to English football and the Premier League. Not that he is the only one who thinks so. Not just at Forest, but for many players as well, time is extremely valuable. You can search through the years, examine various teams, and locate instances of players who required some time to acclimatise.

Before going out on loan, Orel Mangala had a better season in his second year at Forest. It took him some time to adjust to the Premier League’s physicality and speed. It took Taiwo Awoniyi some time to get comfortable.

More players than others adjust to a new league and nation more quickly. Some require time. Sangare, in my opinion, belongs in the latter group.

He is still a good player in my opinion, and I think he can improve. He’s not on the team and finding it difficult to even get minutes off the bench, so his confidence is probably going to be pretty low right now. He hasn’t been involved at a pivotal point in the season, and I’m sure that will hurt. He will undoubtedly be disappointed with how things have turned out because he came to Forest expecting to be a big performer with regular playing time. Forest will need to be aware of the psychological aspects of things.

Hopefully, he will benefit greatly from preseason. He can spend some time working with the manager and his teammates on the training pitch while he gets his fitness up to par. I hope that helps him and we get to see the best of him the following season.

It’s just a matter of getting him going because his position can be so crucial. Hasn’t midfield been a major source of issues? Nuno still can’t seem to find the ideal equilibrium there. He has made some significant cuts and changes, so there will be plenty of chances for someone to make an impression the following season.

Do you believe Nuno will manage the team the following season?

A lot has come up for Nuno in his tenure as leader. He has a lot on his plate—losing players to the AFCON, making all the referee decisions, and the drama surrounding the points deduction.

However, head coaches and managers are paid to handle any situation that comes their way. Most bosses struggle with at least a few things. However, Forest and Nuno’s circumstance has been somewhat unusual.

Indeed, I believe things have gotten better under him. But just how much is up for debate.

Although Forest has been playing more aggressively and better overall, the results haven’t always followed. A portion of that can be attributed to the decisions made by the referee, but Forest has also lost points on occasion of their own. You can cite several instances in which they were the architects of their own demise.

In my opinion, Nuno should have a proper preseason to work with the team, essentially start fresh the following season, and have the chance to add a few players. then observe the outcome.

That depends on Forest remaining awake. The summer would look completely different if the worst happened.

However, Evangelos Marinakis will undoubtedly want the upcoming season to focus on advancement if Forest survives. That was meant to be the situation this year, so I find it hard to believe he will envision playing in a relegation struggle for a third season.

Whether it’s correct or not, Marinakis has made it very evident that he wants Forest to be playing at a higher level. Although I believe it will take some time, the owner is a very driven individual who desires advancement.

Next season, improvement will be needed; Forest will be attempting to get back on track. Nuno deserves some time to try that, in my opinion.