Nottingham Forest predictions: Can Nuno bring stability?

- Nottingham Forest lost 11 of their 21 games under Nuno Espirito Santo last season
- Forest finished six points and one place lower than they did in 2022-23
- Recommended bet: Nuno Espirito Santo to be the next manager to leave

Last season brought more of the same for Nottingham Forest, with a wave of new signings and a tough relegation battle. Nuno Espirito Santo was brought in to replace Steve Cooper in December and he at least managed to secure a third consecutive year of Premier League football.

Forest were able to survive despite being hit with a four-point deduction and financial worries will likely cloud their 2024-25 campaign. With the club looking more restrained in the market this summer, Nuno has a job on his hands keeping them clear of danger again. 

Last season

Forest once again spent much of the campaign fighting relegation. After Cooper led them to 38 points and 16th place in 2022-23, they slipped a little in their second season.

After their four-point deuction, Forest finished on 32 points but even with those points back, they would have still finished 17th.

While last season was a positive overall, Forest’s points tally has to be a concern. They were helped by a weak trio of promoted teams, with Luton the best of the bunch with just 26 points.

Their away form was a problem for Forest again last season, with the club suffering 11 defeats on the road. 

Manager

Nuno has a solid track record after his success at Wolves, while his brief stint at Tottenham appears to have closed the door on a top job. The former Porto boss does not offer the most inspiring football, but he can build solid foundations.

That did not fully materialise for Forest last season, as they conceded 37 goals in 21 games under the Portuguese boss. Having lost 11 of his 21 games in charge, questions still remain about Nuno’s prospects of a long-term stay at the City Ground. 

Transfers

Forest’s busy first two summers in the Premier League were necessary to build up a squad that was promoted on the back of loan signings. However, that churn was never sustainable and this window has seen them bring in just four senior players.

The club's statement signing is Newcastle’s Elliot Anderson, while the additions of goalkeeper Carlos Miguel and defender Nikola Milenkovic add height to a defence that struggled against set pieces last season. 

The departures of Odysseas Vlachodimos, Brandon Aguilera, Orel Mangala and Moussa Niakhate will not impact them much. The hope is those deals help balance the 2023-24 books, as they were all completed by early July. 

Strengths and weaknesses

Forest have some good options going forward, with Chris Wood springing into life under Nuno last term as he scored 11 goals in 16 appearances in the league after the new manager arrived. This season will be a test of how sustainable that form was.

Nuno also has creative talents in Morgan Gibbs-White, Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi. Unfortunately, their main issues lie in defence, meaning this is not a squad that typically fits the manager's approach.

The club will once again be fearing another sanction from the Premier League as they have signed 17 players since July last year, which is a lot to balance out.

Best outright bet

There is talent in this Forest squad which could see them kick on, but this still does not seem like a settled team. Another punishment could push them into trouble, and is something the club will likely fear. 

Owner Evangelos Marinakis has seen seven permanent managers and three caretakers in his seven years in charge. Last term they dispensed of Cooper while 17th. The club were failing to pull away from the bottom three with a points deduction to come and Marinakis could be proactive in that regard once again.

With transfer activity now limited too, a managerial change might be seen as necessary to jolt Forest if they make a bad start.

Nuno to be the next manager to depart looks like a big price for a club where five of their previous seven full-time bosses have lasted no more than 12 months. 

Back Nuno Espirito Santo to be the next manager to leave at 10/1 with LiveScore Bet.