Nottingham Forest are now third in the Premier League table, and the club’s fans hope to compete in Europe next season.
Nuno Espirito Santo has been the mastermind behind the season’s success thus far. Evangelos Marinakis nearly fired Espirito Santo last season, but he’s now reaping the benefits of his faith.
There have been several standout performances this season. Forest defeated Liverpool away at Anfield, Manchester United at Old Trafford, and most recently thrashed Brighton at the City Ground.
Espirito Santo emphasizes in each of his news conferences that it’s all about the players. However, it is difficult to deny him part of the credit for his rapid surge up the Premier League rankings.
A Nottingham Forest statistic dispels a fallacy about Espirito Santo.
Jamie Redknapp has praised Forest this season. Some other commentators haven’t been as kind, albeit Gary Lineker has reversed his pre-season forecasts for the club.
Some have argued that Forest are strong on the counter and have used it as a large stick to beat the club. It’s almost as if every other type of play that doesn’t follow Pep Guardiola’s blueprint is frowned upon as undesirable.
Some statistics have emerged that debunk the assumption that Espirito Santo is a negative manager. Indeed, the new information indicates that he is now hesitant to make good changes in matches.
The Athletic has compiled some statistics on each team’s in-game tactical modifications throughout the season. Forest have made 19 changes, more than any other team, ahead of West Ham, who have made 14 in-game alterations.
Espirito Santo deserves roses for his forest work.
Whether it was an ill-fated tenure with Tottenham or not, Espirito Santo deserves a lot of credit for what he’s done as Forest’s head coach.
He was an excellent coach for Wolves, guiding them to Europe in two consecutive seasons after leading the team to the Championship championship prior to those feats.
Espirito Santo is grounded, hardworking, and frequently discusses the we and the use, as opposed to the I, which some of his predecessors have been guilty of.
These figures show that he merits his roses for what he does at Forest. He’s capable of making a difference in critical times, and something has certainly clicked for him on Trentside this season.
