“Will this be the old forest?”: Max Hayes at Nottingham Forest’s remarkable season

Nottingham Forest’s crushing 5-0 defeat against Bournemouth felt to see a slow movement train wreck. Their undefeated races were always bound to end, but when the inevitable collapse came, it was more devastating than fans had feared.

For forest supporters, this season has felt like a long -awaited dream. Especially the younger generation is really undamaged territory. But with the aim of expanding their undefeated races to 10 matches in all competitions, they stumbled against a team they haven’t beaten since 2015.

Bournemouth away would always be tough as this season unlikely challengers went head-to-head. Although it was only Forest’s fifth loss of the campaign, the extent of the defeat is difficult to ignore – especially for a page usually so defensively solid.

Now the inevitable question is well: Is this the beginning of the end, the inevitable drop-off that many have expected the whole season?

Built -in from Getty Images

The club’s meteoric increase – from narrowly avoiding relegation to becoming European challengers – has even surpassed the wildest expectations of their most hopeful followers.

Such a fan is Max Hayes, journalist, TV company and host of Garibaldi Red – A Nottingham Forest Podcast. At the forefront of the season, Max brave A12th-Place-Finish-a forecast, which was considered optimistic, to put it mildly.

“When you’re a page at the bottom of the Premier League that fought against relegation both seasons, plus a point deduction last season, I just hoped this season would be a little more stable,” Max told it Sports Gazette, Before the Bournemouth match.

“I would be completely lying if I said there was something glimpse of hope in my mind that we would be challenging for European football. I thought the highest we could finish was tenth. “

Who could blame him? After completing the 16th and 17th of their first two seasons back in the top flight for 23 years, the success that followed seemed unimaginable. Still, we’re here – Forest is currently in third place in the league, three points ahead of Manchester City, with only 15 games left.

The Nuno effect

Throw your mind back to December 2023 – Forest with only one win in 13 games, and Steve Cooper fired after two years in charge. He would always be a tough act to follow, perhaps not in performance, but in the heart of forest fans. After all, he took over when the club was the bottom of the championship and brought them to play-off glory.

Built -in from Getty Images

It was Nuno Espírito Santo who subsequently picked up the mantle. After distinguishing himself at Wolves, but wandering in Tottenham, he returned to the Premier League with a scary task ahead.

Once again, Forest had been in a battle for survival and sat only somewhere over the relegation zone. That’s exactly where they were done, only securing their top-flight status on the last day.

While his early employment period was solid, there was little indication that Forest would soon be in violation of a Champions League space.

“The key to the turnaround? You will have to put it down to Nuno, ”declared Max.

“Summer set up forest for a perfect season. We flew quietly under the radar with the signings we made. Given where we have been with Marinakis in the past, and the mistakes made by Greek ownership, this time they seemed to hire the right people, bring in the right players and make the right decisions. “

The foundation of Forest’s impressive season has been their apparent rock solid defense. Even after the recent loss, only Arsenal, Liverpool and Bournemouth have admitted fewer goals. Much of the honor goes to Nikola Milenković, the signing of £ 12m from Fiorentina, which turns out to be excellent value for money.

Max added: “I also think if you want to put it down to a word, I would say ‘get -together’.

“Everyone is together and pulling in the same direction from the top to the bottom of the club. We talked about the culture Steve Cooper created in the championship, and Nuno has done a good job of building on it. “

Built -in from Getty Images

He also pointed out, “There are players in this forest team who effectively dispose of their careers.”

Take, for example, Neco Williams – once written off by Liverpool fans. Callum Hudson-Odoi fought for an almost career end injury while Anthony Elanga fought Manchester United. Ola Aina was a free agent before coming to Forest. Then there are Chris Wood and Matz Sels – both doubted, but still challenging for Golden Boot and Golden Glove respectively.

“All of these players have had to pull together. It’s about the device in the football club – that’s what’s different. The right decisions are made and we have a brilliant manager in Nuno. “

How far can Forest go?

With only 15 remaining matches, the league is still incredibly open. Bournemouth marked the start of a tough race where Brighton visited the city’s land today. Then Forest is facing the other four teams that have best them this season: Fulham, Newcastle, Arsenal and Man City.

Was Bournemouth a sign of things that would come for the difficult trees, or can they jump back towards a Brighton side that also rolled from defeat last weekend?

“It’s a really difficult race,” Max said. “But then again, if you walked around the terraces at City Ground, most people would tell you that we won’t fear anyone this season.

“Each game is difficult in the Premier League. Even against Southampton – the first half was a breeze, so suddenly, in the last 20 minutes, we worry. You bite your nails and think, ‘Will this be the old forest? Should we throw it away? ‘

“They have to maintain energy, persistence and desire that they have shown the whole season, and hope to be transferred to each game.”

Built -in from Getty Images

Nottingham Forest played at the end of Europe in the 1995-96 season and reached the UEFA Cup quarterfinals. They have not competed in the top level of European football since 1980-81. For the first time in decades, the dream lives.

“When you think back to the summer, no one expected the forest to be in this position. They just have to continue to do what they are doing, and if we are still in the conversation in a month’s time, we can continue to dry to dream.

“I really think we want to buy tickets for place,” Max revealed before the Bournemouth match. “Forest plays European football next season – whether in the Europa League or Champions League.”

A new hope

Only time will show if Forest can transform their European dream into reality. But no matter what happens this season or in the coming years, this feels like a moment fans will tell their grandchildren about.

Everyone is aware of Forest’s great story, but that’s exactly what it is – history. For a whole generation of followers, the Premier League football remains a relatively new reality that they still adapt.

“It’s been as special as someone who has followed the club all my life, especially considering all the turbulent times. I still remember my first game when Forest was in the depth of the championship, right after we had just come up from League One. “

Once upon a time, the Forest-Liverpool clash was the highlight of the football calendar. In the late 1970s, they were the dominant forces of English football. Since then, however, one has remained at the top while the other slid away.

Until this season, that is, when Forest claimed their first victory at Anfield of 55 years.

Built -in from Getty Images

“When I was standing at the end, I looked at that result and thought,” is this the start of something special? “And it was obviously. It has certainly been the highlight.

“It was such a special moment for both the older and younger generation of fans.”

With a 1-1 draw at City Ground, Forest has secured four points against Liverpool-there, the only team that beat them. Since then, however, Forest has fought defensively and admitted to another seven goals in only two matches.

Max added: “It’s also special for the city of Nottingham, which has seen some terrible times recently. We really put Nottingham back on the map – both as a city and as a football city. Long it must continue. It’s just been brilliant. “

Eventually, when he was asked for an updated prediction, he said, “I think Forest will end the fourth. If not, my original prediction of 12 is still in order. “