Before a ball was kicked, Nottingham Forest supporters would have snapped your hands off in support of the team’s season opener.
With seven points after six games, Steve Cooper’s team is now ranked 12th in the Premier League. With the exception of their dull Carabao Cup loss to Burnley, Forest has not performed terribly in their losses this year.
The optimism level around the City Ground has increased as a result of valiant efforts at Arsenal, Manchester United, and Manchester City, despite the fact that all three teams lost. The Forest club that was routinely and with little resistance defeated away from home last season is not the same one.
The Reds’ first victory at Chelsea since 1997 is another evidence that they have found a winning recipe away from Trentside. Forest currently appear to be a top-tier team.
But even if Forest has a favorable schedule of games through the end of October, the Premier League is exceedingly merciless, as is frequently the case.
Cooper’s team opens its schedule with a Sunday home game against a stuttering Brentford team, then travels to Crystal Palace on Saturday, October 7, before facing a stuttering Luton Town outfit on October 21.
Then things start to get a little complicated. On October 29, there is a trip to Liverpool, then Aston Villa at home, West Ham away, and then surging Brighton. Not exactly the perfect slate of games for any squad.
For Forest, the upcoming months may go one of two ways. They will have a slight advantage before a dreadful schedule of games if they win their next three games or accumulate at least seven points.
However, the Reds will be under pressure heading into four challenging games if they drop points or even lose. As seen by their successful achievements this season against the major opponents, Forest, that may suit them.
After a good start to the year, Forest now finds themselves in a pivotal phase that could alter how they are perceived for the remainder of the campaign. There are three major performances coming up.
