Nuno debunks ‘biggest load of rubbish ever’ at Forest as Spurs fans ‘still moaning’
Nottingham Forest are enjoying an incredible season under manager Nuno Espirito Santo, who is being hailed for rebuilding his reputation following his work at Tottenham.
The 51-year-old took charge at The City Ground back in December 2023, returning to the Premier League for the first time since his ill-fated three-month spell in charge of Spurs in 2021.
After guiding his side to safety last season, the Portuguese manager has overseen an even more remarkable turnaround in the current campaign.
As well as currently being firmly in the race for Champions League qualification, Nottingham Forest will face Man City in the semi finals of the FA Cup at Wembley on Sunday (27 April).
Now, Nuno has come in for considerable praise for the work he is doing with the club, bucking current trends and vindicating his methods after a tough time in his previous Premier League job.
Nuno Espirito Santo hailed amid style of play debate
This season, a counter-attacking style of play has been a major source of success for Nuno and his team, meaning they have often been happy to sit back defensively.
That has led to questions over whether this Nottingham Forest team is actually a good one to watch, splitting opinions among some.
However, Kris Boyd does not believe that should be a concern, suggesting that Nuno deserves to be hailed for what he is doing with the club.
The former Rangers striker suggested that Tottenham fans who were unhappy with their style of play under the Portuguese boss, are now still fed up despite that approach changing since his exit, as they go through chaos under Ange Postecoglou.
| Nuno Espirito Santo as Nottingham Forest manager | Total (from Transfermarkt) |
| Played | 62 |
| Won | 28 |
| Drawn | 12 |
| Lost | 22 |
| Goals Scored | 114 |
| Goals Conceded | 102 |
After being asked on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday whether Nuno and Nottingham Forest are being given enough credit, Boyd said (12:24pm): “No, because everybody’s fooled with this style of play right now, of you’ve got to split, play out from the back, play through the lines, it’s all possession-based. It’s the biggest load of rubbish ever.
“Because Nottingham Forest are about to blow it out of the water. They’re a counter-attacking team, they thrive on defending as a unit.”
Having then pointed out similar tactics worked for Man United during their dramatic late win over Lyon in the Europa League, Boyd continued: “So if you’re telling me that’s the best opportunity to score a goal, why don’t you do it from the first whistle?
“For me, looking at Nottingham Forest, Nuno, yeah I would say he’s been scarred by the whole Tottenham thing, it didn’t work out. He’s used to teams that have been underdogs, Wolves, the job he done there, fantastic.
“Tried to implement it at Spurs, didn’t work. They want the ‘Spurs way’, whatever that is. They’ve got it right now and they’re still moaning, they’re never happy.
“You look at what Nuno has done at Nottingham Forest, the recruitment has been spot on. They’ve went in, they’ve recruited the players that they needed to play his way. That’s his style as a manager and he’s reaping the benefits of it…
“It’s not easy in this day and age when there’s so much outside noise on the style of play and look at the stats. Win games of football, it doesnae matter how you do it, win games of football, that’s all that matters, and they’re doing it.”
Nottingham Forest can be proud of their efforts this season
Football Insider Verdict
At the end of the season, Nottingham Forest will judge their season based on the results they have gained, rather than how they have played.
That is what will give the club their tangible success, be that a trophy through the FA Cup, or the glamour ties via Champions League qualification.
With the rewards that will bring, both from a financial and football perspective, that is far more important than what people think about how they play.
As a result, Nuno certainly deserves credit for finding a way to get the club into that position, when considering where they were prior to his arrival.
Indeed, there have been some unforgettable performances for their supporters to enjoy this season, not least when Nottingham Forest thrashed Brighton 7-0 at The City Ground earlier in the year.
All of that means everyone connected with the club can hold their high over this season, and winning the FA Cup or qualifying for Europe would be well deserved reward for that.