The Nottingham Forest 2022/23 season preview and prediction was originally printed in the Season Preview edition of FourFourTwo. Subscribe today!
For Nottingham Forest’s first Premier League campaign in nearly a quarter of a century, the primary target will not be survival, but beating Derby’s record-low 11 points total. Even in such rarefied company, local pride trumps most things. More tangibly, of course staying up will be the number one aim, and Forest have as good a chance as any promoted team.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis is ambitious, which in these situations is a quick way of saying “he’ll spend a lot of cash” – £17m has gone on former Liverpool frontman Taiwo Awoniyi, who averaged a goal every other game for Union Berlin in the Bundesliga last term. Four of last season’s key players were loans – Djed Spence has moved elsewhere – so summer business will have to pay off, but survival is more than possible.
Nottingham Forest 2022/23 season preview and prediction: The lesson from last year
Don’t make a mess of this now. The sentiment among Forest fans might initially reek of ‘just happy to be here’, but not within the club.
Planning for the Premier League started well before promotion was secured, and a repeat of last season’s strong recruitment will be required, when ex-Bournemouth pair Sam Surridge and the experienced centre-back Steve Cook really helped from January.
The main lesson, though, is simple: trust Steve Cooper. The boss is loved in the stands and the dressing room like no one since Brian Clough, and the England Under-17 World Cup-winning coach deserves a swing at the top flight.
“I keep using the expression ‘like a whipped dog’,” said defender Joe Worrall. “If you treat any dog with kindness, then they become a nice dog.” Time for this dog to have its day.
The coach: Steve Cooper
Steve Cooper achieved ‘if a Forest fan found him in bed with their partner, they’d tuck him in’ status after taking the club from the foot of the Championship to promotion. The Premier League is a different test, but his tactical nous, 3-4-1-2 system and fine man management suggests he might just succeed.
The owner: Evangelos Marinakis
Patience was starting to wear quite thin with Evangelos Marinakis, as frequent and questionable dugout changes drove supporter apathy. But the shrewd appointment of CEO Dane Murphy and his recruitment team, plus picking Cooper, led to promotion, so the Greek is popular once again. Will have to spend big.
The mood around Forest…
Buoyant barely covers it. 23 years is a long time to be away from the Premier League, and the scenes that followed the play-off final victory over Huddersfield will continue long after the top-flight novelty has worn off. Not even losing play-off shootout cult hero Brice Samba, replaced by Manchester United’s Dean Henderson on loan, can burst this Red balloon.
The one to watch
He’s not Forest’s best player, nor their most important, but it’ll be fascinating to see how Ryan Yates adapts to the elite level. The homegrown midfielder was the source of significant frustration before Cooper grabbed the reins, but his improvement during the promotion season was exceptional.
Most likely to…
Be the second team of sentimental, misty-eyed nostalgists over the age of 30. People often said how Forest were a ‘proper’ team that belonged back in the top tier. Now they have their wish.
Least likely to…
Sustain that status come season’s end. Sure, everyone loves the former kings of Europe’s redemptive arc, but sooner or later they’ll tire of all the whimsical reminiscences with customary Clough mention, and wish they’d just sod off back to the Championship.
The fan's view: Lee Clarke (@Clarkey_No1)
Last season was drab for seven games, then truly amazing from that point.
This season will be different because we’re in the Premier League and won’t have to hear people discussing how we’ll bottle promotion again.
Our key player will be Brennan Johnson. He’s destined for stardom and weighed in with 28 goal contributions last season.
I won’t be happy unless we land the players to make us competitive in the Premier League. Always the aim following promotion, isn’t it?
Our most underrated player is Jack Colback, who was brilliant last season filling in at left-wing-back.
The opposition player who grinds my gears is not Jack Robinson or Louie Sibley this time, so I’ll go for James Maddison. He seemed very sure of himself in our cup win last season. Not an ideal look when you’re losing 4-1 to a Championship team.
The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is that there’s Brian Clough, and just underneath is Steve Cooper. A bit OTT, but he’s revolutionised us from top to bottom. Good football, a clear gameplan and no media-contrived rubbish in his interviews.
If he left, he should be replaced by Sean Dyche, who will probably manage us one day. But I can’t think about Cooper leaving yet.
The player I’d happily drive to another club is Harry Arter. Played 15 times, didn’t look interested once and earns an absolute fortune.
The pantomime villain will be Frank Lampard, for sure. He’ll get some hammer due to his time in charge of that lot along the A52.
The one change I’d make would be giving the City Ground a lick of paint. It’s looking old and tired now.
We’ll finish 15th.
FFT'S VERDICT… 19th
From the ridiculous to sublime, Forest dazzled last term. On paper, this looks steep – but they’ve amazed us once…
