It is not often Nottingham Forest are leading the Premier League in any particular statistic.
At least, certainly not in a positive sense.
But as Nuno Espirito Santo’s Nottingham Forest side prepare for Chelsea in Sunday afternoon’s early kick-off, the two-time European champions can say – for today at least – that they are currently leading the way in England’s top flight in one key metric.
It was put to Nuno, during his Friday press conference, that none of the Premier League’s regular goalkeepers have faced fewer shots so far in 2024/25 than Matz Sels.
The Belgian also sits joint second in the Golden Glove standings, behind only Andre Onana, David Raya and Alisson Becker.
So while a fine defensive record has some suggesting that Nottingham Forest have finally solved their goalkeeping issues – £5 man Sels the fifth first-choice shot-stopper since their promotion back to the big-time in 2022 – the fact that the one-time Newcastle United glovesman has had relatively little to do between the sticks owes much to those putting their bodies on the line to keep him quiet.
Nuno Espirito Santo hails Nottingham Forest defensive record
“It’s always important [to stop the other team creating chances], no matter which opponent,” Nuno explains, Forest’s frontline operating effectively as the first line of their defence.
“You have to understand which traits they have and how to stop them. The team has been solid in this aspect.
“It’s the team’s work. [It is] not only about the defensive line and midfield. It starts from the pressure in front, covering the spaces.
“It is going to be very important against Chelsea because they have good players and they play good football.”
Only top-of-the-table Liverpool have a better defensive record than Forest’s so far. This is quite the improvement, then, given that Nuno’s side came out of last season with the fourth-most goals conceded in the whole of the Premier League.
An outstanding partnership of Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic has certainly helped. Former Fiorentina colossus Milenkovic is proving to be a Nottingham Forest bargain at just £12 million, winning the club’s Player of the Month award for September.
The East Midland giants delivered the only defeat of the Arne Slot era at Liverpool in September too. Forest will need to be just as solid and well-drilled if they are to claim all three points at Stamford Bridge for second time in 13 months this weekend.
Nottingham Forest will welcome back England international Morgan Gibbs-White from suspension, thouhg Nuno may be tempted to leave Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi on the bench in favour of the four-man midfield which worked wonders against Liverpool.
Nuno shares plan to stop Chelsea and Cole Palmer at Stamford Bridge
“It will require a lot of hard work from our players,” adds Nuno, looking ahead to that clash with a Cole Palmer-inspired Chelsea. “It is always about the team, the spaces [we can prevent], the organisation.
“There is definitely a lot of talent in Chelsea’s squad. We have to be really, really ready. That is what we [prepared for in training] today and what we are going to do tomorrow.”
Nuno admits that he has no tailor-made plan to stop Palmer in full flow, preferring instead to focus on Chelsea as a collective. He is also urging Forest to focus not only on keeping The Blues out but also on creating chances at the other end.
“That is the big issue in football, finding the balance between the work in both boxes,” adds the former Wolves boss. “But we are producing a lot of situations.
“We should be more clinical. I believe we are going to improve but being solid and compact is the basics in football.
“We cannot ignore [the threat of Palmer] but that is not the game plan. Chelsea is much more than the individual players. It’s about reducing the spaces of the talented players.
“If we can in some way prevent the good players, we are doing good work. It is about the team, how we can manage these players.”
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