GOODBYE: He announced his resignation today….
It has been a colourful and challenging 2023 for Nottingham Forest. Steve Cooper’s side did achieve their primary objective of simply securing Premier League safety, but the year ended with the head coach being replaced in its final weeks.
Following another busy summer of transfer activity, progress has been stuttering in recent times — and a run of one win in 13 league games ended with Cooper departing. He has been replaced by former Wolves and Tottenham head coach, Nuno Espirito Santo.
When it comes to creating calm amid the chaos of life at Forest, Cooper had done a respectable job for much of 2023. But as we head into 2024, another new chapter is beginning at the City Ground.
Here’s a look at how another eventful year unfolded for Forest as their Premier League adventure continues.
Was it the moment safety was secured against Arsenal at a jubilant City Ground? Or was it the party that followed at Crystal Palace.
Taiwo Awoniyi’s goal was enough to ensure Nottingham Forest would enjoy a second season in the Premier League against Arsenal and upped the volume in the stadium to truly ridiculous levels. It also confirmed the end of Arsenal’s title aspirations.
All that mattered was finishing outside of the bottom three and that was achieved with a game to spare.
But that did not stop the fans who made the painful journey to Crystal Palace on the final day from partying from the first minute to the last. The memory of Brennan Johnson waving a blow-up doll during the celebrations at the end will live long in the memory.
You don’t have to go too far back for this — the 5-0 defeat at Fulham in early December. It was the worst performance of Steve Cooper’s tenure and one that felt as though it might be the last.
It was enough to prompt Evangelos Marinakis to leave his seat in the stand at Craven Cottage early. His accreditation was subsequently found in a nearby bush.
It was also enough for the Forest hierarchy to effectively decide to make a change; to make contact with several potential replacements for Cooper, including Julen Lopetegui.
The constant vocal backing from the fans throughout the game will live long in the memory, however. That was far from a low point. They were brilliant from start to finish. The same could not be said for many of the players, unfortunately. While Fulham would not be his last game, it was the start of Cooper’s end.
Collecting the ball in the centre circle, Murillo could see a bit of space opening up in front of him at Selhurst Park.
What followed would have qualified as Forest’s goal of the season… had the defender managed to squeeze the ball home.
Instead his incredible driving, twisting run, all the way into the penalty area — which took him beyond at least three opposition players — was followed by a double save from Palace keeper Sam Johnstone.
He might be Brazilian, but you do not expect to see such moments from central defenders — at least not since Wes Morgan last pulled on the Garibaldi.
Taiwo Awoniyi. His 10 Premier League goals helped keep Forest up last season and his absence in recent weeks, through injury, has shown just how important he is to the side.
Forest just do not look like the same team without him. The Nigerian is not a target man but he does become the fulcrum of Forest’s attacks. He can play on the shoulder of the last man or carry the ball and his strength and pace both occupy the minds of opposition defenders. This leaves gaps for other players to exploit.
His six goals in May were truly vital during the run-in — and he began the current campaign by scoring in three consecutive games.
Awoniyi always plays with a smile on his face and Forest are just not as happy without him.
It is hard not to ask the question of whether Cooper would still be in charge had Awoniyi not been sidelined with a groin problem.
Colin Fray’s commentary on Radio Nottingham summed things up perfectly when, relatively early in the build-up, he points out, “This is as much possession as Nottingham Forest have had in the entire game…”
From the moment Keylor Navas played the ball out, there were 19 passes. Every single player had a touch.
The tempo was upped as Brennan Johnson and Morgan Gibbs-White exchanged passes down the right side. Gibbs-White delivered an inch-perfect cross to the far post, where Chris Wood arrived to net an equaliser against Manchester City on February 18.
It is one of the best team goals that the City Ground has witnessed in a long time — and one that City themselves would have been proud of.