Nottingham Forest: From Bottom of the League to The Edge Glory
Nottingham Started the season with barely any new players, took on a seven-game winless streak, and was at the bottom of the league after eight games. No one thought Nottingham Forest could go anywhere after a horrible start in the Championship. However, they proved everyone wrong with a magical journey to Wembley. Let’s go back to where things started.
On the eighth of August 2021, a two-one loss to Coventry City marked a hellish journey for Forest fans. The team did not win any of the next seven games across the upcoming six weeks. They had one point on the table and were dead last in 24th in the Championship rankings. The Forest board realized the team needed changes. One day after the team’s sixth loss of the season, Chris Hughton was fired from his managerial position. Steve Cooper took over soon after with the team and fans expected to fight in the relegation battle. Everyone was right about Forest fighting in a battle, but they were wrong about which battle they would be fighting in.
After Hughton’s departure, Forest quickly regained their footing. The reds went on a six-game undefeated streak, winning five of the games. This spell of form put Forest in the midfield. They were stumped by Fulham with a four-zero defeat; but this didn’t seem to stop them for long. They went on another undefeated streak. This time, the streak lasted for nine games, winning four games and drawing five, boosting the team to the top half of the table. Even though they lost two matches before the end of 2021, they were still able to secure a solid ninth place as the year draw to a close.
Nottingham found a different kind of form in 2022. They came out of the gate swinging as they knocked Premier League side Arsenal out of the FA Cup and went on a three-game winning streak in the Championship. Cardiff City was able to temporarily slow Forest down by defeating them, but that will be the last match Forest loses for the upcoming three months. A 10-game undefeated streak put Forest in third place and in contention for promotion.
In the English Championship League, the top two teams will be automatically promoted into the top flight, which is the Premier League. The third and last promotion spot will be decided in a playoff tournament between third place to sixth place. With seven games to go, Forest found themselves in a secure spot for the promotion playoffs and the automatic promotion spot in reach.
In the last seven games of the champions season, Nottingham Forest managed four wins, one draw, and two losses, capturing 13 of 21 possible points. In the promotion battle, this was not enough for automatic promotion as the eight points Forest missed out on is the margin between them and the second automatic promotion spot. All this means that Forest will have to play in a promotion play-off. However, considering where the team was after the first two months of the season, no one was complaining, as no one thought Forest would make it anywhere near the promotion battle.
Forest faced Sheffield United in the first round of the playoffs. Forest has yet to beat Sheffield this season before the playoffs. Both of their previous meetings ended up in draws. In the first leg of the first round, this record changed as Forest defeated Sheffield, winning the game two to one. The second leg rolled around and Nottingham Forest had to defend their one-goal lead at home.
Forest had a good start, Brennan Johnson opened the scoring in the 19th minute, extending Forest’s lead to two goals into half-time. Tables turned quickly in Sheffield’s favor after half-time. Morgan Gibbs-White scored to half Forest’s lead just two minutes after the break. Sheffield’s John Fleck dealt the devastating blow by equaling the aggregate scoreline in the 75th minute. After 90 minutes of regular time, the aggregate score stayed three-three and proceeded into extra time. 30 minutes of extra time was also not enough to determine the winner, and the winner will be determined by penalties.
The end of one team’s season will be determined by the next ten or fewer touches of the ball. That is the cruelty of a penalty shootout, it doesn’t matter how good or bad a team has played, a team will win by scoring more penalties than the other. Sheffield won the coin toss and they decided to be the team to start the penalty shootout, attempting to put pressure on Forest. Little did they know, Forest was prepared for this situation. Forest’s goalkeeper Brice Samba was given a water bottle that had information on all the potential penalty takers written on it. The notes told Samba where these Sheffield players will most likely put their penalties.
Samba’s water bottle cheat sheet was found by a fan after the game.
Credit: @issacjennings80/twitter
The first one on Samba’s list was Oliver Norwood. The first player that stepped up for Sheffield was also Norwood. Norwood aimed for the keeper’s right side, Samba dived to the right. Samba fully extended his left arm to palm the ball away from goal, performing an excellent save. This takes the pressure off the Forest players and the advantage away from Sheffield. Johnson steps up for Forest and converts to give them the lead. Conor Hourihane is the second player to step up for Sheffield and he is also second on Samba’s cheatsheet. Hourihane goes down the middle, and Samba got it right again. He stayed planted and made his second penalty save. Cafú converts for Forest to put them two-zero up in the shootout. Sander Berge, Steve Cook, and Iliman Ndiaye all scored their respective penalties. The scoreline was three-two for Forest when Joe Lolley stepped up to take the penalty for the Reds. Lolley missed the goal completely with a horrible penalty that flew right over the goal. Samba has to step up again.
If Samba saves, Forest will advance to the finals. Gibbs-White took the ball to the penalty spot for Sheffield, he was number five on the list for Samba. A stadium packed with 30 thousand people was dead quiet. Tension in the air could be cut with a knife. Gibbs-White takes a stuttering run-up and goes right, Samba dived right as well. The ball hits Samba in the torso and rolls away from the goal. Forest fans erupt as players rush over to celebrate with Samba. They have done it, they are final-bound.
From the bottom of the league to the club’s first playoffs final in history, no one would have predicted this result. Forest will step foot in the most prestigious stadium in England, Wembley, to play for the last promotion spot. They will play against Huddersfield who they have played three times this season. Forest has a record of two wins and one loss against them. Nottingham Forest has not played in the Premier League since 1999 and they are now only one win away from the top flight again. Will they have the fairy tale ending to their miracle season? We will find out on the 29th of May.
