Nottingham Forest have made a pretty solid start to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign and currently have 10 points from the first seven matches.
The current international break has allowed Nuno Espirito Santo to take stock of the first two months of the campaign and plan for the future.
After the break, Forest face three of their next four games on home soil and it represents a great time for a winning formula to be found on home soil.
Forest won some neutrals over during their last outing – a 1-1 draw with a rampant Chelsea side and in that fixture there were a number of top performers.
Joe Hart felt that Matz Sels had won Forest a point with his efforts in goal, whilst Ally McCoist declared how much he loves Chris Wood as a striker.
Some pundits have already been forced to backtrack, with Richards and Shearer guilty of derogatory Forest comments before a ball was kicked this season.
The landscape has changed when it comes to the opinion on Forest and it would appear that a positive season could now be in the offing.
Chris Sutton makes Nottingham Forest prediction
Sutton is actually a boyhood Forest fan and recently he’s been quite complimentary when it comes to praising the team for their efforts.
It’s clear that he’s warming to Espirito Santo, following some rather harsh comments about him last season.
Still, the form was poor at times during 2023/24 and Sutton – like others – was right to express concern over where the club were heading.
There are no such fears this time around and Sutton has shared where he thinks the club might finish over the course of the current campaign.
He said on the It’s All Kicking Off podcast: “Last season he went in there and he wanted to stamp his imprint on the team and it’s taken time.
“This season there is a club there that certainly aren’t going to get relegated.
“At this moment, Forest look like they could finish in mid-table and at the start of the season I wouldn’t have believed that. They look to be a club heading in the right direction.”
Forest have to show they can progress in the Premier League
If Forest can sort the mediocre home form out then the club really would be laughing.
Away from home, Forest have taken eight points from four games and that is including trips to Liverpool, Brighton and Chelsea.
At home, it’s been more of a struggle with just two points obtained from clashes with Bournemouth, Wolves and Fulham at the City Ground.
Espirito Santo will be under no illusions that he has to kick on this season and winning football matches at home is likely to provide the key to that.
Finishing in mid-table is perhaps till ambitious but aiming to be the top club in the bottom half does – at this stage – feel like a realistic target.
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