As the dust settles on another Nottingham Forest victory this weekend, Nuno Espirito Santo may see the win against Aston Villa as a watershed moment.
Although Forest has been fantastic this season, the Reds have not come from behind to win any of their previous seven triumphs in 2024/24, prior to the one against Villa.
When Jhon Duran put Villa ahead, it appeared to be the end of the game, but a VAR call against Forest seven minutes later changed everything.
That seemed to galvanize the Reds, and after Nikola Milenkovic equalised, there only seemed to be one winner, and Anthony Elanga slammed home three minutes into stoppage time, bringing the City Ground to life.
Theo Walcott lauded Elanga after the game, and his goal was the first he’d scored since February, and the delight was evident on his face.
Gary Lineker even felt Forest were unlucky with VAR, but head coach Espirito Santo later made some curious comments about his team’s ascent up the table.
Nuno Espirito Santo makes comments that Steve Cooper would be proud of
It took over a year, but Espirito Santo appears to have come out of his shell.
Evangelos Marinakis almost fired Espirito Santo twice last season, but he must be delighted that he did not fire the head coach.
One of the fan base’s complaints about Espirito Santo last season was that he wasn’t always charismatic during news conferences.
Following in the footsteps of Cooper must have been difficult because he was the polar opposite, enjoying weekly press interviews.
Cooper’s main point was to talk about the ‘we’, the ‘us’, and the entire community rather than just considering it as a place of employment.
After defeating Villa, Espirito Santo is finally there, and his critics may have nowhere to go after this.
He told BBC Sport: “The supporters had a significant role in the game today. Moments like this benefit the squad in ways that extend beyond football. It is about the boys’ hearts and desires.
“We attempt every day to create something wonderful that we can associate with the club and the city as a whole. It’s an essential point in our lives when circumstances go against you and you react; that’s what I value the most.”
Espirito Santo finally wins Forest cynics around
It took some time, but the Forest’s head coach now deserves flowers.
Espirito Santo has been a patient head coach, and he definitely benefited from a complete pre-season with his squad.
When it comes to football, the difference between now and a year ago, when Cooper was still working, is truly night and day.
Cooper will always be remembered by Forest fans, and Espirito Santo appears to be on his way to etching his name into the club’s legacy as well.
