Nottingham Forest needed a miracle to avoid relegation from the Premier League at the first time of asking, and the decision to stick with Steve Cooper amid difficult times eventually paid off.
Nobody gave the Tricky Trees a chance, and if you had told the fans back in August they would end the campaign with the second most injuries in the Premier League (45), even they might have said it was a step too far for their team to stay in the Premier League. But in a season with a record number of sackings, Steve Cooper kept his job and did what was asked of him, helping Nottingham Forest survive with one game to spare thanks to a 1-0 victory over Arsenal at home.
Now as the 2023-24 Premier League fixtures have been released, Forest fans have started looking through the calendar eagerly to pick out the big games over the next nine months. As always, it is crucial to get a strong start to the league campaign and build momentum during the opening rounds. On that note, here are three areas Cooper should improve on next season to avoid a relegation dogfight again.
- Away form
A big part of Nottingham Forest staying in the top flight was down to their home form. The atmosphere at the City Ground was electric throughout the season, with fans cheering and clapping on tackles and challenges as if they were goals. They won 30 (of their total of 37) points at home, which shows how teams found it difficult to play at the City Ground.
On the contrary, it also suggests that Forest were simply awful away from home. Their away form was the worst in the division, with just eight points amassed and a goal difference of -33 from away games. The Cooper-managed side’s only victory on their travels came at relegated Southampton.
So, if Forest are to stay in the English top flight for the second successive year, drastic improvement in the away form is a must.
- Defending from set-pieces
Forest shipped away 68 goals last season, of which 16 came from set pieces. They had the second-worst record of conceding from set plays, with Bournemouth (21) having conceded more. (Stats courtesy: WhoScored)
It is an area that highlights the Reds’ Achilles heel, with many teams able to exploit that frailty. Such issues have historically proven to be decisive between staying in the Premier League and dropping to the Championship. Cooper should be determined to tackle this problematic area next season and the solution to their set-piece vulnerability will be to try and cut down on the numbers they give away.
- Take more shots
The biggest challenge for Forest is now avoiding “second season syndrome” and they could go a long way in doing so by creating more chances and scoring goals.
Forest were the joint-fourth lowest scorers in the division with 38 goals. When it came to shots per game, the south coast side managed only 9.7—the second-worst in the league—with just 37.2% average possession. Only Bournemouth had worse numbers.
Undeniably, if Cooper’s Reds are to become more of a threat in the final third and score more goals, the players have to take more shots from in and around the opposition box.