Nottingham Forest are thriving

In the summer of 2022, when Nottingham Forest secured their return to the Premier League, Dean Henderson was one of a remarkable flurry of 22 new signings to arrive at the club amid an ambitious £150million recruitment drive.

A little over two years later, Henderson was also the only one of those 22 players on the pitch when Forest kicked off at the City Ground on Monday night — albeit among the opposition ranks as a Crystal Palace player.

This was familiar territory for Henderson, who was on loan from Manchester United as Forest edged to survival under Steve Cooper in 2022-23, even if the sight of him making an error, with the England goalkeeper allowing Chris Wood’s powerfully struck shot to creep under his hand and inside the post, was decidedly less familiar.

But the fact that he was the only player from among that incredible but very necessary summer of Forest recruitment in either starting line-up tells the story of the rapid and continued evolution of Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.

This was Forest’s first home win of the season but it was also a performance that suggested that this group of players are now right at home in the top flight; that they belong in this company. It was not always pretty but it was streetwise, savvy and assured.

After the final whistle, a delighted steward was enthusiastically telling journalists who passed by to make sure their passports are up to date — just in case they are required for a foray into European football next season.

For now, that remains little more than an ambitious dream but, after eight games of the season, Forest do sit eighth in the table. With 13 points, they are a third of a way towards the kind of points tally that would ensure a fourth season of top-flight football — which remains the first significant landmark that Forest must aim to achieve. Yet their fans can at least dare to look upwards, rather than over their shoulders.

With Henderson in the opposition goal and Championship promotion-hero Brice Samba sat in the stand, Matz Sels chose an opportune moment to produce another impressive display. The Belgian international made seven saves, none of which were more impressive than an outstanding stop to keep out a late effort from Jeffrey Schlupp, which might have earned Palace a point.

Sels continues to suggest that Forest might not need to pursue a new goalkeeper as urgently as they have done in the previous five transfer windows which, including Henderson, has seen them sign seven different players in an attempt to replace Samba. This was his third clean sheet, which is as many as Arsenal’s David Raya and Alisson of Liverpool, and only one fewer than Manchester United’s Andre Onana. Only Liverpool (three) have conceded fewer goals than Forest (six).

As Nuno would point out, such statistics are a team effort — and the now-regular back four of Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo and Alex Moreno continues to look like a unit with vast potential. On the theme of potential, Forest’s best player was Elliot Anderson, who also picked his own moment to excel with fine timing, with interim England manager Lee Carsley in the stands to watch him fill the void left by Morgan Gibbs-White’s absence with aplomb.

The summer capture from Newcastle — who effectively cost £15million due to Odysseas Vlachodimos moving the other way — recently swapped his international allegiance from Scotland to England and has now made four under-21 appearances.

It may not be too long before, like Gibbs-White, Anderson is pushing for senior England recognition following an energetic, creative display. Anderson almost scored what would have been a breathtaking goal when he weaved his way past three Palace players before being denied by a fine save from Henderson.

The 21-year-old also laid on two fine chances for Wood with two outstanding deliveries into the box, one of which he steered over the angle of post and bar and another that, while stretching, he failed to muster the power to beat Henderson. But, after finally beating the England keeper, Wood has now scored seven of Forest’s last 10 Premier League goals.

In the process, Wood, signed in a deal worth £15million in January 2023, also became only the third player to score 20 top-flight goals for Forest — behind Bryan Roy (24) and Stan Collymore (22) in what was his 50th league appearance for the club. Wood celebrated by tucking the ball up his shirt and sucking his thumb after discovering recently that his wife is pregnant with a baby girl.

Taiwo Awoniyi and Neco Williams — two players who were among that initial clutch of 22 signings after promotion — did come off the bench for late cameo appearances and remain important figures within the squad. Others, like Willy Boly, Andrew Omobamidele and Harry Toffolo, will have roles to play as well.

But the quality of the work done in the last window becomes more apparent with each passing week as Forest found a way to win even without a clutch of missing players, including long-term injury victims Danilo and Ibrahim Sangare.

Former Forest loanee Dean Henderson was on the losing side with Crystal Palace (Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Having been handed a five-match stadium ban following charges of improper conduct in the aftermath of the 1-0 defeat to Fulham, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was not able to use the new executive suite he has had constructed at the back of the Peter Taylor Stand. But Nuno — himself serving a three-match touchline ban following his red card at Brighton — did use that vantage point.

With Gibbs-White — the most significant signing Forest made following promotion in 2022 — also suspended, a sense of injustice has been growing on the banks of the River Trent.

When the Premier League anthem was played as the teams shook hands, it prompted a loud chorus of boos and jeers from the home fans as they sought to make their own feelings clear, following a short period of time that also saw Forest fined a hefty £750,000 for a statement issued on social media following penalty controversy in their 2-0 defeat at Everton last April.

At the final whistle, the volume levels held significance for a different reason. When Forest fail to win at the City Ground — unless it is regarded as being a hugely credible draw — the club hierarchy generally do not want music to be played as they do not believe that there is anything to celebrate.

Seven home matches had passed without a victory but this time, there was plenty to shout about.

(Top photo: Ryan Yates celebrates Chris Wood’s winning goal; Carl Recine/Getty Images)