Chris Wood lost a fantastic opportunity to put the Reds ahead, so Forest may have been unfortunate not to have more to show for their efforts after leaving the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Gary Lineker expressed disappointment with Wood for his missed opportunity, which ultimately left Nottingham Forest regretting the outcome as they faced a second-half onslaught from the hosts.
Despite the defeat, Espirito Santo can draw some positives from Forest’s performance. Now, his attention turns to preparing for a clash against Wolves at the City Ground this weekend.
Although there were some encouraging aspects in this match, statistics indicate that two players should be deployed together in future matches.
Espirito Santo must play two stars together against Wolves
In recent weeks, Espirito Santo has mostly made correct decisions regarding his team selection for Forest. However, there have been times when his choices came under scrutiny, prompting questions from supporters.
One particular issue arose when Espirito Santo opted to play either Anthony Elanga or Callum Hudson-Odoi, but not both, which left some fans dissatisfied.
Against Crystal Palace, Elanga was not included in the starting lineup, and against Luton, Hudson-Odoi was left out. Additionally, when Forest faced Brighton in March, neither winger started the game.
However, in the recent match against Tottenham, Espirito Santo opted to field both Elanga and Hudson-Odoi, as he did against Fulham. The decision seems justified by statistics that highlight the effectiveness of the duo when playing together.
According to data from The Other 14, Elanga and Hudson-Odoi displayed impressive synergy against Tottenham. Elanga’s assist added to his season tally of 13 goal contributions, while both players completed four successful dribbles each over the weekend, marking them as among the most proficient dribblers outside of the big six teams.
Time for Forest head coach to get things right
Espirito Santo deserves credit for his impact at Forest, despite initially replacing the popular Steve Cooper.
The team has shown its strongest performances this season when key players have been on the pitch, indicating the importance of fielding the best available lineup. This should continue to guide team selection moving forward.
| Player | Premier League Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Anthony Elanga | 31 | 5 | 8 |
| Callum Hudson-Odoi | 23 | 5 | 2 |
Espirito Santo needs to select the players he believes are the best and keep things simple going forward because the team’s experimentation period is over.
Elanga and Hudson-Odoi are both playing well, and Forest finally looks dangerous when they’re collaborating on opposing sides.
Only goal differential and the drop zone separate the Reds. Things might rapidly change with Elanga and Hudson-Odoi in full swing, and if Espirito Santo makes the right decision, Forest might find themselves pulling away.