How Nuno’s extensive use of substitutions is contributing to Nottingham Forest’s impressive start

One of the messages that Nuno Espirito Santo conveys to his players almost daily is simple: even if you are on the bench, you can count on influencing the game. At Nottingham Forest, everyone has a role.

And the Portuguese coach backs up his words with actions. In eight out of nine Premier League Nuno has made all five substitutions in games this season. In another, against Wolves in August he used four.

In total, he used 44 of the 45 possible changes. He is not alone at the top: Bournemouth, Ipswich And West Ham 44 subwoofers were also used. Four other teams used 43.

“Now the game allowed us to make five changes and that changed a lot in the game,” Nuno said at a recent press conference.

“The message is clear: it doesn’t matter whether you start or not. Even if you play one minute, you can still make an impact on defense or offense. It’s about being willing to play, relying not just on whoever starts, but having a lot of trust in whoever is going to go out there and produce what we want.

“The game has moved on – the intensity is very demanding these days. Especially in positions that require a lot of energy; If you want to press or return the ball after 60 minutes of high-tempo football, fresh legs will help. We hope the players continue to understand that and that faith still exists because that’s our philosophy.”

Jota Silva has yet to play for Forest in the Premier League following his summer move from Vitoria de Guimarães. But he came off the bench eight times (playing a total of 159 minutes), making him the second most popular substitute in the division behind John Durand from Aston Villa.

Ramon Sosa – a man who came off the bench five times (81 minutes played) – together with Jota he scored the equalizing goal in the September match with Brighton (2:2). And then there is Neko Williamswho has struggled to find a starting place at Forest this season. Williams has made six substitute appearances since starting three games in August, but his versatility is key for Forest.

Nuno’s most memorable use of substitute this season was against Liverpool at Anfield. Anthony Elanga And Callum Hudson-Odoi were introduced in the 61st and 54th minutes respectively and it was Elanga’s superb cross-field pass that allowed Hudson-Odoi to cut inside from the left flank and fire home with his right foot to win the game 1-0.

“The subs who come on have such an impact,” says the Forest captain. Ryan Yates. “I’ve never been in a team where substitutions can make such a difference, whether it’s watching the match or scoring goals. It just shows unity in the group.

“(The guys) can be disappointed when they’re not on the team, but they never show it. This is a huge force.”

Talk to the Forest players and they will tell you that there are no bad characters in this squad. There are probably two players Andrew Omobamidele And Harry Toffolowho may not feel they have a realistic chance of making the starting XI in any game. But even they are positive personalities. Toffolo is considered one of the most professional and experienced players on the team.

Yates believes the sense of togetherness has been helped by the careful work done in the last transfer window, which saw Forest establish themselves well and early, giving new recruits a chance to acclimate in pre-season. The two most important additions are Nikola Milenkovic And Elliot Andersonboth arrived by mid-July.

“It was important to retain the core of players. If you split this group up and change it up — like we’ve done in previous years — guys might come in with a different style of play or a different way in which they might go about their day-to-day activities,” Yates said in response to a question Athletic where does this feeling of unity come from.

“What I can say about the coach is that he is very consistent. We’ve made a really good start. But I know this week it will just be “West Ham, West Ham, West Ham.” He’s so on the same level. This is good for the players. He keeps us grounded. He always wants us to get better and I’d like to think that me and a few other people in the locker room are driving that culture.

“We’ve been through some very difficult times at this club and we’ve seen where we are now… but let’s not get too arrogant or too disappointed if the result doesn’t go our way. The main thing for a leader is that we always focus on the process. The weekend remains the same whether we win or lose. He’s really honest. He just wants the best from us every single day.”

Four of Yates’ first five appearances this season have come from the bench, with Forest adding Anderson and James Ward-Prowse to strengthen their midfield options this season. But after the injuries Ibrahim Sangare And DaniloYeats once again established himself as a key figure.

“People may talk about the dressing room, but the proof is in the way people come off the bench – probably very disappointed not to be on the pitch – and still give their all to the team,” he said.

“I like to think that’s what I would have done: fought even harder, shown the coach that I should play. This is the only way to do it. It’s been a huge strength for us and I just want it to continue.”

IN ChelseaFollowing Ward-Prowse’s red card in the 78th minute, Forest made three changes: Williams, Elanga and Morato everything was presented within four minutes. They achieved a 1:1 draw.

Morato is considered a reliable signing despite only playing 70 minutes in five substitute appearances. Every time he was introduced, he added another layer of protective steel and fortitude.

Morato was among four changes made in the final 12 minutes of the team’s 1-0 win. Crystal Palace October 21. Adding a third centre-back and freshening up at full-back is another of Nuno’s habits. But in victory over Leicesterthey were Jota, Sosa and Taiwo Awoniyi who came to maintain Forest’s attacking threat and ensure their hosts stayed on target.

Forest will continue to look to bring Awonyi off the bench to ensure the Nigerian international is sharp if Chris Wood succumb to injury. Forest hoped Awoniyi would start NigeriaThe game was against Libya during the last international break, but the game was postponed after a chaotic situation that saw the Nigeria team effectively evacuated from Libya airport for 12 hours. Nuno felt that this was a “step back” in Avonia’s progress.

“You don’t know what’s going to happen—or when it’s going to happen. So you need to make sure that every player in your team is ready to play, even if they don’t play a lot,” Nuno said at a recent press conference. “We are trying to take really good care of Taiwo’s situation.”

Awoniyi has now played 97 minutes on the pitch after making one start and five substitute appearances.

Not every submarine was a success; Toffolo failed when he saw that the clearance attempt was to his liking. Antoine Semeño a late equalizer against Bournemouth (1-1) on the opening day. And not every change is made based on a desire to change something tactically.

Anderson has already become one of Forest’s most important players. He has excelled playing as a traditional central midfielder, as a left winger in Forest’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation or, more recently, as a number ten when Morgan Gibbs-White was disqualified and injured. Forest sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, believe that, like Gibbs-White, Anderson’s performances will soon turn a profit. England confession.

But Anderson has also been substituted in every Premier League game he has played this season. This change occurs regularly around the hour mark and usually reflects not how he played but his work rate. Forest is keen to ensure he avoids fatigue-related injuries.

“When we decide not to start with players, we still want them to know they can make an impact,” Nuno said. “We have explosive and talented players. It’s about using them at the right moment.”

Graphics: Mark Carey

(Top photo: MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)