At a time when Evangelos Marinakis has not, so far, been as ruthless as his reputation would suggest he might have been, Nottingham Forest’s fortunes — and those of Steve Cooper — remain intrinsically entwined in their ability to find some ruthlessness of their own.
Forest have spent more than £250million on 42 signings since their return to the Premier League.
But it is the very first of those to arrive, Taiwo Awoniyi — who joined from Union Berlin for £17million in June 2022 — whose absence is becoming the most significant of the numerous issues Cooper must strive to solve.
Against a Tottenham side that is regarded as having more attacking threat than most Premier League teams, Forest created the same number of chances (10), had more efforts on goal (15 in comparison to the visitors’ 12) and won six corners to Tottenham’s four. Forest’s xG was 1.5 in comparison to Spurs’ 1.53.
By most available metrics, Forest successfully went toe-to-toe with one of the most exciting teams in the top flight without being outclassed. It would not have been an injustice had they got something from the game.
The only issue was that, in their defining moments at both ends, Forest once more fell short, when Tottenham did not.
Forest’s best chances of the game fell to defenders Willy Boly, Neco Williams and Harry Toffolo. Boly fired wildly over from a great position, Toffolo was denied by a superb save to block his downward header and Williams saw a low shot bounce away off the foot of the post. Even Murillo attempted an overhead kick at one stage. Eight of Forest’s efforts on goal came from defenders.
It was wingbacks Williams and Toffolo who had combined impressively to score the goal that earned Forest a decent point at Wolverhampton last weekend, from a 1-1 draw.
And being able to find goals from different areas of the pitch is an avenue that Forest will urgently need to follow. Simon Rusk, Forest’s newly appointed set-piece specialist coach, already feels like an important figure, barely a week into his new job. Forest have scored only once from corners and free-kicks all season. With Moussa Niakhate’s long throw also a potential source of danger, it is an area where there is vast room for improvement, under the guidance of the former England under-19, Brighton and Stockport coach.
Because, despite signing 13 players during the last window, it does not feel as though Forest possess the personnel to cope with the absence of their most effective striker.
Anthony Elanga has had plenty of positive moments since signing from Manchester United. He is a young man with searing pace and potential. Since the start of last season, Morgan Gibbs-White has regularly been Forest’s best and often most important player. But, for all the quality both players possess, their pairing as a front two, within a 3-5-2 formation, only served to underline what Forest were lacking.
Steve Cooper saw his side spurn some good opportunities against Tottenham (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Forest did not lack spirit, they did not lack fight — they do not look like a team that is not playing for Cooper. It was a good performance. It just wasn’t a complete one. As Cooper testified, they lacked quality in key moments.
Last season Forest scored exactly a goal per-game in the Premier League, finding the net 38 times. With 17 goals in 17 matches so far, their lack of goals is becoming an issue again. Only Sheffield United (12), Crystal Palace (15) and Burnley (16) have scored fewer goals, although at the time of writing all have also played one match fewer.
Elanga has scored three goals for Forest and would have had another, had he not strayed narrowly offside, before finding the net, when a goal would have made the score 1-1. When he got himself on the ball, it was generally in the wider positions he is more used to occupying. While, in similar fashion, Gibbs-White often drifted into a ten role that is a more natural fit for him.
Which often left Forest without anyone occupying the traditional No 9 role. This is not entirely unusual in the modern era. But there is also no debating the fact that Forest look to be a much better team when Awoniyi — who has scored four goals — is in it.
Chris Wood has also contributed three goals this season, which is only one fewer than Awoniyi. But after coming off the bench in the 67th minute, the New Zealand international forward touched the ball twice. Divock Origi has had precious little opportunity since joining on loan from AC Milan, making one start and seven sub appearances for a total of 153 minutes of football. But he has also averaged just 0.4 shots per-game. Joe Worrall (0.3) is the only Forest outfield player with a lower average.
Awoniyi is said to be making good progress following surgery to repair a groin problem. But his expected return can still be measured in weeks rather than days.
Forest have three games to play before they can address the problem in the January window, starting with the visit of Bournemouth on Saturday, followed by a Boxing Day trip to Newcastle and the visit of Manchester United on December 30.
Even then, Forest may have to raise funds by selling, before they can make any significant level of investment. And quality strikers do not come cheap.
Would a different manager get a different tune out of the forward options Cooper has at his disposal? That is a difficult question. Perhaps not.
But if Cooper does not want to find out the answer, he must find a way to resolve the issue himself, while also deciding whether to stick or twist between the posts. Following the 5-0 defeat at Fulham, Matt Turner was restored to the team, ahead of Greek international Odi Vlachodimos. The USMNT keeper might have done better with the first goal, which came via a flicked header from Richarlison. While he will definitely want to forget the second, which saw his attempted clearance intercepted, before Dejan Kulusevski beat him painfully easily at his near post.
Forest owner Marinakis was not in the stands for the game. But his son, Miltiadis, was. He left his seat in the stand before the end, but did not leave the stadium, instead descending into the tunnel area ahead of the post-match debriefing.
If Cooper cannot inspire some ruthlessness in his Forest side, it might not be long before Evangelos Marinakis rediscovers his.
(Top image: Andrew Kearns – CameraSport via Getty Images)