After a nervy start, Chris Hughton has got Nottingham Forest showing glimpses of play off worthy quality

It’s fair to say that Chris Hughton’s tenure at Nottingham Forest didn’t get off to the best of starts, however, the ex-Brighton, Norwich and Newcastle manager’s team are starting to show glimpses of strong form.

The East Midlands side have lost just two league games since the turn of the year, both against promotion-chasing opposition in Middlesbrough and Swansea respectively. 21 points in 11 Championship outings in 2021 has been a strong return, obliterating any faint worries of a relegation dogfight towards the end of the campaign. In fact, their form in the new year is the fifth-best in the second tier.

Having achieved promotion with Newcastle United, Norwich City and Brighton and Hove Albion, Hughton looked a shrewd appointment from the Forest hierarchy when he took the reigns at The City Ground in early October.

Under Sabri Lamouchi last term, finishing in a playoff spot looked almost certain until a late blunder on the final day secured a seventh-placed finish, outside of the top-six despite spending the vast majority of the season amongst the Championship’s elite.

With little time to lick their wounds given the rapid turnaround, a new season dawned and another opportunity for a playoff push arose. However, Lamouchi’s sacking was inevitable and the Frenchman was relieved of his duties just four games and four defeats into the new campaign.

There was little time to mourn or grovel as Hughton’s arrival was announced on the same day as Lamouchi’s departure. Despite a stellar CV in the second-tier, Hughton’s project at Forest certainly looked to be long-term.

Fast-forward almost five months, the Nottinghamshire club is sat in 16th with 40 points after 33 games ahead of their midweek home clash with Luton Town, Hughton’s 30th league game in charge.

Under the Englishman, Forest have picked up 40 points but what emphasises the contrast between their form before and after the turn of the year is that over 50% of their points have been picked up in the 11 games played in 2021 (21) as opposed to the 19 points in 18 games during the latter stages of 2020.

The 62-year-old certainly needed time and patience from the Forest board and fan base, something that has been a rarity for his predecessors in recent years with Hughton the 28th man to take charge this century. Albeit still early days in his tenure on the Trent, there are glimpses that he may be the man to put an end to Forest’s 22-year absence from the Premier League.

Of course, a play off push at this point would be beyond remarkable with the demolishing of a 12 point deficit between them and sixth-placed Bournemouth required in 13 games for any chance of a sniff at promotion this season. However, a top-half finish would lay down the foundations necessary to build upon for a strong push from the off next term.

A win over Nathan Jones’ Luton Town on Tuesday night, alongside results going their way, would see Forest propel up to 13th, with goal-difference denying them entry to the top-12.

With thirteen games to go, a realist would say that finishing in the top half should be the best possible scenario for Nottingham Forest this season but, with the form that they’re in, Hughton’s side is one to watch in the remainder of the Championship season.

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