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“It all began in pre-season. I thought the gaffer [Espirito Santo] had a full pre-season to properly prepare everyone, but I never realized how much his plan would actually benefit the team-” Anthony Elanga REVEALED the Key Factor Nuno Espirito work with that’s igniting Nottingham Forest’s European Dream
Nottingham Forest are firmly entrenched in the Premier League’s top four after securing a 1-0 victory over Tottenham on Boxing Day. This win marks their fourth consecutive league victory, propelling Nuno Espirito Santo’s team to third place in the standings.
Following their triumph over Brentford, the festive mood has been buoyant at the City Ground, with Forest’s impressive push for European football continuing to gain momentum.
One of the standout players during this period has been Anthony Elanga, who has earned praise from Lewis McGugan for scoring in three consecutive games over Christmas.
However, Elanga wasn’t focused on his personal performance after the Spurs win; instead, he chose to highlight Espirito Santo’s influence on the team’s success this season.
Elanga credited the manager for his impact during the pre-season, which he believes was key to the team’s strong start. Espirito Santo joined Forest mid-season last year and was unable to oversee a full pre-season with the squad. Elanga spoke to Amazon Prime Video after the Spurs victory, saying, “It all started in pre-season.
I feel like the gaffer [Espirito Santo] had a full pre-season to properly get everyone going, and we got the signings in early, which helped the team.
We ended the game with a five-at-the-back formation, which is just one of the shapes we can use because everyone is ready and buying into the ideas.”
Ahead of the Spurs match, Ange Postecoglou also praised Espirito Santo, as more people in football recognize the Forest manager’s effective use of the pre-season to build a cohesive team.
Elanga also acknowledged the importance of the club’s summer signings, for which owner Evangelos Marinakis deserves credit. Forest’s squad against Spurs featured two of Marinakis’ most important signings: Elliot Anderson and Nikola Milenkovic.
Anderson, who joined from Newcastle United, has become a crucial figure in midfield, providing five assists from his deeper roles in Espirito Santo’s system. Milenkovic, signed from Fiorentina, has formed a solid partnership with Murillo at the heart of Forest’s defense.
Both Anderson and Milenkovic joined Forest in July, allowing Espirito Santo ample time to integrate them into the team, ensuring they were ready to make an immediate impact at the start of the Premier League season.
Elanga’s praise for Espirito Santo’s pre-season work is well-deserved, but his acknowledgment of the early signings is also crucial in understanding Forest’s push for European football.
