Nottingham Forest’s head coach, Nuno Espirito Santo, has urged his players to ignore the distractions and focus on their performance as they fight to avoid relegation from the Premier League. He emphasized the importance of maintaining concentration amidst the external pressures and urged his team to remain focused on the task at hand, emphasizing the need to block out any negative influences and focus solely on their footballing responsibilities.
Nottingham Forest’s league struggles have persisted since their victory over Manchester United, with two losses and a draw leaving them precariously positioned just two points clear of the relegation zone. Adding to their challenges, the team’s resources have been stretched thin due to their involvement in more FA Cup matches than regular league fixtures during this stretch. They’ve had to endure additional games, including replays against Blackpool and Bristol City in the third and fourth rounds, which have further drained their energy and resources. This increased workload has undoubtedly impacted their performance in league matches, exacerbating their battle to avoid relegation.
Nuno is optimistic that the momentum gained from their cup success can positively impact their Premier League campaign as Nottingham Forest aim to secure another victory over Newcastle, following their 3-1 triumph at St James’ Park on Boxing Day. Expressing his satisfaction with playing at their home ground, Nuno believes that progressing in the FA Cup can reignite their momentum. He emphasizes the importance of harnessing this momentum to boost their performance in league fixtures, highlighting the potential psychological lift and confidence it can provide to the team as they strive for success on multiple fronts.
“The game has many aspects. We must realise we will face a very good team, good players, good manager. Then we will play the game. There are a lot of aspects we can take advantage of.
“We can’t ignore we are playing a team with talent, physicality and intensity. You can never reduce the plan to individual players. It’s about the team, about how we can produce the game we want.”
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