Tottenham are aiming to build on their UCL performance when they come up against Nottingham Forest this weekend.
Tottenham have enjoyed a strong run of positive results after facing heavy scrutiny from certain sections of the media for their dismal Premier League form in recent weeks. The Lilywhites were under pressure when they lost to Fulham, Chelsea, and Arsenal in succession, with many fans blaming Thomas Frank for the embarrassing defeats in all three London derbies.
But credit where it’s due, the North Londoners have responded well, securing a draw against a high-flying Newcastle United away from home before claiming all three points at home against Brentford last weekend. The win over the Bees was only their second home victory in the league this season, with the other coming against Burnley on opening day.
Last weekend’s triumph also boosted the players’ confidence for their Champions League clash against Slavia Prague, where they ran out 3-0 winners on home soil, maintaining a perfect home record in the competition. To his credit, Thomas Frank is taking each game as it comes and is not letting recent positive results distract him from the task at hand.
Tottenham need to step up against Nottingham Forest this weekend
Tottenham travel to the City Ground on Sunday to face Nottingham Forest as they look to build on their encouraging performances from last week. Sean Dyche’s men are enduring a stop-start season, with the manager also juggling domestic duties alongside their Europa League campaign. Like the Lilywhites, Forest also secured all three points in Europe, winning away against FC Utrecht on Thursday night.
John Wenham, however, believes Nottingham Forest’s midweek Europa League fixture will hand Spurs a significant advantage when the two sides meet this weekend. Speaking to Tottenham News, Wenham pinpointed one key factor that gives Spurs the edge:
“I think Tottenham will continue to improve now, I’m backing us to go to Forest and win at the weekend, and if we do that, and other results go our way, we could be fourth or fifth in the table, any pressure on Thomas Frank will quickly evaporate. Why do I say I am confident of going to Forest, they have Utrecht away tonight, whereas we played a home game on Tuesday.”
The Lilywhite Rose owner added:
“For years, Tottenham have been the ones that have suffered by playing away in the Europa League on the Thursday, then going to clubs that have played Champions League on the Tuesday or not played at all. For once, the boot is on the other foot.”
Tottenham have certainly improved in recent matches, giving fans renewed belief that their team can secure all three points against Nottingham Forest on Sunday. Echoing this sentiment, Wenham also backs the Lilywhites to come out on top, mainly because Forest will have less time to recover between fixtures due to their Europa League game being played on Thursday. Spurs have two extra days to prepare, which will help keep players fresh and ready for the challenge.
A must-win game for Tottenham?
If Tottenham win their match against Forest, they will climb back into the top half of the Premier League table. The Lilywhites have a strong chance of securing all three points and extending their positive run in the league as they face a tired Nottingham Forest side that travelled to the Netherlands for their midweek fixture. There are no valid excuses for the North Londoners not to secure all three points away from home.
Spurs’ record against Forest has not been encouraging in recent meetings. The Lilywhites have lost their last two matches against Sunday’s opponents, when the Reds were performing impressively under Nuno Espírito Santo last season. This time, the challenge is different, and the North Londoners must be ready for whatever comes their way. Securing a positive result would be a significant step forward as the club continues its push for European qualification.
