Nottingham Forest predicted lineup for 2023-24 season

Published at :August 12, 2023 at 1:17 PM

Modified at :January 13, 2024 at 5:41 PM

Matt Turner has turn up for the Tricky Trees this season

Nottingham Forest under the managerial leadership of former Swansea City manager Steve Cooper have been making strides after strides in the last three years or so. After successful promotion from the 2022 EFL Championship Playoffs, Nottingham had a tough ask to survive England’s top tier football league – the Premier League. After a €195.25 million outlay and a win in the penultimate game against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, the Forest side secured their status of staying in the PL.

Now, Nottingham is set to open their 2023-24 Premier League season against the Gunners. The Forest team have added quite a few players within their ranks to bolster themselves for a better finish this campaign. Full-back Ola Aina and winger Anthony Elanga come in to reinforce outfield positions. While former Arsenal goalkeeper Matt Turner is now bought in to reinforce the position in-between the posts.

Here is the Nottingham Forest predicted lineup for 2023-24 season:

Formation: 3-4-2-1

Matt Turner (Goalkeeper)

Last season two loan keepers namely Dean Henderson and Keylor Navas shared the goalkeeping responsibilities for The Tricky Trees. After Henderson suffered an injury blow, Navas was loaned in January to shield the posts for the Forest team.

But both players returned to their respective clubs Manchester United and Paris-Saint Germain this summer leaving a void in between the posts. Nottingham fans recently got relief after the club announced the signing of Matt Turner. Turner spent the last season with Arsenal and managed to keep four clean sheets in the seven game opportunities he got.

Moussa Niakhaté (Left Centre Back)

In the summer of 2022, Nottingham Forest made a massive signing having secured Moussa Niakhaté. The player has been capped in France’s Under-19 to Under-21 squads. The deal was worth a total of €15 million, with €5 million coming in the form of add-ons. The 27-year-old featured 17 times last season and fits the bill for the upcoming season as well. Manager Cooper though has mentioned Niakhaté might miss out on the opening game as he is recovering from a dislocated shoulder.

Willy Boly (Centre Back)

In the three-man centre-back pairing formation, former Wolves defender Willy Boly slots in the central slot. The 32-year-old was amazing for the Forest side last season and Cooper will want more of him going ahead. In the 15 appearances Boly made in the 2022-23 season, a goal and an assist showed the quality he possesses. He was signed for a convenient €2.60 million fee.

Joe Worrall (Right Centre Back)

Nottingham Forest will continue to give Joe Worrall the captain’s armband responsibilities again this Premier League season. Manager Steve Cooper is delighted with Forest’s youth product who is still 26 and has a lot to give back to the City Ground supporters. Until now the Nottingham lad has played 217 games for the club out of which 30 Premier League games came in just last season.

Ola Aina (Left Midfield)

Ola Aina was the first signing of this summer, and did you know much he cost? Zero. Yes, you read that right. Although going by the looks of last summer’s spending spree, manager Steve Cooper finally managed to shock fans worldwide by recruiting Aina who was a free agent. The former Chelsea youth product has been signed for a year term with optional contract extension clauses in his contract. Only time will tell if Aina becomes a success at City Ground and stays for more years.

Danilo (Centre Midfield)

The new number 28 for Nottingham Forest has just been around since January and already is a key player. During the January transfer window amidst the 2022-23 Premier League season, the Brazilian was signed for €20 million fee. Forest managed to beat a host of bidders to let City Ground fans enjoy the talent that he is. Danilo will now get a chance to feature in a full Premier League campaign while manager Steve Cooper will be wary about the increasing number of clubs that might want to prize away Danilo in possible future.

Ryan Yates (Centre Midfield)

Another player in the centre of the park for Nottingham will be Ryan Yates. Just like club captain Joe Worrall, Yates also came through the youth ranks at Nottingham. Even though the club was in a huge transition last summer, Yates managed to keep a spot in the team. Yates returned the trust put in him by providing two assists in 26 games that he featured in the 2022-23 Premier League.

Neco Williams (Right Midfield)

The Wales international player already has 29 call-ups for his country at 22. At the club level, the former Liverpool youth product made a permanent switch to join Steve Cooper and co last summer. Nottingham Forest splashed a €20 million transfer fee on Neco Williams. Williams was seen in 31 PL games for Forest and is expected to be seen in similar or more games this season as well.

Morgan Gibbs-White (Centre Attacking Midfielder)

“On a personal note, I want to add more goals into my game, that’s what I’ve been working on since I’ve got back.” These were the words of Morgan Gibbs-White regarding his plans for the upcoming Premier League campaign in an interview with club media yesterday. Last summer, the attacking midfielder broke Nottignham’s transfer records after he was transferred for a €29.5 million fee from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Including the add-ons, the sum stands at €41 million.

Even though the fee raised several eyebrows, Nottingham Forest fans after a year can now safely say the fee was worth it. Gibbs-White had a tremendous first season scoring 5 goals and further providing 8 assists in 37 2022-23 PL games. A goal along with three assists and an under-21 2023 Euro Championship winners medal in summer break surely will give him more confidence for the new season.

Brennan Johnson (Centre Attacking Midfielder)

Brennan Johnson was untouchable last season having played all 38 Premier League games that’s possible in a season. And with 8 goals and 3 assists, we expect Steve Cooper to continue the trust in the Wales International player. The 22-year-old attacking midfielder although is in the sights of Tottenham Hotspurs, but we have already seen Cooper and co’s desire to keep the starlet after Brentford’s transfer attempts were refubbed twice.

Taiwo Awoniyi (Striker)

The Nigerian marksman will be the attacking spearhead for the City Ground squad. Last summer Forest paid a €20.5 million fee to Bundesliga side 1.FC Union Berlin to bring Taiwo Awoniyi back to England just after a year away. Awoniyi was in Liverpool ranks but was unable to get a work permit. This saw him move to Germany in July 2021. And just a season later Forest came calling. In 27 Premier League games last season, the dynamic forward managed to score 10 goals while also providing an assist.

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