Nottingham Forest’s season has taken a dramatic turn. Once sitting third in the Premier League and chasing European qualification, the club now finds itself fighting to avoid relegation. Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa completed a damaging fortnight, following losses to Fulham, Manchester City, and Everton.

Head coach Sean Dyche insists the current narrative is skewed and wants perspective on the squad’s overall progress, highlighting that Forest had been consistent and improving until the recent winless run.

“The league position is better than when we got here,” Dyche said. “When I arrived, we were two points inside the relegation zone. I’ve always said this is a work in progress.”

---

A Tale of Two Seasons

This time last year, Forest were challenging for a Champions League place, eventually finishing seventh. Fast forward twelve months, and the priority is survival in England’s top flight, with Forest only four points clear of the relegation zone.

Dyche, appointed in October as the club’s third manager of the season, has won seven of his opening 12 games, stabilizing a team damaged by Ange Postecoglou’s brief reign. He stresses that recent defeats do not reflect the squad’s true capabilities.

“There’s ability in the squad. The mentality is there, but you can’t keep giving basic errors away,” Dyche told BBC Match of the Day after the Villa defeat.

---

Basic Errors Cost Forest

Forest’s defensive lapses proved decisive at Villa Park. Ollie Watkins opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time, followed by a costly mistake from John Victor, which allowed John McGinn to score Villa’s third.

Despite a goal from Morgan Gibbs-White bringing Forest back to 2-1, the visitors never looked likely to mount a comeback. Dyche pointed to concentration and execution as key areas needing improvement.

“Players were switching off from the basics. We have worked on it and shown them, but this is the job,” Dyche said.

Gibbs-White acknowledged positives in the team’s approach:

“We stuck to the gameplan in the first half… we showed work ethic and desire. We were unfortunate to concede right before half-time.”

---

Survival Battle Intensifies

Forest face a crucial test on Tuesday at West Ham, who have won only three games this season, with their only away victory coming at the City Ground in former boss Nuno Espirito Santo’s final match.

The fixture carries added tension due to Nuno’s previous success at Forest, where he first saved them from relegation before leading them back to Europe. Dyche wants his squad to focus on reality rather than external noise.

“I have to look at the reality, not the noise. There’s a truth in every story, and that’s our truth,” Dyche said.

---

Key Takeaways

• Nottingham Forest have lost four straight Premier League games, the first such run since November-December 2023.
• Sean Dyche has won seven of 12 games since taking charge in October.
• Defensive errors and lapses in focus remain Forest’s primary issues.
• Upcoming Premier League fixture at West Ham could define Forest’s survival campaign.

Forest’s ability to rebound and stabilize will be crucial in avoiding a dramatic fall from last season’s European-challenging heights to a battle at the foot of the table.