Following the short-term loan deals of Renan Lodi and those who were part of Steve Cooper’s promotion side, we promised ourselves not to fall in love with loan players ever again.
The fact that the Steve Cooper’s promotion side consisted of so many loanees, it was difficult not to fall in love with loan players like James Garner, Djed Spence, Keinan Davis and Philip Zinkernagel, and they inevitably broke our hearts.
Unfortunately, it looks as if it’s happening again because someone needs to get Àlex Moreno a pen.
I can’t remember a season when Forest’s starting back four was as solid as it is now, and Moreno is an integral part of the squad’s recent success.
Obviously, certain individuals like Stuart Pearce, Des Walker, Larry Lloyd, Viv Anderson and Kenny Burns all immediately spring to mind when thinking about great Forest defenders, but as a unit, I struggle to think of four players who have consistently contributed as much as our current back-four, within such a short period of time.
Recruitment team deserves the praise.
Nuno has put four players together and within just ten games they have gelled like a phenomenal adhesive.
Going into the Newcastle game in third place – somewhere Forest hasn’t been for thirty years – Edu’s first defensive assignment must surely be to persuade Marinakis not to cash in on Murillo and Milenković, and get Àlex Moreno to sign an extended contract.
I think the recruitment team deserves some praise at this point because, without them, Forest’s defence wouldn’t look as good as it does right now and we wouldn’t fall in love with a loan player again.
Also, if I’m not mistaken, our back four cost Forest £23 million. No, not £230 million, as you’d expect to see spent on four defenders at Chelsea, but £23 million. It’s a superb investment in terms of the adult Disneyland that is Premier League football.
Consisting of a sturdy spine, Nottingham Forest has two wing-backs on the flanks in Ola Aina and Àlex Moreno, and the club needs to lock these two into a contract for the next couple of seasons.
Forest has the third-best defensive record in Europe and the second-best in the league, just behind Liverpool – a team we beat away – and just ahead of Sunday’s opponents, Newcastle United.
We speak a lot about Murillo and Milenković but our two wing-backs have been so consistent at the back and difficult to handle going forward; somewhat lethal in attack.
I know we shouldn’t fall in love with loan players.
Obviously, we won’t be able to sign Moreno just yet but I hope this is something Edu and the recruitment team are going to consider for the 2025-26 season.
At 32 years of age (June 2025), Moreno will still have a couple of seasons ahead of him and it’s not just his application and tenacity that has caused us to fall in love with a loan player, it’s his charisma.
As you’ve probably witnessed, Moreno is also one of those rare individuals who understands the club. He has fitted in with the culture and has now taken it upon himself to instigate the ‘fist-bump’ role that was previously attributed to Steve Cooper, following crucial victories.
Steve Cooper was praised for fitting in with the whole Forest culture and bringing the ‘twelfth man’ into the occasion, and Àlex Moreno is one of those players who has that connection with the fans.
I know we shouldn’t fall in love with loan players but we have.
