How Nottingham Forest took the ‘Chelsea approach’ to reach top four and exposed fine line between stupid and clever
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Sponsored by. AS two wise men once said, it’s such a fine line between stupid and, uh, clever. This philosophical gem comes from the mockumentary — if you will, rockumentary — Spinal Tap, in which the David St Hubbins character is marginally brighter than bandmate Nigel Tufnel.
![[Nottingham Forest players celebrating a goal.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-nottingham-forests-chris-wood-963755898.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Back in the summer of 2022, it was Nottingham Forest cast as the idiots after bringing in 31 players to help their bid for a successful return to the English top flight. Meanwhile, Chelsea’s £250million spree on eight stars was generally regarded as a positive sign that the new owners would do their best to keep the Blues in the style to which they had become accustomed under Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.
![[Evangelos Marinakis, owner of Nottingham Forest, at a football match.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/evangelos-marinakis-owner-nottingham-forest-963745568.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
The two clubs have moved back and forth on the stupid/clever scale in the intervening two-and-a-half years. But if Forest end the season in the top four, and Chelsea don’t, it will be pretty clear where they stand. That feels like a real possibility after recent results.
![[Todd Boehly, Chelsea co-owner, watching a match.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/stamford-bridge-chelsea-co-owner-938783524.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
When Chelsea sat second for most of December, boss Enzo Maresca played it cool and insisted his side were not title contenders. After five Premier League games without a win, Maresca’s stance now looks less like a mind game to take the pressure off his players, which hasn’t worked, and more like a frank assessment of their level.
Forest chief Nuno Espirito Santo has also preached caution, but he and his players have maintained their strong start to the season. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS. The battling draw against leaders Liverpool on Tuesday was the latest evidence they can mix it with the big boys and have a good chance of staying the distance.
