Live the Thrill of the game

By Eduard Bănulescu

Vitor Pereira has become Nottingham Forest’s fourth manager of the 2025/26 Premier League season, a campaign that was meant to be a celebration of recent achievements. As things stand, Pereira’s mission is to please an unpredictable owner and disappointed fans. Additionally, the team is back into an unpredictable relegation battle.

What will Pereira’s tactics look like? Can he make Forest as successful as he did when he first took the Wolverhampton job?

Here’s my analysis and prediction of the rest of Pereira and Forest’s seasons.

Career Prior to Managing Wolves Nottingham Forest

Vitor Pereira has only been working in the Premier League since 2024. However, he is a highly experienced manager. This is likely part of the reason why Evangelos Marinakis, the fuckle manager of Forest, has offered him a chance.

Pereira was a lower-league player before starting his management career in 2002. He worked his way up to the position of head coach of FC Porto in 2011, winning two league titles with the Portuguese giants.

After departing Porto, Pereira turned into a journeyman manager, getting contracts with clubs like Al Ahli and Fenerbache and, reportedly, turning down Premier League offers along the way.

In 2024, he was appointed as manager of Wolverhampton. Pereira saved the club from relegation with some brilliant tactical work. However, a poor start to the 25/26 season led to the termination of his contract.

He now replaced Sean Dyche as manager of Forest.

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Vitor Pereira’s Tactical Philosophy

For most of his career, Pereira built his reputation as a manager who constructs disciplined, reactive teams. He often chooses a mid-block and likes to have players who give him counter-attacking options.

Pereira’s Wolves were known for their work rate, the wide players’ willingness to drop deep, and the insistence on choking off space and launching efficient counter-attacks. This is not entirely different from how Nottingham Forest has attempted to play this season. 

Formations and Adaptability

Pereira is not strict about the formation that he uses. Given his level of experience, the Portuguese tactician has learned to be a pragmatist.

In his earlier days, he often set up in a three-man defence. While managing Flamengo, for example, he often set up in a 3-5-2 formation.

At Wolves, for the most part, Pereira chose a more conservative 4-4-2 or 4-5-1, adapting to the team’s needs.

What formation will he use for Nottingham Forest? The team has been set up to play in a 4-2-3-1 formation. This suits the team’s squad. It’s unlikely that Pereira will change that. Instead, he’ll focus on improving morale and on training sessions that encourage players to competently handle the basics. 

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What Will Pereira’s Attacking Look Like?

How many EPL sackings can a manager endure before the phone stops ringing? Pereira is not there yet. In fact, he’s well-respected still. However, the Portuguese must know that this Forest appointment could shape his future career.

On paper, Vitor Pereira has just the right players to implement his classic counter-attacking style. However, it remains to be seen if this will be popular with fans. Sean Dyche lost his job, at least in part, because the team’s football wasn’t deemed entertaining.

Striker Igor Jesus is a real talent with great heading ability (as does the still untested Lorenzo Lucca). However, if fit, Pereira is likely to focus on veteran Chris Wood (if available), a player more suited to play in a poacher’s role.

Meanwhile, the full-backs and wide midfielders will also be vital. Pereira likes his team to stretch out the opposition on the counter-attack. This may mean getting players like Callum Hudson-Odoi and Dan Ndoye to play wider, or focusing on wider wingers.

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What to Expect from Forest’s Defence?

One point of contention between Vitor Pereira and Forest’s ownership is that the Portuguese like a patient, responsible approach.

The defence is his main focus. He prefers that his team sit in a mid-block and avoid ultra-aggressive pressing that can lead to mistakes.

Wolves’ defenders played in a narrow formation, worked hard to avoid the opposition playing between the lines, and became very efficient at snuffing out danger from set pieces. 

Nottingham Forest’s defence has leaked in goals this season, 1.46 per game. And, while there are EPL teams who fared worse, Pereira’s priority will need to be getting the Reds to concede fewer shots on target.

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What Next for Pereira and Nottingham Forest?

Getting the Nottingham Forest job for Pereira looks good on his impressive CV. Turning to a fourth manager in one season looks bad on Nottingham Forest’s reputation.

Pereira has saved a team from relegation in a similar position. Technically, there are currently poorer teams in the EPL who have not changed their manager. However, anything can happen, and if the worst does occur, Forest will take the largest hit.