Gibbs-White emerges as the talisman of the trees at Forest

The Premier League is where football dreams are made and dashed faster than you can say “VAR got it wrong.” It is that magical place where players rise from obscurity to become legends, and breakout stars are banished to the shadow realm. So, who can join the ranks of the Premier League’s most talked-about breakout stars? None other than Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White. He is a player who is making the pitch his canvas and the opposition his unwitting subjects.

An academy product from Wolverhampton since age 8, Gibbs-White did not get his flowers until his loan spell at Sheffield United in 2021/22. There, he scored 11 goals in 35 appearances in the Championship. The Trees smashed their transfer fee record at the start of the 2022/23 season. Nottingham Forest dished out over $50 million to acquire him from Wolves. Forest had already signed 16 players before MGW. Still, Forest boss Steve Cooper knew he needed a player to be the glue and connect them all to retain Premier League status.

Let us look at some numbers. MGW has racked up some spectacular stats. He is the only player who managed to create 50+ chances, win 50+ aerial duels, and complete 50+ take-ons since the dawn of the last season. 

Gibbs-White at Forest deserves more expensive discussion

Morgan Gibbs-White’s statistics tell a story of a versatile midfielder who can impact the game in multiple ways. He has creativity, aerial prowess, and dribbling ability. Those combine to make him a multifaceted threat, capable of turning the tide of a match single-handedly. His ability to create scoring opportunities, dominate aerial duels, and beat opponents with his dribbling set him apart from others.

Mason Mount and Kai Havertz are two examples of positional rivals. Their clubs spent massive amounts of money on each. Yet, both Havertz and Mount struggle to find the incisive pass. Nor can they take control of the game from the midfield as Gibbs-White does with Forest.

Speaking of comparisons, remember Jack Grealish from his Aston Villa days? Well, Gibbs-White’s got a bit of that flair, that. And do not forget James Maddison – a name synonymous with threading the needle with precision passes. Gibbs-White seems to have caught the same pass-it-like-you-mean-it bug. Now, chances are created left, right, and center, making opposing defenders question their life choices.

A promising talent at the City Ground

So, can Gibbs-White lead Nottingham Forest to a top-10 finish in the Premier League? Nottingham Forest are fresh from closing out a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United. Unsurprisingly, Gibbs-White put out another impressive performance in a Forest shirt. MGW won the most duels, had the most passes into the opposition box, created the most chances, and attempted the most take-ons out of anyone on the pitch. If stats and early indications are anything to go by, we might just witness Forest turning into the midtable darling of the 2023/24 Premier League season. After all, the Tricky Trees have a storied European legacy to live up to… Gibbs-White might just be the one to script the next chapter.

PHOTO: IMAGO / PA Images