Three weeks into his professional career, Cruyff had appeared in four Championship matches as a substitute, accumulating fifty-seven minutes of senior football. Each appearance brought new lessons about the pace, physicality, and tactical complexity of the second tier of English football.
The breakthrough came on a wet Tuesday evening in September against Rotherham United at the City Ground. Forest were leading 1-0 but struggling to create clear chances against a well-organized defensive unit that had clearly done their homework on Forest's usual attacking patterns.
[Match Context: Home fixture, need for creativity against defensive opposition]
[Opportunity: Perfect situation for Cruyff's skillset]
[Pressure: Growing expectation for meaningful contribution]
Clarke made the decision in the sixty-second minute, with Forest looking increasingly frustrated by Rotherham's compact defensive shape.
"Jensen!" the manager called from the touchline. "You're on for Burke. I want you to drop deep, collect possession, and try to unlock their defense with your passing."
[First Start: Major milestone in professional development]
[Tactical Role: Central creative midfielder, primary playmaker]
[Objective: Break down organized defensive structure]
This wasn't a substitute appearance to see out a match or gain experience. This was Clarke trusting his seventeen-year-old midfielder to be Forest's primary creative outlet when the team needed it most.
As Cruyff took his position in central midfield, he quickly assessed Rotherham's defensive setup. They were playing with two banks of four, sitting deep, forcing Forest to play in front of them rather than creating space in behind.
His first involvement came in the sixty-fourth minute. Tommy Williams won possession in Forest's defensive third and immediately looked for Cruyff, who had dropped into a pocket of space between Rotherham's midfield and defense.
The pass was slightly behind him, forcing Cruyff to check back toward his own goal. Two Rotherham midfielders converged immediately, looking to press him into a mistake.
But instead of trying to turn or force a pass forward, Cruyff played the ball back to Williams and immediately moved into different space, dragging one of the pressing players with him and creating a passing lane for Williams to find Forest's right-back.
[Tactical Intelligence: Using movement to create space for teammates]
[Professional Maturity: Choosing simple over spectacular when appropriate]
The move continued with three more passes before eventually breaking down, but it had shown Cruyff's teammates that their young playmaker understood how to manipulate defensive structures through patient build-up play.
In the seventy-first minute, he created Forest's first clear chance of the second half.
Rotherham had won a corner and committed eight players forward, but Forest's center-back headed the ball clear to Cruyff on the halfway line. This was exactly the kind of transition moment where his vision and passing range could be decisive.
Looking up quickly, Cruyff spotted Henri Lansbury making a diagonal run from left midfield toward the penalty area. But Rotherham's defense was recovering well, and the obvious through ball would be intercepted.
Instead, Cruyff played a perfectly weighted pass to Forest's overlapping left-back, who had space to advance down the flank. As the defender received the ball, Cruyff immediately gestured toward Lansbury, indicating the run he should make.
The left-back's cross found Lansbury exactly where Cruyff had pointed, and only a brilliant save from Rotherham's goalkeeper prevented the goal.
[Chance Created: High-quality opportunity through tactical orchestration]
[Leadership: Directing teammates' movements to maximize effectiveness]
"That's it!" Lansbury shouted as they prepared for the resulting corner. "Keep finding those spaces!"
The goal that sealed Forest's victory came in the eighty-third minute, and it showcased everything Cruyff had learned about professional football in his short career so far.
Forest had possession in their defensive third when Cruyff received the ball under pressure from two Rotherham forwards. The safe option was a simple pass to the center-back, but Cruyff had spotted something else.
Rotherham's aggressive pressing had left space in midfield, and their defensive midfielder was caught between closing down Cruyff and tracking Forest's striker, who was dropping deep.
With his first touch, Cruyff turned away from the pressing forwards and played a perfectly weighted pass into the space behind Rotherham's midfield line. Lansbury, anticipating the possibility, was already making the run and received the ball in acres of space.
From there, the move developed quickly. Lansbury drove forward, drew two defenders, and played a simple pass to Forest's striker, who finished clinically for his second goal of the match.
[Assist: First professional assist in starting role]
[Vision: Spotting and exploiting defensive vulnerabilities]
[Impact: Decisive contribution to match result]
The City Ground erupted as Forest secured a 2-0 victory that moved them up to seventh in the Championship table. But for Cruyff, walking off the pitch after his first start, the statistics were less important than the feeling of belonging.
[Match Statistics: 28 minutes played, 1 assist, 3 key passes, 94% pass accuracy]
[Performance Rating: 8.0/10 - Excellent impact as creative catalyst]
[Team Impact: Transformed Forest's attacking effectiveness]
In the post-match interview, Clarke was effusive in his praise.
"Jensen showed exactly why we've been so patient with his development. He's seventeen years old, but he reads the game like someone with ten years of experience. The assist was excellent, but more than that, he controlled the tempo of our play in the final third."
[Managerial Recognition: Public endorsement of development and ability]
[Media Attention: Growing profile in Championship coverage]
The local press coverage was equally positive, with the Nottingham Post's headline reading "TEENAGE MAESTRO CONDUCTS FOREST SYMPHONY" and extensive analysis of Cruyff's tactical influence on the match.
[Media Impact: Establishing reputation as creative force]
[Public Recognition: Building fanbase and external awareness]
But perhaps the most meaningful recognition came from his teammates in the changing room afterward.
"That pass for my assist was perfect," Lansbury said. "But what I liked most was how you kept talking to us, telling us where to run, when to pass. That's proper leadership."
Tommy Williams was even more direct: "You made us all play better today. That's what the best midfielders do—they elevate everyone around them."
[Peer Recognition: Respect from experienced professionals]
[Leadership Acknowledgment: Growing influence beyond individual ability]
Walking home through Nottingham that evening, Cruyff reflected on how quickly his circumstances had changed. Three weeks ago, he'd been hoping for substitute appearances to gain experience. Now he was Forest's first-choice creative midfielder when they needed to break down defensive teams.
The system updated his progression with new metrics that reflected his growing influence:
[Current Stats - Level 3 Achieved]
[Vision: 85/100]
[Passing Accuracy: 89/100]
[Through Ball: 78/100]
[Free Kick: 67/100]
[Dribbling: 59/100]
[Physical: 61/100]
[Leadership: 52/100]
[Decision Making: 61/100]
[Mental Strength: 58/100]
[Tactical Awareness: 65/100]
[Game Intelligence: 71/100] *New Stat*
[Achievement Unlocked: First Professional Start and Assist]
[Status: Regular First Team Squad Member]
[Development: Exceeding expectations for 17-year-old professional]
More importantly, the performance had attracted attention from beyond Forest. His phone buzzed with messages from England's youth coaches, congratulating him on the assist and performance. There was even a text from Josh Taylor, his England teammate, who had watched the match on television.
[England Recognition: Continued international pathway development]
[Peer Network: Growing connections within youth international setup]
But the message that made him smile most was from Marcus Reid, his former U18 teammate who was now establishing himself in Forest's development squad.
"Watched the match on TV. That assist was class! Still can't believe we used to play together in youth football. Proper inspiration for all of us coming through the academy."
[Academy Impact: Inspiring pathway for younger players]
[Legacy Building: Positive influence on club's development culture]
As Cruyff prepared for bed that night, he realized that his journey was entering a new phase. No longer the promising prospect hoping for opportunities, he was becoming a trusted performer who could influence matches at Championship level.
Arsenal still felt like the ultimate destination, but Forest was proving to be the perfect environment for developing the skills and experience he would need to succeed at the highest level.
[Career Assessment: Significant progress toward long-term objectives]
[Immediate Focus: Establishing consistent Championship performance]
[Long-term Vision: Arsenal pathway increasingly realistic within 12 months]
The path back to his ultimate goal was clearer than ever, but it was also more demanding. Every performance now carried weight, every decision had consequences, every match was an opportunity to prove he belonged among England's most promising young talents.
Tomorrow would bring another training session, another chance to improve, another step toward the dream that had sustained him through his remarkable transformation from unknown trialist to Championship regular in just over a year.