During the 2011–12 season, he was given a chance to play in his preferred position in the centre of defence, alongside Wes Morgan, then Luke Chambers when Morgan joined Leicester City. He put in a series of very impressive displays and began to regularly hold down a starting place and showing signs of fulfilling his potential. On 19 November, Lynch scored his first goal for Nottingham Forest in the 3–2 win against Ipswich Town. His second came in a 2–1 loss to Middlesbrough, and his third was a header against former club Brighton.