Nottingham

Pat Riddell
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

It is always difficult to make grand statements or draw sweeping conclusions when it comes to Nottingham Forest. You just don’t know how long any position or form will last.

After 23 years in the wilderness — apologies to the EFL — every Forest fan has experienced the highs and lows of football in a single season, match or even half. The euphoric promotion-winning year was all the more unbelievable because it was, quite literally, unbelievable.

That said, Sunday’s draw against Brighton & Hove Albion was exactly the kind of game we’d have lost last season. And, hopefully, proves to be exactly the sort of game we can continue to compete in this season.

For the second game in a row, the substitutions made the difference. And for the fifth game this season, a defensive solidity enabled us to come away with something. There are, naturally, elements of our performance to work on too.

A resilience, determination and belief has existed on Trentside for a number of years now. It’s just that it comes and goes as it pleases. But the unbeaten start to this season shows that the squad’s unity and togetherness — as well as its talent — is a determining factor.

We will, of course, lose sooner or later. And it may or may not be of our own doing. We know though that there is enough depth, quality and confidence to bounce back – and that there will be bumps in the road rather than any significant turning point.

While it may be difficult to predict our final destination this season, there does appear to be an upward trajectory that suggests we might be able to draw conclusions about what Forest are really made of — even if they’re not sweeping.

Find more from Pat Riddell at The Famous Club, external

Nottingham Forest are the latest club to express an interest in 20-year-old Luca Koleosho after the American winger's impressive form at Burnley. (Football Insider), external

Real Madrid are monitoring Nottingham Forest defender Murillo, 22, but face competition from Barcelona and Bayern Munich for the Brazilian. (HITC), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Brighton and Nottingham Forest.

Here are some of your comments:

Brighton fans

Barney: We were dominant. If you asked a Brighton fan who Nottingham Forest's man of the match was, I guarantee you it was the referee Robert Jones. He gave a silly penalty, unintentional free-kicks and was just an all-round terrible referee. Even Morgan Gibbs-White's red card was silly.

Geoff: Back-to-back home games where we had chances to win, but didn't take them. Very similar to what happened last season in games against teams that we just have to win against, if we have ambitions of European football. The referee was comical - consistently getting things wrong and then he totally lost control at the end with the red cards for the managers.

Finley: I believe both teams played equally well, although I think Brighton managed to engage a bit more in the second half. The altercation with the referee and managers shouldn't have been a red card.

Noddy: A game of two teams: one that can stand up with poor tackles coming in and the other that likes to fall down as if they were blown over. It was not a fair result. We can all take losing but not when there are 12 players against 11 from the start. The game was good to watch when all of the players stayed on their feet.

Forest fans

Stefan: We played well yet again. We soaked up their attack when we needed to and made chances for ourselves. Scoring hasn't been a problem so far this season and our defence looks solid. I don't know what Nuno did to this team in pre-season, but I'm loving it! We are still undefeated - still pushing and still improving.

Fosi: A big point. Horrendous refereeing. Why didn't VAR tell the referee that Morgan Gibbs-White got the ball? Is the system not working still? I'm not happy with Matz Sels - three games and three big mistakes. He is costing us stupid goals!

Sean: That game had everything and there were times where the result could have swung the way of either team. Considering how good Brighton are, and how much they were in the ascendancy after scoring, I think we were lucky to come away with a point but that is a sign of our progress under Nuno. We were able to hold on to the point, even with 10 men at the end.

Andy: Good away point. In the last two seasons we have had decisions go against us, especially from VAR. I will take that point all day against a very good Brighton side. Next up is Fulham, another test for Forest.

Image source, PA Media

The main talking point from Brighton's 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest was Morgan Gibbs-White's red card for the visitors late in the game.

Both managers were sent from the dugout in the aftermath of Gibbs-White being shown a second yellow card for a challenge on Joao Pedro.

On BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast, presenter Darren Fletcher said he thought Forest were so angry with the decision because referee Rob Jones had signalled Gibbs-White had played the ball, before then dismissing the midfielder.

"He's either got to stick to it [his first decision] or they [referees] have got to be told not to be so rash," said ex-England goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

"He does get the ball, but it's the force he goes with and the pace of the tackle where he catches the player and you can understand why the card has been given.

"It's one of those: you can understand both arguments, but the referee has caused himself the problems by running over there and initially making the shape of the ball. Then, that's when everything's gone off because the Forest manager is immediately thinking 'the referee's told me he's got the ball and now he's sent him off, how can that be right?'"

Former Aston Villa and West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker said: "As a referee, you've got to stick to what you did and he did the ball sign.

"When he changed his mind, I knew instantly this is going to be what this whole game is going to be spoken about. We had a brilliant game of football but again we're going to be talking about a refereeing decision."

Listen to more reaction to Sunday's games on BBC Sounds

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's two Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Liverpool 3-0 Bournemouth

• Crystal Palace 0-0 Man Utd

• Brighton 2-2 Nottingham Forest

• Man City 2-2 Arsenal

Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Fulham are monitoring Galatasaray’s 24-year-old winger Baris Alper Yilmaz.

Meanwhile, Forest, Brighton and Tottenham are interested in 19-year-old fellow Turkey forward Semih Kilicsoy, who is at Besiktas. (CaughtOffside), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Michael Emons
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Reuters

Nottingham Forest continued their impressive start to the season as they maintained their unbeaten league record in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Brighton.

For the fifth time in five Premier League matches, Forest took the lead, following an early penalty from Chris Wood after Callum Hudson-Odoi had been tripped by Carlos Baleba.

Forest had gained their best result of the season last time out, winning 1-0 at Anfield against Liverpool, but they could not hang on to make it three successive away wins.

But overall, Nuno Espirito Santo's side will be happy to fight back and earn a point after two goals just before half-time had swung the game in the hosts' favour.

Substitute Ramon Sosa got the equaliser midway through the second half, converting from Morgan Gibbs-White's pass.

But Gibbs-White, along with both managers, was sent off late on in a frantic finale, although the 10 men of Forest were able to hold on to a hard-fought point.

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest captain Ryan Yates on how he feels after today's draw: "Very happy. We know how good Brighton are, from back to front they have quality all over the pitch. They have a fantastic young manager and play the game the right way.

"We created some dangerous attacks and they dominated for the most part but we created our chances. So we take the point."

On the red cards: "Nothing too much has been said really. We leave that down to the referee, that is his call and what he is paid for. So yeah nothing much to say on it.

"It is not ideal [to be without Nuno Espirito Santo for the next game] but we just have to make sure that we perform on the pitch. We will have the same sort of week but we won't have him shouting on the touchline [next game]."

On the first half: "It was really good. We caught them by surprise - we had a game plan to get down the sides and Callum did well to win the penalty. But with good teams if you don't stop them building back into it and gaining composure or stop their home crowd getting up then it can quickly be two.

"Half-time came at a good time, we re-grouped and we just wanted to show the fight and resilience that we have done all season."

On missing out on a winner: "I'm just thinking about my job at the back of the pitch and if the lads can put the chances away at the other end then great. We had a chance right at the end, think it was offside anyway but I thought we might have nicked it."

Stephen Warnock
Former Liverpool defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

The red card was right in front of us. Straight away I was thinking credit to Morgan Gibbs-White - he has covered ground and stopped the counter-attack.

You see it again on the replay, and everything looks worse on a replay, the ankle [of Joao Pedro] collapses underneath him, but that is momentum.

Rob Jones takes his time - and he is still getting booed off the pitch for the way he has refereed the game. I thought he handled it OK, he took his time to make the decision.

We have come to accept this season that the referee's decision on the pitch is the final decision - and I don't mind that.

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest assistant boss Rui Pedro Silva has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the draw: "From my point of view, from the bench, Morgan Gibbs-White's tackle looked like a fair tackle. A strong one, but a fair one. It was not one to hurt anyone. Of course, the referee has a different point of view. We don't have to agree, but that is the decision he made.

"On the coach's red cards, I did not hear anything. It was an emotional moment. I did not hear anything from the mouth of Nuno that said anything towards the referee, he only stated his point of view. He was, of course, probably emotional but nothing more than [saying] his point of view."

On whether emotions went overboard in the game: "The Premier League is very intense, so it's normal for the game to be intense for us on the bench as well. We are always respectful to the referees. There is nothing against them, we are just us living the game."

On the clinical finishing from Forest: "We know the team that they are and the lines that they like to play. In the beginning, we had that under control and did not give them what they wanted and the boys took their chances.

"We lost momentum at the end of the half and they scored two goals. That was too much, but we had lost control. So we made some changes and tried to make some more chances and get more control back. The substitutes made a good impact.

"Everybody knows the plan and sticks to the process and it was very good for us."

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest are unbeaten across their last five Premier League away games (W4 D1), their longest run in the competition since a streak of 12 undefeated matches on the road between February and October 1995.

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest forward Chris Wood has been speaking to Sky Sports following the draw: "It is always good to get something out of the game when coming away from home in the Premier League. Brighton is a tough place to come, they are a good side.

"In the manner of how the game has played out, at times we deserved the point, but we had to work hard for the point as well."

On the three red cards: "I would have to see the challenge back, I haven't seen it. It is one of those, Morgan has made a rash decision and we have to move on with that. The managers will have to come and comment on that - that is what they do.

"Everyone wants to win and fight in the Premier League and points are hard to come by."

Failing to capitalise on the lead: "We got into the lead well and they weren't causing us too many problems until the goal went in. Then we went on a down spell and they had a good spell. They are a good side, and that's how it goes.

"Unfortunately, we couldn't capitalise on it but we have a strong character in the group, fought back and scored a lovely goal to equalise."

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