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Forest rediscovered themselves in Arsenal draw - Nunopublished at 22:43 26 February
22:43 26 February
Nick Mashiter BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Boss Nuno Espirito Santo believes Nottingham Forest rediscovered their best qualities in their battling draw with Arsenal.
Forest remain third and six points behind the Gunners after Wednesday's 0-0 draw at the City Ground.
It came after they conceded eight goals in their last three games, including Sunday's 4-3 defeat at Newcastle.
Arsenal dominated possession and forced Forest to defended for long spells in the City Ground's first 0-0 draw in the Premier League since 1998.
"The most important thing was to realise how we do things, how we play and our strengths. Today it was there," said Nuno.
"We were compact and didn't allow Arsenal too much. Arsenal had chances, of course, because they are a very good team. But at the same time, we were compact, solid and aggressive.
"Maybe we could have found better transition points but it is always difficult. The positive is the clean sheet and, more than anything, finding ourselves as a team again with the way we do things.
"In the last moments of the game, we were the team getting the set-pieces and the dangerous momentum. That is a positive, also."
'Important to go back to basicspublished at 22:05 26 February
22:05 26 February
Image source, Getty Images
Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo, speaking to BBC Sport: "I'm very happy with the way we did things, the way we played against Arsenal.
"It's very difficult to play against them. They're a very good team. It requires a lot of effort. We were solid and compact. Very positive game.
"After this period we had conceding it was important to go back to basics - solid, clean sheet. We had a couple of moments to do it better. But in terms of the game, positive because it was very important to go back to the team we are that allows us to be successful.
"They have danger all over the place. Set-pieces are some of them. It requires focus. The boys did well. We prepared it.
"This is one of the main messages, more than anything, the feeling of being a team that don't concede too many chances, always in the right places, organised, balanced. Going forward we have talent.
"Our fans have been amazing for us. Today again. No legs but they give us the extra run to the players. Can't thank them enough. We have to enjoy the journey and realise it's not always possible to go with a victory. They saw a good team a team who competed very well."
Performances 'worthy of European places'published at 12:01 26 February
12:01 26 February
Image source, Getty Images
Football fans want to see the "status quo challenged" as Nottingham Forest try and secure European football, says supporter Ben Marshall.
The Reds have gone from a relegation fight last season to the top three of the Premier League, three points clear of Manchester City in fifth. However, that spot could be enough to secure Champions League football next campaign with England leading Uefa's coefficient table for an additional place.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side host Arsenal on Wednesday night as they look to strengthen their position in the race for European football.
"We are still in the pinching ourselves phase," Marshall told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast. "To have gone from being in relegation scraps for the last couple of years, to be even contemplating the possibility of European football, let alone Champions League football is surreal.
"I think the whole city is still in a bit of shock, but all enjoying it while we can. Football is game of fine margins and we know it can change very quickly. The performances have been worthy of the European places, so we just hope we can get it over the line.
"In the bigger picture of football, it is great to see teams who are not part of the 'big six' doing well. There is a lot of people who would just like to see the status quo challenged. It is good for football and it gives people hope that their team might go on to succeed and compete at the very top of English football.
"There is a real belief we can be in Europe next season. I have preemptively cleared my diary for Thursdays next season."
Sutton's predictions: Nottingham Forest v Arsenalpublished at 10:50 26 February
10:50 26 February
Saturday's home defeat by West Ham was a real hammer blow for Arsenal's title hopes.
They need to bounce back and find a way of beating Nottingham Forest, but this is a tough trip after such a devastating result, and I am not so sure they will take the points here either.
Forest are not in great form themselves, and got a bit of a walloping at Newcastle. Nuno Espirito Santo was clearly unhappy with some of his side's defending in that game.
But how are Arsenal going to score goals? I don't know at the moment.
If Gunners boss Mikel Arteta needs a left-back, he has got a few of them on the bench. Unfortunately he needs a centre-forward, and there is not one of those to be seen.
'Get your passports ready' - ex-Forest boss on European hopespublished at 10:36 26 February
10:36 26 February
Media caption,
Former Nottingham Forest boss Billy Davies says Reds fans should get their "passports ready" for European football next season.
Davies had two spells at Forest boss more than a decade ago, having previously guided their fierce East Midlands rivals Derby County to promotion to the Premier League.
The 60-year-old got Forest to the Championship play-offs twice in his first stint at the City Ground, with his second spell ending after a 5-0 defeat by Derby which left the Reds sitting just outside the top six in March 2014.
Now more than a decade on, Forest are in their third successive season back in the Premier League, and have been transformed from relegation battlers to European hopefuls under boss Nuno Espirito Santo.
Despite three defeats in their past four league games, the Reds remain third in the table and in the hunt for a return to European football for the first time in almost three decades.
"Forest fans, enjoy it and get your European passports ready," Davies told BBC East Midlands Today.
"Nuno has come in and done a great job. We have now seen the benefit of the £400m spent and wonderful support from the owner."
Davies was back in Nottingham earlier this month for an 'evening with' show that included former members of his backroom staff, as well players who featured under him at Forest – including Wes Morgan and Lee Camp.
BBC East Midlands Today also spoke to a number of fans about their memories of the Scot and his time with Forest.
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal: Did you know?published at 10:29 26 February
10:29 26 February
Image source, Getty Images
Arsenal won this fixture 2-1 last season, but have not won consecutive away league games against Nottingham Forest since a run of four between 1987 and 1990.
Nuno on City Ground, defeats and improvements published at 14:25 25 February
14:25 25 February
Ben Ramsdale BBC Sport journalist
Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Premier League game against Arsenal (kick-off 19:30 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Nuno confirmed that there are a few players carrying knocks that will need to be assessed before Wednesday evening's match but didn't disclose who.
He said three defeats in the last four Premier League games is simply "the reality of the game" and all part of the club's journey.
On the recent good form at home and whether they can take confidence from that going into the Arsenal game: "I hope so. We hope that the City Ground helps us because we need all the help that we can get against such a tough opponent. We hope the City Ground can give us the energy and atmosphere."
When asked about finishing above Arsenal, Nuno said that the team's ambition is to simply "be better than in previous games."
He dismissed a question on whether Forest are in the title race, stating: "We chase the next game, that is all that is on our minds. We want to chase everything that we want to achieve."
Finally, on what he has learned about the side in adversity: "We react better than before. We didn't react to a tough time at Bournemouth but we reacted well against Newcastle. We were able to revert the momentum of the game. That was positive but not enough."
'A fundamental problem Forest must face'published at 12:24 25 February
12:24 25 February
Pat Riddell Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
The question Nottingham Forest haven't really faced this season is: how do they progress? Given that the Reds still remain third in the Premier League, it's not an issue they've had to address.
But Sunday's first-half performance against Newcastle United, following away losses at Bournemouth and Fulham, suggest that long-term there is a fundamental problem they must face.
Soaking up pressure, drawing the opposition in, and hitting teams on the break has served Forest very well in the Premier League. In reality, it's part of the club's DNA going back decades.
Forest's away form in the early part of the season - and they still maintain one of the best away records in the division - is what propelled them to the heady heights they find themselves in at the moment.
However, meek performances at Manchester City, Arsenal and now Fulham and Newcastle in recent weeks prove the growing pains that we inevitably had to deal with.
Nuno, of course, will no doubt have a plan for the summer and pragmatism remains all-important for clubs seeking to break into the top six. Some questions aren't answered easily.
And maybe the answer isn't necessarily dominating the ball: Liverpool comfortably beat Manchester City on Sunday with just 34% possession. Perhaps that era is in flux and Forest's usual defensive solidity and focus on quick transition doesn't need too much tweaking.
But giving up possession too easily definitely seemed counterintuitive on Sunday - leading to an unforgivable first-half 11-minute disaster - and imposing ourselves on the game definitely seems something our talented squad have proven to be capable of. The second-half performance certainly offered a glimpse of the Forest we've been used to this season.
For now, we know that our home form - combined with that inimitable atmosphere and a little bit of confidence - makes Wednesday's all-important game against Arsenal that little bit less daunting.
Running out of steam? Or running towards glory?published at 15:27 24 February
15:27 24 February
Newcastle may have fallen over the line in seeing off Nottingham Forest but their endeavour during the win was noteworthy.
The Magpies clocked 109.6km of running as a team compared to 103.47km for Forest.
Furthermore, the Magpies produced 173 sprints, with Forest on 35 fewer.
Are Nuno Espirito Santo's side running out of steam given their superb season so far? Or are Eddie Howe's side finding that extra bit of hustle at the business end of the campaign?
Bruno Guimaraes (11.7km) and Lewis Miley (11.2km) broke the 11km barrier, with no Forest player doing so.
Left-back Lewis Hall was the busiest player on the day with a game-high 96 touches. He completed 89% of his passes, including an impressive 92% of passes he attempted in the final third.
No player had more duels than Hall's 17 and the former Chelsea player won 11 of them. Hall created three chances on the day, with only Forest's Chris Wood reaching the same figure.
A true game of two halvespublished at 11:54 24 February
11:54 24 February
You've heard the cliche - now we can show it.
The above graphic, newly available via the Match Stats tab on every Premier League match report, demonstrates starkly how the pendulum swung in Sunday's ding-dong game between Newcastle and Nottingham Forest.
Essentially, the visual represents every minute of the game and shows the likelihood each team had of scoring in that moment of the match.
The more likely a goal for a team, the bigger the bar.
So in the first half, the glut of yellow bars represents just how dominant Newcastle were, obviously having four goals to show for it.
However, after the break, back came Forest, and the swathe of white demonstrates their pressure on the Newcastle goal and just how close they came to getting back on terms.
To get into the weeds of how it works, check out our full explainer here and make sure to keep an eye out on every game your team plays in the Premier League from now on.
Anth: Elation, frustration, stress and then panic left me in an emotional puddle! From Mount Everest to the ocean floor! A game of two halves just doesn't do that justice. I'm grateful for the three points and loved the first half but I had to borrow fingernails at the end as the second half screeched towards its inevitable excruciating conclusion. Liverpool looming fills me with not a little trepidation!
Tony: Howe says we are at our best when we play free-flowing, attacking football and that's what we did in the first half and blew Forest away, we were unplayable. Second half was abysmal and we let Forest get a foothold, get back into the game and get hope. This side is either brilliant or awful with no in between.
Davy: Three valuable points and back to winning ways. However, lots still to be concerned about. Sloppy passing throughout and constantly losing possession. Made what should have been an easy victory into a difficult one. Three points though and a magnificent performance from Lewis Hall.
Mark: The defensive implosion, not just in this game but in recent games in general, has been very worrying. That's seven conceded in our past two in the league, or 14 in the last five. That's not going to get us Champions League football, no matter what Alexander Isak does at the other end. No game has better summed up just how devastating we can be, both to ourselves and opponents.
Forest fans
Brian: Obviously we were awful in the first half. Sloppy and gave the ball away far too much. Newcastle deserved to be three goals ahead. Second half we were a different team. Could even have won if we'd been more clinical. Callum Hudson-Odoi, Elliot Anderson and Ola Aina were brilliant. Might be looking through rose-tinted but if we play like we did in the second half, we can beat Arsenal and Manchester City.
John: Forest can't give away four goals like that in half an hour and remain credible in a high position. Shades of the Bournemouth defeat. We managed three but were chasing the game and must sort the defence out as dropping Morato weakened us. Geordies' day, not ours…
Jamie: Momentum killed by that poor free-kick decision, and then we panicked and had everything go their way. Happy to see us fight back - that's what we need to be. Two more tough games that we can possibly get points from to get back on track for a great finish.
Ken: Nuno should instead explain why we couldn't play in the first half - after we scored - like we did for the whole of the second. If those players went into their shell of their own accord, then he's lost the dressing room. If he coached them to do that, then it's his fault. One or the other. It's not the first time either - Bournemouth... Fulham... Interesting that Murillo and Aina have been useless since their contract talks began.
Catch up on the Premier League actionpublished at 06:52 24 February
06:52 24 February
Highlights and analysis from Sunday's two Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.
Forest suffer blow in European pushpublished at 17:05 23 February
17:05 23 February
Alex Brotherton BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo had mixed feelings about his side's performance at St James' Park.
His side were "unrecognisable" in the first half as they conceded four times in the space of 11 minutes, but in the second half they looked much more like a team that has European football in their sights.
Forest netted the opening goal in a Premier League game for the 20th time this season - more than any other side - but gave themselves too much to do after the break.
"It was a big gap to to try and recover from. The reaction was very good. We gave it our all and we created a lot of chances against Newcastle and believed we could win the game," Espirito Santo told BBC Match of the Day.
"The reaction was good, I think the team was more recognisable. We played good and were positive going forward. This pleased me the most."
With back-to-back games against Arsenal and Manchester City coming up, Forest must pick themselves up and go again.
'Newcastle were on the ropes'published at 16:27 23 February
16:27 23 February
Image source, Getty Images
Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo, speaking to Sky Sports: "First half, clearly Newcastle better. Second half was better but unfortunately not enough. Too bad, too soon.
"It's about trying to settle down, calm down and try to be ourselves. In the first half I didn't recognise our team In the second half we were much better.
"I don't know, this is what I'm going to work on now. This is a game which is good to reflect on.
"We made mistakes. Newcastle made mistakes also. But it was two totally different halves. We started well, we scored, and they just rolled over us.
"There was nothing else in the first half about us. Every time Newcastle had the ball they scored.
"I wish there was 10 minutes added on. We needed that time. We were on top, Newcastle were on the ropes. With 10 minutes I think we can get something from this game."
Newcastle 4-3 Nottingham Forest: Key statspublished at 16:15 23 February
16:15 23 February
Image source, Getty Images
Nottingham Forest have lost three of their last four Premier League games (W1), as many as in their previous 16 (W11 D2 L3).
Since the start of last season, no player has scored more Premier League goals from outside the box than Forest's Callum Hudson-Odoi (7), who has scored all four of his league goals this season from outside the penalty area.
Newcastle 4-3 Nottingham Forest - send us your thoughtspublished at 15:59 23 February
Image source, Getty Images
