Here are your Nottingham Forest headlines on Sunday, March 11, 2023.
Injury woe
Forest’s miserable afternoon in north London was compounded by more injury woe, as well as defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.
Before the Premier League clash had even kicked off, the Reds had to make a change to their match squad. Back-up goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey suffered a knee problem during preparations for the game, meaning youngster George Shelvey was called up to the bench.
And then both Brennan Johnson and Chris Wood were forced off in the second half of the 3-1 loss. The latter had to make way just six minutes after entering the fray.
“Wayne felt his knee, so he wasn’t able to go on the bench," said head coach Steve Cooper. "Brennan has come off with a groin strain; we don't know how bad it is yet, we'll see how he is in the next day or two.
"Woody was just so unfortunate. He goes on, and in his first moment in the game he gets a really bad knock to his thigh which really swells up instantly like you wouldn't believe."
Cooper verdict
Steve Cooper felt a lack of aggression from his Forest side proved costly in a poor first half as they lost 3-1 to Tottenham Hotspur.
A first-half Harry Kane brace gave the visitors a mountain to climb. And although they improved after the break, Son Heung-Min killed the game off just when the Reds were starting to get a bit of joy.
Joe Worrall’s header was only the fourth goal they have scored on their travels in the league, with Andre Ayew missing the chance to add to that tally when his late penalty was saved. Without a win in four, Forest’s cushion above the relegation spots has been cut to three points.
“The first half performance is really where the game was won and lost. We didn’t compete well enough,” Cooper said.
Reds 'a disgrace'
Former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor has branded Forest a "disgrace" for their away form this season.
"Nottingham Forest are a disgrace. They are a disgrace," Agbonlahor said on talkSPORT while discussing the Reds' defeat in north London.
"Away from home they have won one game, drawn three and lost nine. They've scored four goals and they've conceded 32. You want to play Forest, don't you, at home now."
Fellow pundit Jamie O'Hara agreed with Agbonlahor, adding: "When they're away from home they're an absolute shambles, they need to sort that out."
Dawson view
Michael Dawson says that Forest failed to "have a go" in the opening 45 minutes of their 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in north London.
Dawson believes their defensive approach failed to pay off as they could not hold onto possession when they did have the ball. "In the first half Forest didn't even have a go," the former Forest and Tottenham defender told Sky Sports.
"That was disappointing for them. Giving Spurs a goal, playing 11 men behind the ball. I think Forest set up that way with Lingard, Gibbs-White and Johnson to hit on the counter-attack, but when they had it they kept turning it over.
"Spurs were just too good, from start to finish."
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