And that’s all he wrote. A lively second half and a sparky draw between two of the Premier League’s middleweights. I look forward to doing this again some time soon. Here’s your match report from Will Unwin at the City Ground:
Nottingham Forest’s Matt Turner isn’t overly delighted either, especially with the goal he conceded:
It’s frustrating. We want to be dominant in front of our own fans. It was an individual error by me. I should just catch it. I will work even harder on the training ground.
We have to be proud of the response for sure. We hung in there. We’re happy to get a point.
Updated
Brentford’s goalscorer is not particularly happy. You can understand why; they’re still winless since mid-August – that’s seven games.
"It's not good enough!" ❌
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 1, 2023
Christian Nørgaard left "disappointed" as Brentford fail to beat 10-player Forest 💭 pic.twitter.com/axSroNQexY
This draw is a good result for Manchester United. It keeps them in the top half of the Premier League. Yes, things really are that bleak at Old Trafford.
These two teams remain 11th and 13th respectively in the table, still just a single point separating them. You’d think both are too good to become embroiled in a relegation battle, especially considering the calibre of sides below them.
Ignore the Ryder Cup finale and stick with us for the reaction from this game. You know you want to. (Ok, you don’t have to).
DOMINGUEZ ON HIS HOME DEBUT! 💥
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 1, 2023
10-men Forest equalise, what a response! 🌳🔴 pic.twitter.com/52A4zT11Mw
FULL TIME! Nottingham Forest 1-1 Brentford
That’s it! More than 104 minutes are played and Nottingham Forest hold out with 10 men.
Nicolás Domínguez’s header ensured a share of the spoils when it looked for a moment as if Forest had thrown the points away, as Moussa Niakhaté was rightly sent off for a second bookable offence. Christian Nørgaard gave Brentford the lead soon after the sending off but credit to Forest for their battling spirit. Thomas Frank may be frustrated that his side couldn’t find a way to breach the hosts’ defence with an extra man, but a draw was a fair result in all.
Updated
This will be a seriously well-earned point for Nottingham Forest if they get it. We’re going beyond the 13 minutes of added time after an earlier delay. The home supporters are begging for the whistle.
90 mins + 12. Every time you think Brentford will get a chance, Forest slam the door in their face. Backs to the wall stuff now from Cooper’s men, with Boly launching himself at the ball to block from Maupay.
90 mins + 10. Gibbs-White wins a VERY soft free-kick and is he eyeing a shot at goal from 25 yards or mor?
No, he opts to find Boly, who stretches every sinew to turn his header towards goal, but it drifts past the far post and, from Flekken’s perspective, to safety.
Off the line! Murillo hacks it away when the ball appeared to slither through Turner’s clutches. Olakigbe had kept it alive and fired in a low shot and, you know, Murillo didn’t know much about his clearance. Nørgaard then rifles over from 25 yards. That might be Brentford’s last big chance.
90 mins + 6. A wonderful leap from Chris Wood is followed by another … the second of which sends the ball just over Flekken’s crossbar. The first header released Origi to run down the right, with the former Liverpool man then lobbing in the cross. So close for the big man.
Updated
90 mins + 4. Another tameish cross and an ever tamer header from Mbeumo, who’s not been himself today. That was never going on target, so Turner takes his time with the goal-kick.
90 mins + 3. Brentford’s crosses are not finding their targets at the moment and another cheer greets a simple Turner catch. There’s real belief that Forest can get at least a point here.
This is like playing another half of extra-time. Quite apt, I suppose, given the cup tie feeling of this encounter, as the Forest fans rouse their side once more for the battle ahead.
How much added time, I hear you ask? A loaded question these days, of course.
And it’s … 13 (thirteen) minutes. Unlucky for some.
89 mins. Gibbs-White pops up at the other end with a decisive challenge on Bryan Mbeumo! He’s pumped up after that, denying the Brentford striker who was played through by Wissa. Mbeumo will be kicking himself for an errant touch that made Gibbs-White’s job easier.
88 mins. It’s not dropping for the Brentford forwards … in fact, Forest will have a chance to throw men forwards here after Gibbs-White was felled by Onyeka – who is booked.
85 mins. The 19-year-old Michael Olakigbe is the next man being readied by Frank and the Brentford backroom team, as Boly swipes one away from inside the Forest box to sanctuary.
84 mins. Tremendous play from Gibbs-White to waltz through midfield, but his lay-off leaves Kouyaté in trouble and here come Forest … Mbeumo twists and turns and shoots towards the near-post, where Turner concedes a corner.
82 mins. A welcome period of possession for Brentford now, stretching the play wide one way and then the other, but they’re being met with an indomitable Nottingham Forest spirit. Solid defence from the hosts.
80 mins. Yes, confirmation that Steve Cooper has no interest in settling for a point. He’s bringing on two strikers in the shape of Chris Wood and Divock Origi, with Domínguez and Awoniyi replaced.
79 mins. Forest’s goalscorer, Domínguez, is down and receiving treatment and that could be the end of his afternoon. It gives us a rare opportunity to catch our collective breath. I feel sure there’s a grandstand finish awaiting us in this game. Neither side looks happy to draw.
77 mins. Kouyaté for Sangaré, then, who gets a deserved standing ovation.
76 mins. Neal Maupay is ushered on for the second appearance of his second Brentford spell, with Lewis-Potter (harshly) sacrificed in favour of the on-loan Everton man. The substitute’s first act is to volley goalwards as the ball drops his way at the back post, but it’s deflected away for a corner.
74 mins. Looks like Forest are going to turn to the experience of Cheikhou Kouyaté in midfield, which I’d think would be a wise call.
72 mins. Bizarrely, it’s Forest who are making all the running now. They’re playing direct football, which they need to do with 10 men, and Brentford have started looking a little passive.
The pressure valve is relased by Nørgaard who searches for Mbeumo with a long ball but Turner sprints out to thunder it clear.
69 mins. Jensen and Hickey come off for Brentford, perhaps a precaution by Frank in the case of Hickey, who was booked very early on. The Danish manager needs his team to regain control of this now. A hectic and frenetic game only benefits Forest.
Ghoddos ignores any advice to stay calm by steaming needlessly into Awoniyi and conceding a free-kick.
67 mins. Woah, that’s really changed the feel of this game. Forget about the fact Forest only have 10 men, the fans inside the City Ground have certainly forgotten about it.
Saman Ghoddos and Frank Onyeka are being readied by Thomas Frank.
GOAL! Nottingham Forest 1-1 Brentford (Domínguez 65)
An instant reply!
Good play from Sangaré to keep the ball alive in midfield and then Toffolo plays in a superb, pinpoint cross from the left which is met by an instinctive Nicolás Domínguez header – scoring with Forest’s first effort on target. There may be question marks over Mark Flekken for that, he was too easily beaten in the centre of his goal.
Updated
63 mins. Tempers are boiling over now, with a few late ones going in on either side and the home fans baying for blood. It should be a good final half hour now – those flash points have ignited a previously poor match.
61 mins. Steve Cooper sends out the SOS for Morgan Gibbs-White. It was inevitable that he had to come on, especially with Forest a goal and a man down now. Harry Toffolo is also introduced, with wide men Elanga and Hudson-Odoi both sacrificed.
GOAL! Nottingham Forest 0-1 Brentford (Nørgaard 58)
Double trouble! Nørgaard nods home from the resulting free-kick!
Will it count? They’ve got the lines up again, VAR having a very detailed look – on the freeze frame, he looks marginally offside … maybe … oh I’m really not sure.
Paul Tierney waits for the call amid jeers from the home fans. He’s onside, it will count! More boos from the City Ground: ‘We only get sh*t refs’, they say.
Updated
RED CARD! Niakhaté (Nottingham Forest)
OFF! He threw out a leg to kick at Wissa and that’s a clear yellow – it could even have been a straight red in itself.
Nottingham Forest are down to 10 men and the City Ground has suddenly fallen deathly quiet.
Updated
55 mins. Niakhaté is in trouble here … there’s a VAR check for a second yellow. I think he’s going to walk.
54 mins. Alarm bells in the opposite penalty box now and it’s Collins’ turn to dilly-dally on the ball under pressure. ‘C’mon you Reds!’ chant the home faithful, their shouts becoming a little more strained now. Hudson-Odoi’s cross evades everyone to cue more groans.
52 mins. Goodness me, Matt Turner – what have you nearly done! He was asleep on the ball, taking far too long to weigh up his options, and Wissa stormed in, won the ball but didn’t get enough of a touch … Boly whacks it to safety. The modern day sweeper keeper in a nutshell.
Brentford’s corner drops to Lewis-Potter who thwacks it miles over the crossbar.
51 mins. A super reverse pass from Jensen threatens to open the door for Brentford. They’re probing and probing now.
48 mins. You sensed just before the break that Brentford were finally getting a handle on this and that double chance will have imbued them with confidence. Both sides have flown out of the second half blocks.
46 mins. A forensic half-time analysis by the Sky Sports guys showed that handball shout (which was against Nicolás Domínguez, not Boly, my bad) was a very decent shout indeed. His arm was not in a natural position, whatsoever.
SECOND HALF
Peeeeeeeeeep!
It should be the duty of both sides, when they’re the only ones in action on a Premier League Sunday, to provide some entertainment. (Yes, I appreciate it doesn’t work like that, this was always going to be a tight game). Let’s hope for better after the interval. The sides are about to re-emerge.
Caution indeed.
6 - There were just six shot attempts in the first half of Nottingham Forest v Brentford (0 goals), with no Premier League game having fewer in the opening half so far this season. Caution. pic.twitter.com/iPRjC44I7h
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 1, 2023
HALF TIME
A huge double chance for Brentford to end the half! Turner is forced into a decent stop after Vitaly Janelt’s shot takes a deflection and almost flies in at the near post … then it won’t quite drop for Yoane Wissa to prod home from close range. The resulting corner is scrambled away and Forest get to half-time goalless – that was by far the Bees’ best moment of the match.
There was a late penalty check for handball against Willy Boly, in the middle of all that, which is eventually dismissed by VAR.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Brentford at the break.
Just the two added minutes at the end of the half.
Murillo took a knock in that last passage of play and is hobbling around a bit.
43 mins. A rare error on the ball from Elanga lets Brentford off the hook again. The former Manchester United winger has been arguably the most impressive player on the pitch. It’s on the other wing, however, where Nottingham Forest win a free-kick after Ajer’s slide on Hudson-Odoi.
41 mins. Does that count as a shot on target? A very tame Ethan Pinnock header dribbles onto the floor and is picked up by Turner. Dubious.
There’s nothing at the other end, either, for all Hudson-Odoi’s efforts in busting a gut to reach the byline and cut back. Brentford clear.
The stats flash up on the screen and show … zero shots on target. Yep, that just about sums up this game so far.
38 mins. Lewis-Potter has been bright, showing some nimble feet on the ball and decisive movement off it, winning a corner for his side. Forest are dominating a lot of the aerial duels – and do so again to clear that cross.
36 mins. I’m liking the look of Ibrahim Sangaré. Some bigger clubs than Forest were keen on his services before he made the move from PSV Eindhoven. He’s making the hosts tick today.
34 mins. It’d be classic Barclays if Hudson-Odoi did something really silly now … instead he picks up the ball and drives dangerously at Ajer, who eventually gets in a good tackle.
Kári Tulinius agrees with me about Hudson-Odoi:
I agree with you that Forest must’ve been pinching themselves when they got Hudson-Odoi for so little. But I’m not surprised that no one else went after him, as he did not perform well at all for Leverkusen and looked a shadow of his former self. That he’s hit the City Ground running is testament to his mental fortitude.
32 mins. Another Mbeumo misstep. A rotten corner that Ajer tries to salvage with a flick towards the near post which, to put it kindly, doesn’t come off. Cheers from the home fans.
31 mins. Murillo nods it over his own crossbar after Mbeumo’s whipped delivery. Corner.
30 mins. Better play in possession from Brentford, passing with more certainty and tempo … but it’s been a bad half for Bryan Mbeumo. He’s been really sloppy.
Moussa Niakhate is going in the book for a poor tackle on Mathias Jensen. It was late but nothing more – although it means a good free-kick opportunity for the visitors. They like set-pieces.
27 mins. That’s an errant touch from Aurier who was played virtually in by a brilliant diagonal to the right wing. The ball dribbles away from him and out of play.
25 mins. Perfectly-timed from Murillo in the tackle to deny Lewis-Potter a sniff of goals. Just nicked it away from his feet for a corner – which comes to little or nothing.
24 mins. Frantic note-taking and arm-waving from Thomas Frank on the sideline. He looks unimpressed.
23 mins. Lewis-Potter wanted a foul after Serge Aurier went in with typical hubris there. Nothing doing, says Paul Tierney, as Forest flood forward and work it nicely to Elanga who just pushes his shot wide to the right. Half a chance, that.
21 mins. Niakhaté snaps into a neat tackle on Mbeumo; then Mangala bravely gets in the way of a pass infield, before Sangaré dances away from a couple of challenges to get his team forward. Wholehearted stuff from the home side.
19 mins. That’s a third or maybe fourth touch of the match for Mbeumo on my count, cleaning up after a fairly aimless crossfield switch from Keane Lewis-Potter. Mbeumo is then the target for an aimless Kristoffer Ajer pass. A bit ragged from the Bees.
16 mins. Murillo has been playing at left-sided centre back rather than out wide, with Moussa Niakhate over at left-back. The Brazilian has exhibited some nice touches and crisp passing on his Premier League debut so far.
Elanga continues to drive down the right with some success, pinning Hickey back.
14 mins. Flekken comes out to tidy up a searching Willy Boly ball that was aimed in the path Awoniyi. But Brentford are struggling to keep the ball once they’ve won it back.
Callum Hudson-Odoi cost Forest £3m in the summer. Why is nobody dubbing that the deal of the century?
Updated
11 mins. Forest are direct and they’re powerful and they’re looking far more dangerous now. Elanga and Awoniyi are dovetailing nicely, causing a good few headaches for Brentford’s back line in the past few minutes. Ibrahim Sangaré looks a very solid addition to the midfield and he’s keeping things ticking in those deeper areas, before unleashing the diagonals.
It’s offside. Taiwo Awoniyi ghosted in following a knock-down from the corner, but he was a good half-yard offside. No gremlins in the VAR system on this occasion.
8 mins. Goal? Awonyi has the ball in the net here and the flag initially went up … please get the lines up and take your time, lads.
Updated
7 mins. The ‘sizing up’ process is still very much ongoing in this match, with little quality on display in these early stages. Nørgaard’s poor cross is straight into the grateful arms of Matt Turner, while Forest play it long and Elanga, after a lung-busting run, wins a corner.
4 mins. It looks decidely like a back three from Brentford, with Ajer dropping in alongside Ethan Pinnock and Nathan Collins, with Hickey pushed up down the left. Pinnock and Mark Flekken play their way out of trouble as Forest come hot and heavy with the press.
2 mins. Anthony Elanga has forced Aaron Hickey into a yellow card-conceding challenge already as the pair contest a high ball. The Scot cannot believe it, but he was holding Elanga. Free-kick for Forest in a decent spot.
KICK OFF!
Brentford emerge in a grey and peppermint away number, Forest are in their usual red and white. A minute’s silence for Maddy Cusack, then a rendition of Mull of Kintyre. And we’re off.
Jeremy Boyce has emailed in his prediction just in time for kick-off:
I am ‘betting’ on a Forest win simply Beecause Brentford seem totally out of sorts at the mo, whereas Stevie’s boys always seem to find something. Bet you I win the bet ! Double or quits if not...
Right, we’re almost ready for this one to get rocking. Where’s your money? I’m saying goals, goals and goals (I realise that’s a cop-out of a prediction).
Hmmm…
"He hasn't been dropped"
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 1, 2023
Steve Cooper explains why Morgan Gibbs-White isn't starting for Forest against Brentford 🔊 pic.twitter.com/nqv4h5EO1L
The xG boys really like Brentford; there’s a sense they’ve underperformed this season – and they certainly did last week in losing 3-1 at home to Everton. Their solitary league victory this season came in a 3-0 gimme at 10-man Fulham on the second weekend, while September brought just a single point. Playing away does seem to suit them, but the City ground will be fervent and bang up for this, as always.
The PGMOL once again finds itself in a mess amid yesterday’s VAR controversy at Tottenham. One of today’s officials has been taken off duty after his mistake.
Darren England, VAR on the Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool fixture, and Dan Cook, AVAR on the same game, have been replaced for the Nottingham Forest v Brentford and Fulham v Chelsea matches today and tomorrow night.
— paul joyce (@_pauljoyce) October 1, 2023
Don’t forget the Women’s Super League gets under way today and you can follow the action here:
You could interpret either formation as 4-2-3-1, or 4-3-3, depending on your viewpoint – what’s clear is both managers are set up to attack. There’s an awful lot of pace and skill in that Forest frontline. I’m looking forward to seeing Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi in particular. It’s an interesting call to leave Morgan Gibbs-White, mind you. Brazilian left-back Murillo is making his debut.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank has encouraged Keane Lewis-Potter, 22 and formerly of Hull, to step up and grasp the opportunity he’s been handed by the absence of Kevin Schade. He plays off the left today, with Bryan Mbeumo on the right.
Your Bees to face Forest 🐝#NFOBRE | #BrentfordFC pic.twitter.com/5REnH7i34v
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) October 1, 2023
Team news
Nottingham Forest: Turner, Aurier, Boly, Niakhaté, Murillo, Domínguez, Sangaré, Mangala, Hudson-Odoi, Elanga, Awonyi
Subs: Odysseas, Worrall, Kouyaté, Santos, Gibbs-White, Wood, Toffolo, Origi, Montiel.
Brentford: Flekken, Ajer, Collins, Pinnock, Hickey, Nørgaard, Jensen, Janelt, Lewis-Potter, Mbeumo, Wissa
Subs: Strakosha, Zanka, Onyeka, Roerslev, Yamoliuk, Brierley, Ghoddos, Maupay, Olakigbe.
Updated
Preamble
Good afternoon folks! There’s not exactly a feast of Premier League football to sate us this Sunday afternoon, but this game between Nottingham Forest and Brentford has plenty of intrigue surrounding it, for sure, with one point separating the teams in the table. Neither side have begun the season in stunning fashion, yet neither will be entertaining thoughts of a relegation battle this season – and hence this is a game both will fancy winning.
Brentford have a number of injury issues to go with the long-term absence of Ivan Toney, while Forest are going to assess Arsenal loanee Nuno Tavares, who is a doubt. We’ll run you through the teamsheets – which are just dropping right about now – in the next post. Do stay tuned.
Updated
