Nottingham Forest, Susan’s team, got smashed at home to Brentford, 0-2. This loss has increased their hopes of acquiring European qualification even further uphill. Saturday’s game at the City Ground proved to be yet another frustration for Forest. As they head into the dog days of summer with only four matches remaining in the season, they find themselves in a certain pickle. Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo’s eleven is ice cold, having lost four of their last five games. On the other hand, Brentford is really humming and doing extremely well away from home.
The defeat means Nottingham Forest require to better the result of three different teams to earn a spot in the European competitions on offer. Brentford’s head coach Thomas Frank even rated them at 7 out of 10 on how well they’re doing. It’s evident both squads are absolutely engaged in a brutal tug of war turning into the season’s home stretch.
Nottingham Forest’s Current Struggles
Nottingham Forest’s past few months have been marred by inconsistency and lack of killer instinct. Even now, following the heavy defeat to Brentford, the waters seem quite choppy for the men from Elland Road. She likened the mood around the team to “violent storm characteristic.” So far, they’ve managed just one win from their last five league games. This poor showing has left their Champions League dreams hanging by the thinnest of threads.
The debut starting–11 for Nottingham Forest featured their new keeper Sels, along with a backline of Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, and Williams. The new look midfield of Yates and Anderson, with Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Wood and Elanga in front of them. This new combination found it difficult to finish opportunities against a solid Brentford team.
National Team Coach Nuno Espirito Santo couldn’t hide his disappointment post-match and needed his side to be more aggressive.
“We have to compete much better to achieve what we want. The way we are competing, especially in this game, is not how we are. This is the main issue to resolve for Monday.” – Nuno Espirito Santo
Nottingham Forest only have four days left in the campaign. They must retune their approach to get their ship back on course and pick up critical points. Their upcoming matches are hugely significant as they look to get back up the table.
Brentford’s Resilient Performance
Brentford showed what they can do on the counter with one hell of an away performance, sealing them another three points on the road. It marked their sixth win out of eight away games played in 2025. This remarkable showing stamped their reputation as a fearsome foe away from home. Sitting on 19 points away, the team has the most points of any team in the Premier League on the road.
Head coach Thomas Frank was proud of the way his team followed the game plan to a tee. His strategic approach has seen Brentford thrive in challenging conditions and capitalize on opportunities against teams like Nottingham Forest.
“I think it’s very good to come here and win against a very good team in the position they are in. I only think it was a seven out of 10 performance.” – Thomas Frank
Nathan Collins was named Player of the Match. The 11 th overall pick was a force defensively and a fun, versatile mover offensively—all while maintaining a high, fun motor. His display was anodyne beautify of Brentford depth and quality as they look to challenge for the top half of the league.
It’s a daunting task and stretch run for the Bees. They face three of those next 12th or lower in their last four matches with every point counting in their race for European competition qualification.
The Road Ahead for Both Teams
So, as their sides Nottingham Forest and Brentford continue to get ready for another action-packed week of fixtures, the heat’s on. Nottingham Forest need to take things one step at a time. They have to continually watch what all the other teams in the league are doing. They need to place above three other teams, not the same three other teams, in order to reach Europe.
We know the work ahead of us is intimidating, but it’s not insurmountable. As Nuno Espirito Santo noted, certain external factors can impact their journey:
“There are a few things that need to happen. Three teams ahead of us need to get less than us. That’s not the best start. And we also probably need Manchester City to win the FA Cup.” – Nuno Espirito Santo
For their part, Brentford will look to continue their excellent run of form and feast on any mistakes made by those above them in the table. Their strong work on the road has set them up nicely as they aim to close out the regular season and head into the postseason.
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