Nottingham Forest emphatically defeated a depleted Brentford side 3–1 at the City Ground, sending a strong message at the start of the Premier League season
First-Half Firepower
The hosts wasted little time asserting themselves. Within five minutes, Chris Wood capitalized on a loose ball from a corner and guided it into the net, a reminder of his clinical finishing from last season.
The floodgates opened further when Dan Ndoye, making his Forest debut, soared to head home from a precise Morgan Gibbs-White cross, doubling the advantage.
Just before halftime, Wood completed his brace with a composed finish after a perfectly timed through-ball from Elliot Anderson, sealing a dominant 3–0 lead.
Brentford’s Struggles
Brentford’s struggles were evident. They were missing two key forwards, Yoane Wissa, due to uncertainty over his future, and Bryan Mbeumo, now a Manchester United player.
Their defensive frailties, especially from set-pieces, the area formerly under the purview of their new manager Keith Andrews, made for a rough debut.
Consolation, But Too Little Too Late
Brentford managed to pull one goal back in the 78th minute courtesy of a penalty by Igor Thiago after a handball by Ibrahim Sangaré.
But by then, Forest had already put the game to bed.
Tactical Overview and Reactions
Forest’s display was marked by fluidity and tactical confidence. Gibbs-White and Anderson controlled the midfield, enabling positional swaps and incisive wing play that thoroughly unsettled.
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo admitted he had been skeptical due to limited transfer activity but appeared pleased as Forest paraded new signings like James McAtee and Omari Hutchinson before kickoff, and potentially more, such as Arnaud Kalimuendo, on the way.
On the other side, Andrews acknowledged the steep learning curve facing him after this baptism of fire.