Nottingham Forest 0-2 Cardiff City (EFL Championship) 19.09.20

A second successive league defeat, a third defeat this season and a fifth straight defeat for Nottingham Forest who are now without a win in eight competitive matches. Not the sort of form for a side that last season missed out on the playoffs only by goal difference.

A terrible start was made by Forest at the all bar staff empty City Ground as the Reds went behind after just two minutes of their first home match of the season. Tobias Figueiredo losing his marker Kieffer Moore who headed home from a corner in traditional Championship stick it in the box style.

Neil Harris’s Welshmen looked solid in a first half which Forest rarely troubled the visitors and when Joe Lolley was replaced by Sabri Lamouchi as the winger made way for Lyle Taylor it looked to be a reshape in formation that could be used to get the Reds back in the game. That didn’t happen though, five minutes before half time it was two to the Bluebirds with Moore stabbing home from close range after a long throw in to the box was flicked on.

Forest couldn’t have been any worse in the first half in fact but the Reds to their credit hugely improved in a second half all be it their visitors two goals up and playing with little intent to attack more than happy simply to consolidate their lead.

Yates headed at Smithies who tipped over in what was the Reds first attempt on target in three matches after 53 minutes before Ameobi’s long range shot was again saved by the Cardiff goalkeeper who tipped over the bar.

Grabban then forced another more comfortable save from Smithies before the Reds captain was substituted for the debuting Guerrero and although young Alex Mighten threatened late on with a good cameo off the bench there was little Forest could do to claw themselves back into the game as the away side held on for all three points.

Manager Sabri Lamouchi now seemingly under more pressure than ever-before stated after “The second half was much better because we didn’t play in the first half. We have to do more, we have to be more solid, strong, it is so easy for the opponent and we have to find the solution to get out of this difficult situation.”

“The season has started, we need to wake up and do our jobs and to do better. It is just the second game but we have lost six points and we cannot accept that.”

Nottingham Forest: Samba, Jenkinson (Mighten 81), Figueiredo, Worrall, Ribeiro, Colback, Yates, Freeman, Lolley (Taylor 37), Freeman, Grabban (Guerrero 74).

Cardiff City: Smithies, Osei-Tutu, Morrison, Nelson, Bennett (Bamba 82), Bacuna, Pack, Ojo (Vaulks 74), Ralls, Hoilett (Tomlin 77), Moore.

Venue: City Ground

*Main image @NFFC Sammy Ameobi in action as Forest lose against Cardiff.