Nottingham Forest 1-3 Brentford (EFL Championship) 12.12.20

Nottingham Forest were beaten for the sixth time in seven matches as Chris Hughton’s reds were humbled at home to Brentford in yet another disappointing performance at the City Ground this afternoon.

A soft start from Forest had them a goal down within fifteen minutes, Dalsgaard with the header from a corner after Toby Figueiredo was blocked off in marking the Danish defender. Things could even have got worse still on 23 minutes, Samba saving well from Mbeumo who shot low from the edge of the box.

Brentford striker Ivan Toney then hit an acrobatic effort inches over the bar as the dominant Bees looked for a second before Ameobi at the other end forced Raya to parry away as Arter failed to connect with the follow up.

As the half came to a close, Lyle Taylor was inches off target for Forest, volleying an effort wide as Chris Hughton’s men searched for a leveller.

Forest continued their push into the second half as the Manager made a double substitution at the break, but Brentford’s determined defence refused to give in, Fosu on the counter attack producing another top save from Samba as the visitors looked more like scoring a second than Forest finding an equaliser.

As the clock ticked along the Reds pushed with Knockaert knocking on the door to no avail, Raya tipping over his speculative drive, and as Forest pushed men forward they were sucker-punched, picked off by a classy outfit, too good on the day as substitute Jay Dasilva curled home on 83.

It got even worse, heads down and out, the Reds let another in late on as Toney raced home to make it three with less than three minutes left, to their credit, of which their wasn’t much to choose from, Worrall headed home late on a consolation before Knockaert received a second yellow card and was sent off. Forest’s worse performance of the season, showing something certainly is not right for a team looking now very seriously like relegation fodder.

What next for Hughton? What next for Forest? Whatever the outcome, the verdict is must do better.

Nottingham Forest: Samba, Christie, Figueiredo, Worrall, Ribeiro, Yates, Cafu, Arter (Guerrero 46), Lolley (Knockaert 46), Ameobi, Taylor.

Brentford: Raya, Henry, Bech Sorensen, Pinnock, Dalsgaard, Marcondes (Haygarth 89), Janelt, Jensen (Dasilva 67), Fosu (Canos 67), Toney (Pressley 89), Mbeumo (Ghoddos 86).

Venue: City Ground

*Main image @NFFC action at the City Ground as Forest pushed for a goal v Brentford.