Nuno Espirito Santo fears Nottingham Forest’s Champions League dream will slip through their fingers unless they rediscover the qualities that have brought them this far.
Goals in either half from Brentford duo Kevin Schade and Yoane Wissa left Forest still in sixth spot, with the top five in the Premier League qualifying for Europe’s top club competition next term.
Despite a third defeat in four league games, Forest are still level on points with fifth-placed Chelsea. Though there is time to rescue the situation, Nuno was alarmed at the nature of Brentford’s goals, which resulted from two simple balls over the top and would have embarrassed an Under-11 team.
‘Many times we give credit to the way we defend but today it was the other way around,’ said Nuno, who also alluded to a ‘fitness issue’ within his squad after Callum Hudson-Odoi departed at half-time with a hamstring injury.
‘I see belief, desire and commitment among the players but we are struggling in some aspects of our game: focus, determination, the ability to be practical and solve the situations that are simple to solve.
‘We are here because we deserve to be but my major concern is how we can be ourselves again, against Crystal Palace on Monday.
Brentford overcame Nottingham Forest on Thursday night, beating them 2-0 at the City Ground
Forest failed to capitalise on their game in hand in the top-five race and move up to third place
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are sixth and may well not make the Champions League at this rate
‘Our opponents have to work harder than they did to achieve what they managed today. We have to correct these mistakes and compete better. We will see if our players can hold on and keep going.’
Though Forest have had an outstanding year, they would be so dejected if they missed out on the Champions League now, having spent so long in the top five. They must regroup quickly: in-form Crystal Palace await at Selhurst Park on Monday.
It was even more galling for Forest that Wissa should score the decisive goal. Forest have an interest in the forward and he might have moved to the City Ground in the winter had Brentford been willing to cash in.
This was Brentford’s sixth away win of what has been another impressive season for the west London club. Though they have an outside chance of Europe, Brentford are under little pressure and Forest might have hoped they would lack focus for this match. If so, they were sorely mistaken.
‘Ask me about Europe in three games time – then I’ll answer the question,’ smiled Brentford boss Thomas Frank. ‘We’re growing as a club and the team is growing. We would have been more competitive last year if we hadn’t had as many injuries.
‘We consistently perform at a good level [this season]. This season we had one bad game whereas last season we have had three or four. There’s another big game on Sunday against Manchester United which we will do our best to win.’
Forest showed their edginess when Morgan Gibbs-White and Hudson-Odoi made a mess of a free-kick routine and bickered briefly. Moments later, Matz Sels saved superbly to stop Sepp van den Berg heading home Mikkel Damsgaard’s free-kick.
Already on a yellow card, Keane Lewis-Potter barged Ola Aina over in a dangerous spot – and escaped a second booking.
Kevin Schade opened the scoring, pouncing on a Forest defensive mistake in the 44th minute
Yoane Wissa then made it 2-0 to the visitors in the 71st minute, chipping goalkeeper Matz Sels
Thomas Frank’s side closed in further on the top half, now one point off Bournemouth in 10th
Forest fell behind just before half-time and it was a defensive shocker. Aina was slow to track Schade’s incursion off the left and neither Sels nor Murillo dealt with Nathan Collins’ ball over the top. Unable to believe his luck, Schade outmuscled Aina and prodded beyond Sels.
Double European Cup winner Ian Bowyer was interviewed on the pitch at half-time, perhaps in an attempt to summon the spirit of the club’s greatest nights.
Yet as rain teemed down at the start of the second half, Forest could not shake their anxiety. Simple passes went astray and routine moves broke down. And when the home side did find a gap in the Brentford defensive wall, Mark Flekken made a fine save from Anthony Elanga’s angled effort. Then the Bees goalkeeper was able to watch calmly as Ryan Yates’ strike from distance floated wide.
This crowd have been ultra-supportive all season but when Gibbs-White’s attempted pass to Chris Wood drifted straight to Flekken, even they started to lose patience. Nuno responded with an extra centre-forward as Taiwo Awoniyi replaced Elliot Anderson, another Forest player short of form.
‘Get it in the box’ was the plan, and it nearly worked instantly. Eight yards out, Wood headed Aina’s cross wide.
Having let in such a poor goal in the first half, it seemed unimaginable Forest would do so again. Somehow, however, they did. When Flekken launched downfield, Nikola Milenkovic allowed the ball to bounce and when he turned, Wissa was charging on goal. His delightful finish did the rest.
