Chris Wood Allays Attacking Concerns As Nottingham Forest Rout Brentford

If it is immoderate consolation for Keith Andrews, things tin only get amended aft Brentford were brushed speech by Nottingham Forest successful his first crippled successful charge. It was an eye-opening instruction for nan caller caput coach, arsenic Nuno Espírito Santo and his players showed they are not one-season wonders.

Chris Wood scored doubly and Dan Ndoye netted connected his debut to decorativeness nan lucifer arsenic a title earlier 45 minutes had elapsed. Brentford could not header pinch nan hosts, who dictated nan lucifer from nan start, while nan visitors offered small denotation of what style they scheme to play nether Andrews, who could return small enjoyment from Igor Thiago’s precocious penalty.

Nuno complained successful nan buildup astir nan deficiency of summertime transportation activity. He has since been appeased by nan arrivals of Omari Hutchinson and James McAtee, who were paraded successful beforehand of nan supporters earlier kick-off to supply a boost to nan location support.

Forest scored erstwhile successful 7 pre-season matches, producing 5 goalless draws. Those statistic were made redundant wrong 5 minutes erstwhile Wood reacted quickest to a bouncing shot successful nan container from a corner, aft Brentford grounded to clear, to nonstop home. Nuno looks group to get a caller striker successful nan coming days successful nan shape of Arnaud Kalimuendo from Rennes but nan New Zealander offered a reminder that his 20 Premier League goals past play were not a fluke.

What Andrews would person done for nan talismanic forwards of 2024-25 but Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo were not available. The second is astatine Manchester United and nan erstwhile has astatine slightest 1 ft retired of nan door. It was a little than perfect business for his first crippled successful elder guidance and his squad sat excessively deep, giving Forest nan opportunity to power proceedings. Considering Andrews’ erstwhile domiciled arsenic set-piece coach, nan mode successful which nan extremity was conceded will person greatly irritated him.

Nuno wants his squad to predominate possession much often and Brentford were consenting to let Forest to settee into this caller style. Morgan Gibbs-White was fixed abstraction successful which to person nan ball, further emphasising why Forest did everything wrong their powerfulness to extremity him departing for Tottenham. Gibbs-White drifted into nan areas he felt he could do astir damage, picking up nan shot and uncovering a guardant walk to support Brentford connected nan backmost foot.

Andrews was perpetually tested by Nuno, to spot really quickly he could accommodate his team. Forest’s wingers swapped positions, Gibbs-White moved retired wide astatine times and Ndoye spent clip playing arsenic a 2nd cardinal striker. If Andrews was nether unit earlier nan start, Nuno was putting his tactical acumen successful a vice.

Swiss winger Dan Ndoye scores connected debut to put Nottingham Forest 2-0 up. Photograph: Darren Staples/AFP/Getty Images

Forest had their ain caller era pinch Ndoye giving Forest fans much than a glimpse of what to expect aft a summertime move from Bologna. The Swiss attacker showed trickery connected nan helping but provided much than anticipated pinch a smart tally to meet a Gibbs-White transverse into nan container and caput beyond Caoimhin Kelleher.

The debutant goalkeeper picked nan shot retired of nan nett for a 3rd juncture successful first-half injury-time erstwhile Wood latched connected to a done shot from nan superb Elliot Anderson. The striker was not tracked and calmly rounded nan goalkeeper earlier tapping into nan quiet nett and wheeled distant successful beforehand of an ecstatic location crowd.

Knowing nan crippled was done, contempt Thiago’s calm punishment aft Ibrahim Sangaré handballed, nan tempo successful nan 2nd half dropped, giving Andrews clip to ponder what he will request to alteration going forward. Jordan Henderson was fixed a debut disconnected nan chair and his acquisition will beryllium captious because it is evident that Andrews is learning connected nan job, while Nuno’s methods erstwhile again look assured. Life will go much difficult erstwhile nan Europa League starts but Forest do not springiness nan belief of being worried.