Nottingham Forest

We asked for your thoughts after Friday's Premier League game between Ipswich and Nottingham Forest.

Here are some of your comments:

Ipswich fans

Matt: Good to hold on for a point. Two seasons ago in the Premier League we would have lost that game. Not sure Jaden Philogene is the same player he was last season. Not totally convinced by Emersonn. Julio Enciso is a seriously classy player. We look much better at the back than last time and yet again Christian Walton was outstanding.

Paddy: Went to the match - Town were quite lethargic and too many sloppy passes. A draw a decent result as Forest missed so many opportunities

Andrew: We keep showing we have the fight to get back into games when going behind, misplaced passes got the nerves going especially in 2nd half but thought we might steal the points in last few minutes. Happy to have another point in the bag.

Ricky: Extremely poor home performance. Gave the ball away far too often in dangerous positions. Struggled to get three successive passes together. They had no threat in the final third, and produced little worthy of note. They struggled with the Forest high press. Fortunate to get a point.

Nottingham Forest fans

Tucker: Good performance but lack a goalscorer. They're a good team with no end product. Difficult to play against. Unlucky against Palace and Arsenal. Definite red card for Diop though.

Andy: Really poor end product. We have better finishers than Delap. He's just not cutting it. Also what does Glasner see in NDoye? He was virtually invisible again. It's like playing with 10 men. We need finishers on from the start.

David: It's much worse if we were not creating chances and making multiple individual errors - those have been the issue in the past. If we took our chances we would have battered Crystal Palace and Ipswich and been five points better off - without even considering the VAR issues in other games. Creating chances gives me confidence we will be fine, and a good away point given the horrendous conditions I guess.

John: Forest are sleepwalking into a relegation battle. They can't carry on missing goalscoring chances like they are week after week after week. Every other aspect of their game is solid but the offensive part of their game is woeful to say the least and that is purely down to the players.

In this week's edition of The Football Interview, Kelly Somers speaks to the former Burnley, Everton, and Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche.

They speak about life after management, being a football dad, his love for cooking and Brian Clough's influence.

Listen to the podcast by pressing play above, or on BBC Sounds

Callum Matthews
BBC Sport Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

If ever a 90 minutes summed up a season, this was it for Nottingham Forest.

After their opening seven league games, their expected goals tally stood at -6.2. That figure only continues to rise after an xG of 2.31 tonight.

The under-performing leaves more for questions for Oliver Glasner to answer, especially with the previous disdain Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has shown for a poor run of form. Last season alone they had four managers, and it is just over a year since Ange Postecoglou's 39-day reign ended following six defeats and no wins in eight games.

Glasner also had a slow start at former club Crystal Palace, failing to taste victory in his opening six games in charge and then their first eight in his first full season, and the Austrian and Marinakis are said to be in constant contact and have a good relationship.

Their lack of goals - now a joint-league low of six in seven games - is a concern and it was confusing why Glasner left Chris Wood, who he has asked to lead a group discussion around goalscoring in training this season, on the bench until the 94th minute.

Liam Delap worked hard again but failed to hit the target with any of his three shots and, with only one goal since his £50m summer move from Chelsea, his place in the starting XI is likely to come under question sooner rather than later.

Nottingham Forest manager Oliver Glasner, spoke to the media after his side's draw against Ipswich Town: "Very good performance at the end and a great start to the game. For 15-20 minutes Ipswich were in control and then we made a mistake just before half-time to get a 1-1 draw.

"The reaction in the second-half was amazing, really dominating and it isn't easy playing here at Ipswich, in their home stadium and all the effort keeping them in a 1-1 finish overall, but it is important to stay calm because it feels everything is going into the right direction, we have to be patient and then we will get the reward."

On the mistakes his defenders made: "It is football and it is a game of mistakes and no one does it on purpose but it is how we react and the reaction was great, we kept playing forward and we created these moments.

"It's the only thing we can do is to support the players, everyone sees and feels the way we are playing the game is right, but the results aren't what we want. We have to respect that Ipswich are a good team, so lets take the point and respect the point and we will rebuild on our performance.

"There is no other way than to support the players and encourage them because they work so hard to get into the situation do so many things in training we are showing them videos and speaking to them well.

"It is a lot of positives to take, if we did the opposite and blaming the players, they will loose their confidence. We have to support them and keep believing."

On the VAR review of a possible denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity following a tackle by Ipswich's Issa Diop: "It doesn't make sense [to speak to the referee] because it is what he decided and we have to accept it, it looks like the VAR was not from the East Midlands today. It felt like it was a red card but we couldn't have played a more dominant game than we did in the second half.

"Not to blame the referee, we will keep analysing, and practising. Maybe I am wrong or I don't know if the referee was a former football player. He won't change it anymore, so we accept it."

Forest forward Morgan Gibbs-White, spoke to Sky Sports: "We have had so many good performances recently but never enough to get the three points and get over the line. I feel like we have had a lot of chances, the first-half was a mis-match, they were in control and then we were.

"The second-half, we were completely dominant and we should have won the game in my eyes. As long as we keep performing like this surely we have to win."

On why Forest are struggling to score: "This is a question we have been asking ourselves in training, we have been doing shooting drills and if you had seen how they were going in yesterday...But they just were not in the game. It is a topic of discussion and it is not good enough but I am proud of the boys for keeping going and performing high.

"It is a massive mentality and this is a bad phase that we are going through but we need to stay positive, keep the togetherness and mentality and performances. If we keep performing like this, surely we will have to win."

On whether Diop should have been sent off: "It is difficult to say because you don't know if he's going to get there.

"My only question is, why did that have to go to VAR when both the referee and linesman are standing there watching? It should be an on-field decision there and then. I do agree with the decision because we don't know if he was going to get there.

"I think there needs to be ownership on the pitch. The referee and the linesman could both see what could have happened but VAR always have to get involved. But it is what it is."

Did you know?

• Since his debut in February 2024, no full-back/wing-back has recorded more assists in the Premier League than Forest's Daniel Munoz (13), while he leads all such players for goal contributions in that time (21 – 8 goals, 13 assists).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Ipswich's performance

What did you make of Nottingham Forest's display?

Reaction and analysis to follow - and come back on Saturday for a selection of your replies.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

"It feels unfair but I don't want to be complaining and feeling as victims."

Oliver Glasner's words offer a positive outlook as he believes Nottingham Forest deserve more following their disappointing start to the season.

There is belief that progress is being made, but it needs to translate on the pitch.

Forest are yet to score in the Premier League at the City Ground this season.

They have netted just eight times in the league at home in 2026 so their struggles in front of their own fans are not new.

They were masked by the Europa League victories over Ferencvaros, Porto and Aston Villa but, in the league, they have won just two of 17 home games since November.

Of those eight goals, four were scored against a weak Burnley side in April and they have now gone eight hours and 26 minutes without netting at home.

Overall this season, Forest have scored five times but have a -6.20 xG, which is the worst in the division.

They have had the third-highest number of shots in the Premier League with 120, only behind Manchester United (138) and free-scoring Brighton (125), but only 25 have been on target.

Against Arsenal, they had 14 shots but only two on target and Liam Delap's miss against Crystal Palace, Walter Benitez saving his close-range blast, summed up Forest's lack of cutting edge.

It meant Forest have a conversion rate of just 4.17% - the lowest in the division after Spurs' rose to 6.06% following Monday's win over Coventry.

Chris Adams
BBC Sport journalist

Ipswich Town welcome Nottingham Forest to Portman Road on Friday looking to consolidate their place in the top half of the table after a topsy-turvy return to Premier League.

Last season's Championship runners-up have blown hot and cold in the opening seven games, winning three and losing four, with draws seemingly off the table for Gary O'Neil's side, who sit 10th.

Tractor Boys ploughing on

One thing Ipswich fans can be assured of is that their team will fight until the end of each game. All three of those wins – over Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Fulham, have come through late winners.

They also scored consolations at the death in defeats by the two Manchester clubs, meaning their total of five goals netted in the 90th minute or later is more than any other side have managed this term.

Two of those have come from Zian Flemming. The Dutchman, who was top scorer for relegated Burnley last season, has made an impact since joining from the Clarets for an initial fee of £17m on transfer deadline day, with two goals in five substitute appearances. The ex-Millwall striker's next top-flight goal will be his 50th in English league football.

Ipswich manager O'Neil is unlikely to repeat the 3-4-2-1 system deployed in last week's loss to Manchester City. With midfielder Sasa Lukic hoping to be available again after a groin issue, a return to the usual 4-2-3-1 system is expected against an opponent O'Neil has a decent record against.

The former Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers boss hasn't lost in his five previous Premier League matches against Forest, winning one and drawing four; - the most games he has managed against any club without suffering defeat in this competition.

Faltering Forest need a win

Nottingham Forest head coach Oliver Glasner is one of several Premier League bosses in dire need of a win to stave off the threat of losing his job.

The Austrian, who moved to the City Ground just 40 days after guiding Crystal Palace to Conference League glory, is already under intense scrutiny after only one win in seven league games.

Forest have scored just five league goals, fewer than any other team in the division, and sit second-bottom with a tricky run before the November international window. Their xG underperformance of -6.2 is the worst in the division, with marquee summer signing Liam Delap netting just once.

Delap was Ipswich's top scorer in their previous Premier League campaign in 2024-25. Having scored with his third shot for Forest this term, the £45m summer signing from Chelsea has had a further 15 attempts without success.

"I don't see it as a massive problem because we're creating enough situations," Glasner said this week in reference to the goalscoring issue, although Forest fans might not entirely agree. The Tricky Trees have failed to score in four different top-flight games this season, with no side drawing a blank more often.

Forest have lost their past three league games, more defeats than in their previous 14. With last season's top scorer Morgan Gibbs-White fit again for the trip to Suffolk, Glasner will be hoping his men can arrest this worrying decline in form.

This game is a tough one to call. It is going to be very tight.

Nottingham Forest can't score. That's their issue, and they have only managed five goals in their first seven league games.

It did make me laugh when I read that Forest boss Oliver Glasner had got Chris Wood to give advice to the other strikers about finishing - why not just play Wood then?

Ipswich are still bottom of the league table based on my predictions but they ran Manchester City close in the end last week and are doing better than everyone expected, myself included.

I like what Tractor Boys boss Gary O'Neil is doing there, and they already have three league wins from seven games - the last time they were in the Premier League, in 2024-25, they only managed four all season.

Forest are second bottom and could really do with getting something here, and Ipswich haven't drawn a game yet - so that's what I am going for.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Nottingham Forest boss Oliver Glasner says "five points after seven games is not good enough", but is confident his team "will give everything" to get more on the board in the coming weeks.

"I never look at the table in October, but of course we want to get more points," Glasner told BBC Radio Nottingham. "I feel we are playing better than the teams I've previously managed in the early stages.

"The results are the same, but the spirit gives me confidence."

Listen to Glasner's full interview above or here on BBC Sounds

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

The Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel says Crystal Palace's second goal against Nottingham Forest should have been disallowed on the field for handball - but backed the video assistant referee's decision not to intervene.

The game was locked at 1-1 deep into first-half stoppage time when Jefferson Lerma appeared to nod the ball through the legs of Forest keeper Matz Sels.

However, it soon transpired that the ball had deflected off the elbow of team-mate Anan Khalail on its way into goal.

That meant the goal technically belonged to Khalail, who could not score a goal with his arm.

This was not picked up in the initial replays, only becoming clear during the half-time analysis on the television coverage.

Palace went on to win the game 3-1 at Selhurst Park.

The Premier League's KMI Panel voted 3:2 that it was an on-field mistake by referee Peter Bankes, but it was unanimous that the VAR, Darren England, was right not to rule out the goal.

"On the balance of probability the ball is likely to have come into contact with Khalaili's arm," the KMI Panel said.

"The panel all supported the VAR's decision to not intervene on the basis that the footage readily available to the VAR doesn't show conclusive evidence of a handball."

It will sting for Forest as they had a Neco Williams goal ruled out for handball in their 0-0 draw with Tottenham through a VAR intervention.

Williams insisted after the game the ball did not touch his arm, but replays which later emerged appeared to prove it did. The KMI Panel unanimously supported the decision.

Bankes was on VAR duty for the disallowed goal against Spurs.

Josh Lobley
BBC Sport journalist

Nottingham Forest boss Oliver Glasner has been speaking to the media before Friday's Premier League game against Ipswich at Portman Road (kick-off 20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Morgan Gibbs-White is able to return after training for the entire week. Nikola Milenkovic, who was an unused substitute in Forest's last game, is "ready to start".

• Igor Jesus and Nicolo Savona are the only players who can't be involved with everyone else being "fine and fit".

• Glasner says Gibbs-White's return is "important", adding: "He can create chances and score goals himself and that is always very positive - but on the other hand, without him we had a very competitive team against the champions. This gives us confidence."

• On the team's performances and results so far this season: "The feeling is that we deserve more points but the reality is that we don't. So far the tactical approach has been quite OK in most games, but if things don't work, you need to do something extra or 'not on your to do list' to get the result.

• He spoke about the importance of sticking to his principles: "The results are not satisfying but I won't change my principles in life or how I see football because this is why I'm sitting here as a Premier League manager. I was just told I am the manager with the most trophies won in the last 16, 17 months. Why is there now doubts?"

• On coming to the City Ground: "The reason I am sitting here is because no-one was pleased with last year's season. We want to change something because if you do the same you will always get the same. Right now we are the same but we want to change a few things."

• On what he wants to change: "It's not just how we play, it's how we deal with each other. We are in the middle of the thunderstorm but you always have to go through it. Afterwards, the sun is shining."

Are Nottingham Forest's lack of goals a worry or just unlucky?

That's the question BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club have been debating after Oliver Glasner's side failed to find the back of the net at the City Ground for a fifth consecutive game in all competitions.

The unwanted run comes after owner Evangelos Marinakis splashed a club-record £50m on Chelsea striker Liam Delap, who has scored just one league goal in 2026-27.

"When he was playing for Chelsea he was doing a lot of things right, but he is paid to put the ball in the back of the net and he isn't doing that," former Manchester City centre-back Steph Houghton said. "Obviously, in seasons gone by, Nottingham Forest have heavily relied on Chris Wood to score goals.

"It seems like the team are lacking a bit of confidence when it comes to getting in the box and making that final action. It probably isn't a situation the club or its fans need at this moment in time."

The Observer's Rory Smith provided a different viewpoint, claiming that there isn't "any problem to analyse" and that the Reds' goalscoring figures "will average out".

"Nottingham Forest are fourth in the xG table, which suggests they are creating chances," Smith said.

"You could worry that Liam Delap, Chris Wood and Arnaud Kalimuendo aren't quite of the requisite quality to take those chances though, but the chances are they're just having a bit of a bad run at the moment.

"I reckon they will make up for it by having a better run relatively soon. I'm not worried about the club in any way."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal.

Here are some of your comments:

Forest fans

Richard: In your wisdom, you sack Nuno Espirito Santo and then finish up with second-rate replacements. Is it no wonder Forest are struggling at the bottom of the table. When will owners, like ours, ever get it right?

Sean: Another battling defeat. Another loss with plenty of positives to take. Another home match we failed to score in with the amount of chances we made. It's against the league champions, so it was always going to be a tall order, but the question has to be asked. When are all these good things we're doing going to pay off?

Peter: The players gave their all to limit Arsenal to one shot on target - unfortunately, that shot took a deflection and resulted in us losing the game. But as Glasner said, the results will come and it was encouraging to see how well we defended as a team. Keep the faith.

John: Football is a cruel sport. We deserved at least a point. We didn't let them play and could/should have levelled in the last five minutes. There's no justice. We'll win games (one day) by playing worse than this. I can't fault the effort, the set-up, the invention. They're champions because they had one chance and took it. We didn't. One of these days we'll give someone a proper beating. Soon, I hope.

Arsenal fans

Matthew: Arsenal got the job done, but the performance was far from convincing. We controlled possession for long periods but lacked creativity and urgency in the final third. Against a disciplined Nottingham Forest side, we needed more quality and quicker decision-making to create clear chances. Keeping a clean sheet away from home was another positive. The biggest takeaway is that title-winning teams must find ways to win even when they are not at their best.

Trevor: Dangerous to leave it till the second half to start playing. The deflection for the goal was fortunate but, on balance, Arsenal just about deserved the win.

Philip: Nottingham Forest played well and for 80 minutes they had the edge. Madueke's goal was proof we need to do more down the left. Our moves on the right are predictable, and Saka is getting closed down far too easily. We ground out the win, but it wasn't pretty.

Rod: Eze continues to frustrate and Havertz is ineffective playing with his back to goal. Saka is attracting two defenders every match, but we seem unable to use the overload effectively. Tzolis is truly missed and Dowman deserves a start when Arsenal are misfiring so badly. Konsa is our best signing this year and Saliba will struggle to push his way into the only part of the team functioning well. Give Guimaraes time to adjust to the Arsenal heartbeat, and he'll take some of the creative pressure off of Odegaard.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Morgan Gibbs-White is expected to be fit for Nottingham Forest's crucial trip to Ipswich.

The England international missed Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Arsenal with a muscle injury having missed training in the week.

Gibbs-White suffered the problem in last week's loss at Crystal Palace and Forest missed his invention as they slipped to a harsh defeat against the Gunners.

It left them in the Premier League's relegation zone - and goalless and winless at home in the top flight - going into Friday's trip to Portman Road.

"He was very close to playing and he said he's fine but he felt it a little bit," said Glasner.

"In a few situations he felt his muscle and then I decided not to play him. I didn't want to take any risk and we can't allow to lose him because if it was a re-injury it was four, five, six weeks.

"That's why I decided not to play him. I think all the players did very well and I expect him being back for the Ipswich game."

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

It has been eight hours and 26 minutes since Nottingham Forest scored at the City Ground.

Had it not been for Ezri Konsa's excellent block to thwart Liam Delap in stoppage time, that run would have been broken but, instead, Forest are still looking for a first home goal since May.

It was only in the final few minutes against Arsenal that they really threatened, with Chris Wood having a shot blocked and Murillo shooting over.

Defeat, following Noni Madueke's deflected effort, also leaves them pointless at home and keeps Oliver Glasner's side in the Premier League's relegation zone.

"It feels very harsh, it feels unfair, but we have to accept it. We are missing some bits. The performance in many parts was very good. Giving them one shot on target, it's deflected, and we lose feels even tougher," said Glasner.

"What I take from today's game is another frustrating result, but we can be very tough to play against. In every single game we create moments where we can score.

"We will get the results we all feel we deserve."

Defeat keeps Forest in the bottom three of the Premier League ahead of Friday's trip to Ipswich.

Glasner added: "I have no doubts in what we are doing. It has proven right so often, and I am really confident we will go where we want to be. We are not there today but we will be."

Nottingham Forest boss Oliver Glasner speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Very tough to take, a bit of deja vu. Many things here we feel the result is unfair, but it's what stands, and it's zero points at home.

"Very good performance against the champions. We caused many problems, didn't give them a lot and, at the end, we have zero points. It's tough today. It feels a bit unfair, but on the other side it's our responsibility to not drop the head and build up on the performance and the many positive aspects.

"Feels a bit weird to have a third defeat in a row but I see progress in every game and today the effort was amazing, - it was just the result we can't be pleased with.

"Huge credit to the players, they stick to the plan, and then we had our moments and if you want to win against the champions you have to take these moments and this is what we have to work on - to take the moments.

"When I see the reaction at the end, three big opportunities in the end, many set pieces and things to improve. Eight corners, but we didn't take one and this is what we have to learn and improve, and we'll get the results we all think we deserve."

On a lack of confidence in front of goal: "I don't think so. When you see their goal, it's deflected, otherwise it's straight to the gloves of Matz Sels. You have periods in football where you feel everything going against you and then there are periods when things are on your side.

"Now it is how we deal with the situation and react as a team and just how we can change this is staying positive, sticking together and working hard. And having this coolness, not to worry too much, because I can see good performances and not good results. The results will come if the performances stay good.

"It's like the stock market - the past never tells you what happens in the future. Sometimes it takes a while - during my first year at Palace we didn't start well but we had a turnaround.

"We are playing better right now, but we also concede how competitive the Premier League is because every mistake you get punished. Today I was pleased with the team."

Nottingham Forest defender Murillo, speaking to Sky Sports: "We knew it would be a tough game, it is always against Arsenal. They have a good team.

"But we feel we can change the result, maybe a draw, maybe a win. Now we have to put it in the past and focus on the next match.

"We have a good manager and I think we are still getting his ideas. We changed everything in our system this season. It is difficult, but after three or four months we keep improving, and I think we are close to reaching our best."

Did you know?

• Nottingham Forest have won just one of their last 15 Premier League games at the City Ground (D8 L6); since the first of these matches (27 December 2025), no ever-present side has won fewer home games in the competition.

• Along with Schalke 04, Nottingham Forest are one of just two sides without a home league goal in Europe's big-five leagues this season.

Listen to more from Glasner below or on BBC Sounds