The Reds returned to the Premier League after a less than ideal summer to prepare for the upcoming season. It was only this last Monday, 11th August, that the club found out that **Crystal Palace**’s appeal was dismissed. This means Forest confirmed their place in the UEFA Europa League, taking Palace’s place as they broke multi-club ownership. It was the first time they played at home to open the English competition since 1996.
Nottingham Forest led most of the match, controlling the game, limiting the opposition to very few chances. They started very strongly in the first 5 minutes.
Red’s new lion, Dan Ndoye, Bologna FC ex-football player, scored on his Premier League debut. He joined the team for a fee of £34 million this summer. The winger was the only new signing to start the match.
Brentford, withoutBryan Mbeumo, who has moved toManchester United and has been an influential player in the previous seasons, struggled to create a rhythm, conceding three goals in the first half. This made the Bees look disjointed, making Keith Andrews, Brentford's new manager, unhappy. This is understandable, given that the previous manager,Thomas Frank, had been at the club for the past seven years.
Story of the Match
The Reds came into the game on the back of a terrible preseason. It was a shaky start for both sides. They showed moments of quality, some of them involving Ndoye and emphasising his abilities, the reason Forest pushed for his signing.
Early in the match, after just five minutes, the Tricky Trees' first goal of the new campaign arrived to bring the fans alive. It was from a corner taken by Elliot Anderson, putting the ball into the centre of the box. Chris Wood jumped to head the ball but missed it. The New Zealander reacted fast, hitting the bouncing ball with a right-footed shot across the goalkeeper into the far post.
The rest of the first half Forest had more chances. Anderson created some of them with a left footed shot from the right side of the box and then, with a right-footed shot from the same position. Sadly, both of them were stopped by Caoimhín Kelleher, Brentford's keeper.
The VAR joined the game too after Morgan Gibbs-White asked to check a handball. Antoni Milambo got a crucial touch on Anderson's free-kick, slightly altering its path. This prompted a VAR check for a potential handball, but the call was ultimately waved away. While Milambo's arm might have made contact, the officials likely determined it wasn't in an unnatural position—though you've definitely seen similar situations result in a penalty.
On his debut, the Swiss international Ndoye scored a stunning header in the 42nd minute. The ever-excellent Gibbs-White turned on a sixpence outside the box before dinking a perfect cross to the far post. Ndoye rose brilliantly, powering his header back across the goal and into the top corner, leaving the goalkeeper rooted to his spot.
The Reds wanted more and they found it. They turned over a Brentford lost possession, and in a flash, Anderson played a first-time pass straight through the heart of the defense. The ball found Wood, who expertly rounded the keeper and slotted it into an empty net. It was a perfect opening 45 minutes for Forest, leaving the Bees with a mountain to climb.
Nottingham Forest continued to dominate the second half, showcasing a masterful performance that hinted at their European aspirations. Their passing and control of the ball were a stark contrast to Brentford's defence, which was riddled with frustrating, unforced errors.
This dominance led to several opportunities for Forest, including a long-range shot from Callum Hudson-Odoi saved by Kelleher and a spectacular overhead kick by Gibbs-White that sailed just wide. As the half progressed, Brentford made their first changes, with Jordan Henderson making his debut. He was immediately tested, losing possession to Gibbs-White, who was then denied a shot by a well-timed block from Sepp Van den Berg.
Despite Forest's control, the momentum shifted suddenly in the 75th minute. A Brentford corner from Carvalho was flicked on by Schade and struck Ibrahim Sangare's raised arm, leading to a penalty. After a quick VAR review, the decision stood, and Igor Thiago calmly slotted the ball into the centre of the net as the goalkeeper, Matz Sels, dived to his left.
Both teams made substitutions, but Forest continued to press. Rico Henry made a run for Brentford, but his cross was overhit, seemingly ending any potential shift in momentum. As the match neared its end, Kevin Schade remained a bright spark for Brentford, winning a corner with another direct run, though a potential foul on Nathan Collins was waved away as nothing more than a simple out-muscling.
With 87 minutes on the clock, Igor Jesus nearly made an instant impact, but he couldn't quite latch onto a cross from the right. A minute later, Henderson's free kick found Jesus' head, who cleared the shot. In the 89th minute, Hudson-Odoi made a run down the line but was stopped by Aaron Hickley, which resulted in a foul and a yellow card. It was not the start Brentford’s new manager had dreamed of.
During the final minutes, Murillo Dos Santos brilliantly sidestepped a couple of challenges before being shoved over by Henderson. From the ground, he waved his arms to whip up the crowd.
The final whistle blew, sealing a result that had seemed likely for a while. Forest got their season up and running in impressive style. For Brentford, there wasn't much to celebrate, though they did restore some pride with a bit of a fight in the second half after a dreadful opening 45 minutes. It was still a worrying time for Keith Andrews and his team.
A few stars shone for Forest, but it was the 22-year-old English player who controlled the game. He demonstrated both sides of his talent: exceptional passing and positional play, along with a strong defensive intent.
He assisted the second goal of the match with a superbly timed and weighted pass into Wood’s way. This move was one of a plethora involving his passing ability. The ex Newcastle United player completed a total of 58 successful passes that ranked him as Forest number one.
Anderson showed he is a player to watch for over this season. He could also be another option for Thomas Tuchel to consider.