Nottingham Forest are a club in serious trouble in the Premier League, with Friday night’s 3-1 defeat at Elland Road showing the issues within the senior ranks.
The Reds are now three points behind Daniel Farke’s side in the league standings, and now sit perilously close to the drop zone with just 13 league games remaining.
From defensive errors, to missed opportunities in the final third, it truly was an evening to forget in Yorkshire, which could see the pressure mount on Sean Dyche as a result.
sean-dyche-nottingham-forest-premier-league
The 54-year-old certainly did himself no favours with his team selection, with his makeshift backline undoubtedly contributing to the embarrassing defeat against the Whites.
Two players were largely singled out after the showing at Elland Road, with both of the players ultimately not good enough to match the demands of the Premier League.
The stats behind Abbott and Morato’s displays against Leeds
Given the suspension of Neco Williams, Dyche decided to hand 19-year-old academy graduate Zach Abbott his first Premier League start at right-back.
However, the teenager struggled to meet expectations in Yorkshire, subsequently committing two fouls and often being unable to prevent the hosts’ threat down the left-hand side.
Zach-Abbott
He also only managed to win 27% of the ground duels he contested, whilst completing just 33% of his attempted crosses, subsequently struggling to make the desired impact at both ends.
There’s no doubt it’s on Dyche for chucking the youngster into the deep end for such a clash, but the same can’t be said for centre-back Morato, who once again struggled to deliver.
The Brazilian was brought in for compatriot Murillo, but was arguably at fault for all three goals, with his lack of defensive awareness and urgency costing him at vital moments.
He also only managed to win 25% of the aerial duels he entered, whilst missing a golden chance in the final third, which could have secured at least a point had he nodded home.
The former Forest star who’s way better than Abbott & Morato
Forest’s qualification for the Europa League now seems like a lifetime ago, with the Reds now having a huge challenge on their hands to secure their top-flight status.
The defensive solidity was part of the reason for last season’s success, subsequently conceding but 46 times in the 38 league outings under Nuno Espírito Santo.
Nuno-Forest-stats-timeless
After the first 25 games of this campaign, 38 goals have already been shipped, highlighting the issues the club have had in such an area over the last few months.
Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic have been the centre-back partnership during such a period, with any injury between the pairing often resulting in a struggle without the ball.
However, the club could have added quality in such an area had they kept hold of Loic Bade, who unfortunately failed to make an impact at the City Ground.
The Frenchman joined the club on loan from Rennes back in the summer of 2022, with Steve Cooper being handed the quality he needed for Premier League survival in the first season.
loic-bade
Despite the excitement around his move, the 25-year-old failed to make a single senior appearance for the Reds, with Cooper preferring the likes of Steve Cook and Joe Worrall ahead of him.
In the years since his departure from the East Midlands, Bade has taken his career to unimaginable heights, subsequently now plying his trade for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga.
The Frenchman, who’s been dubbed “outstanding” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has made 17 league appearances this campaign, even being a regular in the Champions League.
He’s made 1.9 tackles and 6.1 ball recoveries per 90 in Germany so far this season, with the latter placing him in the top 2% of all defenders in the division to date.
Loic Bade - Bundesliga stats (2025/26)
Statistics (per 90)
Games played
Minutes played
Pass accuracy
Dribble success
Aerials won
Ground duels won
Ball recoveries made
Tackles made
Interceptions made
Bade has also won 63% of the aerial duels this campaign, which further highlights his defensive quality - which no doubt makes him a better talent than Abbott and Morato.
His top-level experience since leaving the City Ground has showcased his mesmeric rise, with Cooper’s decision not to utilise the star undoubtedly coming back to bite the Reds.
Loic-Bade-Sevilla
The 25-year-old’s star quality would be perfect for the current crop of players, but ultimately, it’s a case of what could have been, with Dyche unable to call upon his services.
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Nottingham Forest were second best all night long at Leeds United in a terrible 3-1 loss, as debutant Zach Abbott struggled among many others.