17/02/2024
Forest 2 West Ham 0
So many things better this week from Forest …finally have we found our best starting line-up?
At the heart of that confident display the Forest defence. With the new keeper generating calm and better distribution. Felipe, (bar one slip) back to his impervious best, tieing Forest ‘old-boy’ Antonio up in knots all-day.
Morillo, again looking like a central defender who has played in the Premier for a decade! A back-line, further bolstered by great defensive - and attacking displays, from Tavares and Williams; arguably his best in a Forest shirt.
Crisp, forward passing through the lines (mucho, mucho better from Danillo this week), kept ever dangerous breaks on-tap via Calum Hudson-Adoi and Antony Elanga on either flank.
Dominguez, with a 110% effort cutting-out attacks, and Morgan Gibbs-White with some class touches and link-up play, meant Forest dominated the middle-of-the-park.
Then the big man up front with another quality display! Forest’s number nine looking every bit what Antonio was for Forest in his city ground pomp (great to see him applauded on his return to the City Ground btw).
At the top of the pitch Awonyi’s hold-up play consistently fantastic, with a brilliant piece of strength and skill to get the first and capped-off with the winner from Adoi after a great assist from Williams.
The one down point of the day…VAR.
How the penalty against Williams was not given is beyond belief. The camera angle clearly shows the West Ham defender brings him down illegally, scraping down the back of his left ankle running at speed .
The disappointing thing the referee; not even going to look at the screen to review! A disgraceful decision, no wonder Nuno saw yellow from the touch-line. A West Ham equaliser after that woeful decision would have been indigestable, let alone, hard-to-swallow.
More of this please. Faster passing, no silly mistakes and lightening fast breaks and Forest could still make the top half of the table is my potentially over confident prediction.
Awesome performance from the whole team and one making last years Europa Conderence League Winners look distinctly average.
Callum Hudson-Adoi my personal man-of-the-match. Who was yours?
