AliousMeltdown at the City Ground: What Nuno Did as Brentford Exposed Forest’s Fragile Core – and the Brutal Fixes They Must Make Now
The tide has turned for Nottingham Forest — and not in the way they had hoped. Thursday’s damaging 2-0 defeat to Brentford didn’t just dent their Champions League dream; it ripped open wounds that Nuno Espirito Santo must somehow heal with just weeks remaining.
For much of the season, Forest have exceeded expectations, fighting at the top end of the table, defying critics, and building hopes of European nights under the lights. But the home loss to Brentford marked a brutal shift. No longer in control of their own fate, Forest now face the unfamiliar role of chasing others — and they must hope rivals stumble.
It wasn’t just the result that stung. It was how it happened.
A defence once praised for its discipline completely unravelled. Two route-one goals exposed a startling vulnerability. The usually reliable centre-back pairing of Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic were left flat-footed, while Ola Aina – welcomed back from injury with loud cheers – was culpable for the first goal. Yoane Wissa, a player Forest once targeted, twisted the knife with Brentford’s second.
Nuno didn’t hide from it. Post-match, he admitted serious concerns over the manner of the goals, highlighting a worrying inability to respond once behind — a trend that simply cannot continue if Forest are to salvage something from this season.
And the problems aren’t confined to defence.
Despite dominating possession, Forest’s attack fizzled. The creativity and cutting edge that propelled them up the table has all but dried up — three goals in five matches tells the tale. Chris Wood still chases a milestone 20-goal season but was isolated and ineffective. Elanga had moments, but overall, the frontline lacked punch, hampered by poor decision-making and disjointed final balls.
The injury list hasn’t helped. Aina’s return was a boost, but Callum Hudson-Odoi’s first-half exit with a suspected hamstring issue only adds to Forest’s woes. With time running out, Nuno may be forced to turn to underused options like Jota Silva or Ramon Sosa.
There was visible anguish among the players. Elanga sank to the turf at full-time. Owner Evangelos Marinakis, having just stepped back from daily control of the club, could barely watch.
Nuno, meanwhile, looked a man searching for answers.
Yet hope isn’t lost. Despite the setback, Forest remain level on points with fifth-place Chelsea — and the two sides will face off at the City Ground in what could be a season-defining clash. Win that, and the door to Europe may swing open again.
But to make that happen, Forest must rediscover their resilience, their ruthlessness, and their rhythm. Fast.
This thrilling season still has a chance to end in glory. But if Forest want to silence the doubters one more time, they’ll have to fix what Brentford so ruthlessly exposed.
Alious
