Brentford 0-2 Nottingham Forest Player Ratings: Tricky Trees Secure Crucial 2-0 Away Victory

Nottingham Forest picked up a crucial three points with a 2–0 away win over Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. An early breakthrough allowed the visitors to settle into the game, after which they controlled proceedings with strong organisation and patience.

Tricky Trees opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Igor Jesus finished from a tight angle to put the visitors ahead. The goal disrupted Brentford’s rhythm, and their problems deepened with first half injuries to Kristoffer Ajer and Mikkel Damsgaard, which forced changes and affected their flow. Although Brentford enjoyed periods of possession, they struggled to create clear chances in the final third.

Happy to sit deep, Forest remained solid defensively and posed a constant threat on the counter attack. The match was sealed in the 79th minute when substitute Taiwo Awoniyi capped a swift break with a composed finish, following a well timed assist from Morgan Gibbs White. Forest executed their game plan effectively and fully deserved the victory. Here are key takeawayas and Brentford vs Nottingham Forest player ratings.

Key Takeaways

• Nottingham Forest took early control with a first-half goal and never let Brentford settle.
• Strong defensive organisation and smart counter-attacking defined Forest’s performance.
• Brentford struggled to create clear chances and were disrupted by first-half injuries.

Nottingham Forest Player Ratings vs Brentford

Here are Nottingham Forest Player Ratings vs Brentford

Goalkeeper

Matz Sels - 7.0: A confident and assured display from the Forest keeper. He wasn't peppered with shots but made a key save in the first half and commanded his area well, claiming high balls and punching clear when needed. His distribution could have been a bit better, but defensively he did everything asked of him. A clean sheet is a deserved reward for his concentration.

Defenders

Neco Williams - 7.0: A really solid outing from the wing-back. He was a bundle of energy, getting up and down the right flank effectively. Defensively, he was sound, winning most of his tackles and making some important clearances. What stood out to us was his duel success rate, winning 8 of 12, showing he wasn't afraid to get stuck in.

Murillo - 7.0: The central figure in Forest's backline and he was immense. He read the game superbly, racking up a massive 9 clearances. He had a brief injury scare which had us worried but he shook it off to continue his dominant display. From our perspective, he was a key reason why Brentford's forwards had such a frustrating day.

Nikola Milenković - 7.0: An old-school defender's performance, and we loved it. Milenković was all about heading it, kicking it, and getting it clear of danger, evidenced by his 10 clearances. He was physically dominant and gave Igor Thiago absolutely nothing to work with. A real rock at the heart of the defence.

Ola Aina - 7.5: What a performance from the left wing-back. He was defensively astute with 4 interceptions and 8 ball recoveries, but it was his contribution going forward that caught the eye. He was a constant outlet and provided a beautiful assist for the opening goal. A complete performance that showcased his quality at both ends of the pitch.

Midfielders

Ibrahim Sangaré - 7.0: The enforcer in midfield. Sangaré was a disruptive presence, breaking up play and protecting his back four. He won a good number of his duels and made several clearances. He did give away a couple of fouls but his aggression was a necessary component of Forest's game plan.

Callum Hudson-Odoi - 6.5: A tidy game from Hudson-Odoi without being spectacular. His pass accuracy was impressive and he tried to get involved, but he didn't quite provide the spark we've seen in other games. He worked hard for the team before being substituted late on. A decent, if quiet, contribution.

Elliot Anderson - 7.0: A very busy performance from Anderson in the middle of the park. He was everywhere, with 80 touches and a high number of accurate passes. His 9 ball recoveries highlight his work rate off the ball. He kept the play ticking over and linked the defence to the attack seamlessly.

Morgan Gibbs-White - 8.0: Our man of the match. He was the creative hub for everything good Forest did. He created two chances, including a big one, and his perfectly weighted assist for the second goal was pure class. He carried the ball with purpose and was a constant threat on the counter-attack. A captain's performance.

Nicolás Domínguez - 6.0: A tireless runner who put in a real shift for the hour he was on the pitch. He won his tackles and drew fouls, but he was perhaps the least influential of the starting midfielders. It wasn't a poor performance by any means, just overshadowed by his teammates before he was subbed.

Forwards

Igor Jesus - 7.5: Led the line brilliantly until his substitution. He took his goal with supreme confidence from a very difficult angle, which set Forest on their way. What stood out was his work rate, winning three tackles from the front. A fantastic contribution that went beyond just his goal.

Substitutes

Taiwo Awoniyi - 7.5: The perfect impact substitute. He came on and immediately offered a different kind of threat with his power and pace. He took his goal with a calm, clinical finish that sealed the three points for his team. You can't ask for much more from a sub.

Omari Hutchinson - 6.0: Brought on to help see the game out and did his job effectively. He drew a late foul and helped maintain Forest's shape.

Morato - N/A: Came on for the final few minutes with the game already won.

Manager

S. Dyche - 8.0: A tactical masterclass. He set his team up to be defensively solid and to exploit Brentford on the counter, and it worked to perfection. His players were organized, disciplined, and clinical. The substitution to bring on Awoniyi was timed perfectly and sealed the win. He'll be delighted with this performance and result.

Brentford Player Ratings vs Nottingham Forest

Here are Brentford Player Ratings vs Nottingham Forest

Goalkeeper

Caoimhín Kelleher - 5.5: A tough day for the keeper. He conceded two goals but in truth, he couldn't do much about either of them. The first was a great finish and the second was a one-on-one. His distribution was okay, but he looked a bit stranded behind a defence that was struggling. A day he'll want to forget.

Defenders

Rico Henry - 6.0: He was steady enough defensively for most of his time on the pitch. However, he offered very little going forward and was part of a backline that looked vulnerable to the counter. He was substituted midway through the second half as Brentford searched for a way back into the game.

Kristoffer Ajer - 5.0: A really unfortunate outing for the defender. His game was cut short by an injury in the first half. It's tough to rate him fairly, but his early departure was a significant blow to Brentford's defensive structure. We hope the injury isn't too serious.

Nathan Collins - 5.5: As the captain, he needed to be more commanding. He had a lot of the ball, but looked shaky whenever Forest attacked with pace. Being dribbled past twice is not a great look for a central defender. He struggled to contain Forest's breaks and couldn't organize his defence effectively.

Michael Kayode - 5.5: A difficult afternoon for the full-back. He struggled to cope with Forest's attacks down his flank and lost possession far too often. He was often caught out of position, and it wasn't a surprise to see him substituted as Brentford chased the game late on.

Midfielders

Kevin Schade - 6.0: He looked lively in patches and got into some good positions, but his end product was lacking. He lost nine of his duels, which tells a story of a player who was often second-best. There was effort, for sure, but little to show for it in a frustrating performance.

Mathias Jensen - 7.5: Brentford's best player by a considerable margin. He was the only one who looked capable of unlocking the Forest defence, creating three chances and two big chances. His passing was crisp and inventive, and he was desperately unlucky to be on the losing team. He deserved so much more from this game.

Yegor Yarmolyuk - 6.5: He worked hard in midfield, recovering the ball nine times, and his passing was neat and tidy. However, he played it a little too safe at times and couldn't provide the forward thrust his team needed. His late yellow card for a cynical foul summed up the team's frustration.

Mikkel Damsgaard - 5.0: Similar to Ajer, his game was ended prematurely by injury. He barely had a chance to make an impact on the match. It was another blow that Brentford could ill-afford in a difficult first half.

Vitaly Janelt - 5.5: He saw plenty of the ball in advanced areas but his delivery was consistently poor. A high number of crosses with very little success, and a high possession lost stat tells the story. He got into the right positions but couldn't deliver the quality required.

Forwards

Igor Thiago - 5.0: A really poor day at the office for the striker. He missed a glorious chance early on and another in the second half. He was isolated for large parts of the game and when he did get a chance, his finishing was wayward. A performance that screamed a lack of confidence.

Substitutes

Sepp van den Berg - 6.0: Came on for the injured Ajer and slotted in at the back. He did have a decent headed chance which he couldn't convert.

Dango Ouattara - 6.5: Looked like a bright spark when he came on. He was direct, had a shot saved, and looked more threatening than many of the starters.

Aaron Hickey - 6.0: Replaced Rico Henry and provided some stability, but the game was already slipping away.

Keane Lewis-Potter - N/A: Not on long enough to make a significant impact.

Jordan Henderson - N/A: A late introduction with the result already decided.

Manager

K. Andrews - 5.0: A day to forget for the Brentford manager. While the early injuries were unlucky, his team lacked any sort of cutting edge or creativity, bar Mathias Jensen. They looked vulnerable every time Forest came forward and the substitutions did little to change the course of the game. He has a lot to ponder after this defeat.

Player of the Match

Morgan Gibbs White was the best player of the match.

Worst Player

Ajer was the worst player of the match.