Nottingham Forest 0-0 Fulham Player Ratings: Cagey Stalemate Sees VAR Disallow Forest Winner

A tense and ultimately frustrating afternoon at The City Ground saw Nottingham Forest and Fulham play out a goalless draw. This Premier League encounter was a war of attrition, not a spectacle for the purists.

The entire match hinged on one moment of high drama. Forest substitute Dan Ndoye thought he had snatched a late winner, only for VAR to cruelly chalk it off.

Both teams struggled to create clear openings. The game was punctuated by fouls and scrappy midfield battles, and it felt like neither side wanted to risk losing, rather than going all out for the win.

Forest came closest, with Ola Aina's thunderous strike rattling the crossbar in the second half. Fulham FC, for their part, will be content with a point on the road.

They defended with resilience and organisation, frustrating the home side. A point apiece feels fair, but Nottingham Forest will surely feel like it was two points dropped, given the disallowed goal, with relegation on the horizon if they don't buckle up.

Here are the Nottingham Forest vs Fulham Player Ratings.

Key Takeaways

• Although Fulham had more possession (54%) than Nottingham Forest (46%), they failed to have a single shot on target in this game.
• Joshua King and Calvin Bassey recorded the most ground duels won (7).
• Ola Aina and Neco Williams lost possession the most number of times in this match (18).

Nottingham Forest Player Ratings vs Fulham

Have a look at the Nottingham Forest Player Ratings from the Nottingham Forest vs Fulham Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Matz Sels - 6.5: Had a relatively quiet day at the office. Commanded his area well enough when called upon. Dealt with what little came his way with no fuss. A clean sheet is a clean sheet, but he was rarely tested in a meaningful way by Fulham's blunt attack. He just had to stay alert.

Defenders

Neco Williams - 7.0: A typically energetic display from the fullback. He picked up a first-half yellow card but didn't let it curb his enthusiasm. He created a couple of decent chances and provided the assist for the disallowed goal. A constant outlet on the right, though his final ball was sometimes lacking. Solid performance overall.

Murillo - 6.5: A steady performance at the back. He was composed on the ball, looking to play out from defence. Lost possession a few times but nothing fatal. Made a key block and looked comfortable for the most part. Not his most spectacular game, but did his job without any major errors.

Nikola Milenković - 6.5: A quiet and effective game from the Serbian. He won his headers and made his clearances. Didn't do anything flashy, but he didn't need to. Positionally sound and helped keep the backline organised against a Fulham side that offered little threat. An unspectacular but solid shift.

Ola Aina - 7.5: What stood out to us was his all-action performance. He was Nottingham Forest's best player by a mile. Defensively he was superb, winning his tackles and making crucial clearances. He was desperately unlucky not to score, with his brilliant effort crashing against the crossbar. A dynamic and powerful display from the left-back, who was our man of the match.

Midfielders

Ibrahim Sangaré - 6.5: A mixed bag from the midfielder. He broke up play effectively and kept the ball moving. His passing was mostly accurate and he put in a decent defensive shift. However, he didn't offer much going forward to unlock a stubborn Fulham defence. Did the simple things well.

Callum Hudson-Odoi - 5.0: A really disappointing afternoon for him. We barely noticed he was on the pitch in the first half. He struggled to get involved in the game, losing the ball cheaply. It was no surprise to see him hooked at half-time. A performance to forget.

Elliot Anderson - 6.0: He worked tirelessly but with little to show for it. He got into some good positions and tried to make things happen, but his final product wasn't there. Picked up a deserved yellow card for a cynical foul. A lot of effort, but the quality was missing on the day.

Morgan Gibbs-White - 6.5: As the captain, he tried to drag his team forward. He was always looking for the ball and trying to create. Forced a good save from Leno with a shot from distance. But he also lost the ball a bit too often and couldn't find that killer pass. A frustrating day for him.

Nicolás Domínguez - 5.5: Another player who failed to make a real impression. He had one shot on target but was otherwise anonymous. Like Hudson-Odoi, he was substituted at the break as the manager looked for more attacking impetus. Just couldn't get a foothold in the game.

Forwards

Igor Jesus - 5.5: A tough day for the forward. He was physically outmatched by the Fulham centre-backs. He worked hard but was isolated for large spells. Missed a headed chance in the first half. Substituted just after the hour mark having made very little impact.

Substitutes

Dan Ndoye - 6.5: Came on and thought he was the hero with a well-taken finish, only for VAR to deny him. Offered more of a threat than the man he replaced.
Omari Hutchinson - 6.0: Looked lively when he came on, trying to take on his man.
Taiwo Awoniyi - 6.0: Added a physical presence up front but couldn't find a breakthrough.
Ryan Yates - N/A: Came on late to shore things up.

Manager

V. de Oliveira Lopes Pereira - 6.5: His half-time changes were necessary and almost paid off spectacularly. He saw his side were struggling and acted decisively. Was let down by a marginal VAR call. Hard to criticise his decisions on a day where chances were so scarce.

Fulham Player Ratings vs Nottingham Forest

Have a look at the Fulham Player Ratings from the Nottingham Forest vs Fulham Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Bernd Leno - 7.0: From our perspective, he was crucial for Fulham. Made two really important saves in the first half to keep the scores level. Commanded his box with authority and showed why he is so highly rated. A calm and composed performance, earning his team a valuable clean sheet on the road.

Defenders

Kenny Tete - 6.5: A solid and reliable performance at right-back. He was defensively sound and didn't give the Forest wingers much joy. Didn't offer a huge amount going forward but that wasn't his primary job today. A disciplined and professional display.

Calvin Bassey - 7.0: A really strong and dominant performance. He won almost all of his duels and was a rock at the back. Had one header saved but his main contribution was defensive. He looked powerful and confident, giving the Forest attackers no room to breathe. An impressive outing.

Joachim Andersen - 6.5: The captain led by example with a busy performance. He made a huge number of clearances and was aerially dominant. Picked up a yellow card and was a bit clumsy at times, but his commitment was unquestionable. A warrior's performance at the heart of the defence.

Antonee Robinson - 6.0: An energetic but erratic performance. He got forward well but his end product was lacking. Picked up a silly yellow card for a needless foul. Did his defensive duties but sometimes looked a little reckless. A mixed bag from the American.

Midfielders

Harry Wilson - 6.0: A frustrating afternoon for the Welshman against his former club. He had a couple of shots blocked and tried to create but things just didn't fall for him. We expected more from him, but he was well-marshalled by the Forest defence. Faded as the game went on.

Oscar Bobb - 5.5: A very quiet game from the youngster. He struggled to get on the ball and make an impact. Was dispossessed a few times and seemed to find the pace of the game difficult. Substituted after an hour having offered very little. A learning experience for him.

Sander Berge - 6.0: A combative display in the middle of the park. He battled hard and broke up play, but also gave away fouls and picked up a booking. His passing was okay but he didn't dictate the tempo. A functional performance rather than a creative one.

Alex Iwobi - 6.5: One of Fulham's brighter sparks in attack. He looked neat and tidy on the ball and tried to link the midfield and attack. Created one big chance but also lost possession too frequently for our liking. Showed glimpses of quality in a game that lacked it.

Josh King - 6.5: Worked his socks off for the team. He was full of running and won a surprising number of duels. His effort was commendable, but he lacked a cutting edge in the final third. A tireless worker but not a goal threat on this occasion.

Forwards

Raúl Jiménez - 5.0: A really poor performance from the striker. He was completely anonymous before being substituted. Offered no threat and struggled to hold the ball up. It was a surprise he even started, and his withdrawal was inevitable. A day he will want to forget quickly.

Substitutes

Rodrigo Muniz - 6.0: Offered more of a presence than Jiménez but couldn't find a chance.
Samuel Chukwueze - 5.5: Didn't really get into the game.
Sasa Lukic - 6.0: Added some fresh legs in midfield.
Tom Cairney - N/A: Not enough time to make an impact.

Manager

M. Saraiva Da Silva - 7.0: He set his team up perfectly for an away game. They were organised, difficult to break down, and frustrated the home side. He will be delighted with a clean sheet and a point. A tactical success from his perspective, even if it wasn't pretty to watch.

Man of the Match

Ola Aina was the man of the match from this EPL game.

Worst Performer

Raúl Jiménez was the worst performer in the Nottingham Forest vs Fulham match.