Nottingham Forest (A) - Sat 2 November
It would be nice to follow up a win with another, which I don’t think we have yet in the league this season. But Forest are 7th so we’d have to beat a top 10 team to achieve that.
The manager’s half time changes did the job, so I wonder whether we’ll see something like that lineup for this game. Surely Summerville starts now?
The manager’s half time changes did the job, so I wonder whether we’ll see something like that lineup for this game. Surely Summerville starts now?
Comments
Fabiański
Todibo - Álvarez - Kilman
Wan-Bissaka - Rodríguez - Souček - Emerson
Bowen - Antonio - Summerville
With Álvarez acting as a CB/DM hybrid.
We've lost both away fixtures since they were promoted and our last win at the City Ground was August 2011 in the Championship
Chris Wood has scored 5 goals in the last 5 Premier League games, he has scored 7 of Forest's 11 Premier League goals this season and is now Forest's 2nd top scorer in the Premier League, equal with Stan Collymore on 22 and just 2 behind Bryan Roy.
He's scored seven goals in 14 games against us but all of those came while he was at Burnley, the last being in May 2021 at Turf Moor.
Nuno Espírito Santo will watch from the stands as he completes a three match touchline ban for a red card at Brighton. He's stuck with pretty much the same starting XI with nine players starting the last three matches with the two changes forced by suspensions and injuries.
There were several signings in the summer although only a few seem to have had any major contribution. The big summer signing England U21 CM Elliot Anderson, £35m from Newcastle, has started every game this season while Serbian CB Nikola Milenkovic, £12m from Fiorentina, has started seven games in a row
In addition two loan signings have been regular starters, LB Alex Moreno, deemed surplus to requirements at Villa after the arrival of Ian Maatsen, has started seven of the last eight games
James Ward-Prowse started four in a row before he was suspended for the win over Palace for two yellows against Chelsea and was an unused substitute against Leicester with Argentinian CM/DM Nicolas Domínguez getting the nod
Morgan Gibbs-White has missed two games with an ankle injury picked up against Chelsea but could be back in contention for this weekend
In his absence Antony Elanga has been preferred over Portuguese winger Jota Silva, £5.9m from Vitória de Guimarães, who we were linked with over the summer. Silva has played in every match so far but his only start was in the Carabao Cup
Also on the bench is Taiwo Awoniyi who has scored in all three games he's played against us
Starting XI against Palace and Leicester
Sels
Aina Milenkovic Murillo Moreno
Yates Domínguez
Elanga Anderson Hudson-Odoi
Wood
Starting XI against Chelsea
Sels
Aina Milenkovic Murillo Moreno
Yates Ward Prowse
Hudson-Odoi Gibbs-White Anderson
Wood
Will be a tough test but not one that is impossible to take points from.
It was a even first half and they had 11 shots to our 8, Benrahma had a goal disallowed for a body slam by Antonio that anyone from the World Wrestling Federation would have been proud of and Awoniyi scored a flukey goal just before half time.
In the second half they pretty much parked the bus although Brennan Johnson had a goal ruled out for offside. We had 65% possession, 11 shots to their 2, Fornals and Benrahma hit the bar, Henderson saved Rice's soft penalty and Neco Williams cleared off the line in the last ten minutes.
I don't particularly like Forest though.
A win would be a proper lift for us.
You turned your record around on Sunday as when you give a rundown of the opposition highlighting their problems we usually end up losing
From one Portuguese coach to another... here's Nuno Espirito Santo with a fitness update on his Nottingham Forest side:"We have some issues that we're still assessing. There's still one day to go. It happens when you play every three days.
"Morgan Gibbs-White is one of the players; Chris Wood, Jota and Elliot Anderson too."
West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui on team news: "Unfortunately [Niclas] Fullkrug is not ready to play, he is working on his recovery. We do not have a date for his recovery. He's out, definitely."
I’m calling Mavropanos to start.
A win would be fantastic but they have the 2nd best defence in the league.
Fabiański
Todibo - Mavropanos - Kilman
Wan-Bissaka - Álvarez - Rodríguez - Emerson
Bowen - Paquetá - Summerville
Seems Areola & Souček are injured. Not in squad.
Edit - Souček confirms he’s sick.
Areola not even on the bench