1 FEBRUARY 2025
NOTTINGHAM FOREST 7 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 0
PREMIER LEAGUE
at THE CITY GROUND, NOTTINGHAM.
After their disappointing display against Everton the previous week, the Albion travelled to Sherwood Forest territory to meet Nottingham Forest in the Premier at The City Ground, the match being covered "live" by TNT Sports and being broadcast by Talksport and BBC Radio Sussex Sport.
Last time out in the Premier the Albion had lost 0-1 at home to Everton on the 25 January and for their visit to Forest the Albion made three changes to their starting line-up from that game, with Jack Hinshelwood, Yankuba Minteh and Georginio Rutter replacing Carlos Baleba, Yasin Ayari and Brajan Gruda.
In their previous outing, Forest had crashed to a 0-5 Premier League defeat at AFC Bournemouth on the 25 January and for Albion's visit Head Coach Nuno Espirito Santo made two changes to his starting line-up from the Bournemouth game, with Morato and Danilo coming in for Ryan Yates and Jota Silva. Playing up front for Forest was former Albion loanee Chris Wood.
In their meetings last season, the Albion did the double over Forest, winning 3-2 at The City Ground on the 25 November 2023. In the return game at the Amex on the 10 March 2024 the Albion ran out 1-0 winners, with the deciding goal being scored by Andrew Omobamdele (29m, own goal). Previously this season on the 22 September 2024, the teams drew 2-2 at the Amex with Albion's goals being scored by Jack Hinshelwood (42m) and Danny Welbeck (45m) and Forest's goals coming from Chris Wood (13m, penalty) and Ramon Sosa (70m).
The Seagulls made the worst possible start to the game when on 12 minutes they granted Morgan Gibbs-White acres of space on his right wing whereupon the midfielder crossed the ball into the mix where Lewis Dunk prodded the ball into the Albion net for the hosts opener. 0-1.
Forest doubled their lead on 25 minutes when Anthony Elanga's corner was headed by Gibbs-White past Albion keeper Bart Verbruggen for Forest's second. 0-2. Worse was to follow on 32 minutes when Elanga, in yards of space on the right-wing, crossed to the far post where the lurking Chris Wood headed the ball down and into the Albion net. The Seagulls were being run ragged by a rampant Forest outfit. 0-3.
Prior to the break Danny Welbeck came close to reducing the deficit when his piledriver of a shot was deflected on to the bar and away by Forest keeper Matz Sels. A truly shocking first-half display by the Albion.
Half-time 0-3.
Albion made a triple substitution at the start of the second-half, with Matt O'Riley, Diego Gomez and Simon Adingra replacing Hinshelwood, Pedro and Mitoma. These changes did not change the pattern of the game, as on 64 minutes Elanga raced down his right before crossing to Wood to notch his second and Forest's fourth. 0-4.
On 69 minutes Tariq Lamptey brought down Gibbs-White in the box and Wood rifled home the resultant penalty-kick for his hat-trick and Forest's fifth. 0-5. At the other end keeper Sels tipped over O'Riley's free-kick but Forest were not finished and on 89 minutes Neco Williams fired home Forest's sixth. 0-6.
In time added on Verbruggen negligently passed the ball out straight to substitute Jota Silva who ran on before planting the ball in the Albion net. 0-7. A day of humiliation for the Albion at The City Ground.
Final-score 0-7.
Match stats:
Albion had 10 attempts at goal, with 5 on target and won 6 corners, free-kicks conceded - 13.
Forest had 14 attempts at goal, with 9 on target and won 4 corners, free-kicks conceded - 8.
TO SUM UP - The score-line speaks for itself. It was the Albion's heaviest league defeat for 67 years, which was the 0-9 defeat at Middlesbrough on the opening-day of the 1958-59 season. Head Coach Hurzeler and the players need to sort themselves out in time for the visit of Chelsea in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup on the 8 February in front of the ITV cameras.
Albion line-up (4-1-4-1):- Bart VERBRUGGEN; Joel VELTMAN, Jan Paul VAN HECKE, Lewis DUNK (Capt), Tariq LAMPTEY; Jack HINSHELWOOD (Matt O'RILEY46); Yankuba MINTEH, Georginio RUTTER, Joao PEDRO (Diego GOMEZ 46), Kaoru MITOMA (Simon ADINGRA 46); Danny WELBECK (Evan FERGUSON 73).
Subs not used: Carl RUSHWORTH (G/K), Adam WEBSTER, Joe KNIGHT, Ruairi McCONVILLE, Brajan GRUDA.
Nottingham Forest line-up (3-5-2):- Matz SELS; MORATO, Nikola MILENKOVIC, MURILLO (Willy BOLY 72); Ola ALNA, Morgan GIBBS-WHITE (Capt) (Jota SILVA 72), DANILO (Nicolas DOMINGUEZ 63), Elliot ANDERSON (Ibrahim SANGARE 82), Neco WILLIAMS; Chris WOOD (Taiwo AWONIYI 82), Anthony ELANGA.
Subs not used: Carlos MIGUEL (G/K), Alex MORENO, Ramon SOSA, Ryan YATES.
Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire).
Fourth Official: Tony Harrington.
VAR Official:Paul Tierney.
Yellow Cards: Albion: 3 - Bart Verbruggen, Jack Hinshelwood, Danny Welbeck.
Forest: 1 - Murillo.
Possession: Albion - 63%. Forest - 37%.
BBC Sport Player of the Match: Chris Wood (Forest).
Attendance: 30164.
NEXT GAME:
8 FEBRUARY 2025 - CHELSEA - Home - FA Cup, Fourth Round -