Nottingham Forest must end their home goal drought when they host Arsenal on Sunday, with manager Oliver Glasner relying on Chris Wood’s experience to solve their scoring issues. The Reds have failed to find the net in any of their three Premier League matches at the City Ground this season, a critical factor in their 15th-place standing with just five points from six games. Their overall record this season is one win, two draws and three losses, with a goal difference of minus three having scored five and conceded eight.
Forest’s attacking struggles are stark despite creating opportunities. They have taken the third-most shots in the division but rank 19th for converting those chances, scoring five goals from an expected goals total that suggests they should have ten. Glasner pointed to last weekend’s 3-1 defeat at Crystal Palace, where Forest had 24 attempts, as their best attacking display of the campaign even in a loss. He stressed the need for composure, insisting the team must not turn missed chances into a psychological problem. In that match, D. Ndoye gave Forest an early lead in the third minute before Crystal Palace scored three unanswered goals.
Wood’s vital role
Central to the effort is veteran striker Chris Wood. The 34-year-old, with almost 200 career goals in English football including 92 in the Premier League, has been speaking to the squad about confidence and taking opportunities. Glasner values such input, stating he does not have to provide every solution himself and that the team supports each other with advice and shared experience. Wood’s know-how is seen as vital for a side that has won just once at home in the league since last Christmas and whose recent form shows one win, one draw and two defeats from their last four matches.
The Arsenal challenge
Sunday’s opponents present a formidable test. Arsenal arrive at the City Ground sitting second in the standings, having outrun opponents consistently under Mikel Arteta, a trait Glasner praised. Forest’s recent form shows one win, one draw and two defeats from their last four, leaving them 13 points adrift of leaders Manchester City. Their last meeting with the Gunners in January ended in a goalless draw, a result Forest would likely take now to stop the rot. The team's recent results include a 0-1 home loss to Coventry and a 1-2 away win at Aston Villa prior to the draw with Tottenham.
Glasner remains confident his side will create two, three or four good chances against Arsenal. The key, he says, is finishing them. With the next fixture a key home date, the focus is squarely on turning possession and shots into the goals that have so far eluded them at their own ground. Nottingham Forest face Arsenal at the City Ground on Sunday, kick-off 4.30pm.
More detail at Sky Sports Football
