Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo expressed both frustration and determination following the team’s first defeat of the Premier League season against Fulham. The narrow 1-0 loss, marred by controversial refereeing decisions and the absence of key player Morgan Gibbs-White, left Nuno visibly exasperated during the post-match press conference.
Addressing the officiating that took place during the match, Nuno was notably restrained. When probed about the refereeing,
Nuno Espirito Santo said “We don’t want to talk too much about referees… So don’t keep asking.” Despite his initial reluctance, he later conceded, “Today, he (referee Smith) didn’t do a good job, so let’s hope he improves – like we have to do also. We didn’t play a good game so we have to improve.”
Nuno also shed light on the upheaval caused by the suspension of England international Morgan Gibbs-White. “Of course we missed Morgan. He is a very special player for us,” he emphasized, acknowledging the crucial role Gibbs-White has played in previous matches.
Reflecting on the strategy and overall performance, Nuno explained the tactical decisions made during the game.
Nuno Espirito Santo said “The plan to start with T and Wood was to give us presence up the pitch, then four midfielders trying to associate and play. It was to manage and control the game. That part we did well. We made the first sub with Anthony, trying to go for the speed. There was some space to take advantage of.”
Despite the disappointment, Nuno took a balanced view of the situation and stressed the importance of learning and improving from this setback. Reflecting on the team’s recent potential and competitiveness, he underscored the need for a strong comeback in the subsequent games. The loss to Fulham served as a hiccup in Nottingham Forest’s otherwise promising start to the season. Moving forward, the focus remains on leveraging their potential and resilience to rebound effectively.
