Chris Wood allays attacking concerns as Nottingham Forest rout Brentford

If it’s any consolation for Keith Andrews, things can only get better after Brentford were humiliated by Nottingham Forest in his first game in charge.

Nuno Espírito Santo and his players demonstrated that they are more than just one-season wonders, teaching the new coach a valuable lesson.

Chris Wood scored twice, and Dan Ndoye scored on his debut to end the game before 45 minutes.Brentford.

could not cope with the hosts, who dominated the game from the start, while the visitors provided little indication of the style they intend to play under Andrews, who took little pleasure in Igor Thiago’s late penalty. Nuno expressed concern during the buildup about the lack of summer transfer activity.

The arrivals of Omari Hutchinson and James McAtee, who were paraded in front of supporters before kick-off, have relieved his concerns. Forest scored once in seven preseason games, resulting in five goalless draws.

Within five minutes, Wood reacted quickest to a bouncing ball in the box from a corner, which Brentford had failed to clear, and directed home.

Nuno appears to be on the verge of signing Arnaud Kalimuendo from Rennes, but the New Zealander has reminded fans that his 20 Premier League goals last season were no fluke.

What Andrews would have done with the 2024-25 talismanic forwards if Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo were not available. The latter is at Manchester United, while the former has at least one foot outside the door.

It was a less-than-ideal situation for his first game in senior management, and his team sat too deep, allowing Forest to dominate proceedings.

Given Andrews’ previous role as set-piece coach, the manner in which the goal was conceded will have irritated him significantly. Nuno wants his team to dominate possession more often, and Brentford was willing to let Forest adjust to this new style.

Morgan Gibbs-White was given space to receive the ball, emphasising why Forest did everything in their power to prevent him from leaving for Tottenham.

Gibbs-White drifted into areas where he believed he could cause the most damage, picking up the ball and finding a forward pass to keep Brentford on the back foot. Nuno constantly tested Andrews to see how quickly he could adapt to his team.

Forest’s wingers switched positions, Gibbs-White moved out wide at times, and Ndoye played as a second central striker. If Andrews was under pressure before the game, Nuno was putting his tactical knowledge to the test.

Forest had their own new era, with Ndoye providing fans with more than a glimpse of what to expect following his summer move from Bologna.

The Swiss attacker demonstrated trickery on the wing, but delivered more than expected with a smart run into the box to meet a Gibbs-White cross and head past Caoimhin Kelleher.

In first-half injury time, Wood latched on to a through ball from the superb Elliot Anderson, and the debutant custodian picked the ball out of the goal for the third time.

The striker was not pursued and calmly rounded the custodian before tapping into the empty net and wheeling away in front of a jubilant home crowd.

Knowing the game was over, despite Thiago’s calm penalty after Ibrahim Sangaré handballed, the second half tempo dropped, giving Andrews time to consider what he needed to change going forward.

Jordan Henderson made his debut off the bench, and his experience will be important because it is clear that Andrews is learning on the job, while Nuno’s methods appear to be working once more.

Life will become more difficult once the Europa League begins, but Forest do not appear worried.

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