The sound of silence reigned and it was not golden. Diogo Dalot’s goal, enough to seal another defeat for a team without a win in 10 league games, caused mass deflation.
They have made an effort on the banks of the Trent to make the most of this season, putting on a show for every home game. Conceded goals have typically been met with a roar of encouragement following a brief pause. But the confidence has been chipped away too much now.
There was a functional team here once and there may be again if Steve Cooper is given time. After the home win over Leeds, supporters chanted ironically about the mockery their club has suffered for their transfer policy: “Thirty signings, don’t give a f***. Nottingham Forest are staying up”. That pride has immediately preceded the fall.
On Sunday, as a week ago, Forest were not desperately poor. They do not look like a relegated side because nothing is working but because things are only working in fits and spurts and never for long enough to build any momentum.
They miss too many chances of the ones they create and they allow their opponents far too many. Forest have signed three goalkeepers this season. At times it feels like they need them all.
And the individual mistakes; always the individual mistakes. When Anthony Martial lost control of the ball on the edge of the box, Forest had two players and at least two seconds to clear danger. Then Felipe and Danilo left the ball to each other, neither of them did anything at all and United sniffed an opportunity. If there is one thing that every supporter of every promoted club tells another with a weary tone and a sigh, it’s that you get punished for your mistakes in the Premier League.
But then perhaps their latest error is fitting: two January signings, one a veteran from a high-profile European club and the other a raw 21-year-old from a South American club, failing to communicate with each other partly because they could never have expected to be thrust together in this unlikely scenario at this club whose transfer business first raised eyebrows and then alarms.
January is the time for a struggling club to propel itself towards survival. For some clubs, that means buying in January – Bournemouth are a good example. For others, particularly those who bought more than 20 players last summer, it means recruiting one or two players in key positions, say Felipe and Keylor Navas. Instead, Forest bought seven players, plenty of them haven’t worked out and they made Cooper’s job harder.
For Manchester United, proof that they can cope without the loss of anyone just so long as their midfield remains intact. Marcel Sabitzer was lost to injury in the warm-up, but Christian Eriksen is an upgrade on Sabitzer anyway. Forest could not cope with the three of Bruno, Eriksen and Casemiro.
The former delighted in the space afforded by Forest sitting deep and playing only with a midfield two – Bruno played more passes in the match than any other player, floating between his old role (an advanced midfielder) and his new one, dropping deep to knit together attacks with Eriksen advanced.
Casemiro does what Casemiro always does. If you aren’t noticing him, it’s usually because he’s quietly going about his business of putting out small fires and then passing the ball to someone who wants to drive forward.
A word too for Victor Lindelof, who had not started a Premier League away game since 13 November. With Harry Maguire tasked with looking after Taiwo Awoniyi, Lindelof was asked to watch the space between himself and Diogo Dalot into which Brennan Johnson likes to run, particularly when Dalot ventured forward.
Johnson didn’t have a sniff – no shots and no chances created. Lindelof dealt with that threat impeccably, completed 62 of his 65 passes (including all 16 that ended in the opposition half) and didn’t commit a foul. While Maguire was booked early on and got involved in a battle with Awoniyi, Lindelof produced the clean-shorted performance, positionally excellent and never having to make a tackle. As fourth-choice central defenders go, he’s more than adequate.
That is surely a top-four place secure for Erik ten Hag, who can now switch attention to making amends for a midweek collapse against Sevilla. With Newcastle and Tottenham both losing, they are six points ahead of fifth place with a game in hand. Time to cement a job well done and make plans for next season.
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