Nottingham Forest currently sit 19th in the Premier League table despite a major summer overhaul featuring the appointment of head coach Oliver Glasner and the £45 million arrival of striker Liam Delap. The club has managed just a single point and zero goals at the City Ground so far this season as Delap prepares to face his former club Ipswich on Friday night.
Tactical Transition and Targeted Recruitment
Forest parted ways with Vítor Pereira during the summer despite his success in avoiding relegation, seeking an upgrade in Glasner to emulate his transformative spell at Crystal Palace. Bringing in the Austrian tactician required significant financial backing, but implementing his complex three-at-the-back system with two No 10s has proven to be a gradual process, particularly following the departure of star player Elliot Anderson.
The club’s summer transfer activity focused on key structural positions rather than high-volume additions. To replace Anderson’s influence, Glasner repurposed James McAtee into a deeper midfield role alongside free agent signing Xaver Schlager. The squad was further reinforced by defender Ousmane Diomande and Daniel Muñoz, who followed Glasner from Selhurst Park.
Underlying Metrics Suggest Hidden Potential
Despite their low league standing, statistical metrics show cause for optimism. According to Opta data, Forest rank seventh in expected goals (xG) and have produced the strongest underlying attacking and defensive figures of any Forest side in the Premier League era. However, they are also the competition’s biggest xG underperformers at -6.2, having scored a league-low five goals from 62 unrewarded shots at home. If matches were decided purely by expected goals, Forest would occupy fourth place.
Slow starts are not unusual for Glasner’s teams. During his first full campaign at Crystal Palace, his team managed only one victory in their opening 13 league fixtures before eventually finishing mid-table and securing the FA Cup. A similar pattern occurred at Eintracht Frankfurt, where a run of one win in 10 matches preceded a successful Europa League campaign.
Delap’s Role and Management Backing
Delap is still establishing himself at the club following an unsettled year at Chelsea and a limited pre-season. While he has scored once in his first seven appearances, maintaining his career average of a goal every five league matches, his tactical contributions extend to defensive pressing and quick decision-making, such as setting up a goal from a fast throw-in at Anfield.
In their recent defeat to Arsenal, Forest limited their opponents to a single shot on target, which was deflected in for the match-winner, while playing without injured captain Morgan Gibbs-White. Reflecting on the match, Glasner expressed frustration with the outcome. “It feels very unfair,” Glasner said of the result. “We have to accept we are missing some bits. But the performance in many parts was very good.”
Forest chief football officer George Syrianos remains a key supporter of the manager and has publicly called for patience. Friday’s fixture marks Glasner’s eighth Premier League game in charge—three more than former manager Ange Postecoglou received before being dismissed by owner Evangelos Marinakis at the same stage last year. With evidence of structural progress on the pitch, Glasner remains confident that results will soon align with performance.
Source: Football | The Guardian
