Glasner Vows Change After Forest Lose at Brentford
Nottingham Forest lost at Brentford, and manager Oliver Glasner promised a reset in a 14-minute press conference. He banged the desk repeatedly and told his players to "buy in" or leave.
Two goals off one defender
Forest did not play badly. No side has underperformed their expected goals as much as they have. Before the weekend they were third in Opta's expected table and third-bottom in the real one. At Brentford they had two-and-a-half times as many chances as the home side.
Both goals went in off the luckless Nikola Milenkovic. The first was an own goal after Murillo misjudged a long clearance to Dango Ouattara. The second was credited to Igor Thiago, who latched on to a clever low cross from Jaydon Anthony.
Glasner's message
Glasner took the blame. He said he would be fine at home with his family and nobody needed to pity him. The players and staff, he added, stay in the same situation as the club had last year, so it must rebuild "from the bottom to the top".
He said the result was not good enough after four defeats in the last five games. He did not question the effort. "We are outrun by the opposition in every single game," he said. By his account the football is fine and his side kept Brentford to seven shots, although Opta counted six.
The fourth goal Forest have conceded from a goalkeeper's long ball, he said, came from a lack of awareness. Then they lost the duel. One player asked to travel home alone. Glasner refused. He said everyone goes back on the coach, with "no extras".
His warning was two-sided. If the squad cannot change, he said, Forest need different personnel. If the club does not want change, it needs a different manager. He also said he had been softer before: "I felt it was more hugging than now. But if hugging doesn't work, there's also an opposite way."
Brentford's view
For Brentford this was a first win since they beat Chelsea before the last international break. Their manager Keith Andrews called it their best of the season and praised the smart play and leadership of his players.
Our view
Forest's numbers suggest results could improve if the chances start to go in. Glasner is asking for something harder, which is getting more out of the squad. It is unclear what exactly he will change. The next few matches may show if his message reaches the dressing room.
Source: the Guardian