The atmosphere at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground on Saturday afternoon promised a fight-back under new boss Ange Postecoglou, whose side has come under increasing scrutiny after a poor start to the season.
They were hosting Chelsea, who have quietly begun to show signs of cohesion under Enzo Maresca, and the visitors left Nottingham with a resounding 3-0 win, a result that not only extended their unbeaten run at this venue but also sank Forest deeper into trouble.
The scoreboard reading “Forest 0, Chelsea 3” tells a story of two halves: the first one cautiously contested, the second a clear example of Chelsea turning the screw. For Forest, this was a meaningful home fixture – they needed a win to arrest the slide, and to provide their restless supporters with something to cling to.
Instead, they found themselves exposed in the second period, as Chelsea’s strength in depth and tactical clarity made the difference.
In the first half, things were tight. Forest attempted to rally, and there were signs of intent: patches of pressure, some decent possession, and a desire to breach Chelsea’s defence. But they lacked the cutting edge. Chelsea, despite missing key names and navigating some injury and suspension concerns, remained compact and disciplined.
Their record at Nottingham remains impressive: Forest have won only once in their last eight Premier League meetings with Chelsea. The Blues thus arrived not only with tactical confidence but with historical momentum on their side.
That momentum bore fruit just after the interval. With the home crowd still hopeful, Chelsea struck first via teenager Josh Acheampong — making a telling impact with a powerful header from a pinpoint cross delivered by Pedro Neto.
Entering the field of play, the display of maturity was notable: an academy product staking a claim under pressure. The move broke the deadlock and flipped the mood.
Almost immediately, the Blues poured on more pressure. Just minutes after the opener, Neto himself stepped up to convert from a free-kick, sailing the ball into the net with conviction and doubling the advantage. At that point the City Ground fell eerily quiet: Forest looked shell-shocked, their earlier ambition drained as Chelsea grabbed control.
As Forest tried to regroup, they only invited further pressure, and Chelsea finally wrapped the matter up when Reece James volleyed home following a weak punch from Forest keeper Matz Sels during a corner. The third goal confirmed the visitors’ dominance.
For Nottingham Forest, the defeat carries more than just three points lost. The club’s issues, already visible, were laid bare: a dearth of goals, frailties in defence, and an inability to sustain pressure or adapt when the opposition pushes.
According to stat sheets, Forest have yet to win under Postecoglou and are threatened by their worst run in years.
The defeat also exposed something deeper: a lack of belief. After conceding the first two goals, Forest’s game collapsed into disarray and even moments of frustration were audible from the stands. The club’s hierarchy felt the heat too: there were reports of owner Evangelos Marinakis visibly leaving his seat during the match, signalling his frustration with the direction of the club.
Tactically speaking, Maresca got his team set up to absorb early pressure and wait for the moment to strike. The change of tempo after half-time multiplied their chances.
Forest, for their part, tried to press and show ambition early but lacked the structural discipline to sustain it. Their transition from defence to attack was disjointed, and when Chelsea upped the pace they simply could not cope.
Looking ahead, Forest must respond quickly if they are to avoid sliding into deeper trouble. The fixture list does not relent, and the margin for error is shrinking.
Postecoglou must find a way not only to shore up the defence but to inject attacking resolution. Meanwhile, Chelsea can build on this and maybe add momentum to their campaign as they aim higher than mid-table obscurity.
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