Three things about Nottingham Forest's 3-0 loss to Everton

Three talking points as a spineless, toothless and abject Nottingham Forest went down without a fight on their first visit to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, losing 3-0 to Everton as injuries mount and inconsistency continues. George Edwards was at the match

Just two weeks ago, a fearless and spirited Nottingham Forest turned up in Liverpool and stole the show, blitzing the defending champions 3-0. Yesterday, just two miles down the road, it was hard to comprehend that the same football club was in town — the Forest that showed up looked completely unrecognisable, timid and lethargic.

They went out with a whimper, startled by the pace in which the Toffees got after them from the first whistle and spent the entire second half attempting to hold on and not concede.

By the end, 3-0 flattered them if anything, with goals from Thierno Barry and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, plus a Nikola Milenkovic own goal, sealing Forest’s fate.

Battered from the get-go and lacking desire

In the Premier League, every point should be hard-earned. Yet the three points Everton gained on Merseyside yesterday were won with ease, showing little quality themselves but hardly having to break a sweat to brush Forest aside.

On their first visit to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Forest spent less than two minutes level in the match. The unravelling began when Nicolo Savona turned into trouble and was booked inside 20 seconds, Milenkovic’s own goal coming from the resulting free-kick.

From then on, the Reds looked like a rabbit in the headlights, totally bewildered at the intensity Everton showed from the get-go. As an away side, particularly visiting a place with such a fierce atmosphere, you should be expecting a storm from the off, and how you weather it is integral.

All three goals that the Reds conceded showed the clearest fact of the day: Everton wanted victory more than Forest. With a bit more desire and bravery, the host’s hattrick of goals were all entirely preventable, but Sean Dyche’s men were feeble out of possession, shirking out of 50/50 challenges and had no alertness of danger inside their own penalty area.

Everton didn’t have to be good to best Forest, and any Premier League side would likely have toppled them if faced with the dismal display they showed. Even when the game evened out, Forest never put any substantial pressure on Jordan Pickford’s goal – their best chance coming when Pickford and James Tarkowski made a blunder inside the box was telling.

You can accept defeat if the hard yards have been put in and the better eventually won out. But the manner in which Forest surrendered was scathing, a toothless showing suggesting the Reds’ position of 17th in the table currently looks like a fair representation.

Hierarchy looking for excuses

Post-match, it emerged that Forest bosses will complain to the PGMOL about an incident between Tarkowski and Dan Ndoye in the 11th minute, with the defender shoulder barging the Swiss to the floor while the ball was out of play.

This story has been told before, Forest writing to the organisation in April 2024 after they were denied three penalties by Anthony Taylor and VAR Stuart Attwell against Everton. Forest had a leg to stand on that day, baffled that Taylor was not sent to review at least one of three very dubious and subjective calls.

However, Forest drawing attention to this moment just looks like a deflection from the abysmal showing their players displayed. Tarkowski’s challenge was unwise and certainly merited a yellow card, but it’s unlikely the referee saw the incident and VAR can’t intervene for bookings.

Tarkowski was showing a bit of fight, standing his ground, lessons Forest should have taken and tried to implement into their performance rather than whining and playing the victim. Dyche himself commented that the game “was not really a 3-0 game” to BBC Radio Nottingham, a concerning statement coming from the man at the helm.

Levels were not met, standards were severely dropped and Forest got exactly what they deserved; if the manager and hierarchy cannot admit the hard truths and take responsibility, then how can the players be expected to pick up the pieces?

Injuries and poor form making Dyche’s task a tough one

Ryan Yates’ half-time cameo lasted just 17 minutes before he was forced off with injury, potentially joining a mounting list of unavailable players that continues to make Dyche’s selection woes heighten from game to game.

Forest are currently without four vital cogs that contributed heavily to their success last season, with Murillo, Ola Aina, Chris Wood and Anthony Elanga (who departed for Newcastle) all missing from that renowned lineup.

The Reds have injury woes in other areas, and with Ibrahim Sangaré AFCON-bound and Douglas Luiz living in the medical room, midfield now looks to be a deep concern. But those four key players just have not been replaced, and Forest’s failure to do so is telling.

Both Igor Jesus and Nicolo Savona have done competent jobs filling in at striker and right-back, Jesus in particular coming of age in recent weeks and making himself look a threat in front of goal. However, the clinical edge Wood brings and the control Aina provides are irreplaceable.

In Murillo’s absence, Brazilian counterpart Morato continues to frustrate. He has the attributes to succeed but persists on trying to catch the eye in the way Murillo does, when spraying long balls and playing through midfield so obviously aren’t his strengths.

In the wide areas, Omari Hutchinson’s positive form for the past four games is pretty much all Forest have had to shout about all season. The way in which he has remained optimistic and grasped the chance of first-team football with both hands is admirable – one of the better performers at Everton and an undroppable option when he is eligible to play.

However, his chances have only come because of the abject form of the other two options, Ndoye and Callum Hudson-Odoi mediocre for large parts of the season so far, with Dilane Bakwa another out injured.

In the absence of Elanga, you expected Hudson-Odoi to step up and become the reliable and consistent threat that the Swede became, into his third year in the Garibaldi. Albeit with injury woes of his own, he has gone into his shell at a time in his career where he should be skyrocketing.

Last season, Everton away was the day Forest rose to second in the Premier League. Eleven months later, they sit 17th, three points above the relegation zone and an absolute shadow of that united and spirited club.

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