Three talking points as Chris Wood’s penalty saw Nottingham Forest edge a nervy Europa League semi-final first leg against Aston Villa, as the Reds proved their quality in the competition despite mounting injury concerns. George Edwards was at the match
“In a tough, tough season, the players can make it finish in a spectacular way.”
Those were Vitor Pereira’s pre-match thoughts as Nottingham Forest encountered their first European semi-final in 42 years.
They are halfway to doing just that.
A contest so even that it proved how much both sides merited being there, the only difference being Chris Wood’s 71st-minute penalty. The Reds now have the advantage in the second leg, as they head to Villa Park next Thursday 1-0 up.
Forest belonged — and they knew it
A European semi-final was not somewhere this tumultuous season suggested Forest were headed. But, even from minute one, it was an occasion they rose to and belonged in.
From kick-off, Forest pressed high, buoyed on by the momentum both from their rampant crowd and the confidence that stemmed from being unbeaten in eight games and scoring nine goals in their last two matches.
They played the game on their terms, dominating possession, slick with their passing and showing a dogged determination to get on back the ball whenever play was turned over.
Elliot Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White’s trickery and flair embodied Forest’s confidence, combining regularly throughout the match, most memorably for their audacious combination of six silky passes in the 82nd minute that saw Forest shimmy down the left wing, including a step-over, a back-heel and tremendous chemistry.
The quality shown by the pair illustrated why Forest rose to the occasion. They have the players and the pedigree to compete and win at this level, and everything feels like it has come together just at the right time to connect the dots.
Forest by no means had everything their own way against Villa. The game had everything a tie at this stage of a prestigious competition should have. Quality, tense and very, very tight, two heavyweights of European football aiming to give a new generation of supporters a taste of their historical successes.
Stefan Ortega and Emiliano Martinez both rose, making two stunning saves from close range in either half to keep the scores level and prove the quality necessary to breach two steadfast defences.
And in the big moment, Forest’s big-moment player strode forward and lashed home to give Forest the lead, Chris Wood’s 200th career goal up there with the biggest of his career and giving the City Ground its biggest European roar this century.
Pereira’s priorities changing — or was his hand forced?
Just as Forest are finding themselves and need everybody strapped in for the ride, a fresh injury concern seems to appear after every step forward.
Wood’s return to fitness has transformed their attack, allowing Igor Jesus the freedom it always felt he needed to thrive, as Gibbs-White continues to operate out wide in the absence of Callum Hudson-Odoi, out until next season.
Murillo also missed his second consecutive game, as Ibrahim Sangare and Jair Cunha both dropped out from the side that thrashed Sunderland 5-0. Dan Ndoye was also missing, Taiwo Awoniyi was ineligible, and Ola Aina had to be substituted after limping around for 10 minutes, meaning Forest looked down to the bare bones.
That being said, Pereira still fielded the strongest XI he could and drew the very best out of them.
Cunha’s absence meant a start for Morato, who, along with Nikola Milenkovic, stifled the Villains’ frontline to an xG of 0.79 from 10 shots on goal, Forest’s third clean sheet in four all coming with a different duo at the back.
Pereira may have had no choice but to select the team he did, but Forest’s performances of late means that making non-enforced changes risks disrupting the flow.
Forest visit Chelsea before they go to Birmingham for the second leg, and despite Pereira looking to have minimal options to tinker with, making changes to a winning outfield team seems a risk not worth taking.
Far from over, but Forest in the driving seat
With Villa finishing second in the group phase of the Europa League, home advantage in the second leg is something they have had throughout the knockout stages. But how much of an advantage will it prove to be?
Whilst Forest may have preferred the games the other way around, Villa Park is not somewhere they have enjoyed visiting. They have looked out of the depth in pretty much every minute of the 360 played there since promotion in 2022, losing by an aggregate score of 11-4.
In contrast, the games at the City Ground had been much tighter, and Forest have had the edge – winning two and drawing two.
Being at home first meant Forest could gain a foothold in the tie in a setting they felt comfortable and knew that building a cushion felt achievable, whereas being away first could have dazed them to the brink of elimination.
With victory, they have eliminated the pressure of having to go to Villa Park and win. By no means will they sit back, but in the way Villa were content for Forest to control much of the first leg, the Reds can allow their hosts to bring the game to then, retaining faith in their defensive focus and counterattacking threat.
Villa may have experience on their side, a four-time Europa League winner in Unai Emery unlikely to be fazed by the slender scoreline that Forest lead by, opting to focus his post-match thoughts on Anderson’s high challenge on Ollie Watkins that VAR chose not to look at.
Villa may have extra motivation on their side, with the traditional fireworks from Eva’s Grill and rendition of Status Quo’s Rockin’ all over the World a premature showing of celebration at full-time, despite both being victory traditions.
But after their Premier League game at Chelsea on Monday, Forest will go to Villa Park a goal ahead, knowing they have both nothing to lose and nothing to fear.
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