Nottingham Forest's survival hopes took a hit as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Wolves, despite having 35 shots at the City Ground. This result means Forest missed the chance to go five points clear of the relegation zone, and now face a precarious position ahead of tough games against Liverpool, Brighton, and Manchester City. Sean Dyche, the third Forest coach of the season, faced questions about his future after the damaging draw, with owner Evangelos Marinakis watching from the stands as the team's winless league run stretched to three games.
The game was a frustrating full debut for new signing Lorenzo Lucca, who did well to last 71 minutes before being replaced by Igor Jesus. Despite having big chances in the first half, including a point-blank opportunity for Morato, Forest failed to break down the worst team in the league, who had not kept an away clean sheet before this game. Wolves, on the other hand, defended admirably to claim their fourth away point of the season and could have nicked it in stoppage time, with Mateus Mane hitting his effort straight at Forest 'keeper Stefan Ortega.
The numbers behind Forest's wastefulness are striking: 35 shots without scoring was the most by a team without finding the net in a Premier League match since Manchester United had 38 in their 0-0 draw with Burnley in October 2016. Forest had 62.9% possession, the 10th time in the Premier League that a side managed by Dyche has had at least 60% of the ball, and yet he hasn't won any of those games (4 draws, 6 losses).
Forest's daunting run of fixtures includes games against Fenerbahce in the Europa League, Liverpool, Brighton, and Manchester City in the Premier League, and Fulham. With these tough games ahead, Dyche's future remains uncertain, as he accepts his fate is in Marinakis' hands. The owner has been fair to him, according to Dyche, and the coach has been working hard, caring deeply about the club.
Wolves boss Rob Edwards, meanwhile, was proud of his team's fight, despite not playing great. He acknowledged that Forest were better, but praised his players' commitment, effort, and fighting spirit. The numbers back up Edwards' assessment, with Wolves facing 35 shots, only facing more in one Premier League game ever (36 against Liverpool in May 2024).
As the season progresses, the pressure on Forest and Dyche continues to mount, with the team's survival hopes hanging in the balance. Will Dyche be able to turn things around and guide Forest to safety? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the team will need to step up their game if they want to avoid the drop.
