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Nottingham Forest manager Oliver Glasner has warned that he could become the club’s sixth boss in the space of a year unless his players follow his instructions and results improve immediately. Forest have endured a difficult start to the Premier League campaign, recording just one victory from their opening nine league matches.
Mounting Pressure After Brentford Defeat
Speaking to BBC’s Match of the Day following a 2-0 defeat at Brentford on Saturday, Glasner admitted he has made too many compromises during his tenure and must now take a firmer stance. The loss leaves Forest sitting 19th in the table, just a point above the bottom spot, ahead of a daunting fixture against league leaders Manchester City.
Glasner stated that it is time to enforce a clear path that everyone must follow, adding that failure to do so will inevitably lead to a change in management. The defeat at Brentford—where a Nikola Milenkovic own goal and a late strike from Igor Thiago decided the match—extended Forest’s winless run to four games. Glasner emphasized that defensive mistakes and a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal are holding the team back.
Parallels with Last Season’s Struggles
Forest’s current predicament mirrors their start to the previous campaign when they had already cycled through multiple managers before settling into a relegation battle. Despite arriving in the summer following a successful stint at Crystal Palace, Glasner has managed the exact same number of wins at this stage as his predecessors did a year ago, though Forest currently have six points compared to five at this point last term.
Statistics suggest Forest’s problems stem from conversion rather than creation. According to data reported by BBC Sport, the team boasts the fourth-highest expected goals tally in the Premier League at 14.33, but they are the division’s lowest scorers with only six goals. Furthermore, they rank second only to Manchester United for shots per game.
Striker Struggles and Future Outlook
Summer signing Liam Delap has contributed to the scoring woes. Following his £50m arrival from Chelsea, the striker has found the net just once in eight league appearances despite registering 24 attempts on goal.
Despite the mounting pressure, Glasner is considered safe for now. Having signed a three-year contract less than four months ago carrying a salary in the region of £10m a year, parting ways with him would prove costly for the club. Glasner intends to alter his managerial approach moving forward to reverse the team’s fortunes.
