Nottingham Forest fans voiced their frustration after a dismal 2-0 defeat to Braga in the Europa League, with boos ringing out at full time. The performance, described as listless and devoid of sharp edges, has raised concerns about the direction of the team under manager Sean Dyche.
Forest failed to register a single shot on target, becoming only the second team in Europa League history to lose without doing so. A penalty miss by Morgan Gibbs-White, an own goal by Ryan Yates, and a red card for Elliot Anderson compounded a miserable night in northern Portugal.
Dyche acknowledged the high expectations following a strong previous season but admitted the road has been bumpy. 'I was expecting a bumpy road, I was not expecting it to be easy,' he said. 'The players do not go out there to not have a spark, but they have not been gripping their opportunities.'
The result extends Forest's run to one win in eight matches, despite a creditable draw against Arsenal last week. The team faces a critical period with nine matches in 35 days, starting at Brentford on Sunday, and a Europa League playoff all but guaranteed.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis invested heavily in the squad last summer, but several big-money signings have struggled to make an impact. Lorenzo Lucca is set to join on loan from Napoli to bolster the attack, with Igor Jesus and Chris Wood sidelined.
