Nuno’s comments following the defeat to Arsenal encapsulate the challenge facing Nottingham Forest, especially with key players absent.

Nuno Espirito Santo offered a candid evaluation of Nottingham Forest’s loss to Arsenal, describing his team as having “come up short” in their 3-0 defeat. He emphasized his concerns, particularly over conceding six goals in two games, and stressed that a lot of work was needed to improve. Despite the loss, he pointed out that falling to Arsenal, especially away, isn’t shameful, especially with the Reds having had a strong start to the season.

However, Nuno was frustrated with the way Forest played, pointing out their defensive weaknesses. Forest had previously boasted one of the best defensive records in the league, but in the last two matches, they conceded six goals, with Arsenal taking advantage of their mistakes. Nuno also highlighted the lack of support from midfield and full-backs, as well as defensive issues at set-pieces.

Key absences, particularly Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson, were a blow, but Nuno refused to blame the loss on missing players. Forest still had enough quality to perform better, though their attack lacked creativity. Despite previous wins without Gibbs-White, the team struggled to create chances, finishing without a shot on target.

Forest had been on an impressive seven-match unbeaten run away from home, but their upcoming fixtures, including tough away games at Manchester City and United, would test their resilience. Nuno acknowledged the team’s potential but recognized that they needed to step up their performance to maintain their good start to the season. While consecutive defeats weren’t a major concern, the lack of quality in recent performances left Nuno with plenty to think about.