Sixty-six attempts. One goal. One team with a problem to solve as the threat of relegation looms large.Nottingham Forest’s defeat to Brighton was another case of what could have been. On several occasions, boss Vitor Pereira was animated on the touchline as he watched his side spurn several good opportunities to take something from the Amex.
It is the same story that has repeated itself in recent weeks. Points have been left on the table on account of Forest’s poor finishing. But is it simply poor finishing, or rather poor choices in front of goal?
It goes without saying that 66 attempts on goal across the last three games is the highest in Premier League over that period. Even leaders Arsenal, who have played a game extra in that time, don’t come close. Forest also have the highest xG, standing at 4.54.Of course, a lot of that owes to the fact that more than half of those shots came in one game. Forest mustered 35 attempts in their draw with Wolves without success. The second most with no reward in Premier League history. If just one had gone in, that would be enough for Forest to currently be sitting above Tottenham.
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Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis (R) was left with his head in his hands as Forest failed to score against Wolves
But when you take a deeper dive into the numbers, something becomes apparent. Across the three games, Forest have created just 47 chances. This means close to 30 per cent of their shots at goal have come without being deemed a ‘chance’.
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Nottingham Forest’s Premier League defeat at Brighton
Of the 66 attempts, Elliot Anderson has had the most with 12 at a combined xG of just 0.43. That’s just over 0.03 per effort. Gibbs-White follows with 10 shots at a combined xG of 0.82. Incredibly, in third is defender Neco Williams with eight shots.
The two strikers that led the line in those games, Igor Jesus and Lorenzo Lucca, combined for just six attempts. It shows that Forest aren’t focused on creating clear-cut opportunities for their…
2026-03-02 13:00:00
