If you enjoy watching Wolves defend for 90 minutes while your heart rate resembles a drum and bass track, this was your night. Forest had the ball. Forest had the shots. Forest had the territory. Wolves had José Sá. And sometimes, that’s enough. In a game where Wolves spent long periods camped inside their own penalty area, Rob Edwards’ side somehow left the City Ground with a point and a clean sheet.
José Sá: 8/10
If he doesn’t sleep well tonight, it won’t be because of stress; it’ll be because he’s still seeing red shirts shooting from everywhere. Outstanding. Reflexes, strong hands, and command of his box. Forest threw everything at him short of the corner flags, and he dealt with it. When Wolves needed a hero, Sá pulled the cape out of the kit bag.
Santiago Bueno: 7/10
Defensively competent, won key challenges and cleared danger when needed and offered calmness in the centre of the defence.
Yerson Mosquera: 6/10
Aggressive, committed, and fully aware that this was going to be “one of those nights.” Won key duels and didn’t shy away when Forest turned up the heat. Occasionally chaotic, but actually managed not to get booked for once.
Ladislav Krejçí: 7/10
A steady presence on his return to the starting lineup. Didn’t get forward often, but his positioning and reading of Forest’s longer balls were reliable.
Hugo Bueno: 6/10
A disciplined hour for the Spaniard, he handled his defensive duties well, had four touches in the box and made five recoveries.
João Gomes: 6/10
Non-stop energy. Snapped into tackles and refused to let Forest settle comfortably.
Rodrigo Gomes: 6/10
Energetic as always, he didn’t manage to get forward as much as he likes and had only a 62% pass completion rate. However, he stayed disciplined in defence for the hour he was on the pitch.
Angel Gomes: 5/10
Tried to inject some composure and creativity, but Wolves spent so much time defending that he only had one touch inside the Forest box. Not his kind of game.
Matues Mané: 5.5/10
Bright when Wolves broke forward, which happened roughly three times. Showed pace and intent, but the supply lines were operating on dial-up speed.
Adam Armstrong: 5/10
Ran channels. Pressed. Worked hard. Fed on scraps. If you’re judging him on touches in the opposition box, you’ll need a microscope.
Tolu Arokodare: 5/10
Led the line physically and attempted to hold up play, but service was limited. Struggled to influence a game where Wolves’ creative output was minimal.
Substitutes
David Møller Wolfe: 5/10
Introduced to help lock things down for the final half an hour and did exactly that. Kept things simple, stayed disciplined, and made a couple of tidy defensive contributions.
Jean Ricner-Bellegarde – 5/10
Came on with one clear objective: add legs and keep the shape intact. Brought a bit of drive in midfield and didn’t overplay when Wolves were under pressure. Tried to carry the ball when possible, but mainly focused on helping the team breathe for 30 seconds at a time. Solid cameo.
Jackson Tchatchoua: 5/10
He got stuck into a few duels and picked up a yellow card for his efforts. He showed pace and aggression without over cooking it. Not flashy, but useful.
This wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t one for the highlight reel, but it was resilient, organised and committed. Forest dominated possession and had over 30 chances, but Wolves showed defensive structure and discipline, and sometimes, when you are rooted to the bottom of the table, that’s the difference between zero points and something to cling to.
