Nottingham Forest Archives

Arsenal Sweep Aside Ange’s Forest with Convincing Win

Arsenal cruised to a comfortable victory over Ange Postecoglou’s Nottingham Forest, delivering a performance that reflected just how well their summer signings have settled in. It wasn’t just the goals from Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyökeres that caught the eye. At the back, Cristhian Mosquera was rock-solid once again, showing composure and control in a performance that made William Saliba’s absence barely noticeable for the second match running. Further forward, Arsenal’s attacking shape looked refreshed and dangerous. Noni Madueke was sharp and direct on the right wing, while Eberechi Eze offered equal threat on the left — a far cry from last season when the Gunners leaned heavily on Bukayo Saka for attacking inspiration. The new front three of Eze, Gyökeres, and Madueke gives Mikel Arteta tactical flexibility and genuine depth in attack. With Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard only needed for late cameos, Arsenal’s squad strength is starting to show — even amid a handful of injuries. It’s early days, but this performance suggests Arsenal are not only stronger but more balanced across the pitch. The signs are promising, and the new arrivals are already delivering.

Taiwo Awoniyi Shares Health Updates

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago03 mins

Nigerian international Taiwo Awoniyi has issued a statement on social media after waking up from an induced coma. The Nottingham Forest striker suffered a serious abdominal injury after colliding with a post late in Nottingham Forest’s 2-2 draw against Leicester City at the City Ground last weekend. He received treatment before returning to the pitch for the final minutes of the match. Awoniyi later underwent surgery and was placed into an induced coma before undergoing another operation on Wednesday. On Sunday, Awoniyi release a statement on Instagram. It read: “This season has been one of the most difficult of my career but through it all, I have felt the love. “With the grace of God, I am grateful to still be here, to still be fighting, to still be smiling, and to be in good spirits. “To my teammates, coaches, staff and the entire Forest family, thank you for your well wishes, seeing you all on your visit to the hospital lifted my spirits more than words can say. “Wishing the boys the very best in these last two games, keep believing and keep pushing. I’m with you all the way and I can’t wait to be back out there with the boys doing what I love. “To my family, friends and football fans, thank you for the support, and to everyone back home in Nigeria who has checked in on me, prayed for me and left kind words, thank you. “I see them. I feel them. And I carry them with me every day as I recover.”

Newcastle and Aston Villa Surge as Spurs Nottingham Forest Tumble in Final Premier League Rankings

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago03 mins

As the curtain falls on the 2024–25 Premier League season, ESPN’s final power rankings have revealed major shifts across the table, with Newcastle United and Aston Villa emerging as the biggest winners, while Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest suffer significant drops in form and standing. Newcastle United completed a remarkable campaign, finishing 3rd in the league and securing their highest position in years. Under manager Eddie Howe, the Magpies also lifted the EFL Cup— their first major domestic silverware in seven decades. Striker Alexander Isak starred with 23 league goals, helping to power the team’s charge into the UEFA Champions League. Aston Villa also impressed, climbing steadily throughout the season to secure European qualification. Their consistent performances and tactical discipline saw them rise in ESPN’s power rankings, earning praise for squad balance and resilience. On the other end of the spectrum, Tottenham Hotspur endured a late-season collapse. Once viewed as top-four contenders, Spurs fell out of European spots altogether after a string of poor results, including a heavy 5–1 loss to Liverpool. Analysts point to squad inconsistency and depth issues as key factors behind the slump. Nottingham Forest, who had surged early in the season with eye-catching victories— including a record 7–0 win over Brighton— also faltered down the stretch. While they still managed a 7th-place finish and secured European football for the first time in nearly three decades, the steep fall from early promise raised concerns about squad durability and long-term competitiveness. The final power rankings reflect a season marked by dramatic turns in fortune. ESPN analysts noted that nearly every team experienced periods of both brilliance and struggle, underscoring the Premier League’s status as one of the most unpredictable competitions in world football. For MORE Visit:https://africa.espn.com/football/story/_/id/45167481/every-premier-league-team-reranked-man-united-spurs-forest-plummet

Taiwo Awoniyi in induced coma after surgery

Taiwo Awoniyi to Stay in Hospital For Another Five Days

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago02 mins

Taiwo Awoniyi is expected to stay in the hospital for another five days after having emergency surgery on an abdominal injury, Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo said Friday. The Nigeria striker had two operations to repair internal damage after he collided with a post during the 2-2 draw with Leicester in the Premier League on Sunday. He was placed in an induced coma to aid his recovery but is now awake and talking with his family, Britain’s Press Association reported. Espirito Santo said he hopes Awoniyi will be able to attend the final game of the season – against Chelsea on May 25. “He went to surgery – surgery went well,” Espirito Santo said. “He is under observation now, but he is recovering. We still have to wait for the doctors to allow visits. We are concerned but it is positive. It has been very difficult because of the concern of the injury, the situation he went through.” “I hope,” he added, “that next week he can join us and be around because he´s a wonderful boy.” Seventh-place Forest is one point off the top five in its bid for Champions League qualification and travels to West Ham on Sunday.

Ola Aina: Offside Flag Could Have Prevented Awoniyi Injury

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago03 mins

Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina has said the injury that saw teammate Taiwo Awoniyi placed in an induced coma could have been avoided if the the offside flag had gone up in time. The incident in question took place in the closing stages of Forest’s 2-2 draw against Leicester City, where Awoniyi clattered against the post. The forward finished the game despite being in significant pain and sources told ESPN he later underwent “urgent” surgery on an abdominal injury and was placed in a coma to aid recovery. Awoniyi collided with the post in an attempt to get on the end of a cross from Anthony Elanga. The winger had strayed offside in the buildup but as per protocol, the assistant referee only raised his flag once the play was done. “Anthony was miles offside. The whole world could see and so could I from where I was,” Aina told the Daily Mail. “You think ‘offside’ straight away. Surely you could just lift the flag up? Personally I liked how it was back in the day when for offside they just put it up straight away. “A simple decision and get on with the game. Having to see it out and then just see this happen … well none of this would have happened to T [Awoniyi] if the flag had just gone up would it?” In the aftermath of the game, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis stormed onto the pitch and remonstrated with manager Nuno Espirito Santo. Forest later released a statement explaining that the owner’s emotional reaction was due to seeing Awoniyi in immense pain and his frustration at the medical staff for letting him continue the game.

Nottingham Forest to Review Taiwo Awoniyi Injury

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago02 mins

Nottingham Forest are said to be preparing to launch an internal investigation into Sunday’s incident involving Taiwo Awoniyi. The Reds striker sustained a serious abdominal injury when he collided with a post in the closing stages of the 2-2 draw with Leicester City at the City Ground. He received treatment before returning to the pitch for the final minutes of the match. Awoniyi was taken to hospital on Monday and underwent surgery, then was placed into an induced coma before undergoing another operation on Wednesday. It is understood he was woken from the induced coma on Wednesday evening. Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo had been given the thumbs up by Forest’s medical team for Awoniyi to continue playing against Leicester. Owner Evangelos Marinakis was unhappy about the situation, calling it a “misjudgement” from the medical staff in a statement on Sunday night. According to The BBC , Forest are set to open an internal review into the incident to determine why Awoniyi was allowed to continue playing. Nottingham Forest have not confirmed or denied that there will be an internal investigation.

Taiwo Awoniyi Out of Coma After Abdominal Injury

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago03 mins

Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi has woken from an induced coma after he underwent surgery to repair a serious abdominal injury. The Nigerian was brought on as a late substitute when his side faced Leicester City in the Premier League last Sunday, but after colliding with the post in the closing minutes, the forward suffered a ruptured intestine. Despite the serious nature of the injury and footage showing the 27-year-old in discomfort, he played on for the remainder of the match, though he was later taken to hospital. Awoniyi had the first part of the surgery on Monday and spent Tuesday in an induced coma, before the second stage of the operation was completed on Wednesday. The striker was subsequently woken from the induced coma in the early evening after the second stage of the surgery, and Nottingham Forest will reportedly look to establish the key details around why Awoniyi was allowed back on to the field of play. Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was criticised for coming onto the pitch against Leicester following the full-time whistle, but he later clarified that he only did so to express concern to manager Nuno Espirito Santo over how Awoniyi’s injury was handled. The injury that Awoniyi suffered is extremely serious, with mortality rates even in the event of surgery standing at 9%, so it is perhaps understandable that Marinakis was deeply concerned. Officials have faced criticism for allowing the passage of play that led up to Awoniyi’s injury to occur given Anthony Elanga was in a clear offside position in the buildup. The rules regarding offsides state that when a clear goalscoring opportunity is likely, assistant referees must delay raising their flag until the phase of play has concluded. While the rule would in principle prevent players from missing out on golden chances in the final third, many pundits have suggested that allowing such passages of play to develop and relying on the intervention of VAR could lead to serious injury. Perhaps the serious nature of Awoniyi’s injury will cause football’s lawmakers to reconsider their stance on when officials should flag for offside.

Taiwo Awoniyi Set To Be Brought Out of Induced Coma After Surgery

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago03 mins

Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi is expected to be brought out of an induced coma on Wednesday after urgent surgery on a serious abdominal injury sustained in Sunday’s match against Leicester. The Nigeria striker was injured after colliding with a post during the 2-2 draw at the City Ground, after which the Forest owner, Evangelos Marinakis, stormed on to the pitch. Forest anticipate Awoniyi will make a full recovery, though it remains unclear when he will be discharged from hospital. He underwent surgery on Monday. It was a medical decision to place Awoniyi into an induced coma to stabilise his condition and for the 27-year-old’s own comfort. Awoniyi returned to the pitch on Sunday after lengthy treatment after the incident in the 88th minute. Awoniyi clattered against a post in an attempt to meet Anthony Elanga’s cross. Elanga was in an offside position when he collected the ball but the assistant referee did not raise their flag until after Awoniyi’s collision, in line with International Football Association Board (Ifab) guidance. In a statement on Tuesday, Forest said Marinakis’s decision to go on the pitch stemmed from his frustration at the incident, which left Forest, who had used all of their permitted substitutes, with 10 men for the closing stages. A draw dented their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League. “His [Marinakis’s] deep frustration at seeing our player lying on the ground in severe pain – something no one with genuine care could ignore – triggered him to go on the pitch,” it read. “He would do the same if such an unfortunate event were ever to reoccur.” Forest also disputed suggestions that Marinakis had a confrontation with the head coach, Nuno Espírito Santo, after entering the pitch. “There was only shared frustration between all of us that the medical team should never have allowed the player to continue,” the statement said.