Forest had the ball and the shots, Brentford had the two goals

Brentford beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 with less of the ball and far fewer good chances, and an own goal did much of the work.

Nottingham Forest had 58% of the ball and 15 shots at the Gtech Community Stadium, and they left with nothing. Brentford won 2-0 on 42% possession and seven shots. The first goal came in the 30th minute when Nikola Milenković put the ball into his own net, and Igor Thiago added the second in the 76th, finishing a move that Jaidon Anthony started.

Forest were on the ball far more than they usually are. Their average for away matches this season is 45.9%, so 58% was well above their normal share. Their shot count was close to normal, though, with 15 against an average of 16.3. What fell away was the quality of those chances. Their expected goals figure, which rates each shot by how likely it is to go in based on where and how it was taken, came to 0.87, against a usual 1.58 on the road.

Nine of Forest's shots came from inside the penalty area, yet only one was on target and six were blocked before they reached the goalkeeper. Brentford had the reverse problem, and it did them no harm. They took seven shots against an average of 14.3 at home, and their chances were worth far less than usual, at 0.44 against a normal 1.84. Across the league, a team averages 13.2 shots and 1.4 expected goals, so this was a quiet afternoon for the hosts by any measure.

The chances Brentford allowed were also of lower quality than they usually concede at home, where the average is 1.41 expected goals against. That makes this as much a defensive result as an attacking one. Thiago, rated 7.8, took both of his shots and scored the second goal, while Murillo was busy at the back for Forest with six interventions and seven duels won. Forest's afternoon was not helped by discipline either, as they picked up three yellow cards to Brentford's one.

Forest's goalkeeper had no saves to make, which tells its own story about where the danger came from. The bigger concern for the visitors is the road form behind this result. They have won one of their eight away matches, lost four, scored six goals and conceded ten. Brentford's home record is more settled, with two wins, five draws and one defeat, 14 goals scored and nine conceded.

The result leaves Brentford on 11 points from eight matches, sixth in the table. Forest are on 6 points and sit 18th.

Player of the matchThiago1 goal7.8

S. van den Berg6 duels won7.1

J. Anthony1 assist7.0

V. Janelt5 duels won6.9