Morgan Gibbs-White can score and create all he wants, celebrating with his fingers in his ears to annoy his former club’s fans, but unless Nottingham Forest learn to defend set pieces, they will lose the control of their destiny in the Premier League.
Matheus Cunha scored twice on his first start after two months out injured to earn Wolves a draw, but in between, Gibbs-White equalized in first-half stoppage time and then provided the driving run that led to Danilo giving Nuno Espírito Santo’s team the lead.
But for the 22nd time this season, Forest conceded from a free-kick when Max Kilman broke free to head Pablo Sarabia’s corner goalwards and Matz Sels’s punch allowed Cunha to equalise.
Even though Forest dominated the last half hour, this Achilles heel cost them dearly. They have lost once in five games but, as they travel to Everton next Sunday for such a crucial match, Nuno knows he must find solutions.
“We have to look at them realistically,” said the forest manager. “Today the organization was good but we should have done better individually. It’s very frustrating, for me, for the fans, for the players. (This match) is a missed opportunity.
Wolves scored 14 times from set pieces but it was the individual brilliance of Cunha, back in the starting line-up after a hamstring injury that coincided with the team dropping out in the European competition, which helped them overcome a difficult start here. the head.
Receiving the ball from Sá, the Brazilian striker ran three-quarters of the pitch into his favored left channel before returning between Andrew Omobamidele and Ryan Yates and firing his shot into the far top corner. “Too soft,” said Nuno.
“It shows the importance of having good players at your disposal in the Premier League,” said Wolves head coach Gary O’Neil. “It’s no coincidence that his best moment came from the left channel where he did his best work for us this season.”
Five minutes before the break it seemed like a crucial breakthrough. Forest, however, have that conviction at home, built up since the promotion season two years ago, and a series of corners and long throws put pressure on José Sá in the Wolves goal.
When Gio Reyna crossed from the left, Gibbs-White pushed Nélson Semedo at least as far as the law allows before glancing a header into the far corner.
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How he made the most of his moment, delivering his goal celebration, fingers in ears, right in front of the Wolves fans, as he did in the team’s Carabao Cup tie last season. “Morgan can do whatever he wants,” O’Neil said with a smile. “This does not concern me.”
When Forest moved forward, Gibbs-White was again the central inspiration. Collecting the ball in his preferred position – central, just up front – he drove down the Wolves backline, played an inadvertent one-two against Matt Doherty, who then launched a last-ditch tackle to attempt to arrest his former teammate. rating. Before anyone could call for a penalty, Danilo brought the ball loose.
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After Cunha’s equalizer, Forest dominated the closing stages and could have won when Divock Origi was sent clear to the right but overshot his cross to Chris Wood, leaving even the honors. Wolves have not won for five games, but the point came as a relief.
