If it is any consolation for Keith Andrews, things can only get better after Brentford were brushed aside by Nottingham Forest in his first game in charge. It was an eye-opening lesson for the new head coach, as Nuno Espírito Santo and his players showed they are not one-season wonders.
Chris Wood scored twice and Dan Ndoye netted on his debut to finish the match as a contest before 45 minutes had elapsed. Brentford could not cope with the hosts, who dictated the match from the start, while the visitors offered little indication of what style they plan to play under Andrews, who could take little enjoyment from Igor Thiago’s late penalty.
Nuno complained in the buildup about the lack of summer transfer activity. He has since been appeased by the arrivals of Omari Hutchinson and James McAtee, who were paraded in front of the supporters before kick-off to provide a boost to the home support.
Forest scored once in seven pre-season matches, producing five goalless draws. Those statistics were made redundant within five minutes when Wood reacted quickest to a bouncing ball in the box from a corner, after Brentford failed to clear, to direct home. Nuno looks set to get a new striker in the coming days in the form of Arnaud Kalimuendo from Rennes but the New Zealander offered a reminder that his 20 Premier League goals last season were not a fluke.
