Nottingham Forest 19th after weak start; Glasner, Delap under early scrutiny

Nottingham Forest sit 19th in the Premier League with just one win from seven games, well below expectations after appointing Oliver Glasner in the summer and signing £45 million striker Liam Delap. The club has scored only five league goals—the fewest in the division—despite ranking seventh for expected goals (xG), representing a discrepancy of -6.2 xG, the worst underperformance in the league. They have failed to score at home in the league this season and have won only two of their last 17 home games since November.

Manager Glasner, who arrived from Crystal Palace where he won the FA Cup, Community Shield, and Conference League, remains optimistic despite the difficult start. He has acknowledged the gap between performances and results, stating "it feels unfair but I don't want to be complaining and feeling as victims." Internally, the club retains confidence in Glasner's methods, believing he is implementing a long-term strategy. He has prioritized consistency, with players including Neco Williams, Matz Sels, Dan Ndoye, Murillo, and James McAtee starting every league game. Glasner has noted he is "not a magician" and referenced his own slow starts at previous clubs—winning just one of his opening six games at Palace before that team won the FA Cup.

Captain Liam Delap has expressed confidence in the squad's performances, telling The Telegraph: "Every single game since I've been here, I think we've deserved to win." He acknowledged the need for improvement, stating "we need to be a little bit more ruthless." However, Delap himself has struggled with finishing, recording a conversion rate of 5.5% this season and missing three big chances. He has scored once in five league appearances for Forest and is adjusting after a disappointing year at Chelsea and limited pre-season preparation.

Forest's underlying statistics suggest progress is being made. According to Opta, Glasner's team rank seventh for expected goals created and conceded, the best start of any Forest manager in the Premier League era. Defender Murillo reflected after the 1-0 loss to Arsenal: "We changed everything in our system this season. It is difficult but after three or four months we keep improving and I think we are close to reaching our best." The club faces immediate pressure to convert performances into points, with an upcoming fixture against Ipswich Town on Friday. Owner Evangelos Marinakis is backing Glasner, though the manager has acknowledged that sustained poor results could prompt reconsideration of options.