Premier LeagueEngland

Nottingham Forest

0 - 0

Wolves

City Ground, Nottingham

Wednesday, 11 Feb 2026 at 19:30

Forest Frustrated: Wasteful Hosts Held to Goalless Draw by Resolute Wolves

Nottingham Forest were left ruing missed chances as they played out a 0-0 draw against Wolves at the City Ground. Despite dominating possession with 63% and peppering the Wolves goal with 35 shots—10 of which were on target—Forest could not find a way past the inspired Jose Sa and a dogged Wolves backline. The visitors, meanwhile, offered little in attack but held firm defensively, picking up two yellow cards in a gritty display. The match saw Forest control the tempo and territory, but a mixture of profligate finishing and resolute defending from Wolves meant the deadlock was never broken. Wolves' rare forays forward were limited to just three shots on target from seven attempts, but they did enough to secure a valuable away point.

Nottingham Forest

6.5/10

Forest were the better side throughout, dictating play and creating a barrage of opportunities. Their 35 shots and 8 corners reflected their attacking intent, but a lack of composure in front of goal proved costly. The midfield trio, led by Morgan Gibbs-White, pulled the strings, while L. Lucca worked hard up front but couldn't convert. Defensively, Forest were rarely troubled, but the inability to turn dominance into goals will be a concern for manager and fans alike.

Key Players

M. Gibbs-White: Creative hub, orchestrated attacks and carved out multiple chances.
C. Hudson-Odoi: Lively on the left, tested the keeper with several efforts on target.
S. Ortega: Maintained concentration to keep a clean sheet despite limited action.

Strengths

Dominated possessionCreated numerous chancesSolid defensive organization

Weaknesses

Poor finishingLack of clinical edgeCould not break down deep block

Wolves

7/10

Wolves set up to frustrate and executed their game plan with discipline. Their 3-4-1-2 formation provided a compact defensive structure, limiting Forest to speculative efforts and defending their box with determination. Jose Sa was outstanding between the sticks, making a string of crucial saves. Going forward, Wolves struggled to impose themselves, mustering just seven shots and rarely threatening the Forest goal. However, their defensive resilience earned them a hard-fought point on the road.

Key Players

Jose Sa: Man-of-the-match display with 10 saves to deny Forest.
S. Bueno: Anchored the back three, made key blocks and clearances.

Strengths

Defensive disciplineGoalkeeper heroicsEffective game management

Weaknesses

Limited attacking threatStruggled to retain possessionRelied on last-ditch defending

⏱️Key Moments

23' - Yellow Card

Wolves' Joao Gomes booked for a tactical foul, setting the tone for a physical defensive effort.

42' - Save

Jose Sa makes a brilliant double save to deny Hudson-Odoi and Lucca in quick succession.

66' - Yellow Card

Wolves' H. Bueno shown yellow for time-wasting as Forest ramp up the pressure.

78' - Chance

Gibbs-White curls an effort just wide after a flowing Forest move.

89' - Save

Sa produces a fingertip stop to keep out a late Anderson drive, preserving the clean sheet.

📋Tactical Analysis

Forest lined up in a 4-2-3-1, using width and overlapping fullbacks to stretch Wolves' compact 3-4-1-2. The home side pressed high, recycling possession quickly and pinning Wolves deep. However, Wolves' disciplined back three, shielded by a hardworking midfield, forced Forest into shots from distance and crowded the box effectively. Wolves rarely committed numbers forward, instead focusing on defensive solidity and looking to hit on the break through Armstrong and Mane. The visitors' tactical fouls and time management frustrated Forest, with both yellow cards coming from attempts to break up play and slow the tempo.

Turning Point

Jose Sa's stunning double save in the 42nd minute denied Forest a first-half breakthrough and set the tone for Wolves' defensive stand.

Man of the Match

Jose Sa

Produced a string of outstanding saves and commanded his area under relentless pressure to earn Wolves a point.