Glasner hands finishing masterclass to Chris Wood as Forest prepare for Arsenal
Nottingham Forest head coach Oliver Glasner has turned to Chris Wood to fix the club's scoring problems ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash with Arsenal at the City Ground (16:30 kick-off, live on Sky Sports Main Event). Forest are the division's second-lowest scorers despite ranking third for shots.
- Fixture: Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal, Premier League
- Venue: City Ground
- Kick-off: Sunday, 16:30 BST
- Broadcast: Sky Sports Main Event
- Forest's problem: Third-most shots in the top flight but 19th in conversion rate, netting five fewer than their expected goals
- At stake: Glasner has won just one of his first seven games in all competitions, with Forest having won only once at home in the league since Christmas
What was said
"I was explaining to the team what we were going to do. Chris Wood was standing next to me and I passed the words to him because he has scored almost 200 goals in English football, 92 in the Premier League."
"Who can talk more about scoring goals than Chris Wood can? Because I didn't score any goals in the Premier League. I scored 20 in my entire career."
"He spoke to the team and I loved his message. It was, 'Never lose your confidence in your ability' and I like it. He said there is always another [chance] around the corner and that's exactly it. You wait for the next one and then you have the next opportunity to get your goal."
"I would be completely stupid if I didn't use the experience and the quality we have in our team. We all want the same, we all want to be successful and we are together. It doesn't always mean that the manager has the answers to everything."
"That's how a team works. You support each other with advice, with experience and with a kick into the a**. Then you have the manager and the coaching staff that guide you and tell everyone which path you want to go."
"We were high-pressing with low transitions, we had open play chances, we were really a big threat in set-pieces, but the final bit we were missing."
"If you miss a few chances, we all know, if this gets into your head, then you have a problem. That's why we don't make a problem out of it. It's part of the game. In this situation, it's important to stay calm. I would have concerns if we don't create chances, if the opposition gets so many chances, but it's more the opposite."
"They were outrunning the opposition every single game this season. You are the champions, very often they have 60 or 70 per cent possession, but they are outrunning [opponents], because the effort of every single player is so high. This is the biggest compliment for Mikel Arteta."
"But on the other side, I am very confident that we will create two, three, four good chances. Then it is about being efficient, taking the chances."
Glasner's decision to hand the stage to Wood is a candid admission that Forest's problems are not tactical but psychological. The head coach is leaning on a player who has experienced nearly every scenario in English football to deliver a message about confidence and persistence.
The quotes also reveal a manager comfortable with delegating. Glasner knows his own playing record — 20 career goals — does not carry the weight of Wood's near-200 in English football. In a dressing room low on belief, the messenger matters as much as the message.
The numbers
- Third-most shots in the Premier League this season (Nottingham Forest)
- 19th in conversion rate
- Five fewer goals than their expected goals
- Second-lowest scorers in the top flight
- 24 shots in the defeat at Crystal Palace — their most frustrating game yet
- One win at the City Ground in the league since Christmas
- No goals scored at home this season
- One win from seven in all competitions under Glasner
- Chris Wood: 92 Premier League goals, almost 200 in English football
- Oliver Glasner: 20 goals in his entire playing career
Why Forest's problem is mental, not structural
The underlying numbers paint a clear picture: Nottingham Forest are creating more than enough. Third for shots in the Premier League is a platform most managers would envy, and Glasner is right to insist that a team with the second-lowest goals tally but the third-highest shot volume does not have a creative crisis. The issue is finishing — and confidence.
Against Crystal Palace, Forest had 24 shots and lost. Glasner described it as their best attacking performance of the season, highlighting high pressing, low transitions, open-play chances and set-piece threat. If a side can produce that and still lose, the manager's job is to stop the misses from becoming a psychological scar. That is exactly why Chris Wood was invited to speak.
Against Arsenal, Forest will likely have less of the ball. The champions, as Glasner noted, often enjoy 60 to 70 per cent possession and outrun opponents through sheer effort. Forest will need to be efficient with whatever chances they create — Glasner expects two, three or four good ones. The message from Wood, about waiting for the next opportunity, will be tested by a defence that concedes few clear openings.
Talking points
- Glasner admitting he has no answers about scoring is refreshing honesty, but it also raises the question of whether Forest's coaching staff lack a genuine attacking specialist.
- Chris Wood has 92 Premier League goals but is still a player in the squad — if he scores the goals, does Glasner's delegation become a masterstroke or an admission of failure?
- Forest have not scored at home all season and have won once at the City Ground since Christmas. Is this a crisis of confidence or a deeper squad issue?
- Arsenal's relentless running and possession will test Forest's patience, but if Glasner's side score first, the psychology of the entire season could shift.
What happens next
Forest face Arsenal on Sunday at 16:30 at the City Ground. Glasner's side must convert chances to have any hope of easing the pressure on their manager. The same fixture last season saw Forest with an identical league record, and Glasner knows another blank could intensify scrutiny before a crucial run of fixtures.
Frequently asked questions
What time is kick-off between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal?
The match kicks off at 16:30 on Sunday and is live on Sky Sports Main Event.
Why has Oliver Glasner asked Chris Wood to speak to the squad?
Glasner admitted he did not score any Premier League goals in his own career (20 in total), while Wood has 92 in the Premier League and almost 200 in English football, making him the ideal person to teach the squad about finishing and confidence.
How many shots have Nottingham Forest had compared to their goals?
Forest have had the third-most shots in the Premier League but rank 19th in conversion rate, netting five fewer than their expected goals. They are the division's second-lowest scorers.
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