Sarah Clapson’s Nottingham Forest player ratings – Sangare and Anderson impress in Elche defeat

Nottingham Forest suffered their first defeat of the pre-season when they lost 1-0 to Elche at Arena Pinatar in Spain.

The Reds came into the game looking to build on the momentum they had built up from their first three friendlies. But they found themselves facing a different kind of test after going behind with five minutes on the clock thanks to Nicolas Castro’s emphatic strike from a corner.

The goal seemed to serve as a wake-up call and Forest began to find some rhythm in the game. They produced a strong response and only a string of saves from Elche goalkeeper Edgar Badia kept them at bay, some to deny Neco Williams and Morgan Gibbs-White particularly catching the eye.

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Murillo tried to force an opening just after the half-hour mark, going on one of his trademark runs, but was unable to beat Badia. Callum Hudson-Odoi then had an effort blocked just before the break.

Nuno Espirito Santo made 11 changes at the break as he continued to share the minutes. Hwang Ui-jo almost brought the Reds back on level terms but hit the bar on 65 minutes.

Josh Bowler claimed he should have had a penalty for handball in the closing minutes, but Forest were unable to find an equalizer as they ended their training camp in Spain with a loss. Below, Reds reporter Sarah Clapson gives her verdict on Forest’s players against Elche.

First half XI

Matz Sels: Couldn’t do much about Elche’s opener as Forest’s woes struck again, Castro unmarked. He had made a decent save just before.

Nikola Milenkovic: More valuable minutes for the newcomer and in what could be Nuno’s front line for next season. However, it obviously cannot solve the market problem alone.

Willy Boly: Overall a solid presence in the middle of the back three. Nuno clearly encouraged his defenders to push forward.

Murillo: He really wants his first goal in Forest! Lots of examples of Murillo doing Murillo things, from a short fancy, delightful passes and then a brilliant run and goal attempt.

Neco Williams: Almost got the Reds back on level terms when he pounced on a Hudson-Odoi cross. Set your usual work pace level to help make sense of things.

Ryan Yates: Fresh from news of his new contract, the midfielder marked the occasion in typical Ryan Yates style by picking up a booking. This one was a bit harsh, but it symbolized his desire to stay stuck.

Elliot Anderson: Huge relief for the Reds to have him fit and available after being on the end of a nasty tackle in midweek. He has shown both his versatility and his positivity in the pre-season so far. He was constantly looking to get to the ball.

Ola Aina: The effort can’t be faulted, but perhaps a bit of pre-season rust still shows as the end product hasn’t always been up to his usual standards. Still, it came from the Reds looking to get on the front foot.

Anthony Elanga: I didn’t get as much joy on the right as Hudson-Odoi on the left. Some promising moments, but I’m not sure the experiment of playing without a striker suited any of the attacking players particularly well.

Morgan Gibbs-White: Took a while to get into the game as Elche controlled possession early on. Forced a good save from a corner but couldn’t stamp his influence on proceedings as he would have liked.

Callum Hudson-Odoi: Got his team going after falling behind with some powerful runs down the left. He put in a great ball to create an opportunity for Williams and tried his luck by cutting inside later in the half.

Second half XI

Carlos Miguel: He has yet to be properly tested in the games he has played so far. This time I made a save, but it was a fairly routine one.

Eric da Silva Moreira: Lots of positive play from the summer signing. He didn’t lack energy as he advanced well on the right. Interesting to see what role he plays once the season starts.

Andrew Omobamidele: Looked to cause problems at the opposite end of the pitch as he got into the mix on set-pieces. Still, I couldn’t help but force discovery.

Joe Worrall: He had a bandaged head as well as a headband. The defense was not under much pressure, but did well.

Harry Toffolo: Was once again drafted into a three-man back line as Nuno stuck with what might be his preferred line-up. Generally dealt with any Elche threat quite well.

Omar Richards: Looks determined to make the most of these friendlies and get Nuno’s attention. Made some good runs down the left and played a dangerous ball across goal after one.

Ibrahim Sangare: He has looked a completely different player in the pre-season so far. He showed his quality again with some wonderful touches and passes. Outstanding player of the half and perhaps of the game.

Nicolas Dominguez: A busy performance from the Argentine. It covers a lot of ground. Nuno will certainly have a midfield selection dilemma in the first game of the season.

Emmanuel Dennis: Involved in some fine attacking play, even if it wasn’t the Reds’ best performance of pre-season. Another question mark against his name for the new campaign.

Hwang Ui-jo: A bit unlucky to hit wood with his effort. It was a decent strike from the edge of the area after a delightful pass from Sangare. However, it is not the answer to Forest’s need for a striker.

Josh Bowler: Claimed he should have had a penalty for a handball later. We had some brilliant moments, including a nice link-up game.

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