Nottingham Forest Face Scrutiny Over Team Selection in FA Cup Quarter-Final Against Brighton
Nottingham Forest traveled to Brighton for their FA Cup quarter-final clash on Saturday, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s lineup choices under close scrutiny.
Espirito Santo was already dealt a setback before kickoff, as Chris Wood was unavailable due to injury. This forced the Forest manager into making rare adjustments to his usual starting XI.
Taiwo Awoniyi led the attack as expected, but the biggest surprises came in the positions behind him. Espirito Santo opted to start without both Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga, instead naming them on the bench.
Hudson-Odoi had been rested over the international break, while Elanga had been away with Sweden. However, with Wood unavailable, few anticipated both wingers being left out. One of the strongest reactions came from Wayne Rooney, who voiced his frustration with the selection before kickoff.
Wayne Rooney Criticizes Espirito Santo’s Selection
After a tight first half with few chances, Hudson-Odoi and Elanga were finally introduced around the hour mark in an effort to spark Forest into life.
Rooney, speaking as a pundit for BBC’s coverage of the match, made it clear that he believed both players should have started.
“I’m shocked,” Rooney said. “The FA Cup is such a prestigious competition, so resting players in a quarter-final, when you have a great opportunity to reach the semi-final, doesn’t make sense.
“You want to get Champions League football, fine, but as a player, you want to play, build momentum, and keep winning. If I were a fan, I’d be fuming. You want to win silverware, and leaving key players out when the result isn’t guaranteed is beyond belief.”
Rooney’s criticism was difficult to dismiss, especially given the struggles of Danilo, who was deployed in an unfamiliar wide role.
Espirito Santo’s Tactical Gamble Backfires
While Espirito Santo has earned praise for his tactics this season, his first-half experiment against Brighton didn’t pay off. Forest lacked attacking edge, and their makeshift wide setup struggled to create chances.
Morgan Gibbs-White did a decent job operating in a wider role, but central midfielder Danilo was clearly out of his depth.
Danilo’s Performance vs Brighton:
Chances created: 0
Accurate crosses: 0/3
Touches in opposition box: 0
Passes into final third: 1
Danilo’s ineffective display highlighted the risk of playing him in an advanced role. His lack of attacking influence raised questions about why he was chosen over a more natural wide option, such as Jota Silva, if resting Hudson-Odoi and Elanga was a priority.
Ultimately, Forest secured victory in the penalty shootout, meaning Espirito Santo’s decisions did not cost them in the end. However, had the result gone the other way, the manager would have faced serious scrutiny over his selection choices.
🚨Report: Wayne Rooney says Nottingham Forest fans will be ‘fuming’ after what Nuno did
