A marathon not a sprint

We can all take a loss but it's all the more frustrating to lose an odds-on 0-0 draw. But we also know that Oliver Glasner's only just getting started

As Brian Clough famously said, "Rome wasn't built in a day. But I wasn't on that particular job."

And while Nottingham Forest fans can't always point to Old Big 'Ead for every reference point, he only won three of his first 17 league games after he arrived in January 1975.

Of course, comparing Clough's early days at the City Ground is as pointless as it is comparing him to anybody else. But if nothing else, it partly shows the futility of judging anything on the first game of the season.

Oliver Glasner might have gained 15 points from his first 10 league games at Crystal Palace, but in his previous job at Eintracht Frankfurt he only won one match across all competitions before going on to finish 11th and win the Europa League.

However, managing to lose a game that had 0-0 written all over it is typical Forest. The weak underbelly from last season still exists and Glasner might manage to work miracles but to do everything almost overnight is a lot to ask.

The City Ground was a fortress during 2024/25 when we took 32 points at home — last season everything fell apart, winning just four at home and taking just 20 points. Restoring the confidence that Vitor Pereira had begun to do is now an entirely new job.

We've lost one of the best players ever to set foot in NG2 and you're never really going to replace Elliot Anderson — but in Glasner's formation, it's more about adapting rather filling a hole that's now a different shape.

The transfer window closes in just over a week and we'll soon see how some of that Anderson money is spent — we don't need a lot of players, but a striker, a wing-back and probably another midfielder is likely.

Preseason training and friendly matches only count for so much. Glasner now knows what he has to work with and as we get into September — before the international break either steals any momentum or gives us a much needed breather — we'll see what he's capable of.

WT Analysis @wt_analysis Full analysis on the winning goal that #NFFC conceded on Saturday, including comments from a goalkeeper coach, available now. - Gibbs-White leaves a gap in the wall - Sels mistimes his footwork and can't readjust quickly enough to the wall breaking 👇 https://twitter.com/wt_analysis/status/2091820718233174294 WT Analysis @wt_analysis #NFFC 0-1 #LUFC Post Match Analysis - Clips of players adjusting to tactical demands - Analysis on Leeds' goal with thoughts from a GK coach - Why Murillo can thrive under Glasner - A brand new visual! Subscribe now and get 50% off your first month! https://www.wtanalysis.com/p/forest-0-1-leeds-post-match-review 10:2 AM • Aug 24, 2026 3 Retweets 19 Likes

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