The City Ground bounced to an opening-day performance Forest fans had been waiting for: fast, aggressive, and decisive. Chris Wood's double and a thunderous debut header from Dan Ndoye powered a 3–1 win over Brentford that was effectively wrapped up before half-time, a statement that this squad intends to meet a busy season head-on.

Captain Morgan Gibbs-White dictated the tempo with swagger, Elliot Anderson knitted everything together, and Nuno Espirito Santo's side showed both bite and polish. Igor Thiago's late penalty denied a clean sheet, but it could not dim the glow of Forest's first opening-day league victory since 2017–18.

A fifth-minute surge that set the tempo

Forest pressed high from the start and were rewarded inside five minutes. A mix-up between Nathan Collins and Caoimhin Kelleher gifted a corner; from it, chaos reigned in a crowded six-yard box and Wood did what great No 9s do—reacted first and jabbed home. The roar felt like a cork coming out of the bottle after a goal-shy pre-season.

The opener changed everything. Brentford's plan to keep things tight never recovered, while Forest's passing grew braver and the counter-press trapped the Bees in their own half. Territory, tempo, and belief belonged to the hosts.

MGW pulls the strings; Ndoye announces himself

This was a captain's display from Gibbs-White. Popping up between the lines, he repeatedly made Brentford choose between stepping out or dropping off—and punished both decisions. On 42 minutes he produced the pass of the match, a disguised chip that invited a decisive run.

Ndoye, the big summer signing, obliged with a muscular, soaring header past Kelleher. For a debutant to time his movement and finish like that says plenty about his fit in this side. It also eased any concerns about pre-season scoring form: Forest looked sharp where it matters.

Anderson pounces, Wood stays ice-cold on the stroke of half-time

If the second goal showcased craft, the third showed hunger. In first-half stoppage time, Anderson read a loose Sepp van den Berg pass and intercepted in stride. One touch opened the lane, the next sent Wood clear.

What followed was elite composure: a steady round of Kelleher and a rolled finish into the net. At 3–0, the afternoon swung from promising to emphatic. The timing hurt Brentford; for Forest, it was the mark of a ruthless team.

Game management after the break, with one late blemish

Protecting a three-goal lead is about discipline as much as ambition. Forest largely controlled the second half without overextending, compressing space and choosing moments to break. When Brentford did build a spell, the red shirts stayed compact and connected.

The only frustration was a late penalty, awarded after Ibrahim Sangare handled in the box. Igor Thiago converted calmly. It narrows the margin, not the message: Forest were superior where it counted.

Nuno's template: intensity without the ball, clarity with it

Nuno has been clear that he wants more options, and the club introduced Omari Hutchinson and James McAtee to the crowd before kick-off. Even so, this display ticked his boxes: compact defending, quick regains, and purposeful combinations through midfield.

Gibbs-White's leadership, Anderson's control between the lines, Ndoye's directness and Wood's penalty-box instincts offered a balanced attacking mix. If reinforcements arrive, they will step into an identity that already looks coherent.

Depth building and what's next

Europe returns to Forest for the first time since the 1990s, and the fixture list tightens quickly. Nuno's call for 'more solutions' makes sense in that context, but opening day proved the core is strong enough to set standards now.

Attention turns to Crystal Palace away on Sunday, 24 August—spicy, given the summer's off-field wrangling—before West Ham visit on Saturday, 31 August. Replicating this blend of aggression and control will keep the early-season tailwind blowing.

Key moments for the scrapbook

5' Wood reacts quickest from a scrambled corner to spark the day. 42' Gibbs-White disguises the chip and Ndoye powers in a debut header. 45+ Wood rounds Kelleher after Anderson's steal to make it three.

78' Brentford pull one back from the spot through Igor Thiago after Sangare handles. The scoreboard trims; the performance still stands tall.