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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Sarah Clapson

Nottingham Forest player ratings vs Birmingham City: Yates impresses as Grabban struggles

A largely forgettable afternoon saw Nottingham Forest grind out a 0-0 draw at home to Birmingham City.

It was far from a classic in the Boxing Day match on the banks of the Trent, as both sides lacked quality going forward.

Nevertheless, it made it three games unbeaten for Chris Hughton’s side, in their final home clash of 2020.

Here’s how Reds reporter Sarah Clapson rated the Forest players at the City Ground.

Brice Samba: Produced a couple of key saves in the second half as Birmingham started to get on top of the game. Had been largely untroubled in the first 45 minutes. Rating: 7/10

Cyrus Christie: Bust a gut to get back and stop a Blues counterattack in the first half. Heading in the opposite direction, got forward well to put crosses into the box. Rating: 7/10

Tobias Figueiredo: Back in the team in favour of Loic Mbe Soh and generally had a decent game. Could have grabbed a winner right at the death, only to be denied by a good save. Rating: 7/10

Joe Worrall: Worked hard to help his team keep a clean-sheet, particularly when they came under pressure after the break. Made some strong challenges. Rating: 7/10

Yuri Ribeiro: Played his part in keeping the Blues at bay, although this was a generally drab afternoon from both sides. Tried to push forward, but not enough pressure was put on the visitors. Rating: 7/10

Samba Sow: A brilliant challenge in the first half set up a Forest chance. Sloppily losing the ball in the second half paved the way for a Blues attack. Just about summed the game up. Rating: 6/10

Ryan Yates: Had the Reds’ best chance of the first half, and had a few other decent opportunities. Can’t fault him getting in the right areas - just can’t find the back of the net. Rating: 7/10

Sammy Ameobi: Had a few efforts at goal, but nothing which really troubled the goalkeeper. Seemed to tire in the second half before being withdrawn. Rating: 5/10

Cafu: Did okay without being particularly influential or providing a spark. Needed to be better with some of his set-piece deliveries. Rating: 5/10

Alex Mighten: Made some good runs in the first half, when the Reds looked the more likely to force a breakthrough. Faded in the second period, though. Rating: 5/10

Lewis Grabban: Far too isolated in the first period. Got some support when Lyle Taylor came on, but it was still tough going. As a whole, Forest didn’t offer enough in attack. Rating: 5/10

Subs

Anthony Knockaert (for Ameobi, 61): Couldn’t provide the moment of quality his team so desperately needed in a lacklustre match. Rating: 5/10

Lyle Taylor (for Sow, 61): Covered a lot of ground as he tried to get into the game, but didn’t get much of a look in. Rating: 5/10

Joe Lolley (for Mighten, 68): Normally does well against the Blues, but not today. Didn’t do enough to change the game as his team failed to find their rhythm. Rating: 5/10

Subs not used: Smith, Mbe Soh, Bong, Jenkinson, Guerrero, Arter.

The commenting system on NottinghamshireLive has undergone an overhaul and we want to get even closer to what you're thinking by getting your comments and feedback on all of our stories, particularly where Forest debates are concerned. Let us know how you rated the players by having your say in the comments section below...

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