Nottingham Forest beaten by Sporting CP as Glasner assesses No 10 and McAtee role | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest suffered their first pre-season defeat, losing 4-1 to Sporting CP in the Algarve, though Oliver Glasner still gleaned useful lessons.

According to NY Times, Forest have three more friendlies and three weeks to prepare before hosting Leeds United. Rui Borges’ team, who start their league next weekend, finished strongly with three late goals.

Forest led after one minute 38 seconds, Igor Jesus reacting first when Chris Wood’s shot from a Morgan Gibbs-White pass was saved.

Jesus looks far happier as a No 10 and has four goals in four this summer. Glasner’s 3-4-2-1 uses two No 10s, Gibbs-White will surely take one, with James McAtee and record signing Omari Hutchinson also competing, though Jesus currently leads.

McAtee was used deeper here, as he was against Notts County, and looked comfortable. He has added muscle and drove forward, but Glasner still has to nail down his best role after a £30million move last summer.

Neco Williams and Ola Aina started on opposite flanks. Williams, back on the right, delivered with pace and bend, while Aina looked less comfortable on the left and conceded a dangerous free kick, before they reverted after the break.

Set-piece vulnerability persists. Goncalo Inacio levelled in the 14th minute, outjumping Wood from a corner, and Sporting threatened repeatedly from corners. With Murillo building fitness after injury, Forest are negotiating with Sporting for Ousmane Diomande, 22 and 6ft 3in, a deal around £35million, and he was not in their squad.

Source: NY Times