Nottingham Forest’s hopes of securing a Champions League spot have taken a significant blow following their 2-2 draw against already relegated Leicester City in the Premier League.
With just two games remaining, the result has left the club in seventh place, having collected only a single point from their last three home matches.
The draw against Leicester, who have already been relegated, now seems to be a missed opportunity for Forest, who have spent most of the season in the top five.
Morgan Gibbs-White Reflects on the Team’s Recent Struggles
Forest’s midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, who is reportedly a target for Manchester City, spoke candidly about the team’s recent decline in form.
Despite the frustrations, Gibbs-White is determined to help his side finish the season strong, knowing that two victories in their final games against West Ham and Chelsea could still salvage a spot in European competition.
Reflecting on the situation, Gibbs-White admitted that the pressure of chasing Champions League qualification has taken its toll.
“We put ourselves in the best position, but the last three or four games haven’t been good enough,” Gibbs-White said.
“Securing European football is incredible, but we wanted more.
A few games ago, our expectation was to qualify for the Champions League, and it was the same for our fans.
We’ve got two games to go, and we have to turn it around.”
A New Challenge for Forest as They Struggle to Handle the Pressure
This has been uncharted territory for many of the players, and Gibbs-White acknowledged that the team struggled to cope with the mounting pressure as the season has progressed.
“None of us have been in this situation before, so we handled it well to start with.
But as it’s gotten away from us, we haven’t handled it so well,” he admitted.
“We’re new to it, but we’re still fighting and building as a team and a club.”
The season has been incredibly demanding for Forest, especially given the high hopes they set for themselves earlier in the campaign.
With their Champions League dreams slipping further away, the team has faced difficult moments in recent weeks, making it harder to maintain the form that saw them in contention for a top-four finish.
Tough Lessons Learned and a Need to Bounce Back
Despite their struggles, Gibbs-White was clear that there can be no excuses.
He emphasized the importance of not conceding easy goals, as they did in the Leicester game, and stressed that the fans deserve better.
“It’s been a tough season, very demanding, especially when we’ve put ourselves in the positions we have,” he said.
“I can’t put a reason on it—fatigue? Tiredness? But we can’t make excuses because the fans deserve better.
We can’t concede goals like we did here. It’s just frustrating.”
As the season winds down, Forest will be looking to bounce back and finish on a positive note.
The final two matches are their last chance to salvage a European spot, and with Gibbs-White’s leadership and determination, they will be hoping to find their way back into form before it’s too late.