Nottingham Forest's Carabao Cup Exit Sparks Concerns

Nottingham Forest’s Carabao Cup exit to Leeds United has ripped the veneer off early-season optimism at the City Ground – while up the M62, a familiar old giant is starting to stretch.

The two sets of supporters watched the same game on Tuesday night and came away with very different emotions. One side saw a team that looked lost. The other saw a side that might just be on the brink of something.

Forest fans: “The smiles have gone”

For many Forest supporters, this wasn’t just a bad night. It felt like a warning.

Ian didn’t dress it up. Saturday’s display had offered some encouragement; this, he felt, went the other way entirely. “A much worse performance than Saturday's,” he said, adding that the arrival of Liam Delap alone is unlikely to fix what he sees as a deeper problem. To him, Forest look like a side in need of a rebuild, not a few tweaks around the edges. No identity. No ideas. Not pretty to watch.

Graham went even harder. He saw “nothing positive” in the performance and listed names – Chris Wood, Ousmane Diomande, Dan Ndoye, Xaver Schlager, James McAtee – and questioned whether they are at the level Forest require. His frustration ran straight into the dugout. Oliver Glasner’s approach, he argued, doesn’t suit this squad. Forest were too narrow, with no real edge or threat at the top end of the pitch.

The anger wasn’t just about personnel or formations. It was about patterns. David painted a picture that will be uncomfortably familiar to those who watched it unfold: pass back, pass back, pass back to Matz Sels, then a long boot into the centre circle. Up there, a lone striker fights a losing battle, outnumbered, with no one close enough to contest the second ball. For him, that’s simply not good enough at this level.

Andrew’s verdict cut to the bone. He called it Forest’s worst performance in over a year, a display from “clueless players” who looked as though they had little understanding of the game plan. For a fanbase that has ridden out chaos and clung to momentum, that sort of accusation stings.

The mood around Glasner and this squad has shifted quickly. The smiles, as one supporter put it, have gone.

Leeds fans: A giant stirring – with caveats

Across the divide, the tone could not have been more different.

Bryan looked at the same 90 minutes and saw a club waking up. “The sleeping giant is starting to wake up,” he said, bristling at what he feels is a lack of recognition from pundits and press. Leeds, in his eyes, are quietly building something serious, “creeping under the radar” and ready to shock a few Premier League observers this season.

He went further, predicting that this Leeds side will be regarded as one of the strongest defensive units in the division. Add one more striker, he argued, and the top six should be nervous. In his mind, one of those established names will be giving up their seat at the table.

Peter’s assessment was more tactical but still bullish. He sees a team that could be “really good” with a couple of quality signings in the forward areas, frustrated mainly by wastefulness in front of goal. Dan James, he pointed out, produced chance after chance, only to watch teammates fail to anticipate his deliveries. The structure is there. The finishing touch, not yet.

Ali struck a different note, urging caution. Yes, Leeds were “solid” against Forest. Yes, the signs are encouraging. But he rattled through a list of areas he believes still need work: striker, left-back, winger, goalkeeper, attacking midfield. Without reinforcements, he warned, sustaining this level over a long season will be a serious challenge.

So Leeds walk away with belief and a growing sense of purpose, but also a clear to-do list before the window shuts.

Forest, meanwhile, are left staring at some uncomfortable questions. Is this just an early-season misfire, or the start of a deeper unravelling under Glasner?