Roy Hodgson highlight key qualities of Nottingham Forest who shocked Crystal Palace 

Roy Hodgson highlight key qualities of Nottingham Forest who shocked Crystal Palace

Latest news from Nottingham Forest as Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson reflects on the 0-0 Premier League draw against the Reds.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson after the Carabao Cup third round match at Old Trafford in Manchester. Date taken: Tuesday 26 September 2023. PA photo. See PA story SOCCER Man Utd. Image should read: Martin Rickett/PA Wire. Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is an admirer of Steve Cooper

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson praised Nottingham Forest for their defensive performance at Selhurst Park on Saturday night.

Forest took a point back in the M1 with a 0-0 draw in south London despite plenty of chances, including impressive efforts from Murillo and Gonzalo Montiel. Speaking after the match, Hodgson expressed his satisfaction and also paid tribute to Steve Cooper’s men.

“I think we can [assume enough satisfaction], especially when we lost [Cheick] Doucouré and then Jeff Schlupp after training yesterday,” Hodgson told Sky Sports. “If you will, we were hoping for two senior players to come into this game.

“I thought that there were good moments in the game for both teams, actually. It swung a little bit. They had good spells, we had good spells. I think both teams were organised and determined not to give anything away.

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“I think both defences were good when the ball came into their zone, but I think for us at the minute we have to look at it and be sanguine about it and work on the basis that it was always going to be a tough game, and we kept a clean sheet. “That’s another point. It wasn’t what we dream of because you always dream of winning home games, but unfortunately you always have an opponent in front of you and sometimes they have other ideas.”

 

Speaking about the threat Forest posed as the game progressed, Hodgson added: “I think they did [a challenge], especially towards the end of the game, and we had to make more changes with another player suffering from cramp.

“In the second half of the first half and until the middle of the second half, we weren’t really pushed back and we tried to take advantage of the ball, but thanks to them, they defended so well, they didn’t give us too many opportunities, but I think we can say we didn’t give them too many either.