Sean Dyche celebrated a masterclass in efficiency as Nottingham Forest secured a vital 2-0 victory over Brentford on Sunday. Despite ceding possession, Forest utilized a lethal counter-attacking strategy—reminiscent of their successful survival scrap last season—to move five points clear of the relegation zone thanks to goals from Igor Jesus and Taiwo Awoniyi.
While Jamie Carragher was busy praising individual standouts, Dyche left the Gtech Community Stadium frustrated by a specific piece of gamesmanship from the home side.
The “Towel” Controversy
Dyche took issue with Brentford’s use of towels to dry the ball before Michael Kayode’s long throw-ins, especially given the rain-slicked pitch. The Forest boss questioned the legality and consistency of the practice across English football.
Key points from Dyche’s critique:
- Lack of Common Sense: Dyche argued that if the EFL has banned towels, the Premier League should follow suit to avoid unnecessary debate.
- Fairness: He noted that while home teams currently decide if towels are used, they must be available to both sides.
- The “Inches” Game: He acknowledged teams are always looking for small advantages but called on the league to simplify the rules by outlawing towels entirely.
- Set-Piece Mastery: Forest managed to keep clean sheets against the Premier League’s two most dangerous set-piece teams in back-to-back games.
- Maintaining the Gap: The win nullified West Ham’s recent victory, keeping a comfortable five-point cushion between Forest and the bottom three.
