Nottingham Forest: attack clicking early under Glasner’s new system

Nottingham Forest have made a promising start to their summer preparations as they continue adapting to Oliver Glasner’s tactical approach. The Premier League side opened preseason with consecutive victories, beating Notts County 2-0 before comfortably defeating Blackburn 3-0, while keeping clean sheets in both matches.

The Blackburn friendly offered plenty of encouragement in the attacking department. Igor Jesus, Arnaud Kalimuendo, and Taiwo Awoniyi all got on the scoresheet, highlighting Forest’s variety of options in the final third. Even after Glasner changed the entire lineup after halftime, the team maintained its intensity, structure, and control of the game.

That depth could prove decisive in a preseason setting. Frequent substitutions often affect a team’s rhythm, but Forest have enough quality throughout the squad to maintain a high level even with major changes. Their ability to rotate without losing attacking threat gives them a clear advantage heading into this friendly.

Vitória Guimarães: impressive scoring form but facing a demanding schedule

Vitória Guimarães have also enjoyed a productive preseason so far. Tiago Margarido’s team began their preparations with three straight wins, defeating Felgueiras 3-1, Penafiel 5-0, and Académica 2-0. The Portuguese side scored ten goals across those fixtures, showing strong attacking depth despite frequent squad rotation.

However, their workload could become a major factor. Vitória’s schedule during the final part of their training camp is extremely intense, with matches against União Leiria on July 22, Al-Ahli on July 24, and Nottingham Forest on July 26. The clash with Forest will be their third game in just five days and their second match within a 48-hour period, making heavy rotation almost unavoidable.

The visitors may therefore rely more on squad depth than their strongest XI. Several players are expected to receive opportunities, while Telmo Arcanjo remains unavailable as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.

Probable lineups

With the match played behind closed doors and both teams expected to rotate heavily, the starting lineups could change considerably.

Nottingham Forest:

Sels — Aina, Milenković, Morato, Williams — Yates, Domínguez — McAtee, Gibbs-White, Igor Jesus — Kalimuendo.

Vitória Guimarães:

Charles — Maga, Nóbrega, Rivas, João Mendes — Mitrović, Beni, Gonçalo Nogueira — Gustavo Silva, Nélson Oliveira, Alioune Ndoye.

Both sides possess plenty of attacking alternatives. Forest can rely on Kalimuendo, Awoniyi, and Igor Jesus, while Vitória have options such as Nélson Oliveira, Gustavo Silva, Alioune Ndoye, and Dieu-Merci Michel to refresh their frontline during the match.

Key match facts

Nottingham Forest have won both preseason matches so far, scoring five goals without conceding.

Vitória Guimarães have scored ten goals in their opening three friendlies.

Vitória will play three matches within a five-day period.

Forest scored three goals against Blackburn, with each goal coming from a different striker.

Nottingham Forest and Vitória Guimarães have never previously met in an official or friendly fixture.

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