Nottingham Forest vs West Ham: Football Previews & Free Football Betting Tips

Nottingham Forest vs West Ham United at the City Ground is a sharp early-season temperature check. Forest have started brightly and spent decisively this summer, while West Ham arrive searching for a foothold after a bruising first fortnight. The atmosphere should be lively — Forest’s home crowd have a habit of dragging the team through momentum swings, and the away end will travel in numbers even after a tough week.

Tactically, Forest lean into a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 with quick wide releases to Hudson-Odoi/Ndoye and a No.10 lane for Morgan Gibbs-White. West Ham are closer to a compact 4-3-3 built around transition moments for Jarrod Bowen and set-play delivery from James Ward-Prowse. Forest will want to dominate the middle third; West Ham’s route is early diagonals and second-ball pressure.

Nottingham Forest

Out: Nicolás Domínguez (knee). Available/new faces: Omari Hutchinson, Dan Ndoye, Arnaud Kalimuendo, Douglas Luiz (loan), James McAtee. Expect Gibbs-White to float off the right half-space, with Douglas Luiz adding press resistance and switches to the wings. Kalimuendo or Awoniyi can spearhead with penalty-box instincts.

West Ham United

Out: Luis Guilherme (injury), Crysencio Summerville (injury). Doubt: Lucas Paquetá (transfer situation). Available/new faces: Mads Hermansen, Callum Wilson, plus depth across the back line. Expect Bowen to carry the threat from the right; Ward-Prowse remains central to dead-balls; Wilson/Füllkrug provide a reference point up top.

Forest (last 10, all comps): W3 D3 L4 — goals 10–15 (1.0 scored / 1.5 conceded per game), 2 clean sheets. The pattern: decent control phases at home and more punch with early entries to wide forwards; they can still leave space behind advancing full-backs.

West Ham (last 10, all comps): W1 D2 L7 — goals 12–30 (1.2 scored / 3.0 conceded per game), 0 clean sheets. Trends: goals against stacking from crosses and set-plays; they still create in transition through Bowen but control has been fragile.

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Forest at the City Ground (last 10 home, rolling): roughly W5–D3–L2, about ~1.4 GF / ~1.1 GA. Forest tend to start fast and lean into the crowd, with set-plays a handy route.

West Ham away (last 10, rolling): around W2–D2–L6, approximately ~1.2 GF / ~2.3 GA. Concede a fair share from wide deliveries; dangerous on the break when Bowen isolates his full-back.

Nottingham Forest — Morgan Gibbs-White: Finds pockets, carries through contact and links quickly with the wide men. If he dictates the right half-space, Forest generate high-quality looks.

West Ham — Jarrod Bowen: The visitors’ best route to goal: far-post runs and quick counters from the right. If he gets early service, Forest’s back line will be asked proper questions.

Nottingham Forest 2–1 West Ham

Forest’s fresher legs and added control in midfield tilt it. West Ham have threat in transition, but recent defensive numbers and injuries to wide outlets make it a tough assignment at a loud City Ground.

Main pick: Over 2.5 Goals — West Ham’s last 10 have been goal-heavy and Forest are creating enough to contribute.

Value angle: Both Teams To Score — Yes — Forest’s BTTS rate sits around 50% in the sample and West Ham’s is higher; Bowen’s counters and Forest’s wing thrusts both point to chances at each end.

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