The Bees scored in both halves and limited the opposition to a single shot on target, putting in their best effort during a busy stretch of three games in seven days.
Accurate long passes lead to goals
The Bees have been dangerous in transition throughout the season. It's been one of their hallmarks in recent years. Both goals in this game came from direct passes down the right wing which were quickly converted into scoring opportunities.
The first goal was created when the Bees calmly recycled the ball and eventually passed it back to goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher. Kelleher's low pass caught Forest out of position and sent Ouattara on his way. He used his speed to get the ball down low and then attempt a right-footed pass to Thiago who was waiting by the empty goal mouth. The ball deflected off of the left foot of Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic and into the goal.
Bees first goal vs Nottingham Forest (source: Correlation FC)
The second goal again came from patient recycling and then a pair of incisive passes, first from the left foot of Aaron Hickey who sent Jaidon Anthony on his way down the right wing. A perfect controlling touch with his left foot sent the ball toward the box. His next touch was a precision pass to Thiago, whose goal-bound shot was deflected once again by the unlucky Milenkovic, and into the goal.
Thiago goal vs Nottingham Forest (source: Correlation FC)
Data stories
Dominant Thiago
Thiago had a strong week, with goals in back to back games. His goal against Forest helped to seal the victory for the Bees. Had Ouattara's first-half pass not been deflected into the net for the first goal, Thiago would have had an easy tap in, so he could have had two goals on the day and three in three days.
Beyond goals, Thiago also contributed in other ways, drawing five fouls and having a season-high three defensive clearances, the most in the game for an attacking player. He won more duels than anybody else and was tied for the highest expected goals.
Impact subs
The second goal of the game was set up by great passing from a pair of subs, Hickey and Anthony. These represent the fourth and fifth Correlation FC Goal Contributions of the season for Bees subs, which is tied for fourth best in the league.
Scoring first
The Bees have scored the opening goal in 8 of their 9 league games so far this year, best in the league. Surprisingly, they also lead the league with 3 game tying goals as well, showing that the team both starts quickly and bounces back well when going behind. They continue to have spent the least time in the league trailing this season, a remarkable 71 minutes (65 officially) an average of less than 8 minutes per game.
100 Premier League home games
The victory against Forest came in the 100th Premier League home game for the Bees. Over that period, the Bees have won 42 times, drawing an additional 30.
The Bees have picked up points in 72% of their home games and have a goal difference of +37.
Over those 100 home games, 30 different Bees have scored. These are the top five:
Top Premier League scorers at the Gtech Community Stadium
| Player Name | Goals Scored | Games Played |
|---|---|---|
| Yoane Wissa | 24 | 67 |
| Bryan Mbeumo | 22 | 69 |
| Ivan Toney | 19 | 41 |
| Igor Thiago | 15 | 28 |
| Kevin Schade | 13 | 57 |
A few opposing players have enjoyed their visits to West London as well. Phil Foden has scored 6 goals in five games, more than any other non-Bee. Former Newcastle teammates Alexander Isak and Harvey Barnes have both scored four goals in four games.
Brentford goal contributions
| Goal | Goal scorer | First assist | Second assist | Goal scenario | Time of goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ouattara | Kelleher | van den Berg | Open play | 30' |
| 2 | Thiago | Anthony | Hickey | Counter attack | 76' |
This story was published on 02 November 2026. This story and the image at the top of the article were both created with care, by humans, not AI.
