Oliver Glasner's Leeds United praise after warning and 'enough to win' claim in Forest defeat verdict

Oliver Glasner’s first competitive game in charge of Nottingham Forest ended in a 1-0 defeat to Leeds United at the City Ground.

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Oliver Glasner served up Leeds United praise but with a Nottingham Forest enough to win view in his post-match assessment of Saturday’s defeat at the City Ground.

Former Crystal Palace boss Glasner’s first competitive game in charge of Forest presented an opening weekend visit of Leeds and Saturday’s contest looked set to end in a goalless draw with both defences on top at the City Ground.

Anton Stach, though, then fired home a brilliant free-kick in the 88th minute to seal 1-0 victory for his side who have now won five of their last eight league games carrying on from the end of the 2025-26 campaign.

Speaking at his post-match press conference, Glasner said he had warned Forest were facing a team who had enjoyed a “fantastic” finish to their first season back in the Premier League last term as he acknowledged United’s physical, aggressive and man to man approach.

The Forest boss said he told his players after analysing Leeds that whoever fared best in the set piece battle would win the game, United ultimately coming out on top on that front thanks to Stach’s free-kick.

Glasner, though, felt that Forest had still done enough to take all three points as he ran through his team’s chances including Chris Wood firing wide when well placed midway through the second half.

Asked if his side had done enough to win the game and reasoned: "I think we did enough to win but I think everybody felt it that one situation would decide the game.

"I told the players before the game that I expect after analysing Leeds, who wins the set piece battle will win the game and it was one set piece unfortunately on the right side that decided for them but I think we tried, especially in the second half, I had the feeling we are better and better in the game.

"We played more in their half, we created a few dangerous situations but we got punished with a direct free kick where I think we could have done better especially before when it was a throw in and if you make two mistakes in the Premier League you get punished."

Pressed on whether it was a case of a new system taking time at Forest, Glasner said: "I think I mentioned it in the in the pre-match press conference that Leeds had a fantastic ending to the season, just losing the last game and were being unbeaten eight games before because this is the way they are playing, very physical, very aggressive, man to man, no time and it took us something 15 minutes, 20 minutes to get better into the game.

"Because then we move the ball quicker, we didn't place so often into the feet, we played more into the space, and then we did better and better, and this is nothing to do with a system.

"This is just the way what you have to do, play quicker, find quicker solutions, and I think we have done better, especially in the second half.

"But what we have to improve definitely is then, when we enter the final third, being more direct into the box.

"For me still we are then going back, passing square and delivering crossovers without taking the one v one into the box because maybe you get fouled, you get a penalty and taking more finishes from outside of the box also when there are so many bodies in the box, you get maybe a handball, deflected ball and this is what we have to work on.

"I could see, I was very pleased with our defensive stability today, and also then Leeds went long very often. We defended this really well.

"They had one big chance from a set piece or from a second phase after a long throw in and we had two big chances from set pieces and had one good chance with Chris wood in the second half and at the end one free kick decided it."