Sabasports Match Preview
Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur vs Nottingham Forest
Kickoff Time: 2025-04-22 03:00 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/Peter Cziborra
Tottenham Hotspur defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 in the second leg of the Europa League midweek, progressing to the semi-finals with a total score of 2-1 over two legs. In this match, Tottenham abandoned their aggressive attacking tactics, opting instead for a counter-attacking strategy. From the results, it can be seen that the tactical changes made by manager Ange Postecoglou have been effective. Additionally, young player Brennan Johnson has continued his excellent form in recent matches. Stats shows that Johnson completes 1.36 key passes per 90 minutes, 0.23 accurate crosses, and maintains 0.8 defensive interceptions per 90 minutes, making him tactically valuable on the flanks due to his balanced attacking and defensive abilities. Compared to traditional wingers, his improvement in off-the-ball movement and spatial awareness is a concrete manifestation of the quick transition emphasized in Postecoglou’s system.
Nottingham Forest suffered a 0-1 defeat at home to Everton in their last league match, experiencing two consecutive league losses. Under Nuno Espirito Santo’s guidance, Nottingham Forest has fully embraced the tactic of counter-attack. The team averages only 39.5% possession but manages to take 12.9 shots per game, with a notable ability to capitalize on opportunities, as evidenced by their 51 league goals. However, when faced with teams playing a similar counter-attacking style, Forest tends to falter, struggling to maintain control when they regain possession. Their recent away performance has also shown a decline, with the team winning only one out of their last five league away games, suffering four losses in the process. It is worth noting that Nottingham Forest has an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City coming up, and whether they will conserve energy for that remains uncertain.
Despite Tottenham’s inconsistent league performance compared to Nottingham Forest, their home record is quite stable. Tottenham has won four, drawn two, and lost one in their last seven home matches, with the sole loss being a narrow 0-1 defeat to Manchester City. This demonstrates their strong home form. Considering Nottingham Forest’s current poor form and their declining away performance, it seems prudent to back Tottenham to defend their home turf and secure points in this match.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Last 5 Games: WLDWL
25-04-18 Eintracht Frankfurt 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
25-04-13 Wolves 4-2 Tottenham Hotspur
25-04-11 Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
25-04-04 Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Southampton
25-04-04 Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Nottingham Forest’s Last 5 Games: LLWDW
25-04-12 Nottingham Forest 0-1 Everton
25-04-06 Aston Villa 2-1 Nottingham Forest
25-04-02 Nottingham Forest 1-0 Manchester United
25-03-30 Brighton 0-0 Nottingham Forest (PEN 3-4)
25-03-15 Ipswich Town 2-4 Nottingham Forest
Head To Head Record:
24-12-26 Nottingham Forest 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
24-04-08 Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Nottingham Forest
23-12-16 Nottingham Forest 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
23-03-11 Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Nottingham Forest
22-11-10 Nottingham Forest 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur to win or Draw