Taiwo Awoniyi's second-half goal secured victory for the home side at the City Ground, with the Reds not capitalising on a host of opportunities from set-piece situations throughout.
Read on for a summary of the manager's post-match press conference.
On his assessment of his side's performance...
I think this game was decided in six or seven situations, one was the set-piece they used and the other situations with the set-pieces we didn't use. That it will be a difficult game for us was clear. Away, Nottingham not in a great situation and [a] super-intense week for us, two super-intense games, [we] had to change late, so it was clear that we have to be ready to put a big fight in. The boys did. But how we cannot score from the set-pieces, I have no idea. That's it now, pretty much. So the performance I can explain, the result not really, to be honest.
On how he 'lifts the players after the result'....
It is not necessary that I immediately lift players. We have to feel it as well. It's not that the boys didn't want – I know that, I saw it. The spirit was there, everything is fine, we took the atmosphere, all these kind of things. Who can we blame for not finishing the situations off? There are not a lot of people out there, it's just us and that's why you have to feel it. It's a big blow for us because we came here and we wanted to get the three points. You look back at the game and you think, 'How could that not happen?' But it happened and that's it.
On his team's away form...
You cannot compare these games. That it's better for us to play at home, that's pretty much always the case but I think in normal circumstances we should have won this game today and then we talk differently. But we didn't, you're right, but I don't think that it has anything to do with that we played here away or whatever. It's just the situation.
On whether he was 'concerned about how few chances his team created from open play'....
No, not really. So they defended with pretty much everybody they had and we had to play better. Actually [in the] first half, the problem was all the chances they had or moments they had we set them up by the wrong passes through the centre, it makes no sense – they had nine players there. You cannot control the ball there, that's not possible, so that's when they had their moments. When we played around that formation then it was immediately dangerous and when we could have little underlaps on the wings and stuff like this. But two things not to forget, we never ever played before in this formation and the most difficult thing in football is to play against a deep-defending side – it was always clear.
We were obviously lacking up front a bit runs in behind, we were lacking vision in the centre, that's all true. I thought Curtis [Jones] did really well but is not used to the position. He can play that definitely but he was not even in my thoughts to start, so that all happened last night. But he did really well. But that we then not create that much, I am not concerned about that, I'm not surprised – that's things that can happen. But actually set-pieces count, so when you have to score from them they count. And we forced these set-pieces in moments when we created a situation where they had to defend us. Believe me or not, the way they defend set-pieces, they didn't want us to be in the area to get a free-kick or a corner. But in the end, we couldn't use it and that's our fault and nobody else's.
On whether he was frustrated that Forest's goal was 'avoidable'...
Yes, definitely. Yes, [that's] clear.
On missing chances from set-pieces...
I think two incredible saves. I think the others were the better chances when we just missed the goal. I think Virgil in the first half thought he was offside, which he wasn't. There is no real reason for it, it is just in that moment – these boys, how often did Bobby Firmino score from these moments? How often did Virgil van Dijk put these balls in the back of the net? There is no real explanation for it. It is just intense – six days, three games and [a] limited squad, you cannot exactly do a massive change in the centre of the park. With all, there was a bit of uncertainty and I understand that, but I didn't see that with the boys, they really wanted it. I really thought we made a real fight of it and that's the thing we had to do today. We cannot come here and just expect to create 20 chances. The way they defended, I don't think it's possible. We had seven, eight, nine [chances], mostly from set-pieces, but the biggest chance in the second half was probably Trent's header, which was open play, when we were again completely free. It is not that they defended world-class and we couldn't get through, there were our moments but we didn't use them. As I said, [there is] just us to blame for [it].
On whether players could return for the trip to Ajax...
So, as I said, Thiago got a bad ear infection last night and there was no chance for him to do anything. We drove him home. Darwin should be back, this game was just too early. I think another day recovery would have helped him, but we played today. At least that is my knowledge in the moment. Ibou will train from tomorrow on and Naby as well, but Naby is far off so he starts training now after a long period.
On Thiago's absence...
The decision was [made] in the moment he woke up and had the pain. The doctor went there and they tried everything, went to the hospital and stuff like this. It didn't work out.