Oliver Glasner cut a frustrated figure on the sideline for Nottingham Forest as they fell to another draw against Ipswich Town on Friday, making it one win in eight Premier League games.

It is only early, but Oliver Glasner is using all the credit he has in the bank and also testing Evangelos Marinakis’ patience, desperately requiring some wins, but has missed some golden opportunities in games that were must-win.

Against Ipswich, Nottingham Forest were again the better side, but poor finishing and sloppy defending saw them unable to build on a 1-0 lead and then throw it away.

However, it is hard to be overly worried when the performance justified a win once again. This is a reason to be optimistic about Forest’s season, regardless of how terrible things look right now.

Nottingham Forest top the expected points table

Forest have been playing really well this season, yet are 17th in the Premier League table after eight games with just one win and three draws. A loss to Coventry City, Crystal Palace, and then drawing to Ipswich Town are the results that have come recently to see rising doubt over Glasner’s future.

But the players remain unworried by Forest’s form, stating that they know they’re playing well enough to win these games, and the underlying data backs this up.

According to Understat, Forest have massively underperformed this season compared to their expected points. Sitting on six points, Forest’s expected points tally is 15.18, which would have them top of the league before Saturday’s games.

This just proves how Glasner isn’t really the problem, and usually this does balance out, with poor finishing costing Forest time and time again. Forest have the third-highest expected goals tally in the league, underperforming by 9.75 goals, which is almost double the second-worst finishing club in the league.

• Dan Ndoye – 3.17 expected goals (2 scored)
• Liam Delap – 2.97 expected goals (1 scored)
• Morgan Gibbs-White – 2.34 expected goals (1 scored)
• Igor Jesus – 2.24 expected goals (1 scored)
• Neco Williams – 1.11 expected goals (1 scored)

A team can handle an underperformer or two, but to have every single player in the red, scoring less than they are expected to, is a catastrophe waiting to happen. If Forest were able to convert these chances, European football looks almost guaranteed with how good the side has been up until the box.

While it is very concerning how poor the team has been at finishing, it is also a reason for hope and belief that things are going to improve, and the results will start coming with enough good players in that squad who can score and surely won’t be so unclinical all season long.

That being said, Glasner can only point to the stats for so long before Marinakis will become dismayed at the results, which may be coming sooner rather than later after eight games that have been far from good enough.

Things aren’t getting easier, though, with Brentford up next. However, this might play into Glasner’s hands as it will allow Forest to counterattack.