Stats: Is this the key reason behind Nottingham Forest’s winless run?

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Brentford fans rejoice: Stuart Pearce’s Forest side have struggled significantly in one key area during their last eight games.

As you might be able to tell from the picture, Stuart Pearce has not been a happy manager lately.

After topping the Championship table seven games into the league season, his Nottingham Forest side have now gone eight matches without a win, producing some forgettable performance and leaving supporters frustrated after such a promising start.

But where exactly are Forest going wrong?

Ahead of tonight’s clash against Brentford, If Pearce was to pinpoint one area, statistics show he would have to look up front.

Indeed, as Opta data proves, Forest have registered less shots on target during their last eight matches than in their first seven – and that’s despite taking more shots in that time.

Their 28/108 on target amounts to a 7 per cent dip in terms of accuracy when hitting the target. Alarmingly, meanwhile, their goals per shot ratio has fallen by 11%.

Goal-wise, that has made a big impact and, if you look at the two most basic statistics in football (goals scored and goals conceded) it’s clear where Nottingham Forest are going wrong.

Certainly, Pearce’s side have been far from at their best at the back – but they have only conceded five more goals during their last eight games than their first seven, while also keeping the same number of clean sheets.

That increase is nowhere near as drastic as the fall in the amount of goals scored. The question, however, is whether Forest can put their goalscoring woes right against Brentford tonight…