Gibbs-White urges Forest to stay positive after Ipswich draw

After drawing with Ipswich, Gibbs-White urged Forest to stay positive. He felt his side had done enough to win, particularly after taking control of the game following the interval, but the visitors had to settle for a point despite creating several chances to turn the match in their favour.

The refereeing decision over an incident involving McAtee was another major talking point late in the match. After a VAR intervention, referee Thomas Bramall reviewed the footage on the pitchside monitor and decided not to send off the Ipswich Town defender. Forest manager Oliver Glasner believed the incident warranted a red card. Gibbs-White, however, acknowledged the uncertainty over whether McAtee would have been able to reach the ball.

Ipswich Town are 9th with 10 points after 8 matches, while Nottingham are 16th with 6 points, a 4-point gap.

Gibbs-White said Davies was positioned to provide cover, and that McAtee had taken the ball farther from goal. The contrasting views on the decision drew attention after the final whistle. For Forest, though, the broader concern remains turning promising spells into victories.

Gibbs-White acknowledged that finishing had become a concern. Forest have been working on their shooting in training, but have yet to reproduce the same results on matchday. That problem mattered despite the team’s dominance after the break and the opportunities it created.

The draw also affected both teams’ positions in the table. Ipswich moved into the top half, at least until the following day, while Nottingham Forest climbed out of the relegation places at Coventry City’s expense. Ipswich could therefore probably feel more satisfied with the result, even though the balance of play had favoured Forest for much of the match.

After the game, Gibbs-White’s message was to protect the team spirit, keep creating chances and trust that the goals would come. He was named player of the match. Forest’s task now is to turn its ability to gain the upper hand into results, without allowing the refereeing debate to overshadow the missed opportunities.