Spurs’ miserable start to the season prompted Roberto De Zerbi to make three changes to his starting XI from their loss to Newcastle, including dropping big-money midfielder Mateus Fernandes.
And while the visitors shaded the first period, there was a distinct lack of quality in attacking areas from both sides, with the game locked in midfield for long periods.
Spurs’ best chance of the half came when Omar Marmoush outmuscled Neco Williams to create the space for a shot, but he could only drag his strike wide of the target.
Forest grew into the contest as the half progressed, with Jair Cunha whistling a powerful effort over the bar before Liam Delap - making his first start for the club - slotted in Morgan Gibbs-White, who failed to replicate his goal from the most recent H2H and was denied by Antonín Kinsky.
Yet, after a low-key restart, Gibbs-White was instrumental in what appeared to be the game’s opening goal just after the hour mark. The Tricky Trees’ playmaker was released in behind and attempted to chip the onrushing Kinsky, who got a hand to his effort and slowed the ball’s progress.
Sandro Tonali and Jan Paul van Hecke both scrambled to clear but were beaten to it by Williams, whose celebrations were ultimately curtailed by VAR, which ruled that he’d committed a handball offence.
The mood of the incensed home supporters almost worsened when Spurs broke up the other end thanks to a glorious long ball from Kinsky which found Marmoush, but rather than square to the unmarked and returning Mohammed Kudus, he opted to shoot and blazed well over the bar.
That rather epitomised the quality of the forward play on display all afternoon, and while Spurs avoided losing their first three league games of a new season for the first time since 1979, it is the first time they haven’t scored in their first three league games since 1974.
Forest are now winless in six PL outings and missed out on the chance to secure five straight wins over Tottenham for the very first time.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jan Paul van Hecke (Tottenham Hotspur)