Read Roberto De Zerbi's programme notes

Welcome back to the Amex Stadium for this evening’s game against Nottingham Forest.

It’s been a disappointing couple of weeks since my last programme notes, but I feel we have deserved more in terms of points against both Tottenham Hotspur here at the Amex and at Brentford on Friday night.

First of all, I must say I was absolutely delighted with the reception both myself and my coaching staff received before the Tottenham game. It was an experience, to know that we have your absolute support, and we will be doing everything we can to ensure that you have an exciting team to watch and to enjoy.

Against Tottenham, and once we adapted to the changes the opposition made to their formation at the start of the game, we took control of possession, we had positivity in our play, and we created the better chances.

Over the 90 minutes, the players were fantastic in their performance; they applied themselves exactly how I wanted them to play, and we did everything but score. I said immediately after the game that sometimes football is not fair – you don’t always get the rewards that you expect – and this was one of those occasions. But despite the defeat, there were more positives than negatives to take from the game.

We therefore went into the Brentford game with confidence, but we found ourselves in a similar situation. We put in a good performance, we created chances, we had shots on target, but we lost the game. Yes, the Brentford goalkeeper played very well, but to win games of football you need to score goals, to take the opportunities when they present themselves, and we didn’t manage to do that.

We now have the opportunity to bounce back against Nottingham Forest tonight, and I welcome Steve Cooper and his staff to the Amex. I take no notice of the difference in league positions, and we know we face a challenge for 90 minutes – as we do every week in the Premier League. Forest are new to the division, they have brought many players this summer, but those players are of a quality that make them very dangerous opponents.

Finally, football, as we know, is our passion. It’s why we’re involved in the game and why you, the fans, come to watch the games. We are here again tonight to take three points, to entertain or to be entertained, and to share a collective joy that the game brings. However, we must also remember that there are more important things in life...

It was, therefore, a very difficult day for us all when we discovered that Enock Mwepu would need to retire immediately from football due to his hereditary heart condition. It was painful enough for us to hear the news, so for Enock – at just 24 years of age and with most of his career still in front of him – it has no doubt come as an immense shock that will take some time for him to digest and to fully comprehend.

He was a player that I could see had real talent and someone I was looking forward to working with, to help him fulfil his undoubted potential. Sadly, that will no longer be possible, but Enock knows that he has our full support and our love.

Hopefully he will be able to stay in the game in some capacity and everyone at the club is here for him. Enock is part of our ‘family’ and we are thinking of him and his own young family at this difficult time.

Enjoy the game.

*This evening's matchday programme is available to purchase at the Amex, priced £3.50, or you can purchase online here.