Ange Postecoglou's search for his first win as Nottingham Forest manager continues after a disappointing 3-2 defeat at home to FC Midtjylland in the Europa League. The loss extends Forest's winless run to six games since Postecoglou took over on September 9th.
The match, Nottingham Forest's first European fixture at home in almost 30 years, was marred by defensive errors and a lack of clinical finishing. Midtjylland capitalized on Forest's vulnerability at set pieces, scoring twice from corners and free-kicks. Ousmane Diao opened the scoring for the Danish side, followed by Mads Bech Sørensen. Dan Ndoye briefly equalized for Forest, but Sørensen quickly restored Midtjylland's lead. Valdemar Andreasen added a third goal for the visitors late in the game, prompting audible frustration from the home crowd. Chris Wood scored a penalty in stoppage time, but it proved to be a mere consolation.
Sections of the home crowd expressed their discontent by singing "You're getting sacked in the morning" and chanting the name of Postecoglou's predecessor, Nuno Espírito Santo. Postecoglou acknowledged the fans' frustration, stating, "I heard it. They're fans and they're entitled to their opinion". He added, "Nothing surprises me in football anymore. We've got to keep going, there's no hiding in the sport we're in, we've got to keep our heads up and we've got a game against Newcastle, we have to make sure we are up for that".
Despite the result, Postecoglou remained defiant, insisting that his team is "dominating in every aspect" of games. He acknowledged the need for improvement, particularly in defending set pieces, which has been a recurring issue. "Forest fans are frustrated yet again," Sky Sports' Anton Toloui said. "But Forest's wounds are partly self-inflicted and their supporters know it. The inability to defend corners has been their downfall, something that seems so fixable".
Morgan Gibbs-White, Nottingham Forest star, admitted that the squad is still adjusting to Postecoglou's style of play but insisted that the future is "exciting" under the new boss. "[Having a change] is difficult to adapt to straight away. Things aren't going to click overnight. New manager and different style of play, an exciting way of playing," Gibbs-White said.
Postecoglou replaced Nuno Espirito Santo at the start of September. Since Postecoglou's arrival, Forest has recorded two draws and three losses in addition to the recent Europa League loss. The team started their Europa League campaign with a 2-2 draw against Real Betis. However, they suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Sunderland in the Premier League, followed by a 1-1 draw against Burnley and a 3-0 loss to Arsenal. They were also knocked out of the League Cup after conceding two stoppage-time goals in a 3-2 defeat to Swansea.
Looking ahead, Postecoglou faces a tough challenge to turn things around and secure his first win as Nottingham Forest manager. The team's next match is away against Newcastle United.
