Ange Postecoglou’s rigid style of play saw Nottingham Forest unable to generate excitement or threat as they fell to their fourth defeat in six games, losing 1-0 to Sunderland and piling pressure on the Australian just weeks into his tenure as manager. George Edwards was at the match
It was 27 days between Nottingham Forest’s last game at the City Ground and yesterday’s defeat to Sunderland. In that time, they had played in three competitions, appointed a new manager and saw their old coach be snapped up, and made their return to the European stage.
You’d think that’s ample time and opportunity for change and growth, but when comparing their resigning and dismal defeat to West Ham and yesterday’s display against Sunderland, not much seemed different.
Different tactics maybe; certainly a difference in intent from the manager, but the same lethargic performance, unrecognisable style and anonymous attacking play.
Despite the relentless start to his tenure, Ange Postecoglou has been given enough time to bed in his changes and playing against a newly promoted side at home presented the perfect opportunity to get his first win under his belt. New manager or not, Forest beating Sunderland was expected to be a formality, as it should really be for a team in the Reds’ position.
Furthermore, Forest picked up 13 out of 15 points against the promoted trio of last season; progression surely the expectation given their established status in the Premier League and how easy many of those results seemed.
However, on the pitch yesterday Forest looked lost. They looked shot of confidence and were lacking self-belief, with no conviction to take a man on or take any remote risk that might see them lose possession.
“Dominance” was the word used by Postecoglou when describing his side’s performance to BBC Radio Nottingham; in the stands, it felt like anything but.
Defensively, the Reds had control, Morato growing ever-confident and looking more assured with game he starts, and they looked watertight from open play, conceding from a set piece following a rather bizarre refereeing decision from Hartlepool-based referee Tony Harrington.
On paper, Forest did assert dominance with 65% possession and 22 shots on goal. However, there was no dominance about the way Forest attacked. Their forward play seemed timid and far too predictable, Sunderland alert to any kind of danger Forest were trying to cause and containing them with ease, failing to worry Robin Roefs in the Black Cats’ goal.
Postecoglou made five changes from the side that started against Real Betis on Wednesday; his starters on Saturday looked unfamiliar, almost lost, and failed to influence or contribute to any attacking fortune. Omari Hutchinson and Igor Jesus’ fightback from the bench did bring the inspiration Forest were missing, but that urgency and belief wasn’t shared by their teammates.
The Reds didn’t look inspired or dominant, they looked baffled.
One thing Ange’s predecessor, Nuno, was so good at was making every player perform to his best and feel untouchable, creating incandescent chemistry on the field translating into flowing and fluid attacking play. It may still be early, but that momentum seems shot, Forest looking unable to play ‘Ange-Ball’ unless Douglas Luiz is on the pitch – relying on one player to make your football work is hardly sustainable.
Postecoglou’s appointment has seen this season fall flat on his feet. What was billed to be the most exciting term in decades has fizzled out and been replaced with unease and nobody knowing which Forest will turn up, and how until it switches.
The pressure was always going to build on Ange faster than it would have under most other managers.
For starters, he’s a name, perhaps the biggest name Forest have appointed since Brian Clough, and his character and demeanour make him more memorable than most. Furthermore, he entered a club with everything on the field going to plan, without the seeming need to rip up what came before and start afresh.
Ange also wasn’t wanted by much of the fanbase, still with affection for the man who came before and largely wary of the failings his Tottenham side encountered in the league last year, Nuno’s Forest doing the double over Ange’s Spurs.
How Forest played in the first half against Real Betis was spectacular. They dominated, playing with swagger and conviction in a way rather unimaginable without the Australian’s methods in place. But the boos that rung around the City Ground following yesterday’s defeat infer that 45 minutes out of five games isn’t remotely close to the standards the club and fans now expect.
Sunderland won by playing to their strengths, not trying to be somebody they weren’t and making sure every player was effective in the role they partook. Ange’s seemingly unadaptable style of play looks beautiful when fruitful but dire when ineffective, and if he wants to succeed in the Forest dugout, he ought to find a way to play to the strengths of his dressing room rather than his mind.
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