Despite qualifying for the knockout phase of the Europa League with a 4-2 aggregate win over Fenerbahçe, Nottingham Forest’s recurring issues with squad depth and goal scoring gave Vitor Pereira cause for concern, as shown by his quadruple half-time substitutions. George Edwards was at the match
After two games building momentum and confidence, Vitor Pereira’s players starkly showed him the recurring lacklustre performance that got Ange Postecoglou and Sean Dyche the sack.
A goal down at the break, Pereira sent out a statement of intent by making four changes — parallel to Dyche’s fury when Forest were down by two goals at Wrexham six weeks ago.
Being 3-0 up from the first leg in Istanbul, there wasn’t as much pressure on Forest last night in that position against Fenerbahçe, but they were perilously losing control and their footing in the last 16 of the Europa League.
Ibrahim Sangaré, Ola Aina, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Igor Jesus were the chosen quartet to see Forest swim ashore, the changes asserting defensive control and relieving the ever-growing nerves around the City Ground, despite the early concession and conversion of a Fenerbahçe penalty after three minutes of the second half.
Kerem Akturkoglu’s brace gave the visitors real belief and Forest genuine jitters, but Aina and Hudson-Odoi combined to etch Forest into the knockout stages with a two-goal cushion, poised to play Real Betis or FC Midtjylland next.
Arturkoglu’s success proved the extent of Forest’s first-half shortcomings and further reaffirmed the Reds’ own issues in the striker department.
Seven days on from the first leg, Fenerbahçe arrived in Nottingham hamstrung, their XI six different from the defeat with an entirely new backline, with injuries from that game and their weekend draw with Kasımpaşa to contend with.
Pereira also made changes to the side that beat Fenerbahçe and narrowly lost late on to Liverpool on Sunday, but the difference in performance could hardly have been greater.
Arturkoglu featured anonymously in the reverse fixture, being hooked at half time after failing to have a shot on goal and misplacing 36% of his passes. Yet last night he was afforded the space to influence, winning a penalty and having nine touches in Forest’s box – four of them shots – alongside his two goals.
The collective display was a nasty recurrence of themes that have haunted three managers this season.
A squad that was assembled with £210 million of the onlooking Evangelos Marinakis’s money showed its defections again, unable to gain control of the midfield or stay defensively rigid without the tried and tested troops that spearheaded success last season.
Amongst those that struggled to influence was striker Lorenzo Lucca, who, despite scoring on his debut at Leeds, looks more out of place in Forest’s lineup with every minute he plays.
Picking up a yellow card after losing the ball and dragging his man down about summed up the Italian’s performance. He struggled in the air and lost possession four times despite only having 10 touches, and was one of the four hauled off at the break.
Arturkoglu stepped in up front for the visitors in the absence of Brazilian striker Anderson Talisca, providing composure and bite in true striker’s fashion, a look that could only make the Reds envious given the limitations and struggles their pair of number nines have displayed.
It seems implausible for Lucca and Jesus to continue being Forest’s sole striking options. Both struggle to be in natural goalscoring positions and have opposing strengths, making Pereira’s job to create a system and environment they can thrive in nigh-on impossible.
As Chris Wood continues to be sidelined, Jesus – the Europa League’s top scorer – is the undoubted first choice, but the reasoning for his struggles in the Premier League, where he has scored twice in 18 starts, is evident.
The difference in strength and intensity from the PL to Europe is stark. Jesus’s goals against Ferencvaros, Real Betis and FC Utrecht proved how easy it is to evade and go unnoticed against defenders in this competition, consistently having space to finish fostered by his clever movement.
But where you get time in Europe you just don’t in the PL, shown by the way in which Virgil van Dijk eased Jesus off the ball in the box last Sunday, catching the Brazilian completely unaware of his surroundings in an instance where in Europe he’d likely have got a shot away.
The issues up front and of Forest’s vast drop-off when changes are made won’t have been new for Pereira, but last night he was able to see it unfolding in front of his eyes.
“It was my decision,” the 57-year-old proclaimed when quizzed about his selection changes by BBC Radio Nottingham post-match, a refreshing and accountable stance when contrasted to the outburst of his predecessor after the defeat at Wrexham.
On the night, Forest got the job done, a 4-2 aggregate win sending them on their way in the Europa League. But if Pereira and Forest are to navigate their Premier League relegation battle alongside making their European venture successful, those reoccurring issues must be combatted and minimalised.
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