Sean Dyche’s substitutions and selection saw Nottingham Forest score a last-minute winner as they beat FC Utrecht 2-1, with the Europa League providing a welcome break from a torrid season. George Edwards was at the match
Thursday night football across Europe has provided Nottingham Forest the perfect respite from their otherwise torrid Premier League season, with last night’s victory over FC Utrecht proving exactly that.
Many of the 3,000 supporters that angrily stormed out of the Hill Dickinson Stadium last Saturday, following their side’s 3-0 defeat at Everton, found themselves reinvigorated and recharged five days later. Beers in hand, Forest anthems being blared out and surrounded by the people who had been on every step of Forest’s journey, the blues of the weekend were long gone, replaced by steadfast joy and anticipation as the congregation met in Utrecht’s city centre.
If it weren’t for this season’s Europa League adventures, it’s a rather bleak outlook — 17th in the Premier League, just two points above the drop zone, and onto their third manager of the campaign following the season of a lifetime.
But that season of a lifetime has saved them by rewarding them with European football this year, a competition that allows the club as a whole to park their woes and bask in the most successful era of Nottingham Forest this century.
Especially on their continental travels, it seems any recent form or grievances are put aside for a few days, with the passion for this football club seeping through and taking over. For 48 hours it’s not Sean Dyche, Ange Postecoglou, Evangelos Marinakis or the PGMOL. It’s Nottingham Forest, and the pride that playing for, managing or supporting this unique and historic club means.
Yet despite the feeling that the result almost didn’t matter, the importance of victory at the Stadion Galenwaard was not lost on anybody from a Forest persuasion, least of all manager Sean Dyche.
His team selection hit the nail on the head, resting key and overworked squad members while starting players searching for form and aiming to bolster fitness. The XI that began fought the fight and asserted their superiority, particularly with the returning Douglas Luiz at the base of their midfield.
Forest created chances, all different ones at that, and looked fluid but always seemed to come up one pass or cross short. Utrecht certainly made themselves known with their direct style causing goalkeeper John Victor some concerning trouble — Morato and Murillo often needed to head clear and mop up. But Forest, for the most part, always felt like the team out in front.
However, rather than being patient, Dyche’s call to change his midfield at the interval by bringing on Elliot Anderson and Ibrahim Sangaré brought the magic they were missing, his side crafting the opening goal eight minutes into the second half.
Arnaud Kalimuendo the goalscorer, nibbling and harrying at the ball until it broke for him to clinically finish with his weaker left foot, showing excellent drive to make an impression; two goals in two starts for the French forward.
After edging ahead, Forest failed to build on the lead they established, falling behind from a naively conceded and defended set piece 20 minutes later and staring down the barrel of yet another away European draw — or worse.
But Dyche struck again.
Often criticised for his lack of substitutions, the manager made his intentions clear by bringing on his difference-maker and his in-form number nine as the game drew out, with both Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus involved in the goal that wrapped up Forest’s first away European win in 30 years.
The win was all that mattered on the night. Of course, as the Premier League side, it could be expected for Forest to make victory look more effortless, and to play with more intent.
But getting the job done is something Forest have fallen short at many a time this season so far, and Nottingham’s travelling red contingent will return to the city bouncing after clinching three crucial points.
Some might say the extra games Forest have to play plagues them in the long run, especially when looking at their current mounting injury list.
However, after that horror show on Merseyside last weekend, a week to dwell and lick their wounds would have been the worst outcome possible. Rather than that, Forest have shown character, their key players have won them the game and their fanbase has been reminded of the magic associated with their football club.
Returning to Premier League action against Tottenham on Sunday, the Reds are far better with those feelings than without, taking a huge step towards automatic qualification in the Europa League knockouts, and perhaps an even bigger one in their mental battle to save their Premier League season.
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