Nottingham Forest were beaten 3-0 by Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday, with new head coach Ange Postecoglou watching on from the stands at the City Ground
Ange Postecoglou has urged his Nottingham Forest players to have faith in his methods as he seeks to revive their faltering campaign.
The new Reds manager’s reign began in familiar fashion as Saturday’s defeat to Arsenal marked another 3-0 loss, mirroring the struggles that plagued predecessor Nuno Espirito Santo’s final days. However, Postecoglou remained defiant afterwards, insisting his squad will bounce back swiftly as he ushers in a fresh chapter.
Midfielder Elliot Anderson believes the Reds possess the quality needed to flourish under the former Tottenham Hotspur chief, who plans to implement a more adventurous approach. Wednesday evening’s Carabao Cup encounter with Swansea City (8pm kick-off) represents Postecoglou’s first real opportunity to showcase a Forest team moulded in his vision.
“We haven’t had much work on the training pitch but we’ve got to do the same things out there, fight for the team, fight for the badge,” Anderson told TNT Sports. “He (Postecoglou) just said in the changing room, just to trust him and we’ll get back on the training pitch and we’ll look at things and ideas we can improve on. We’re all focused.
“We’ve got the players in the changing room to do what he wants to do, so we’ll all just need to believe in it and put things into practice. We’re positive it will pay off.”, reports Nottinghamshire Live.
Postecoglou recognises there’s no room for delay after assuming control. Owner Evangelos Marinakis demands silverware – a message he delivered clearly when announcing the Greek-born Australian’s arrival.
Making a strong impression in the Europa League remains a major objective for Forest this campaign.
However, the midweek encounter in Wales offers a chance to launch a cup campaign, whilst also allowing the new manager to put his tactics into practice.
When questioned about adjusting to Postecoglou’s approach, Anderson responded: “As quickly as possible, to be honest. It starts on Wednesday in the Carabao Cup.
“We need to go to Swansea and it starts there. Every game matters to us and we’ll keep building.
“I’m looking forward to working with him. We know the challenges ahead, and we’re ready to take them on, one game at a time.”
Centre-half Murillo sustained an injury against the Gunners but should be fit for this week’s fixtures, though he may be rested for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Burnley.
Postecoglou is anticipated to make several alterations to his starting eleven against the Swans to offer opportunities to squad players who have featured sparingly.
New arrivals Douglas Luiz, Arnaud Kalimuendo, Dilane Bakwa, Igor Jesus, James McAtee, Omari Hutchinson, Jair Cunha and Oleksandr Zinchenko could all feature in the first team.
Full-back Ola Aina (hamstring) and midfielder Nicolas Dominguez (knee) are both unavailable, with the former facing a minimum three-month absence whilst his colleague continues his rehabilitation after being out since May.
