Nottinghamshire

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

Former Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou takes charge of his first game as Nottingham Forest head coach, returning to north London to face Arsenal. BBC Sport takes a look at some of the key themes before Saturday's match.

Arsenal paid out approximately £250m on transfers this summer, taking their overall spending under Mikel Arteta to nearly £930m. When a handful of minor sales are accounted for, their net spend in the most recent window was £240m, the highest figure in the top flight, with Liverpool (£222m) the only other club to break the £200m mark.

Those numbers will bring even more scrutiny and pressure on the Gunners, who have not won the league since 2004 and have gone five years since lifting the FA Cup, their only major trophy under Arteta.

Defeat at Anfield last time out was certainly not a terminal blow to their title ambitions, but registering just a single shot on target highlighted a familiar failing. Arteta's side scored 69 Premier League goals last term, 22 fewer than in 2023-24, with the number of shots also falling by 111. That drop-off in attacking threat ultimately prevented them from running eventual champions Liverpool close.

It is well documented how crucial set-pieces are to Arsenal, and four of the Gunners' six goals this term have come in that manner. But aside from restarts, the Londoners have struggled to break down opponents, with their expected goals figure from open play just 1.54, the second lowest in the league.

Three games – including tricky away trips to Manchester United and Liverpool – obviously represents a small sample size. Arteta will still be confident that when new arrivals - such as Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres - are fully up to speed, Arsenal's attack will click.

Postecoglou's swift return

Nottingham Forest also have a host of summer signings to integrate, having spent approximately £190m on 13 new players, but all eyes on Saturday will be on the man in the visitors' dugout. Postecoglou was named as Forest head coach on Tuesday, just 95 days after being sacked by Spurs.

The Australian didn't win a north London derby as Tottenham boss but guiding Forest to their first victory on Arsenal turf since 1989 would be the perfect way to win over any sceptical supporters who doubt the wisdom of dismissing Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Portuguese left the City Ground following a deteriorating relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis and tension with Edu, the club's recently appointed global head of football. But Nuno's legacy mean he is unlikely to be out of work long – he took Forest into Europe for the first time in 30 years and leaves with the highest Premier League win percentage of any manager in the club's history.

I am not expecting an extreme change from Nottingham Forest in Ange Postecoglou's first game in charge.

Sure, he will tweak things, and he has got his principles where he likes to play attacking football, but I can't imagine him going in with a high defensive line in his first game, especially against Arsenal.

A return to north London is pretty much as tough a start as he could get, even though Arsenal have a few injuries with Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Kai Havertz ruled out.

There is so much talent in the Arsenal squad now that they are still so dangerous - Noni Madueke was excellent for England against Serbia, and he will be full of confidence after that display.

This might be another game where Arsenal have to grind a result out, but they will find a way of winning it.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

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Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

In the second part of what life under Ange Postecoglou might be like, Nick Mashiter considers how the former Tottenham manager goes about his business. You can read part one lower down this page.

The players must be ready for Ange-ball immediately, there will be no half measures, no steady introduction. He knows the way he wants to play - whether it was criticised at Tottenham or not - and they will be asked to do that from day one.

The counter-attacking game which served Forest so well under Nuno will remain to a point - Postecoglou will utilise it - pressing and possession will be quickly brought in.

The clarity will be there and he will demand commitment but he is good at selling his vision, looking for players to follow him.

He will invariably pick his team the day before a game but sometimes may not name it until matchday, although with 10 v 10 games in training - the likely starting line up against others - players will know the expected team.

Post match he keeps many thoughts to himself, opting to reflect on the result and performance rather than any instant reactions, a ploy many managers use.

Come Monday morning there will be a meeting to debrief the game with a video of around 10 minutes.

It will review the structure, how players have reacted to losing the ball, penetration, attacking the box. This will be reinforced through the season.

Early on it will most likely be spent discussing what he wants to see and how the squad have executed it.

His first review will come after Saturday's game at the Emirates as the Postecoglou era begins.

Listen to Postecoglou speak to BBC Radio Nottingham

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Some players found out about Nuno Esprito Santo's exit this week from their team mates, shocked messages and phone calls going around with many on international duty.

Nuno was popular, he fostered a unity in the squad and club which helped push their Champions League challenge last season.

Ange Postecoglou must harness that to drive the club and squad on again. It will not be lost from within a close-knit squad and the new manager will surely recognise that.

The former Australia boss, though, is usually quiet and reserved initially, preferring to get ready for business and enjoying his own space.

Nick Montgomery, Mile Jedinak and Sergio Raimundo have joined as assistants along with Rob Burch as goalkeeping coach - having worked with Postecoglou at Tottenham - and they are likely to be the link with the rest of the staff, rather than the manager himself.

Not to say Postecoglou will ignore others but he is there to work, professional, direct and focused.

Those close to him have described him as honest, a good man, and unapologetic about how he wants to play.

He will drive them on, he tells players they will be the ones on top if they will follow him there - one of the reasons for his winning in his second season statement.

In his two years at Celtic he won two Scottish titles, two Scottish Cups and a League Cup, joining the club after they had lost the title to Rangers.

He took them back to the to the Champions League and performed well in a 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid in Glasgow in September 2022.

The hosts hit the post and had a number of chances before Madrid scored three times in the second half.

Yet the performance itself was not enough for Postecoglou who told his side, despite the level of opposition, there should not be a ceiling for them.

He told the squad he did not buy that Real Madrid were the superstars, he did not want to accept defeat. He wanted to win rather than just getting praise for playing well.

It was a good first half against one of the best teams in the world and those at Celtic at the time were pleasantly surprised by Postecoglou's stance. Reputations did not matter and he will look to drive Forest in the same way.

Image source, Getty Images

Ange Postecoglou has told BBC Radio Nottingham he wants to deliver a "generational moment" as Forest boss.

Speaking to Colin Fray, Postecoglou explained: "I want the fans to dream and to almost bring to reality everything they dreamed for. The only trepidation is you might let them down but I'd much rather that than kind of fear success might come our way. I'd love that while I am here I bring a generational moment to this football club. It would mean everything I am passionate about is realised and long after I am gone there's the smallest of footprints in this football club made by me.

"I always want to make an impact at any club I am at. I think the only way you make an impact is to win things and creating moments that will outlast your tenure. That is my ambition at this club is to do something that hasn't been done for a long time or maybe done before. The intention is, the club is on an upward trajectory, in a good place, there are possibilities of making that real in terms of tangible success."

In a wide-ranging discussion, Postecoglou explained he thinks the Forest squad has the attributes to adapt to his style of play, stating: "Yes it's a different way a little bit and a little more aggressive in its approach. When I look at this squad I see an exciting squad that can play expansive football and be effective. I don't think it's such a far reach."

Listen to Postecoglou speak to BBC Radio Nottingham

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Pat Riddell
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Elliot Anderson arrived at Nottingham Forest with a reputation but little else to go on. The 'Geordie Maradona', so dubbed while on loan at Bristol Rovers had arrived in from Newcastle in a £35m PSR swap deal with goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos and nobody quite knew where he would play or what to expect.

Fast forward 15 months and he is now a full England international with an eye on the World Cup squad next summer. His player-of-the-match performances against both Andorra and Serbia clearly caught the eye of all those watching his first two appearances, with his stats excelling in all metrics.

Just months after winning the Under-21 European Championship with his country, the 22-year-old is already being talked about as the nation's number six, having dovetailed nicely with Declan Rice. Saying that, he pretty much plays anywhere in midfield and knits things very nicely together, for both Forest and now England.

Of course, none of this is news to Forest fans who have known of his talent since day one. For all the talk of Morgan Gibbs-White's new contract and numerous new arrivals, Anderson is a key figure on Trentside and arguably worth more than any of his team-mates.

While Newcastle fans might bristle at this adulation of the Wallsend Boys Club graduate, his progression is down to the game time he has gained at Forest and the trust and faith that has been put in him.

There is every chance Anderson will be on the plane to North America next summer. Then the whole world will see the player who has moved far beyond a reputation gained on loan in League Two.

But before then is the small matter of Forest's season, with a new manager and Arsenal on Saturday lunchtime, and then the Europa League kicking off against Real Betis in two weeks.

Anderson will take it in his stride as he always does, taking care of business as he goes.

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Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson delivered an eye-catching display in his second senior start for England in the victory over Serbia.

The 22-year-old was at the heart of the action, recording 93 touches and completing 75 passes, both marks second only to Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa.

He also showcased his tenacity, winning back possession eight times (the most), coming out on top in seven duels, and hitting five accurate long balls.

The performance should come as no surprise. Anderson has quickly established himself as a key figure at the City Ground since his arrival, and this England showing suggests he could now be ready to do the same on the international stage.

* Stats correct as per Opta and Squawka

Former Nottingham Forest forward Robert Earnshaw believes the Premier League is better with Ange Postecoglou back in the dugout. Speaking after the Australian's unveiling as Forest's new manager, Earnshaw praised his personality, presence and style of play.

Postecoglou was confirmed as Forest boss earlier this week and faced the media for the first time at his press conference on Thursday. Having previously won admirers for his attacking style and open approach at Celtic and Tottenham, he is now tasked with leading Forest into a new era in the top flight.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

New Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou revealed he knew he was going to be sacked by Tottenham before winning the Europa League.

The 60-year-old guided Spurs to their first trophy in 17-years after beating Manchester United in Bilbao in May.

But 16 days later he was axed having finished 17th in the Premier League - 27 points adrift of Forest last season.

He replaced the sacked Nuno Espirito Santo at the City Ground on Tuesday to return to management.

"It wasn't great. I knew it was coming so it wasn't a surprise," he said at his Forest unveiling.

"It was a great three days [winning the Europa League] and I didn't want it to damage that. Whether I feel it was unjust other people make those decisions, they make those determinations. That's up to them, they have their own reasoning for it.

"To be fair, I've done it a couple of times myself. I left Celtic and I'm sure they were disappointed. You understand that's part of the business we're in. But that's OK. It's allowed me now to move into this and maybe things happen for a reason.

"What I do know is I had two years where it was very, very challenging but we were with some fantastic people. There isn't a Spurs supporter that I don't come across now that doesn't want to hug me and take me home for dinner.

"So I must have done something right. I think ultimately that's what we do it for. I'm very proud of what we achieved there. It will always take a special place in my heart. How it ended, I don't really think about it a lot."

Besiktas are closing in on a deal to sign Portugal winger Jota Silva, 26, from Nottingham Forest. (Fabrizio Romano), external

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