Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter

It's amazing how the mood can change so quickly.

This package of Sean Dyche, Ian Woan and Steve Stone does seem to have fallen well with most Nottingham Forest fans - not all, but most.

Andrew is eager to see his side bounce back under their leadership with a couple of early wins.

Here's a reminder of the games they have coming up:

• 23 Oct: Porto (h) - Europa League
• 26 Oct: Bournemouth (a)
• 01 Nov: Man Utd (h)
• 06 Nov: SK Sturm Graz (a) - Europa League
• 09 Nov: Leeds United (h)
• 22 Nov: Liverpool (a)

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Nottingham Forest have gone from Nuno Espirito Santo to Sean Dyche, via Ange Postecoglou, in less than six weeks.

It is that muddled thinking which has landed them in the relegation zone two months into a season which initially had so much promise.

Winning the Europa League was a realistic target, something Postecoglou told his players during his 39-day spell, but avoiding the drop should now be the priority.

That is why the SOS call went in to Dyche, he will organise an expensively assembled, talented but drifting Forest squad who are low on confidence.

But Forest have ended up here via self-inflicted wounds, Nuno Espirito Santo's fall-out with global sporting director Edu ultimately led to the breakdown of his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis and his dismissal.

The Postecoglou experiment followed but it was just too much of a handbrake turn, going to high pressing, high tempo after Nuno's pragmatic counter-attacking style and Forest need Dyche to repair them.

Paul Birch
BBC Sport

Unlike Ange Postecoglou's appointment, Sean Dyche's arrival at Nottingham Forest makes sense as his style of play has historically been more tactically in tune with the brand of football Nuno Espirito Santo employed to bring European football back to the City Ground.

With no pre-season for Postecoglou to impose his unique footballing ideologies, and with a slew of games coming thick and fast at the start of his tenure, the Australian struggled to stamp his authority on a squad so used to playing a certain way.

The appointment of another pragmatic coach, similar to Nuno, should on paper steady the ship and suit Forest's players, who were defensively sound and proved to be devastating on the counter-attack in 2024-25.

As the graphic below shows, both Nuno and Dyche teams are very happy to cede possession and allow the opposition the ball, before attacking at speed when they get it back. All of which contrasts hugely with how Postecoglou got his players to operate at Tottenham.

Image source, Opta

PPDA is passes allowed per defensive action. It measures how often teams wait until interrupting a spell of opposition possession - whether that's winning the ball back or getting a foot in to concede a throw-in or corner. Teams aggressively trying to win the ball back will have a lower figure - teams prepared to soak up pressure will have a higher figure.

Direct speed is how quickly the ball moves towards the opponents' goal during a sequence of possession, measured in metres per second.

Rory Smith
Football Correspondent for The Observer on Monday Night Club

Sean Dyche makes a lot of sense in the situation they are in, but if I was a Nottingham Forest fan, I would have questions about their general direction of travel.

Forest are the most owner-defined club since Roman Abramovich's Chelsea.

The loyalty of the fans skips the manager and goes to him [Evangelos Marinakis]. You can see why they adore him. He plays to his base, he looks like he is fighting for Forest and the fans respond to that. But there is a cost - you are at the whims of one man's ego.

Dyche will get a good squad and an owner who will invest - it's a major opportunity for him, one he hasn't had before.

Image source, Getty Images

Following his retirement from playing, Sean Dyche immediately jumped into the world of coaching with former club Watford.

He began with the under-18s in 2007 but was quickly involved in first-team football again when promoted to assistant manager in 2009.

In 2011, Dyche got his first crack at first-team management and hasn't looked back since.

The former centre-back is yet to be out of the game for more than a season since taking up his first job over a decade ago.

• Watford: 2011-12
• Burnley: 2012-22
• Everton: 2023-25
• Nottingham Forest: 2025 -

Nottingham Forest

As difficult starts go, a game against 30-time Portuguese champions Porto is right up there.

Forest take on Francesco Farioli's side at home on Thursday evening before travelling to Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday.

Here's the new man's first six games in charge in all competitions:

• Porto (h) - Europa League
• Bournemouth (a)
• Man Utd (h)
• SK Sturm Graz (a) - Europa League
• Leeds United (h)
• Liverpool (a)

Robert Earnshaw
Former Nottingham Forest striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

To win anything and to be successful, you got to have some kind of defensive structure but number one is you got to dominate the opponents. Attacking wins games.

Nottingham Forest play in Europe against Porto this week and then Bournemouth and Manchester United. So all of these games, they are going to need that attacking threat. They've got good players but attacking football is what's going to win you games.

That's what Forest need. Ange Postecoglou was sacked because of not winning games and not having enough going forward.

So it's an interesting decision to go to Sean Dyche. I am curious to see how they will start to play.

The initial reaction from Ian there is positive.

We want to hear from more Nottingham Forest fans.

Are you happy with Sean Dyche's appointment, along with Ian Woan and Steve Stone in his backroom staff?

Hit thumbs up for yes and down for no.

Nottingham Forest

More from Nottingham Forest's statement announcing the appointment of former youth player Sean Dyche as new head coach:

"A respected and experienced Premier League manager, Dyche brings the perfect blend of character, tactical acumen and proven achievement to guide the club through its next chapter.

"Having managed more than 330 Premier League matches in his career to date, Dyche has built teams defined by defensive organisation, resilience, and strength from set pieces - qualities that align closely with the current squad’s attributes and the club’s footballing identity.

"As a former Forest youth player who lives locally, Dyche also has a deep understanding of the values and pride of Forest and its supporters.

"With his character, tactical acumen and man-management skills, his appointment represents the best opportunity for a successful and competitive season across both domestic and European competitions."

Nottingham Forest

Image source, Getty Images

Sean Dyche already has strong links with Nottingham Forest having spent his youth career at the club before moving to Chesterfield in 1990.

He also brings two former Forest players with him as part of his coaching staff in Ian Woan and Steve Stone; both of whom made more than 400 appearances for the Reds in the 1990s.

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest said that Sean Dyche joins the club on a "contract running until the summer of 2027".

He will take charge of his first match on Thursday at home to Porto in the Europa League.

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest have announced the appointment of former Burnley and Everton boss Sean Dyche as their new head coach.

More to follow.

Three games in and West Ham Social on X, external is already saying that "serious questions need to be asked" of manager Nuno Espirito Santo:

"Yes our players are abysmal right now, but he gave us no hope whatsoever with his starting line-up and subs.

"It doesn’t make any sense. ONE shot on target in 90 minutes at home. Someone explain."

Image source, Getty Images

If you're a West Ham fan, you probably want to ignore this image.

Just to highlight even further the Hammers' dismal attacking display - take a look at the xG map from Opta below.

I had to actually double check this was factually correct when I saw the number "7".

Seven shots at home and an xG of 0.33 against a team that, prior to the game, sat 16th in the table.

West Ham would have gone level on points with the Bees had they won the game.

So much incentive but so little to show for it.