Nottingham Forest

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

New Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou has targeted EFL Cup glory.

The League Cup was the last major honour the club won in 1990 and they go to Swansea City in the third round on Wednesday.

Postecoglou and owner Evangelos Marinakis have been clear he is at the club to win silverware and that quest for Forest starts at the Liberty Stadium.

"I think so, yes [it is a chance to win a trophy]. I got to the semi-finals last year [with Tottenham, losing 4-1 on aggregate to Liverpool]," he said.

"Every opportunity you have to win a trophy, you shouldn't let it go. It's hard to win things, especially when you're at a club that has had success in the past and the supporters want more of it.

"We'll give ourselves every opportunity to have a win.

"In the context of the club's ambitions, where we are in terms of the season with me coming in, it's a great opportunity for us to implement some things we want to. It's an important game."

Postecoglou will be without Murillo after he came off against Arsenal, Nicolo Savona replacing him at the weekend, and the new boss is likely to make sweeping changes.

Summer signings James McAtee, Omari Hutchinson, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Arnaud Kalimuendo could be given starts in south Wales.

"They haven't had a chance to get out there, some haven't played at all yet," said Postecoglou.

"Tomorrow is the perfect opportunity to get them out there, get them playing and get them feeling what it's like to play for the club and get some match fitness into them.

"We are going to need all the players and the last thing we want is to have players who haven't played for over a month."

Marissa Thomas
BBC Sport journalist

Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Carabao Cup third-round tie at Championship side Swansea City (kick-off 20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Postecoglou said defender Murillo is "progressing well" after suffering "a significant knock" in the defeat at Arsenal but he will not feature at Swansea: "Every day he has improved and he wants to be ready for Saturday [against Burnley]. We're hopeful he will be available."

• On how important the game is: "They are all important in the context of the club's ambition and where we are in terms of the season and with me coming in, a great opportunity to implement some of the things we want to."

• Postecoglou said it has not been "difficult" to get his ideas across and that it is "just a matter of time", adding: "We have had two really good training sessions with the whole group. The past two days have been good in terms of getting the players understanding the routines we will have going into games. It feels a lot more calm and controlled."

• On his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis: "I haven't seen him but he's been good, he has reached out. He knows the challenge that is before us but he is very ambitious. He supported both the previous managers very, very well and that's all you can ask for as a manager. I know I will be [supported] and that's all you can ask for as a manager."

• On the Carabao Cup being a trophy he wants to win: "I got to the semi-finals last year and I think every opportunity you have to win a trophy, you shouldn't let go. It is hard to win things in football. This cup gives us every opportunity to win some silverware."

• Postecoglou says his first seven days at the club have been "great" and he has a "really good feeling". He added that he has "settled in really quickly" and he feels "very comfortable in the place".

• On seeing new players against Swansea: "The club invested heavily in the summer, a lot of new players and they haven't really had a chance to get out there. Some of them haven't played at all and Wednesday is a perfect opportunity to get them out there and give them a feel of what it is like to play for the club while getting some match fitness into them."

Hear more from Postecoglou on BBC Sounds

Follow all of Tuesday's football news

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

"I cannot afford to waste time - this is not a project," said Ange Postecoglou after Saturday's defeat at Arsenal.

The former Tottenham boss was brought to the City Ground to win trophies and that starts with Wednesday's EFL Cup third-round trip to Championship side Swansea City.

The 3-0 loss at the Emirates comes with the context of a disrupted week, with Postecoglou having just two days with the full squad following his appointment and the international break.

But the Australian has promised his style will not take long to implement and he expects to see it at the Liberty Stadium.

The competition - the last major trophy the club lifted in 1990 - is one Forest could and should legitimately target.

The strides made in the past 18 months cannot be wasted by regressing and the heavy summer investment was done to ensure Forest will now challenge for silverware.

Postecoglou will speak to the media again on Tuesday and he is under no illusions why he was appointed as Nuno Espirito Santo's successor.

He joked at his unveiling he may have to win a trophy in his first season to keep his job. While that was tongue-in-cheek, Forest and their expensively assembled squad have a real chance this season and cannot afford to waste it.

Come back to this page later on Tuesday for all the key lines from Postecoglou's news conference

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.

Here are some of your comments:

Arsenal fans

Mike: Very confident display and showed the great benefit of Arsenal's active transfer period. The new boys all acquitted themselves extremely well. Keep up this excellent start and we will have a real chance of total success.

Vince: What a complete victory and to think the new boys haven't had much time to bed in. If all goes well, the second half of the season should prove to be great watching for us Gooners!

Ryan: Last year, losing Saka, Havertz, Saliba and Odegaard (plus no Rice) would have probably led to a shaky win or, more likely, dropped points. The strength in the squad now means that four definite starters are not missed. Get through this tough first three months of the season close to the top and Arsenal will be in good shape.

Barry: With the players we now have, barring too many injuries, this could be our time to win the league.

Phoenix: A good way to forget the loss at Anfield - good ball play from the guys. Just happy for Viktor Gyokeres and Zubimendi is a colossus of a player - small in nature, big in performance. Trophy is the currency that the team needs going forward.

Forest fans

Andre: I was expecting a larger defeat, to be honest. We need to bring in the new signings. Never been a fan of our new coach. Seems he is doing the same job when he was at Tottenham - taking us down the league!

Stephen: Forest haven't won at the Emirates for a while. No Ange effect either. Needs to start winning big time with all the new recruitments.

Mossy: Losing players this early in the season does not bode well, with games coming up quick and fast. Morgan Gibbs-White and Callum Hudson-Odoi are shadows of the influential players of last season.

Steve: This is a disaster appointment by an owner who had a mardy and dumped our best manager for years!

Russell: Let's have some patience - Arsenal are a top side.

Manchester United are interested in Nottingham Forest's £70m-rated Elliot Anderson, but the midfielder is happy at the City Ground and has no plans to leave. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Umir Irfan
Football tactics correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Ange Postecoglou's first game in charge of Nottingham Forest has to be assessed in a measured fashion given he is one week into the job and facing an Arsenal side almost six years into their project.

The Australian had limited time to put his stamp on this Forest side but a few differences were evident pointing to the direction Postecoglou might look to take his new team.

The most obvious was starting with a back four. It appears the 4-4-1-1 that Postecoglou has deployed across his career is to be maintained.

Stylistically, Forest aimed to build in a slower fashion - looking to establish territory higher up the pitch, rather than playing the more direct, counter-attacking style that was successful last season. Data from Opta showed that their 'direct speed' - how quickly they move the ball from defence to attack - was their joint-lowest for a game in the league since the start of last season.

Out of possession, they set up in what looked like a 4-2-3-1 shape and defended in a man-marking fashion. We will have to see more from Postecoglou to know if this man-to-man approach defensively is something they persist with or if this was specific to Arsenal given their quality and rotation-heavy style.

Nuno Espirito Santo by comparison, tended to set Forest up in a zonal fashion (meaning each player defended specific zones, rather than following individual players) but did use a man-to-man defence at times against the league's top teams.

Forest's defensive line was set higher up the pitch than under Nuno, but they were punished for this with Viktor Gyokeres' strike. Arsenal exploited a long pass over the top of the defence for Eberechi Eze to run on to as Forest failed to apply pressure on the passer.

Naturally, Forest's collective understanding of when to push up and apply pressure will improve with time.

Lastly, the biggest difference between Postecoglou's tactics on Saturday with how he has set up his teams at previous clubs was the use of full-backs. In build-up, Forest played in a fairly standard 4-3-3 shape with full-backs starting in wide positions rather than inverting into midfield as has been the norm in his sides. Was this a short-term tactic given the lack of preparation time?

It is difficult to make any definitive conclusions based on a single game in Postecoglou's first week in charge; however there were numerous new ideas at play against Arsenal that may become more evident in upcoming weeks.

Pundits Ashley Williams and Shay Given join host Mark Chapman to bring you the action and talking points from Saturday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Everton 0-0 Aston Villa

• Newcastle 1-0 Wolves

• West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

Alex Howell
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Ange Postecoglou was only named Nottingham Forest boss late on Tuesday, so the time on the training pitch will have been limited with his new squad.

Forest also have a number of players away on international duty, which would have lessened the tactical work that Postecoglou was able to do.

Even so, there were some noticeable changes to the side in the defeat to Arsenal. Under former manager Nuno Espirito Santo, the Reds became known for their organised defence and ability to counter-attack.

In the early part of the match, Forest did attempt to pressure the Gunners higher up the pitch but were forced back by the excellent Arsenal side.

Supporters will not have been too hopeful heading to north London with Forest winning only two of their past 16 matches against Arsenal, and both of those came at home.

Postecoglou again will not have much time to implement the expansive style he is known for, with a Carabao Cup game against Swansea City on Wednesday.

Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou spoke to BBC Match of the Day after his side's defeat to Arsenal: "Disappointed with the outcome. It's not nice losing any game. They're a very good side and pretty formidable at home. But even in that context, it's disappointing.

"The players gave everything they could, they had the right endeavour but the second goal pushed it away from us.

"It's been a really disruptive week for the players, I've tried to keep things really simple this week, we've only had one training session together but hopefully now we can start bedding in some of the principles we need to."

On only making one change from last game under Nuno Espirito Santo: "I just didn't think it was the time to disrupt them even further. They at least had the core of the team together so there is some cohesion there and some understanding rather than just throwing guys even.

"But I thought the guys who came on showed a little bit of brightness and promise, which is great for us. We've got plenty of games coming and they'll all get an opportunity.

"You only have to look at how we performed last year, they're very disappointed obviously but I've got to understand that they're human beings and a week ago their world was very different to what it is now."

On the squad: "I'm really happy with the squad. A lot of players haven't had an opportunity yet or were signed late in the window but that will be rectified over the next few weeks and once we've had some game time, I'm more than happy with this squad.

"Elliot Anderson is an outstanding footballer, watching him at close quarters today was brilliant. There are others, I was really impressed with Dan Ndoye today. Neco Williams was outstanding today.

"There is a strong mindset within the senior core of the group. I'm still as excited as the day I signed, I knew today would be tough but you have to take your medicine and move on."

On looking refreshed: "Whenever a manager looks tanned and well rested, it means he is out of a job so I'd rather not be looking so well and pale."

Speaking to TNT Sports about the job ahead of him, he added: "It hasn't been an ideal prep for the players and you have to take that into account. All you can ask for is effort and unfortunately, against a very good opponent, today was a bridge too far.

"This is a group of players who showed last year how hard they fight for each other. Disappointment today but there's only one way to respond.

"They're all big jobs. I haven't taken over an easy one yet but that's why I'm here. I love the challenge and we'll get to where we want to."

On Murillo's injury: "Looks like just a knock, so hopefully with some rest he'll be OK."

Did you know?

• Nottingham Forest are winless in their past three Premier League games (D1 L2), last enduring a longer winless run in the competition in April 2024 (run of four). Meanwhile, they have failed to score in successive Premier League matches for the first time since that April 2024 streak.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Arsenal's performance

What did you make of Nottingham Forest's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

It's a full debut for Eberechi Eze but there is no place for Declan Rice in Arsenal's starting line-up, with the midfielder settling for a place on the bench.

William Saliba is not in the matchday squad as he's still recovering from injury.

Arsenal starting XI: Raya, Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Merino, Odegaard, Eze, Madueke, Gyokeres

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Hincapie, White, Martinelli, Trossard, Nwaneri, Rice, Lewis-Skelly, Dowman

Douglas Luiz, a summer signing from Juventus, is on the bench for Forest as the Brazilian looks for his first minutes in a Forest shirt.

Nottingham Forest starting XI: Sels, Williams, Murillo, Milenkovic, Morato, Anderson, Sangare, Gibbs-White, Ndoye, Hudson-Odoi, Wood

Subs: Victor, McAtee, Hutchinson, Boly, Luiz, Kalimuendo, Bakwa, Savona, Yates

There are eight games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Arsenal v Nottingham Forest (12:30)

• Bournemouth v Brighton

• Crystal Palace v Sunderland

• Everton v Aston Villa - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Fulham v Leeds United

• Newcastle v Wolves - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• West Ham v Tottenham (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Brentford v Chelsea (20:00)

Kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Everton v Aston Villa" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Newcastle v Wolves", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

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

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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

Find and follow your club with notifications from BBC Sport

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.

Find more from Pat Riddell at The Famous Club, external