Nottingham Forest

Paul Birch
BBC Sport journalist

Unlike Ange Postecoglou's appointment, Sean Dyche's arrival at Nottingham Forest makes sense as his side's style of play has historically been more tactically in tune with the brand 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/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

• Sign up for news alerts and follow your Premier League club

Image source, PA Media

Former Nottingham Forest striker Robert Earnshaw says the next managerial appointment has to be someone who is "ruthless" and will just get on with the job.

However, he has concerns that potential candidates may be put off the job because they "will not fancy" working under Reds owner Evangelos Marinakis.

"I feel really sorry for Ange Postecoglou because I think he's a fantastic manager. but it just seemed like he didn't fit," said Earnshaw to BBC Sport. "And his words were correct.

"His face didn't fit the building. The next one has to fit and it has to be the right guy.

"The next boss is going to need an instant reaction. You haven't got 20 games to get it right. You've got the first few games and get on with it.

"That's going to be the ruthless nature of how you play and how you manage Nottingham Forest."

We asked you who the next Nottingham Forest manager should be.

Here are some of your comments:

Kevin: Sean Dyche is a sensible choice as he knows the club, fits more with Nuno's style which was successful, and would steady the ship. I'd like to have him until the end of the season then get Marco Silva on a free.

Peter: As a lifelong Forest supporter it pains me to say it, but Forest are currently a poisoned chalice. What manager in his right mind would want to take this on with the ever present hovering Marinakis axe permanently poised? However, I am sure some brave soul will take on the job but I don't envy them in the slightest. I can only pray some sort of miracle may occur both on the pitch and in the boardroom.

Scott: Sean Dyche. We are in a relegation fight and it's best to be honest and safe, than dreamy and relegated. Dyche, Steve Stone and Ian Woan will bring a settling and passionate approach to the club and fan base.

Rich: How about Steve Cooper on a 12-month contract to bring the team and supporters together?

Chris: Surely Roberto Mancini's poor man-management skills alone rule him out? Dyche deserves a chance at a club with ambition, and having Woan and Stone alongside him means he will be granted more time with the home crowd.

Mark: Marco Silva has to be our main target. I would also like Oliver Glasner but Crystal Palace would probably not read the email. Dyche would steady the ship, but I feel Evangelos Marinakis would expect more than that. Mancini has been out of club football for too long, and is likely to rub the big man up the wrong way. Any chance we could persuade a certain Jurgen Klopp back to the Premier League?

Bettsy: Andoni Iraola has to be first choice. If not him then Oliver Glasner. Not Dyche or Mancini. We need to move forward - not get relegated.

Pat Riddell
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Somehow everyone but the Nottingham Forest owner knew the appointment of Ange Postecoglou was doomed to failure.

After the best season in 30 years, and what should have been a season to top that, Evangelos Marinakis couldn't find a way to please the manager who had delivered that - and promptly brought in the man with one of the worst records in the Premier League last year.

Eight games without a win - and still protesting that he always wins a trophy -Ange Postecoglou had to win the trust of the fans quickly and failed miserably. Despite a couple of halves of decent football, Forest conceded goals at an alarming rate and couldn't take the chances they were presented.

So what now? Many pundits talked about the change in style between Nuno Espirito Santo and Postecoglou, but the Reds were already moving towards a more possession-based game. The squad was developed with that in mind over the summer and it's far too simplistic to compare a low-block, counterattacking style with a high-line, pressing game. Tottenham won the Europa League playing the former rather than the latter.

Marco Silva has been discussed and should have been under serious consideration after Nuno Espirito Santo was sacked. But he is under contract with Fulham until next summer and it seems we are reluctant to spend money on compensation for in-work managers.

So that leaves the two prominent names - Sean Dyche and Roberto Mancini.

Dyche was a trainee at Forest, lives locally and would likely bring Forest old-boys Steven Stone and Ian Woan as coaches. Now that the Reds are in the bottom three, Dyche would be an easy option and would command respect from most fans as a short-term option. Of course, if he did well - and he has never had the greatest of resources available - then Silva might have to look elsewhere next summer.

Mancini would also be a popular appointment, given his years of experience in top-flight football. But what's the strategy here? Are we simply talking to available managers? What is our style and where do we want to go?

There has been a culture of short-termism at the club for years and it seems that is likely to continue - even if we're winning.

Find more from Pat Riddell at The Famous Club, external

Fulham manager Marco Silva is Nottingham Forest's first choice to replace Ange Postecoglou, but he is reluctant to leave Craven Cottage mid-season. (Times - subscription required), external

Nottingham Forest and Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn is a transfer target for Celtic. (Daily Record), external

Want more transfer news and rumours? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

We all know football moves at a fast pace, so who replaces Ange Postecoglou as Nottingham Forest's new boss is Sunday's focus-point.

Former Everton manager Sean Dyche and ex-Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini are early contenders due to them being out of work and available for free, but owner Evangelos Marinakis could look elsewhere.

Who do you want? Is it about steadying the ship or long-term promise?

Get in touch with your views here

Pundits Alan Shearer and Micah Richards join host Gabby Logan 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:

• Manchester City 2-0 Everton

• Crystal Palace 3-3 Bournemouth

• Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Plenty of names in the footballing world are chiming in with their thoughts on Ange Postecoglou's sacking.

Former Premier League striker Alan Shearer said to BBC Sport: "Ultimately the results haven't been good enough and that is on Ange. But the owner has to take some responsibility too. He chose Ange, it was his appointment. How can you go from a manager in Nuno with one style of play to someone like Ange who everyone knows wants his teams to play in a completely different way?"

Former England and Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle said on TNT Sports: To leave his [Evangelos Marinakis] seat after 60 minutes that was a statement in itself. I'm surprised he has done it so quickly after the game. Eight games they've not gone well, but after eight matches as a manager, it's no time at all. Surely he has got to be given more time than that?"

BBC Radio 5 Live's Ian Dennis: "Given the speculation going into the game it was already in Marinakis' mind. This is not a knee-jerk reaction to the actual game. The speculation has been building, Sean Dyche's name has been heavily, heavily linked, and quite frankly they might need someone like him to go in there to steady the ship."

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on the sacking of Ange Postecoglou after just 39 days in charge.

Here are some of your comments:

Mark: It was the wrong appointment. The chairman should have sorted the situation out with Nuno. There's something wrong with the Forest players generally. They don't take their chances. Is that the coach’s fault? There's a lack of leadership on the pitch. The great Brian Clough was sacked after 44 days at Leeds United and we know the history after that. All the best Ange.

Ziggy: Disappointed that he's not really been given a proper chance to do the job. I'm sure his comments didn't help him but really he had literally no time.

Jeffery: Even to any football supporter he was not the man for Forest and that was proven with his team selection and tactics. Destroyed a very gifted and talented team in less than six weeks.

Gavin: To sack a manager after 39 days is a disgrace. Who would want that job? It's time players were held to account.

Luke: The only thing wrong with the decision is that it didn't come 10 days ago. Unfortunately it was just never right from the start with Ange, who surely now must be considered not good enough for the Premier League. Get the next appointment right and there is still enough time left in the season to get things back on track.

Simon: Can someone explain to Marinakis that this isn't how the manager of the month works!

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Ange Postecoglou's departure means Nottingham Forest are searching for their third manager already this season, having sacked Nuno Espirito Santo just three matches into the campaign.

BBC Sport understands Forest have made early contact with former Everton manager Sean Dyche with a view to replacing Postecoglou, while ex-Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is another contender.

Dyche has been out of work since being sacked by the Toffees in January, while Macini's last role was in charge of Saudi Arabia's national side.

Mancini has Premier League experience, having led City to the Premier League title in 2012.

While talks have been held with Dyche, sources indicate that an agreement is not a foregone conclusion.

There is also major internal support for Fulham manager Marco Silva, but he is understood to have a 'significant' release clause in his contract which provides an obstacle for Forest.

Importantly, Mancini and Dyche are out of work and available without the need to pay for their release.

Image source, Getty Images

Ange Postecoglou was not far from from having the shortest managerial reign in Premier League history.

The Australian lasted just 39 days, or eight games in charge at the City Ground, in which the Reds won zero matches across three competitions.

Will this be the last time we ever see Postecoglou manage in the English top-flight?

Image source, Getty Images

Less than an hour after the full-time whistle blew at the City Ground, Nottingham Forest announced the sacking of Ange Postecoglou.

His reign as Forest boss is one of the shortest ever seen in the Premier League, resulting in zero victories for the Austrailan manager.

What do you make of the decision, Forest fans? Did Postecoglou deserve more time in charge? Or was it the right choice from the board?

Get in touch with your views here

Ryan Yates spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live after Nottingham Forest's defeast against Chelsea: "I'll be honest. Ange came in after the game, debriefed the game and then I went out to do some running, I came back and news had broke that he had gone.

"Everybody has to take responsibility. I think it would be unfair to pin it on anybody. We have to look ourselves in the mirror and dust ourselves down and go again because things in football can change really quickly. That's what we are going to be thinking about."

On if he is saying that the players are to blame: "No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying partly we are to blame because we are the guys going out on to the pitch and trying to get results. As I just said things in football can change very quickly, with a good result on Thursday night we can get that good feeling back and we kick in."

On what he would say if the manager could hear him in that moment: "I've got nothing to say right now."

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

Have your say on Forest's performance

What did you make of Chelsea's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Under-fire Ange Postecoglou makes five changes as he searches for his first win as Nottingham Forest boss.

Taiwo Awoniyi makes his first appearance since being put in an induced coma in May, following urgent abdominal surgery after a collision with the post during last season's game with Leicester.

Murillo, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Douglas Luiz, and Ibrahim Sangare return from the 2-0 defeat at Newcastle while striker Chris Wood is on the bench having picked up a minor knee issue with New Zealand.

Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Milenkovic, Murillo, Morato, Williams, Douglas Luiz, Sangare, Anderson, Zinchenko, Gibbs-White, Awoniyi.

Substitutes: John, Hudson-Odoi, Wood, Ndoye, Domínguez, I. Jesus, Yates, Jair Cunha, Savona.

Trevoh Chalobah, Andrey Santos and Romeo Lavia come in for Chelsea at the City Ground.

Defender Chalobah returns after suspension while Lavia makes his first start of the season with Santo making just his second.

Benoit Badiashile, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo drop out, although Caicedo is the only one to make the bench.

Chelsea XI: Sanchez, James, Acheampong, Chalobah, Cucurella, Gusto, Lavia, Neto, Andrey Santos, Garnacho, Joao Pedro.

Substitutes: Jorgensen, Tosin, Hato, Caicedo, Gittens, George, Guiu, Estevao, Buonanotte.

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

• Nottingham Forest v Chelsea (12:30)

• Brighton v Newcastle

• Burnley v Leeds United

• Crystal Palace v Bournemouth

• Man City v Everton - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

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

• Fulham v Arsenal (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

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 Fulham v Arsenal", for instance.

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

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

Nottingham Forest resume Premier League proceedings aiming for a first win at the eighth attempt under Ange Postecoglou against a Chelsea side who defeated champions Liverpool last time out.

BBC Sport examines some of the key themes ahead of Saturday's lunchtime clash at the City Ground.

Postecoglou's poor start

Five defeats, two draws and 15 goals conceded is not the start Ange Postecoglou may have envisaged when replacing Nuno Espirito Santo as Nottingham Forest boss.

The Australian has barely been in the job a month but is already facing question marks over his future, with reports last weekend suggesting former Everton manager Sean Dyche is waiting in the wings should Forest's poor form continue.

Postecoglou has now lost 30 of his past 49 Premier League games with former club Tottenham and Forest, a recent record that may not help dissuade his detractors.

However, Forest's problems, particularly in defence, predate Postecoglou's arrival: they haven't kept a clean sheet in any of their past 15 Premier League games, their joint-longest run since returning to the competition in 2022.

And the task for Forest's manager does not get any easier. Next up, its Chelsea and Postecoglou has lost all four Premier League meetings against the Blues.

Chelsea aim to back up Liverpool win

Chelsea counterpart Enzo Maresca had been under some pressure following back to back defeats to Manchester United and Bayern Munich, although a 2-1 victory against Liverpool ahead of the international break has assuaged some of the unease at Stamford Bridge.

Willian Estevao's stoppage-time goal knocked Liverpool off top spot in the Premier League and he is one of several key players whom Maresca will rely on as injuries continue to take their toll on Chelsea's squad.

Maresca could be missing up to nine players for the trip to the City Ground, including Cole Palmer, who has been ruled out for another six weeks due to an ongoing groin injury.

In the absence of other star names, Chelsea's key performer so far this season has undoubtedly been Moises Caicedo.

The combative Ecuador international has been one of the most effective midfielders in the Premier League this season, making more tackles and more interceptions than any player so far.

On Saturday he will face another in-form midfielder in the guise of Forest's Elliot Anderson, who again impressed on international duty with England in the World Cup qualifying win against Latvia on Tuesday night.

The 22-year-old has won back possession a league-high 55 times this season and his battle with Caicedo could go a long way to deciding the outcome of a crucial match for Forest's manager.

The treatment that Ange Postecoglou is getting from Nottingham Forest fans is just ridiculous.

It saddens me, actually, that they are calling for him to be sacked after just seven games - and I don't think it's fair at all.

I covered Forest's defeat at Newcastle before the international break. That was the result I expected, and Newcastle thoroughly deserved to win too, but it still showed all this talk of how Ange can only play one way is wrong, because Forest were not open at all at St James' Park - they tried to contain Newcastle and played on the counter.

The problem they had was that they could not get up the pitch, but if you were a Forest fan watching that game then you would be thinking that Ange did try and play with a bit of balance.

Now they are at home, the onus will be on them to go forward more against Chelsea, whose manager Enzo Maresca has also come under pressure this season.

Chelsea's late victory over Liverpool last time out was important for Maresca after back-to-back league defeats.

In many ways I hope Forest win, to take the heat off Postecoglou a little, but I don't see it happening.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here