Ange Postecoglou encouraged despite ongoing search for first win as Nottingham Forest manager
Former Socceroos boss Ange Postecoglou is still searching for his first Nottingham Forest victory after three matches, but insists his new squad is showing promising signs.
Ange Postecoglou is adamant his Nottingham Forest side is “responding” to his tactics despite a third successive match under the former Socceroos coach’s tenure without a win.
Forest had to be content with a 1-1 English Premier League away draw with Burnley on Sunday morning (AEST).
Postecoglou’s men led 1-0 after just two minutes through a goal from fullback Neco Williams.
However, the hosts were back on level terms 18 minutes later when winger Jaidon Anthony scored with the assistance of Forest defender Oleksandr Zinchenko, who failed with a clumsy attempt to prevent the ball going over the goal-line.
“We had a few sloppy moments which allowed them to get some traction in the game,” Postecoglou said.
“I’m disappointed we didn’t get the three points. I think we certainly deserved them on the balance of play, but I’m very encouraged by the way the players approached the game and the way they endeavoured to play the football I want us to.”
Appointed less than two weeks ago following the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo, Postecoglou
is still chasing his first win as Forest manager, with losses to Arsenal and Swansea City in the EPL and English League Cup respectively having preceded the draw.
“The exciting bit is there is a lot of room for improvement. You can see the players are receiving the information and they’re trying to put it into practice, and as a coach that’s all you can ask for,” the ex-Tottenham manager said.
“As a team, I just think the growth will come with a real clear focus on where our principles are.”
“(In) the last seven days, since the Arsenal game, already I can see the team is transforming in terms of the way we are working with and without the ball, and the understanding of what we are trying to do.
“That is the biggest encouragement for me because it means the players are listening. They are responding.”
Forest’s Europa League campaign starts on Thursday morning (AEST) in Spain against Real Betis.
Meanwhile, Portsmouth’s former Brisbane Roar striker Thomas Waddingham is set to be sidelined for about three months with a torn thigh.
Portsmouth manager John Mousinho said: “Tom has got a thigh tear and it’s a relatively serious one, so we’re probably looking at about 12 weeks out for him.”
Waddingham’s fellow Australians Adrian Segecic and Hayden Matthews played in Portsmouth’s shock 2-0 English Championship weekend home loss to struggling Sheffield Wednesday.
“We were awful for 90 minutes,” a disappointed Mousinho said.
“We got exactly what we deserved. We couldn’t pass the ball to anyone in a Pompey shirt and were just bullied.”
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