Nottingham Forest's manager, Ange Postecoglou, remains optimistic about the team's future results despite a challenging start. Their recent Europa League match against Real Betis ended in a draw, marking
Forest's return to European competition after 30 years. Antony, a former Manchester United player, scored late to equalise after Igor Julio's two goals had given Forest a lead. This result continued Postecoglou's winless streak since taking charge.
Postecoglou is the first manager since Paul Williams in 2016 to not win any of his first four matches with Forest. The last permanent manager with such a start was Billy Walker in 1946. Despite this, Postecoglou, who previously led Tottenham to success in this competition, believes his team deserved more from their performance at Estadio La Cartuja de Sevilla.
Forest dominated much of the game with 16 shots and an expected goals (xG) value of 2.78 compared to Betis' nine attempts worth 0.5 xG. "I'm hugely disappointed for the players and supporters," Postecoglou told BBC Radio Nottingham. He felt that they should have secured victory in the first half and noted that they never felt threatened in the second half despite allowing Betis more possession.
The manager emphasised the importance of maintaining morale among his players, stating, "My job is to make sure the players keep their heads up and don't lose heart. " He acknowledged the challenging conditions, including the large pitch size, but praised his team's handling of these factors. "I firmly believe results will come," he added.
Forest's next challenge is against Sunderland in the Premier League on Saturday. Following that, they will host Midtjylland at City Ground for their second Europa League fixture next week. Midtjylland recently secured a 2-0 victory over Sturm Graz, setting up an intriguing encounter for Forest.
Postecoglou expressed his desire for his players to be rewarded for their efforts and highlighted their ability to create high-quality chances while remaining compact defensively. He remarked on how few teams could replicate such a performance at Estadio La Cartuja de Sevilla.
Despite the current setbacks, Postecoglou remains confident that Nottingham Forest will soon see positive outcomes from their hard work and determination on the field.
