ange Postecoglou
Ange Postecoglou is under mounting pressure at Nottingham Forest following a winless start to his tenure at the City Ground. The 60-year-old head coach is expected to hold discussions with owner Evangelos Marinakis during the upcoming two-week international break. This pause in the season presents a crucial opportunity for Postecoglou to address the team’s form, which has seen them lose three consecutive matches, the latest being a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United at St James’ Park. Despite an improved performance, concerns over the team’s form persist, just seven games into the season. Postecoglou hopes to utilize the break to work with his squad, a chance he has been denied due to a hectic fixture list since his appointment last month. Additionally, he is optimistic about the return of key players from injury as Forest prepares to face Chelsea on October 18.
Ange Postecoglou said: “He just fell awkwardly and hurt his back, it seemed like. I think it was the first header he went up for and he just couldn’t move. It wasn’t even related to the previous injury. It was a different knock. He only had 20 minutes against Arsenal and similar (on Thursday), so it was disappointing to lose him.”
Murillo’s injury woes have been a significant concern for Postecoglou. The defender, who was forced off with a thigh problem during Postecoglou’s first game in charge, made a brief return in the Europa League clash against FC Midtjylland but lasted less than half an hour due to a back injury. He was on the bench against Newcastle but did not feature.
Ange Postecoglou said: “He is not too bad. He pulled up a bit sore with his groin (against Sunderland) and did well to finish the game because he felt it early on. He has probably played more football in these last three weeks than he probably has played for quite a while. It is probably not surprising he felt a bit sore. It is nothing significant.”
Oleksandr Zinchenko’s groin injury has kept him out of action, missing the last two games. Postecoglou noted that Zinchenko’s recent workload might have contributed to his soreness, but the injury is not deemed significant.
Ange Postecoglou said: “With him, I think we have got to be really careful with how we use him in the early part of the year. He had a lot of issues last year at Juventus and came in late here. We’ll just be cautious with him. It’s nothing serious, we know that; it’s nothing significant. But with the international window around the corner, there might be an opportunity for us to really build him up because he’s such a good player and we saw that the other night. It doesn’t feel he’s at peak physical fitness. The international break might be a good little window for us to build him up to where we need him to be.”
Douglas Luiz’s hamstring issue has also been a setback. After feeling soreness during a match against Real Betis, Luiz was withdrawn as a precaution. Although scans confirmed no significant damage, Postecoglou emphasized the need for caution given Luiz’s past injury troubles.
Ola Aina said: “Surgery went really well and recovery is going smoothly. A massive thank you to the club @officialnffc, my teammates, and all the fans for the incredible support over the past few days, it’s meant a lot. I’ll be working hard every day to get back out there as soon as possible and can’t wait to be back on the pitch at the City Ground. See you soon. It’s gonna be alright.”
Ola Aina faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after sustaining a hamstring injury while on international duty with Nigeria. Aina underwent successful surgery and expressed gratitude for the support received during his recovery process.
As Nottingham Forest navigates this challenging period, the international break offers a vital opportunity for Postecoglou to regroup and for injured players to recover. The team’s ability to bounce back will be crucial as they aim to turn their season around.
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