Ange Postecoglou was subjected to chants of ‘you’re being sacked in the morning’ by his own supporters as Nottingham Forest succumbed to a 3-2 home defeat to FC Midtjylland on their European return.
In front of an expectant crowd of 29,323, there were also chants for Nuno Espirito Santo, the man Postecoglou replaced as Forest boss six winless games ago. The Midlands club face Newcastle away from home live on Sky Sports this Sunday.
After being undone by the Danish side at the City Ground, Postecoglou might not have many more chances to get that first win if the Forest fans’ reaction to Valdemar Andreasen’s third goal is any indicator.
The last time that the City Ground hosted European football was when competing for this same trophy 29 years ago in a quarter-final defeat to Bayern Munich. Jurgen Klinsmann and Jean-Pierre Papin did for Forest that night. This needed less quality.
Two crosses from set-pieces cut through Forest in the first half. Ousmane Diao turned in the first at the far post and though Dan Ndoye levelled, it was not long before Mads Bech restored Midtjylland’s advantage, stabbing the ball home from close range.
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Sky Sports News reporter Anton Toloui and journalist Adam Bate reflect on Nottingham Forest’s defeat to FC Midtjylland in the Europa League.
The Danish side have long been considered set-piece specialists but that only made Forest’s inability to make the first contact less excusable – the threat was obvious. There were ironic cheers when the home side finally did head a corner away.
An injury to Murillo, only returning to the team for the first time since leaving the field 37 minutes into Postecoglou’s first game in charge against Arsenal, added to the sense that this has been a particularly awkward start for a coach questioned from the outset.
Chris Wood did briefly threaten an equaliser in the second half, coming off the bench to put the ball in the net twice only to see the flag go up. When he did score from the spot in stoppage time, it was too late – Andreasen having already scored on the breakaway.
Murillo pulled up injured
Postecoglou: I heard the fans, nothing surprises me
Nottingham Forest head coach Ange Postecoglou on whether the reaction of the supporters surprised him…
“Nothing surprises me anymore in football. I guess it’s just the climate we’re in and it seems that’s the way we’re going. My responsibility.
“The fans are disappointed, they’re entitled to have an opinion on it and I heard their opinion.
“I guess it’s the accumulation of things, just the manner. It’s not like the goalkeeper is having to make multiple saves.
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Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou responded to chants against him from his own supporters after they lost to FC Midtjylland in the Europa League.
“Every time they get near our goal they get really nervous. Tonight was another night of that. It just filters through the team and we get really anxious about things when there’s no need to. Second half we dominated the game. Couldn’t get the goal.”
Asked if he believes the results will come, he added: “Yes, I do and nothing that I saw tonight changes any of that. I get the mood around the place isn’t going to be great, I understand people’s kind of attitude at the moment, particularly towards me, but I never worry about that.
“I really believe that we’re on the right track and when we get through this period of uncertainty we’ll be on a good path.
“I still think apart from their attitude towards me that they were behind the team and I think that’s the important thing. Of course, I would prefer people are optimistic.”
