Callum Hudson-Odoi explains what has ‘Changed’ at Nottingham Forest under Dyche

Nottingham Forest’s season looked dangerously close to spiralling after Ange Postecoglou’s short-lived and winless tenure. But a month after Sean Dyche’s arrival, the atmosphere at the City Ground has flipped entirely — and according to Callum Hudson-Odoi, the shift has gone far beyond tactics.

Ahead of Thursday’s Europa League clash with Malmö, Hudson-Odoi lifted the lid on what has changed inside the dressing room. Forest have lost only once under Dyche and shocked the Premier League by dismantling Liverpool 3–0 at Anfield last weekend — a result that felt like a marker of resilience rather than a burst of fortune.

For Hudson-Odoi, who has featured 15 times this season, the return of unity, intensity and clear purpose feels familiar. He drew parallels to the strong bond that powered Forest to a seventh-place finish under Nuno Espírito Santo last season, insisting Dyche has reignited that spirit.

“Since they’ve been here, you can tell the energy around the group has changed,” he said. “Everybody’s working as hard as we can to get the best possible results.”

Hudson-Odoi was honest about the turbulence of Forest’s early-season chaos. Three managers before November rarely signals stability, and the dressing room had begun to reflect that.

“It was a quick turnaround with the managers, but that’s football,” he said. “From the moment he [Dyche] came in, you could tell the energy levels have risen. We’re all bonding very well with each other again.”

The England international claimed Dyche restored the “strength and bond” Forest briefly lost, highlighting:

“We’re determined to train even harder than we did before,” he added. “Everything is connecting back nicely.”

Dyche himself believes the transformation is as much emotional as tactical. Asked about what’s changed, he echoed Hudson-Odoi’s assessment.

“There was a real connection here last season,” Dyche said. “When I arrived, it wasn’t broken, it was stretched. There’s a reconnection — and results help that massively.”

He emphasised creating:

Forest’s improved form isn’t built on motivational speeches alone. Dyche has tightened their defensive structure, simplified pressing triggers and reintroduced a more direct, vertical attacking approach that suits their wide players and box-focused forwards.

From my experience analysing Forest over the last two seasons, three tactical changes stand out:

Forest now defend with a compact 4-5-1/4-4-2 block, limiting space between the lines — something that disintegrated under Postecoglou’s high-risk structure. Their defensive line is deeper, reducing the number of transitional goals conceded.

Dyche’s Forest attack quicker and more directly. Instead of long possession phases, the side breaks with pace through Hudson-Odoi, Ndoye and Gibbs-White — a model that suits their athletic squad far more naturally.

Although some analysts worried Dyche might restrict Forest’s creativity, the nuance is that controlled chaos — rather than sterile possession — has always been their identity.

Hudson-Odoi thrived last season when he had licence to invert onto his right foot and attack space. Under Dyche, he has regained that freedom. Forest’s wingers now receive the ball earlier and higher, rather than being boxed into structured build-up lanes.

In our view, this clarity of role is why players like Hudson-Odoi look confident again. Even though some critics argued Forest needed a more possession-heavy model, Dyche has identified their true strengths and doubled down on them.

Although some supporters were sceptical when Dyche arrived, the fit is proving stronger than predicted. His best teams — notably Burnley’s peak years — were built on organisation, clarity and emotional cohesion. Forest’s squad, with its mix of dynamic runners and disciplined midfielders, responds well to those principles.

It’s worth questioning whether Forest needed a more structured identity all along. Under Nuno, results came from unity and verticality. Under Postecoglou, the philosophy clashed with the squad profile. Dyche has effectively re-aligned Forest with what works.

From a tactical perspective, Dyche’s approach plays to Forest’s strengths, not against them. From a psychological perspective, he has rebuilt belief. And from an analytical perspective, Forest look like a team finally stabilising after months of turbulence.

Forest host Malmö at the City Ground in the Europa League on Thursday night at 8pm. A win would strengthen their position in the group and further the momentum Dyche has built. Hudson-Odoi is expected to feature after returning from a dead leg.

👉 Have Forest genuinely improved under Dyche — or is this a short-term bounce?