Sean Dyche fixes Ange Postecoglou’s Nottingham Forest mistake, says pundit

Sean Dyche has wasted no time in stamping his mark at Nottingham Forest — and according to Premier League pundit Don Hutchison, the early signs point to a team rediscovering its identity after the chaotic Ange Postecoglou experiment.

Postecoglou’s shock appointment at the City Ground lasted just 39 days and eight games before Forest pulled the trigger, with results and performances both on the slide. In came Dyche, known for his organisation and clarity — and almost immediately, the change in tactical shape has brought tangible benefits.

One of Dyche’s first key adjustments was restoring Morgan Gibbs-White to his preferred number 10 role — a move Hutchison says has already transformed Forest’s attacking rhythm.

“The best thing that he’s done in the early part of his tenure is actually put Morgan Gibbs-White back into a number 10 position,” Hutchison told Sports Casting. “Ange tried him as a sort of a double nine, off the right. Sean’s freed him up. It’s no secret that now he’s starting to score goals and enjoy his football again.”

Under Postecoglou, Gibbs-White had often been pushed into awkward hybrid roles as Forest attempted to mirror a high-pressing, inverted-full-back system that simply didn’t fit their personnel. Dyche, by contrast, has prioritised simplicity and confidence.

That shift has not gone unnoticed in the dressing room. Gibbs-White, who scored in Dyche’s first game in charge — a 2–1 win over Porto — revealed the mood has improved dramatically since the managerial change.

“I feel like I can finally breathe,” he told TNT Sports. “It’s been a difficult couple of months here with all the change that’s happened, the bad performances.

(Getting an identity back) was the first thing the gaffer came in and said to us. He told us that last season we had a real identity and structure to how we want to play and he wants to bring that back.”

The playmaker added that after only a few training sessions, “the morale in the stadium and in the group feels a lot higher… it feels a lot more positive and it needs to stay like that.”

Hutchison believes Dyche’s straightforward, results-first approach will soon lift Forest clear of danger and into the middle third of the Premier League table.

“Sean will be aiming to get them up the table,” he said. “I think he’ll get them mid-table, away from the relegation zone. He’ll do what’s necessary in terms of style of play to get points on the board.”

With Gibbs-White restored as the creative heartbeat and the squad looking more structured, Hutchison predicts a finish around 10th to 12th place, which would represent a significant turnaround from the struggles of early autumn.

In our view, Dyche’s arrival feels like the steadying hand Forest desperately needed. While Postecoglou’s high-tempo philosophy might work with elite squads like Tottenham’s, it was ill-suited to Forest’s mix of physical, counter-oriented players. Dyche has refocused the side on what they do best: defensive solidity, quick transitions, and clear attacking roles.

If Gibbs-White continues to thrive centrally and the defensive structure remains compact, Forest could quietly climb into mid-table well before spring — perhaps even challenging for the top half by April.

Forest’s next test comes on 22 November 2025, when they travel to face Liverpool at Anfield. A win there could see Dyche’s men break into the league’s top half for the first time this season — a clear sign that the new boss’s blueprint is already paying off.

👉 Forest fans — do you think Sean Dyche’s no-nonsense style is the right fit for long-term progress at the City Ground?