Thomas Tuchel isn’t the most popular man in Nottingham at the moment, with Reds fans taking an opportunity during Saturday’s 4-2 win over Ipswich Town to make their feelings known.
The buildup to the Ipswich clash was overtaken by the news of Tuchel’s first England squad, as Forest fans reacted angrily to Morgan Gibbs-White not getting called up.
It wasn’t just Gibbs-White, though, as neither Callum Hudson-Odoi nor Elliot Anderson were given an opportunity by the German coach.
Tuchel hinted that Anderson may be a backup for England as he will be training near the team as part of the under-21s, but Reds fans would be within their rights to think that he should be in the squad without any question.
Anderson assisted Anthony Elanga’s first goal against Ipswich to prove this point, but it was another of the English contingent in the Forest squad who the travelling fans chose to focus their attention on.
Nottingham Forest fans sing Morgan Gibbs-White chance in response to England snub
It was certainly a pleasant trip to Portman Road in the sunshine for Forest fans as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side ran out comfortable winners, giving them the time to warm up their vocal cords.
Journalist Peter Taylor noted that Gibbs-White was the target of one of the more notable chants, referring to the 25-year-old as “England’s number 10” in a clear message to Tuchel.
There’s an argument that Reds fans might not mind their stars not being called up, as Gibbs-White can enjoy a rest in the international break, but this chanting suggests that the opportunity to see the attacking midfielder donning the Three Lions shirt was much more important.
It wasn’t just reactionary from the away end, though, as Gibbs-White was at the heartbeat of all things positive for Forest, despite not getting a goal himself.
Morgan Gibbs-White showed his creativity against Ipswich Town
Gibbs-White was criticised by Forest fans for his Ipswich display back in November, but Saturday’s showing was much better from both the midfielder and the whole Forest squad.
Despite being unbeaten against Ipswich in both league and cup this season, Forest haven’t been convincing against the Tractor Boys, but Gibbs-White’s display helped change this.
| Statistic | Morgan Gibbs-White vs Ipswich Town |
| Assists | 1 |
| Chances created | 3 |
| Passes into the final third | 9 |
| Duels won | 3 |
His assist for Jota Silva was the perfect example of an Espirito Santo counterattack, but he could’ve had even more from the two other good chances he created in the match.
His nine passes into the final third highlighted the variety of positions that Gibbs-White was picking up in the game, often slightly deeper, which played its part in helping Elanga find the space to punish the Ipswich defence.
Espirito Santo and Forest brought three points back to the City Ground for the first time since beating Wolves at the start of January, with Gibbs-White’s excellent display at the heart of it.
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