Ange Postecoglou’s Nottingham Forest influence is showing in ‘exciting’ B team claim

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Ange Postecoglou has only been at Nottingham Forest for a few weeks, but his influence on the playing style of the entire club is already on show.

Even though Forest drew 1-1 against Burnley on Saturday, the signs were there that Postecoglou’s attacking style of football is starting to resonate with the Reds’ squad.

The Reds had chances to win at Turf Moor and give Postecoglou his first win at the helm, but even the draw was enough for pundits like Wayne Rooney to praise Forest’s efforts against Burnley.

Clearly, this attacking style is what convinced Evangelos Marinakis to hire the Australian, but his influence is not limited to just the first team.

Nottingham Forest’s B team play ‘exciting football’ in defeat

The Forest Academy has been in the safe hands of Warren Joyce since he arrived at the club in 2021, with the likes of Zach Abbott making the transition into the first team.

It’s crucial that the young talent is prepared correctly to adapt to Postecoglou’s style of football in the first team, and judging by Joyce’s comments from the recent defeat against Stoke City, this preparation is visible in the B team’s style of play.

Joyce told the Forest website: “I thought we played some great and really exciting football. We made some clever moves and played some great balls across the face of goal.

“We created a number of opportunities that went begging throughout the game. […] We’ve played some quick, attractive football but we haven’t really taken what we deserved from the game.”

Joyce’s comments are eerily similar to what you’d expect from Postecoglou in recent weeks in terms of creating chances but not winning the game, but it’s good to see that the B team are being coached with the same principles.

Perhaps more exciting for fans, though, is the emergence of a recently acquired striking talent, who scored the goal in the young Reds’ 2-1 defeat against Stoke.

Lamin Sillah scored his first goal for Nottingham Forest

With all of these chances being created, both the B team and the senior squad require a goalscorer to be on the end of the creative play.

Forest fans are questioning Chris Wood for his efforts under Postecoglou so far, but for Joyce, Gambian striker Lamin Sillah looks to be providing the goods.

Sillah arrived from Olympiacos in the summer and scored his first goal in the defeat against Stoke. Speaking about him upon his arrival, Head of Football Development Craig Mulholland told Forest’s website: “Lamin is someone who has high potential.

“We’re delighted to have added a goalscoring attacker to Warren’s young, exciting squad. He arrives here hungry to improve. We wish Lamin well for the year ahead and we are all looking forward to seeing how he settles into the Club.”