Three Nottingham Forest players Ange Postecoglou must axe vs Newcastle United
Ange Postecoglou has some difficult thinking to do ahead of Nottingham Forest’s Premier League clash with Newcastle United.
Forest supporters are already calling for Postecoglou to be sacked, with the former Tottenham boss now without victory in his first six matches in charge since replacing Nuno Espirito Santo.
Morgan Gibbs-White should have won a penalty at the City Ground on Thursday, 2 October, but the Reds likely would have found a way to lose the game after conceding three against Midtjylland.
Postecoglou, however, faces a quick turnaround before travelling to St James’ Park on Sunday, 5 October, and Eddie Howe is also under pressure at Newcastle after a poor start to the campaign.
If the Reds are to claim their first win under new management, these three changes could be vital.
Callum Hudson-Odoi
Despite creating four chances, Callum Hudson-Odoi only registered expected assists (xA) of 0.17, even with the likes of Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Chris Wood ahead of him [FotMob].
The winger also wasted three shots from tight angles, either seeing his efforts blocked or far wide of the post, and his crosses were not much better as he completed two of his 10 attempts.
With Dilane Bakwa and Arnaud Kalimuendo on the bench, there is absolutely no excuse for not dropping the 24-year-old before Postecoglou’s side travel to face the Magpies this weekend.
Morgan Gibbs-White
While Gibbs-White could be a controversial choice, there are still plenty of options in the squad who can create chances, and a trip to St James’ Park is likely the last thing he wants to be doing.
| Morgan Gibbs-White vs Midtjylland | Stats [FotMob] |
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Chances created | 2 |
| Successful dribbles | 0% (0/3) |
| Dispossessed | 3 |
| Ground duels won | 20% (2/10) |
Against Newcastle, the 25-year-old has been on the losing side in four of his six games against the Magpies, contributing just a single goal contribution, majorly struggling against this opponent.
Although he quite possibly should have won a spot-kick, which would have added to his assist, his frustrations were obvious, and he lost possession far too many times at the City Ground.
Igor Jesus
Axeing Jesus may feel slightly harsh, given the lack of service to him at the City Ground, but he ran himself into the ground while trying to make options for his teammates.
That was all in vain, clearly, and Wood made a much better impact when coming on for the final 15 minutes. He scored from the penalty spot and made some good runs in behind, albeit straying offside.
Wood has looked like a shell of himself from last season since Jesus’ arrival, but he could revive his season with a stellar display against his former team in their own backyard.