Morgan Gibbs-White will not be in the England squad for much longer, while Nottingham Forest\u2019s makeshift XI did not respond to Sean Dyche\u2019s challenge\u2026<\/p>\n
Sean Dyche\u2019s reign at Nottingham Forest surpassed that of Ange Postecoglou after a single game as his side beat Porto 2-0 in their last Europa League group match to end the club\u2019s prolonged winless run.<\/p>\n
Forest <\/a>then succumbed to a clinical Bournemouth side in a tight match before being unfortunate to draw against Manchester United in an entertaining 2-2 draw at the weekend, so there has been clear evidence of new manager bounce with Dyche.<\/p>\n Still, Dyche admitted before Thursday evening\u2019s trip to face Sturm Graz that they need to turn their \u201cgood performances into wins\u201d as they remain in the Premier League relegation zone<\/a> and have plenty of work to do if they are to qualify for the next stage of the Europa League.<\/p>\n Dyche <\/a>has also proclaimed that they are \u201ccertainly taking the Europa League seriously\u201d, though Forest\u2019s wholesale changes, which were somewhat enforced, for this goalless draw versus Sturm Graz before the weekend\u2019s relegation six-pointer vs Leeds United proved that their priorities are in the right place.<\/p>\n Forest made seven changes from their last starting XI for this match, with ten-plus players unavailable due to injury, suspension, or not being included in their Europa League squad.\u00a0This is while Elliot Anderson was rested and left out of the squad completely, while Mats Sels, Murillo and Dan Ndoye joined a host of youngsters on the bench.<\/p>\n Despite this, there was still more than enough quality in Forest\u2019s new-look XI to get past Sturm Graz, who are certainly one of the weaker sides the Premier League team will face in this competition.<\/p>\n READ:\u00a0Arsenal top, Wolves bottom, Liverpool being sh*t and other inevitable things we should have seen coming<\/a><\/p>\n Summer signings James McAtee and\u00a0Arnaud Kalimuendo were handed rare starts, with Dyche laying down the gauntlet to his players minutes before kick-off:<\/p>\n \u201cWe had a good win in this competition against Porto. We come away from that performance and had a really good performance against Man United. A lot of injuries, a lot of challenges with the group, but we think we have a good squad and there\u2019s a chance for them to show themselves tonight with the changes.\u201d<\/p>\n Unfortunately for Dyche and Forest, most did not take this \u201cchance\u201d as the visitors were sorely lacking inspiration in attack in a rather dull chess match.<\/p>\n Forest\u2019s raised confidence under Dyche was evident from the first minute as their players zipped the ball around freely and were undeterred by the intimidating atmosphere at the Merkur Arena before their momentum waned.<\/p>\n McAtee should have converted a smart free-kick routine in the opening ten minutes as he dragged a shot wide. This moment was symbolic of his failing and poorly thought-out transfer to Forest; he was otherwise wasteful from a wide position and was comfortably overshadowed by Neco Williams, who was comfortably their best player, before being taken off with 25 minutes left after picking up cramp.<\/p>\n Kalimuendo, who was also withdrawn due to cramp, did nothing to stake his case and will inevitably drop back down the pecking order once Forest\u2019s other preferred forwards are back fit, while Gibbs-White will be disappointed with his ineffective display before Thomas Tuchel announces his latest England squad.<\/p>\n Gibbs-White is by far and away Forest\u2019s star man, but this was a match to forget for the Englishman (and everyone else, really) as he easily lost possession, made the wrong decisions and had a penalty saved as he was dragged down by the overall lack of cohesion with this makeshift side. At this rate, he will soon be out of the Three Lions squad and could even be replaced by Jude Bellingham tomorrow.<\/a><\/p>\n Other than Gibbs-White\u2019s saved penalty, Forest\u2019s best chance came via Ryan Yates as he had a header cleared off the line, but neither side, barring the visitors hitting the bar late on, created anything of note in the second half as it fizzled out into a disappointing goalless draw.<\/p>\n Dyche\u2019s head space was evidenced by Gibbs-White being replaced by Murillo with ten minutes remaining, with the head coach\u2019s team selection and their injury issues indicating that they could really have done without this game three days before Sunday\u2019s huge match against Leeds United.<\/p>\n The new Forest boss will rightly not be best pleased with the performances of his back-up players and he should be praying for the speedy return of his key men as this current group are well off it.<\/p>\n Dyche has plenty of work to do in the coming weeks\/months, but Forest are certainly far better placed to progress in this competition and move clear of the relegation zone with their pragmatic current boss than Postecoglou.<\/p>\n