Ipswich Town view given on 'bizarre' Omari Hutchinson situation at Nottingham Forest | OneFootball

FLW's Ipswich Town fan pundit has been discussing Omari Hutchinson's slow start to life as a Nottingham Forest player.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Omari Hutchinson hasn't hit the ground running as a Nottingham Forest player following his £37.5m transfer from Ipswich Town in the summer.

Neither Nottingham Forest nor Ipswich Town have quite had the start to their respective 2025/26 Premier League and Championship campaigns that they were hoping for.

Forest sacked Nuno Espirito Santo just three games into the new season, replacing him with ex-Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, but the 60-year-old has gone winless in his first seven games in charge at The City Ground and is now under major pressure too.

Meanwhile, results have begun to pick up for Ipswich Town after failing to win any of their opening four second tier encounters, with three wins from their last four now seeing Kieran McKenna's side sitting ninth in the table.

The Tractor Boys did wave goodbye to a number of their star players over the summer though, with the likes of Nathan Broadhead, Sam Morsy, Liam Delap, Cameron Burgess and Massimo Luongo all departing Portman Road.

Another of the high-profile exits was Hutchinson, who after two breakthrough years in Suffolk and having starred for England at the Under-21 European Championships, was able to land a big-money move to Nottingham Forest.

However, at the October international break stage of the season, the versatile 21-year-old attacking midfielder has made just four Premier League appearances, culminating in zero starts and just 52 minutes of top-flight action so far.

As such, he's yet to receive his big chance with Forest, and hasn't won a place in the starting XI either.

Adam said: "I think when Omari first went, Forest had just sold Anthony Elanga and had space on the wings for him to play, and it looked like a good move for all parties.

"But then they added a lot of players towards the end of the transfer window. Dan Ndoye came in, and then they added Arnaud Kalimuendo as well.

"It just feels like, maybe Hutchinson was their back-up target, and then they got those extra players in. Then he wasn't registered for the Europa League squad, which would've made the most sense to get him game time.

"It's all just a bit bizarre to me. He's definitely got the ability and the quality: we've seen that in the Championship, and actually, the Forest fans I think have seen it in the small appearances and cameos he's been given coming off the bench.

"Last week, he almost set up a couple of goals, and if Chris Wood could've headed straight, I'm pretty sure he would've got his first assist in the Premier League.

"So yes, I am a little surprised that he's not made as many appearances so far, or had any starts, but I think if he keeps putting the work in, in training and showing what he can do off the bench, then those will hopefully come."

Nottingham Forest desperation could provide fertile ground for Omari Hutchinson opportunity

With their backs against the wall at this moment in time, Postecoglou is seemingly running out of time already to turn things around at The City Ground.

That might be no bad thing for Hutchinson either, as this ever-increasing pressure to crack the code with this group of players may mean the Australian is more willing to roll the dice with his team selections in the hope of winning big results.

As such, Hutchinson's big Forest opportunity may come knocking after the October international break is over, with the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi and James McAtee both struggling for form at the moment as well.

So often in these kinds of situation, all it can take is one stroke of individual genius to claim three points, and begin to turn the tide for both the manager and the team, and Hutchinson certainly is capable of the spectacular.

Ipswich supporters came to love the young attacker for his fearlessness in possession, dazzling feet and the ability to turn defenders inside out, before expertly finishing the move with a goal himself, or providing for a teammate instead.

Nottingham Forest will know that he's capable of creating something out of nothing; that's why they splashed a club-record £37.5m fee on him, and now feels like the perfect time to truly put their faith in him, and unleash him on Premier League opposition from the off.