Nottingham Forest vs. Chelsea: The End of ‘Big Ange’? | OneFootball

The Premier League returns this weekend and the pressure is on Ange Postecoglou to get a result. The heat is on and not only to kickstart Nottingham Forest’s lacklustre start to the season, but for the Australian’s own future at the club after failing to land a single win since replacing Nuno Espírito Santo.

Forest welcome Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea to the City Ground for the first match of the post-International break weekend. Both sides are coming off the back of contrasting results last time out. The Blues dramatically stole victory from under Champions Liverpool’s noses thanks to Brazilian wonderkid Estevão’s 95th minute strike, whilst an ever-improving Newcastle United comfortably beat Postecoglou’s men.

Chasing An Unwanted Record

It was only 9 September when ‘Big Ange’ took charge, but the 60-year-old’s start to life in Nottingham could not have started much worse. The Australian is tied at seven winless games, an unwanted club record matching previous record holder John Baynes. Baynes went without a victory between August and September 1925. A full century ago. Anything but a win on Saturday will take Ange out in front.

Nottingham Forest’s Last 10 Matches (includes Europa League). Source: Sofascore

Fingers will be pointed at the polar opposite styles of plays Postecoglou and his predecessor Nuno Espírito Santo had. The Portuguese’s counterattacking style squeezed the best out of the likes of Chris Wood and Callum Hudson-Odoi last season. Tellingly, these two players have underperformed and are yet to kick on this campaign.

Ange’s Verbal Defense

But Postecoglou is not a man who minces his words. Much like his time at Tottenham, his at-times spikey responses have become what to expect when the pressure hits boiling point. The Aussie cannot be faulted for his commitment to turning things around at the club, and he came out fighting to the media after the 2-0 defeat at Newcastle.

“It seems these days as soon as something goes wrong, it’s right, that’s it, it’s wrong, we’ll change it,” he said. “Everything that needs something fixed is invariably going to go through a tough time.

“I see it being an exciting opportunity. That’s why I took the role. I still believe that now, more so than ever before. At the same time, you’ve got to embrace there’s going to be a fight and a struggle for it.”

Right now, Forest is a club divided. Gone are the celebrations of last season when they returned to European football in 30 years and a seventh-placed league finish. In its place are disgruntled fans, who have already been taunting ‘Big Ange’ with chants of  ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning.’  They are demanding answers for a sudden backwards step when clear progression had been made under Nuno.

Hosting an Unwanted Adversary

If Ange thinks an upturn is on the horizon, then facing Chelsea could have come at the worst possible time.

Their record stands at one win in their last eight matches against the Blues, a 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge in October 2023. Maresca’s side have won three of their last four visits to the City Ground. Ange himself is yet to taste victory against the west Londoners, losing all four encounters whilst the Spurs boss. A fifth defeat will see him join esteemed company. Rafa Benitez, Mick McCarthy, Owen Coyle and Tony Pulis are the only other managers to lose their first five games to Chelsea.

With rumours continuing to circulate regarding his future, Postecoglou’s might already be out of his hands. It would not come as a shock given the Australian is Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis’ eighth permanent boss since he took over the club in 2017. That said, his departure would be another nail in the coffin of public opinion of the Greek’s roller-coaster reign at the Midlands side.

The Postecoglou era could be over before it truly has begun.