It has been a hectic 24 hours or so for Nottingham Forest. The East Midlands side have a new manager, with Ange Postecoglou now at the helm after sacking former boss Nuno Espirito Santo following a successful stint that lasted almost 18 months.

The Australian manager is back in the game after a short time away, following his dismissal from Tottenham Hotspur at the end of last season. That was despite the Europa League victory, which saw him guide Spurs to their first trophy since 2007/08.

Forest, a defensively sound and counter-attacking side under Nuno, will see what one analyst described as a “drastic shift" in style. Postecoglou is famed for his high line and intense counter pressing, a huge difference in approach.

With that in mind, here is a look at the Australian manager’s dream Forest side ahead of his new role at the City Ground....

1 GK - Matz Sels

It seems highly likely that Belgian goalkeeper Matz Sels will keep his place as Forest’s number one despite the change of manager. He was an integral part of Nuno’s side, keeping 13 clean sheets and conceding just 46 times in 38 Premier League games last season.

This term has not been quite the start he might have wanted. Sels has already let in five goals in just three appearances, but with a good campaign under his belt, there is little reason to think Postecoglou will drop him from the side.

2 RB - Ola Aina

Another one of Forest’s stars from last season was Nigerian international Ola Aina. The right-back featured 35 times for the club, chipping in with two goals and assisting another on top of that.

Again, it doesn’t seem likely that Forest’s new boss will change such an important player. Jamie Carragher said at the start of 2025 that Aina “could play for a team who expects to be in the Champions League every season”, and with Europa League football now at the City Ground, Postecoglou will surely rely on that quality.

3 CB - Murillo

One half of a formidable centre-back pairing last season, 23-year-old Murillo was part of the reason why Forest were so hard to breach. He’s a fantastic box defender and will put his body on the line to keep the ball out. Indeed, in 2024/25, he averaged 6.7 clearances per 90 minutes.

Yet, there are surely question marks over his suitability to play in Postecoglou’s system in the long term. As we saw at Spurs, the Australian manager loves to push his centre-backs up as high as possible, which can leave them with a lot of running back.

It certainly doesn’t play to Murillo’s biggest strength of defending the box, albeit with the former Corinthians man no slouch in possession, having regularly been seen tearing up the field with a positive dribble and carry.

4 CB - Nikola Milenkovic

Just as there are questions raised about Murillo under Forest’s new manager, much the same can be said about Serbian defender Nikola Milenkovic. Like his defensive partner, he is a top box defender, and made 5.6 clearances each game, but it would be a huge ask to ask him to cover the large spaces he may need to.

Journalist Tom Allnutt said the pair would have to be “hugging the halfway line” under Postecoglou. That is a huge difference to sitting deep and defending the box.

Milenkovic should keep his place in the team, but whether he can keep up with the demands of the system is another question.

5 LB - Oleksandr Zinchenko

The first of Forest’s new signings to get into the team under Postecoglou could be Arsenal loanee Oleksandr Zinchenko. BBC Sport analyst Umir said he is “such a Postecoglu player”, and it is easy to see why.

Pedro Porro was tasked with playing as an inverted full-back under the former Spurs boss, and it is a role Zinchenko knows well. He has played as a midfielder for Manchester City and Arsenal, as well as playing that inverted role.

It seems that, if Postecoglou is to stick with it at Forest, the Ukraine international could be a dream option.

6 CM - Elliot Anderson

There is no doubt that new England star Elliot Anderson has to slot into the side somehow under Postecoglou. Well, that could be as the deepest midfielder, controlling play and looking to break up attacks.

The numbers behind Anderson’s excellent 202/25 season at the City Ground suggest this role could suit him well. He has the technical talent on the ball to keep things ticking over, and had an 82.3% pass accuracy last season.

Out of possession, he averaged four tackles and interceptions. He is the perfect option if Postecoglou wants a controller as his number six.

7 CM - Morgan Gibbs-White

Anderson’s England teammate Morgan Gibbs-White will also be an essential part of this Postecoglou side. His influence on Nuno’s Forest side last season was incomparable, and he scored and assisted 17 Premier League goals.

Ange tends to ask two of his midfielders to push up into the half spaces and operate high up the pitch. Given the fact that Gibbs-White created ten big chances last season, his creative nous fits the bill perfectly.

8 CM - James McAtee

New summer signing James McAtee, who joined from Manchester City, could also fit the bill quite well for one of those advanced midfielders. Despite limited opportunities for his boyhood club in 2024/25, he still impressed with seven goals in 24 games across all competitions.

Last season for Pep Guardiola’s side, he averaged 0.8 key passes per game, and has already played an average of one per game in a Forest shirt. The extra goal threat and creativity between the lines should make McAtee a good option for Postecoglou.

9 RW - Dilane Bakwa

Although he is yet to make his debut for Forest, new £30m signing Dilane Bakwa could be an exciting option out wide for Postecoglou. Described as a “menace” of an attacker by football scout Antonio Mango, he managed 12 goals and 21 assists in 71 games for former club Strasbourg.

The fact he is a true playmaker out wide might pique Postecoglou’s interest when it comes to starting Bakwa, especially since he can play on either flank. However, it would mean fellow new addition Dan Ndoye is dropped, despite scoring and assisting already this season.

10 LW - Callum Hudson-Odoi

Next up in Postecoglou’s dream side for Forest this season is Callum Hudson-Odoi. The former Chelsea star was key for Nuno last term, and chipped in with eight goals and assists in the Premier League.

Under Postecoglou, his creativity in the final third from wide areas will be key, just as it is for Bakwa. Last term, the former Chelsea star averaged 1.5 key passes per 90 minutes, so he has that creative nous from out wide to provide a regular service.