Nottingham Forest’s set-piece problems are continuing to prove to be an issue after they conceded two early goals against Danish minnows FC Midtjylland in the Europa League on Thursday.
Ange Postecoglou’s side were 1-0 down in the 18th minute at the City ground when a free kick into the penalty area was allowed to bounce, with Ousmane Diao getting ahead of Neco Williams to head in.
Dan Ndoye levelled things up soon after, netting after 22 minutes, but the set piece problem reared its ugly head again two minutes on from that.
Forest were then hoping to kick on and try and take the lead, but, mere seconds after equalising, they conceded from a corner with the hosts unable to deal with the cross and Mads Bech Sorensen getting the final touch.
Postecoglou is yet to win a game in charge since taking over from Nuno Espirito Santo last month. Omar Alderete’s winner in the defeat by Sunderland at the weekend also came from a set piece, with the side struggling to defend dead ball deliveries under the Australian.
And fans took to social media to mock the former Spurs boss, who has had a hard time of things at the City Ground thus far.
Ange Postecoglou was mocked on social media as Nottingham Forest conceded two first half goals from set pieces on Thursday
Mads Bech Sorensen scored the second of Danish minnows FC Midtjylland’s first half goals
A fuming Evangelos Marinakis watched on as Ange Postecoglou’s side left the field to boos at half time
‘An Ange Postecoglou side shipping in goals on corner and playing injured central defenders. Who would have seen that coming?’ one fan posted.
Another added: ‘Nottingham Forest conceding from set pieces. I’m shocked. SHOCKED.’
A third wrote: ‘Might be time for Postecoglou to start thinking about a set piece coach…’
Murillo, who has only just returned from injury, was seen hobbling in the first half, and was withdrawn after just 28 minutes,
At half time, meanwhile, the side was met by boos in front of a fuming owner in Evangelos Marinakis, who made the decision to get rid of Nuno and appoint his friend, Postecoglou.
Forest were without a win in five matches going into the game, which included games against Championship club Swansea and newly promoted Burnley and Sunderland.
They also conceded 10 goals conceded in those games, with only four scored. It’s not been the new manager bounce they hoped for when the Australian was appointed.
After sitting in the top four for much of last season, Forest are 17th with five points from their opening six games, and supporters are understandably starting to feel a little anxious.
After the heavy spending in the summer and the sacking of Nuno, they wonder when things will turn for the better under Postecoglou – if they will at all.
As revealed by Daily Mail Sport’s Tom Collomosse, Marinakis wants to take Forest into the Champions League and winning the Europa League is the quickest way to get there.
They drew their first match, though, against Real Betis, and found themselves up against it versus Midtjylland on Thursday.
Fans continued to pile in on social media, too. Another wrote of Postecoglou: ‘In all my years of watching football, I have never ever seen a team defend set pieces as bad as under an Ange Postecoglou side.
‘It’s actually utterly frightening.’
A second posted: ‘No matter how much of an idiot you feel for something silly or embarrassing, just remember you didn’t sack Nuno Espirito Santo and replace him with Ange Postecoglou.
