Ange Postecoglou admitted his Nottingham Forest players became “too comfortable” as they crashed out of the Carabao Cup in stunning fashion at the Swansea.com Stadium.
Two first half goals from Igor Jesus had given Forest full control of their third round tie, only for the Championship side to mount a remarkable stoppage time fightback. Cameron Burgess pulled one back, Zan Vipotnik equalised, and Burgess struck again deep into added time to secure Swansea City’s place in the last sixteen.
“We had to finish them off and we had plenty of opportunities to do that, and a couple of decisions didn’t go our way,” said Postecoglou. “I think the lads got a bit comfortable in that moment and you’ve got to know the warning signs. Players just thought it would naturally finish that way and we’ve paid a heavy price for that. We need to improve.”
Familiar defensive issues
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This defeat marked the second successive match in which Forest conceded three goals under Postecoglou, who replaced Nuno Espirito Santo earlier this month. His reign had begun with a league loss to Arsenal, and once again his side looked vulnerable defensively when it mattered most.
“Tonight was a great opportunity for us to progress in a cup and give ourselves an opportunity to that success, and to let it slip is hugely disappointing,” Postecoglou said. “But it doesn’t change anything, we understand some of the things we have to work on.”
While Forest displayed flashes of the attacking football associated with Postecoglou’s style, lapses in concentration cost them dearly. For supporters hoping to see his philosophy take hold quickly, this was another painful lesson.
Swansea City’s late show
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For Swansea City, this comeback was a reminder of their own pedigree in cup football, having lifted the competition in 2013. The South Wales crowd witnessed an unforgettable finale as their team overturned a two goal deficit against Premier League opposition.
Postecoglou conceded that Forest should never have allowed the tie to slip away so dramatically. “We should have seen it out better than we did,” he said. “You can look at positives with some of the performances, but ultimately the overriding factor is that we’re out of cup competition when we really should have progressed. There were some promising performances but all that fades away when you realise we missed an opportunity to progress.”
Focus shifts to Premier League
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Forest must now regroup ahead of a crucial league clash with Burnley. For Postecoglou, the scrutiny will intensify after opening his tenure with back to back defeats. Yet the manager was clear that attention should not be centred on him personally.
“That’s OK, it’s not about me, it’s about the club. It’s about us progressing and creating an environment where we can have real success,” he said.
With defensive frailties exposed and an early exit from the Carabao Cup confirmed, Nottingham Forest face the challenge of finding consistency. Postecoglou’s task is to turn fleeting promise into tangible results, starting with the weekend trip to Turf Moor.