Vitor Pereira has suggested that Nottingham Forest will ditch the pragmatism under his management, with Omari Hutchinson and Callum Hudson-Odoi likely to benefit.
Forest were mesmerising for 45 minutes against Fenerbahce, and even in the second half, with the game out of sight, the Reds continued probing to really kill off the tie.
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Both Hudson-Odoi and Hutchinson were vastly improved in Turkey, with Pereira keen to get his wingers in possession of the ball in more dangerous areas.
His comments when quizzed on his style of play after Thursday’s big win will surely be music to the ears of Hutchinson, Hudson-Odoi and even the wingers waiting in the wings for a chance too.
The new head coach of Nottingham Forest - Vitor Pereira
Photo by Adem Kutucu/Anadolu via Getty Images
Vitor Pereira reveals style of play plans at Forest
The Portuguese head coach has made an immediate impact at the City Ground even before he’s taken charge of a Premier League match.
After an abysmal period in terms of performances under Dyche, Pereira let the shackles off in midweek and the Forest players seemed to immediately buy into the strategy.
Hutchinson and Hudson-Odoi could be the two main beneficiaries of Pereira, at least if what he’s said about his attacking options after the Fenerbahce win is anything to go by.
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Pereira said on TNT Sports: “Football for me, we need to play as a team and with a true spirit. We need to play with organisation, which allows the players to express themselves.
“That’s why I tell them to go one v one, believe in themselves, cross in the box, appear in the box to score and believe you can score. When you lose the ball, it’s important to be aggressive, to be balanced and if possible, organised and impactful. The team must know the right moment to press, because you cannot press every time.”
Hutchinson and Hudson-Odoi deserve a run of games
Far too often, Dyche would worry more about the opposition and not enough about getting his team to produce positive performances out on the pitch.
Now, it’s time that Pereira stuck with two wingers so chemistry can develop with the likes of Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White in the final third.
Hudson-Odoi needs to get more goals and assists for a player of his quality, and he’s only going to do that if he gets the chance to keep playing week in and week out.
As for Hutchinson, he’s been a bit of a slow burner at Forest, but when he cuts in on his trusty left foot, the chances of him whipping in a dangerous ball are very high.
It’s great to hear a proper head coach now talk about playing positive football and although it won’t always work, it does feel as though Pereira will be better suited to this group of players than Dyche was.
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