Title: “Reset and React: Mentality Shift at Forest Under Dyche After Postecoglou Exit”
It was a telling moment for Nottingham Forest — not just the scoreline, but the manner in which it was achieved. On a Sunday at the City Ground, Forest swept aside Leeds United 3-1 to claim their first Premier League win since the departure of Ange Postecoglou. The statement from new boss Sean Dyche? A refreshed mentality is now in place.
Postecoglou’s time at Forest was brief and troubled. Appointed in early September, his reign lasted only eight games, and ended after a 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea F.C. when the club moved swiftly. He left without registering a single win. (Sky Sports) That abrupt ending exposed not just poor results but an atmosphere of unrest that required immediate change.
Enter Dyche. With his reputation for organisation and defensive resilience, he inherited a squad low on confidence and high on expectation. Sunday’s win marked his first Premier League victory in charge — and just as importantly, it signalled something deeper. Forest went behind inside 15 minutes — a sloppy goal from Lukas Nmecha — but responded immediately. From that moment the tone shifted. (Reuters)
Ibrahim Sangaré equalised swiftly, Morgan Gibbs-White put them ahead, and a stoppage-time penalty from Elliot Anderson sealed the deal. The significance lies less in the goals and more in how they were scored: with composure, belief and a sense of self-control that had been missing.
Dyche himself was honest and direct: “It’s a sign of the mentality changing … We were on a run of one loss in five now … It’s good to get that winning feeling back.” (Reuters) But he also added the caveat: “All right gets you nothing if you want to achieve things… We push for more than all right.” That line perhaps best captures the challenge ahead — the win is a start, not the destination.
What does this win mean in the bigger picture? For one, it ends a nine-game league winless streak dating back to August. (SuperSport) It nudges Forest off the immediate worry of zero wins under the new regime, and more importantly, creates a platform. The underlying sign is that the players seem to have bought into something new.
The turnaround needed to be about mentality because the squad — from recent transfers to senior figures — seemed adrift under Postecoglou. Reports flagged that his attacking blueprint didn’t translate quickly enough, and the defence leaked too easily. (manchesterabove.com) Under Dyche, there seems to be a simpler core: defend with support, react when needed, and above all, believe the outcome is within their control.
Still, the road ahead is far from smooth for Forest. Their standing remains perilous — they are still bottom third of the Premier League table, and win or no win, the margin for error is tiny. Dyche’s message acknowledges that: culture shift takes time. Instilling the determination to “push for more” is easier said than done at the highest level.
For supporters and observers, the win over Leeds is more than three points. It is evidence that the appointment — and the reset — may be working. The question now is: can Forest translate this new mindset into consistency? Can they sustain that mental edge week in, week out when the fixtures become tougher, the pressure rises, and the lapses creep in?
If Sunday was any guide, then yes — they have a direction. The players, under Dyche’s leadership, showed hunger where previously there was frustration, and resilience where previously there was resignation. For Nottingham Forest, the era after Postecoglou may well be defined not by a change of personnel, but by a change of mindset — one which, on this day, finally began to bear fruit.
