Nottingham Forest manager Ange Postecoglou acknowledged both the progress and frustrations of his side following a 1-1 draw against fellow relegation strugglers Burnley. Despite seeing his team surrender a lead, the Australian remained upbeat, highlighting the improvements Forest have made since their heavy defeat to Arsenal and midweek League Cup loss to Swansea.
A tough night at Turf Moor
Forest looked determined from the outset, opening the scoring and creating several clear chances to extend their lead. However, Burnley winger Jaidon Anthony struck a late equalizer, cancelling out Forest’s opener and stretching Postecoglou’s Premier League winless streak to nine matches.
For a manager who has lifted silverware across Australia, Japan, Scotland, and England, this represents the longest barren spell of his top-flight career. Nonetheless, Ange Postecoglou refused to let the result overshadow the strides his side has made in recent weeks.
Progress amid disappointment
“It is always a tough game here,” Postecoglou told TheBBC. “From seven days ago from when we played Arsenal, we look a different team and we saw elements of that on Wednesday night too. I am disappointed but, at the same time, the progress in our play is the most positive thing for me.”
While Forest created ample opportunities to claim all three points, they were repeatedly denied by a resilient Burnley goalkeeper. Ange Postecoglou emphasized that the problem was not a lack of creativity but occasional lapses in concentration that allowed the home side to gain traction.
“We lost a certain amount of control but disappointed we didn't take all three points,” he added. “We had a couple of sloppy moments and it allowed them to get a bit of traction in the game. We still created enough chances to win the game.”
Eyes on the Europa League
Looking ahead, Postecoglou will return to a competition where he has enjoyed considerable success: the Europa League. Forest face Real Betis in midweek, providing the Australian with a chance to end his winless streak in continental football and showcase his pedigree.
"I'm really looking forward to it," Postecoglou said. "It'll be great for this group of players. I have three years of experience in the Europa League. Last year went well but it'll be great for these players."
Building a revival
For Nottingham Forest, the draw represents progress without immediate reward. Ange Postecoglou’s focus on development and maintaining belief in his project underlines his commitment to turning frustration into long-term revival. If his philosophy holds, Forest’s journey could soon shift from promise to tangible success.