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EPL Nikola Milenkovic, left, and Morgan Gibbs-White are yet to hit the heights of last season (Getty Images) The tide of change has rarely swept in so emphatically at Nottingham Forest. Ange Postecoglou — who replaced the sacked Nuno Espirito Santo last month — has arrived with a very different philosophy, including a different playing style, varied formations and a different set of expectations for his players. Advertisement It is difficult to recall a more significant change in dynamic between two managers at the club. It has meant a period of huge adjustment in a short space of time, and seven games into his tenure, the former Celtic and Tottenham Hotspur manager is still looking for his first win at his new club. The squad have worked hard to acclimatise amid an intense flurry of fixtures, but as Forest prepare to return to action after the international break with two huge home games against Chelsea and Porto, who are the players who have had to adjust the most to life under Postecoglou? And who are the players the manager must find a way to get the most out of, in the same way his predecessor did? The Athletic takes a look. The Serbian has been one of the best signings of Forest’s modern era. Since joining from Fiorentina for a modest £11million ($14. 7m) in July 2024, he has established himself as a formidable and reliable defender and the perfect partner for Murillo. Milenkovic is a pure defender, a man with a physical presence who also possesses an excellent understanding of the game, which helps him win the ball, whether it is in the air or on the ground. Murillo, in contrast, is a ball-playing Brazilian, the man who is happy to carry it out from the back. But when Postecoglou was appointed, many people asked the same question: how would Milenkovic adapt to the high line that the former Tottenham manager favours? Pace is not one of Milenkovic’s many assets, but this is not the first time the 27-year-old has had the same question levelled at him. When Vincenzo Italiano took over from Rafaele Palladino at Fiorentina, it inspired a similar change in football philosophy. Italiano’s high line and intensive pressing style helped Fiorentina to consecutive UEFA Conference League finals — all with Milenkovic at the heart of their back four. Advertisement “When Italiano came, I adapted really quickly. So I hope everything will be fine with the new coach, ” said Milenkovic, speaking ahead of the Europa League game at Real Betis. “It is no secret that we are playing in a different way than before. We are, for sure, higher up the pitch. We try to control the game more, with possession. With time, we will be better. ” Milenkovic has had to adjust to a philosophy that demands he has more of the ball. Last season, he averaged 23 completed passes per 90 minutes in 37 Premier League appearances. He has averaged 48. 7 completed passes per 90 in seven league games this season, which included three under Nuno, who was himself hoping to evolve Forest into a side that could have more possession. So far, while Postecoglou’s tactics demand more from him, Milenkovic has still looked relatively comfortable, even at a time when Murillo has been sidelined with injury. The Belgian international won the Golden Glove last year, along with Arsenal’s David Raya, after keeping 13 clean sheets in the Premier League. He is yet to keep a single clean sheet under Postecoglou, although that is a reflection of the team, rather than Sels, as Forest look to adjust to a high-risk, attack-minded strategy. But Postecoglou’s arrival has meant a serious period of adjustment for the goalkeeper, perhaps more than anyone else in the side — and not just because he is facing more shots. Sels has faced an average of 5. 29 shots per 90, which is the second most in the Premier League, behind Martin Dubravka of Burnley (5. 71). That is an increase on the 4. 34 shots per 90 he faced on average at Forest last season. Sels’ save percentage has actually gone up, from 73. 9 to 75. 7. Where there has been a drastic change is in what is expected of the 33-year-old Sels on the ball. Under Postecoglou, he is very much the starting point of playing the ball out from the back, often while being closed down. Advertisement The average distance on Sels’ goal kicks this season has been 25. 6 yards, which is the shortest of any goalkeeper in the division. Last season, it was 54. 3 yards. The average length of his passes in general has gone down from 44. 7 yards to 35. 3 yards. But, while there have been the occasional nervy moments, Sels has also thrived under pressure. More than once against Newcastle United last weekend, he picked out Morgan Gibbs-White with some precise, driven balls out to the right. One, which saw Gibbs-White control brilliantly on his chest, before exchanging a one-two with Ryan Yates and then rampaging down the right flank, saw him carve out a chance for Chris Wood with an enticing cross. It has been a challenging few months for the midfielder, who was persuaded to reject interest from Tottenham and sign a new contract following face-to-face talks with Evangelos Marinakis during Forest’s training camp in Portugal. This came against the backdrop of Gibbs-White, 25, having a second child, with his fiancée having endured complications during her pregnancy. Football will have been of secondary importance. But, since the season has started, he has seen a manager he had formed a strong bond with — in Nuno — depart. While the No 10 role he often favoured has not always existed under Postecoglou. Gibbs-White has frequently found himself playing on the right side of the attacking three, within a 4-3-3 formation, or even within a 3-4-3, as was the case against Newcastle. Since the change at Forest, Gibbs-White has not always looked like himself. There were flashes of what he is capable of in Seville during the 2-2 draw with Real Betis and again, in isolated moments, at St James’ Park. His two assists under Postecoglou have both come in the two European games. His one Premier League assist was in the 3-1 win over Brentford on the opening day. Advertisement Under Nuno, Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson were consistently the two most important, most influential players. That continues to be the case for Anderson, but Postecoglou must find a way to get Gibbs-White back to his best. Last season, the New Zealand international became the first 20-goal striker Forest have had in a top-flight campaign since Stan Collymore in 1994-95, as they secured an unexpected seventh-place finish. The stat that underlines just how ruthless a finisher he was is that his expected goals (x G) figure for the season was just 13. 4. He overachieved on his x G by more than six goals because he rarely missed when he shot. Nuno infused the former Burnley and Newcastle player with supreme levels of confidence. Postecoglou, in fairness, has had barely a month to work with the 33-year-old, who is one of the 12 senior internationals currently away with their countries. The quick impact made by summer signing Igor Jesus from Botafogo has given Wood something he did not really have last season — serious competition for his place. Wood’s one goal under his new manager came from the penalty spot, after he had come off the bench, in the 3-2 loss to Midtjylland. But he should have netted his first Premier League goal under Postecoglou during the 1-0 defeat by Sunderland, only to head wide from the kind of position that you would have put your house on him to score from. Wood thrived in a side where much of the attacking threat came from down the flanks, through Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi. It may take time for him to adapt to playing alongside the likes of Dilane Bakwa, Omari Hutchinson, Dan Ndoye and James Mc Atee, who were all signed this summer to bring their own brand of creativity to the Forest ranks. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle Nottingham Forest writer for The Athletic.

Previously spent 25 years at the Nottingham Post.

Unsurprisingly, Nottingham born and bred. Meet me by the left lion. Follow Paul on Twitter @nottmtails