Gibbs-White Highlights Nottingham Forest’s Renewed Identity Under Pereira
Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White believes the team displayed a “real identity” in their first match under new manager Vitor Pereira, a resounding 3-0 victory over Fenerbahçe in the first leg of their Europa League playoff round. The win marked a positive start to Pereira’s tenure, his first game in charge after becoming Forest’s fourth manager of the season.
Pereira’s Immediate Impact
Goals from Murillo, Igor Jesus, and Gibbs-White himself propelled Forest to a decisive win in Istanbul. Gibbs-White, speaking to TNT Sports, suggested the performance was a departure from recent form, stating, “I felt like we had a real identity out there today.” He emphasized Pereira’s message of establishing a clear playing and defensive style for the team.
“I think his message to us is that we’re going to have a real identity of how we play and how we defend as a team,” Gibbs-White explained. “I feel like him and his staff have brought a real positive energy into the group and we’ve all bought into what he wants straight away. And I think that’s the most important thing, buying into each other and understanding each other.”
Building Confidence and Team Unity
Gibbs-White highlighted the importance of team unity, noting, “I think we’ve got a little bit of that already and I think we showed out there abundance today. So, it’s about keeping learning off each other. Retain learning and then taking it game by game.”
The victory puts Nottingham Forest in a strong position to advance to the last-16, where they could face Real Betis or Midtjylland, barring a significant reversal in the second leg at the City Ground. Pereira’s primary objective remains ensuring Forest’s Premier League survival, and this initial performance offers a boost of confidence heading into their upcoming match against Liverpool.
Pereira’s Vision for Forest
Pereira himself expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, emphasizing the quality of the players and their willingness to express themselves on the pitch. He believes that with organization and confidence, Forest can reach a high level of play.
“The quality of the players [I liked the most]. I asked them to express themselves on the pitch. They did it,” Pereira said. “I realised before I came that the players have a lot of quality. They need results but they need to enjoy the game. If they enjoy the way they are playing they can have a high level. They need just organisation and confidence.”
He remains optimistic about Forest’s chances, stating, “Of course I am [confident]. We will try match by match to win the next match. It will be very difficult. It is not easy to reach here and score three goals and not concede a goal. Next game will be a different game and we need to be consistent.”