“More or less. I watched the last match [the 4-0 victory against Everton last December when Dyche was in charge], which was one of the first games we won here, and honestly, we were quite fortunate in that match. The score didn’t reflect the game itself. I’ve also seen Dyche’s style in the games he’s managed for Forest against Porto and Bournemouth – there are similarities in play style but also some differences. I took a look at a pre-season match we had with Sporting to better understand his tactics, and it aligns with what he’s doing now. He can shift the players’ roles based on their unique skills, especially with talents like [Morgan] Gibbs-White, [Elliot] Anderson, and [Callum] Hudson-Odoi – they’re all very capable. We must prepare for a different kind of game; against Brighton, we had space to maneuver, but here, that won’t be the case. We need to recognize that our performance varies between home and away games, so we must enhance our ability to manage the atmosphere, especially since each tackle resonates strongly with the opposing fans. We aim to perform better in away matches. We’re ready for a challenging game.”
Good afternoon, Ruben. Amad and Bryan Mbeumo have developed a strong bond both on and off the pitch. What do you think of their relationship, and how do you plan for their absence when they leave for AFCON next month?
“We have time to deal with that. We know we’ll face some difficulties, but it will also create opportunities for others. When I observe training, I see players who deserve to be on the pitch. It’s tough to remove players from the lineup when they’re performing well in both training and matches. Other players will get the chance to step up and contribute; they are starting to grasp our desired playing style. If we continue to improve, the change in personnel won’t disrupt the team’s momentum or overall strategy. We’ll utilize Amad and Bryan while they’re with us and reassess our situation in January.”
