December 18th 2025.
Sean Dyche and Tony Pulis were often criticized for their style of play in the past, but it seems that the tides have turned and their approach is now in fashion across the Premier League. It must have been a satisfying moment for Dyche earlier this season when he noticed an increase in the number of long throws and dangerous inswinging corners throughout the league. As a manager who has faced criticism for his defensive and structured style of play, he must have felt vindicated to see his tactics being embraced by other teams.
Despite the criticism, Dyche has always stayed true to his philosophy of effectiveness over aesthetics. Whether it's through long balls or short passes, he believes in doing whatever it takes to get results on the pitch. Welcome back to In The Mixer, where this week we'll be discussing Dyche's impact at Nottingham Forest, the potential mistake Ruben Amorim could make at Manchester United, reader opinions on Mo Salah's future, and the history of substitutions.
Sign up now to receive exclusive analysis, transfer updates, and much more. It's been quite a journey for Dyche, who was out of a job back in August. Little did he know that this season would be dominated by set pieces, direct passing, and physical midfield battles. It truly was a case of bad timing for him. But thanks to the football gods, Ange Postecoglou came to the rescue. The Aussie manager shook things up at Nottingham Forest, completely changing their style of play from the successful one they had last season. However, this experiment didn't work out, and Forest quickly turned to Dyche for help.
Dyche's predecessor tried to make changes too quickly, and it didn't go well. But Dyche, with his vast experience, knows what it takes to succeed in the Premier League. He understands the statistics, the demands, the passing lanes, and the passing lines. These are the things he's trying to instill in his players, and it seems to be working. The Premier League truly missed Sean Dyche, and his first press conference as the Nottingham Forest boss was a breath of fresh air. His passion and banter were on full display, and he even compared football to fashion in a hilarious way.
Since taking over, Dyche has led Forest to seven wins out of twelve matches, including victories against Tottenham and Liverpool. They've also put themselves in a good position to qualify for the knockout stages of the Europa League. This is quite an achievement for a manager who was let go by Everton just last January. While the new manager bounce may wear off eventually, there's hope for Forest fans that Dyche is the perfect man for the job, especially in a season where his style of play seems to be the perfect fit.
One area where Forest will need to improve is their set piece record. Surprisingly, since Dyche took over, they haven't relied heavily on set pieces for goals. In fact, only six out of their 21 goals under his management have come from penalties or dead ball situations. This is in contrast to the start of the season, where they struggled to score from set pieces. Improving this record will be crucial for Dyche's success at the City Ground.
As we look at the Premier League as a whole, we see that teams like Arsenal and Manchester United have scored the most goals from set pieces, while Chelsea and Leeds are close behind. On the other hand, teams like Liverpool and Wolves have struggled in this area. However, with the quality of players like Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson at his disposal, there's no reason why Dyche can't lead Forest to success this season, possibly even securing a spot in the Champions League.
Of course, Dyche's relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis will be a crucial factor in his success at Forest. The Greek businessman has made it clear that he wants Champions League football, and it will be up to Dyche to deliver it. While his focus has been on stabilizing the team, he has the potential to achieve great things with this squad. Other teams in the league will be watching closely, and who knows, maybe we'll see managers like Sam Allardyce or Tony Pulis being brought back into the fold if Dyche proves to be a success.
However, if things don't work out, the inevitable clash between Dyche and Marinakis on the pitch will be must-see TV. But for now, let's enjoy the success that Dyche has brought to Forest and hope for an even brighter future with him at the helm. Have your say and leave a comment below. And don't forget to add Metro as a preferred source on Google for all the latest updates on the world of football.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
