The Magpies' Bruno Guimarães Compounds Postecoglou's Growing Crisis at Nottingham Forest
Forest's manager walked for the tunnel with a puzzled expression, gaze fixed on the ground. Following 7 games as manager with no victories, his prospects seemed as murky as thick mist over the river.
While the home side were far from their dominant form, second-half strikes from Bruno Guimarães and Nick Woltemade—Woltemade's a spot-kick—ultimately earned them a restorative another Premier League win of the season.
At kick-off, Postecoglou's padded anorak swaddled him similar to a blanket, but the Australian's restless gestures indicated it offered no solace.
No coat could shield him from the fear that his winless beginning by the Trent—taking over as the first manager in 100 years without a win in his opening six games—would continue before a likely dismissal over the international break.
And yet, his side did not do too badly during a tight at the back first half.
Although the young midfielder at times outshone even the Italian star in the center, reminding everyone why Eddie Howe was so reluctant to let go of the academy product, Nikola Milenkovic contained Woltemade out of the game, and the winger caused the full-back difficulties down the home left.
In fairness to the forward, who received little service in the air or on the ground, his team's attacking play was not quite clicking.
Admittedly, it took a fine fingertip save from the Forest goalkeeper—ex- Newcastle shot-stopper—to keep out Joelinton header, and the player failed to convert a couple opportunities, but generally, the visitors' defending was significantly better.
Considering it is barely a month since Postecoglou replaced his predecessor and matches have come in quick succession, leaving minimal time to implement his theories on the training ground, all the speculation of an impending sack seemed faintly ridiculous.
Or at least it did until Guimarães curled a right-foot shot past Sels and into the upper net from just outside the area.
That saw the manager looking dismayed in clear despair, with the pained expression of a man who had misplaced his house keys.
The Forest squad complained about a perceived foul on their playmaker by Guimarães in the buildup, but their protests were ignored by the officials.
With Tonali now dominant in midfield, the youngster was not the only away player being put in his place.
By now, the coach had thrown off his anorak and pushed up the arms of his sweater. As Forest rarely looking capable of finding the net and the hosts threatening to break down their earlier improved defensive organisation, he was clearly feeling the heat.
There was a further fine stop from the goalkeeper to keep out the midfielder's volleyed cross-shot, before the resultant corner prefaced the striker's half-volley crashing the underside of the bar.
The keeper then made an excellent double save from the defender and Harvey Barnes before finally being beaten again by a penalty by Woltemade.
The penalty was given when the midfielder's poorly timed challenge sent the Brazilian crashing to the ground.
Up stepped, the German striker to beat the goalie by chipping a quite bold penalty into the top left corner.
It was his 4th strike for Newcastle since his £70m move from the German side in the summer, making a mockery of comments from officials at the German giants that the Magpies were “idiots” to pay so heavily for the centre-forward.
It wasn't Woltemade's best game in black and white, but his skill to hold the ball up and use his adhesive touch to link play is already making him a fan favorite on in Newcastle.