Oliver Glasner - The Deep Dive - Part 4

In this fourth part of my deep dive into Forest's new Head Coach, we'll look at how the existing squad might (or might not) fit into Glasner's usual system.

This is the fourth part in a series that will analyse how Glasner will fit at Forest. This post is available to paid subscribers, please consider a subscription to support my work. You can read Part 1 here, Part 2 here, and Part 3 here! Thanks!

Glasner’s Preferred System

If you’ve read the previous parts in this series (and even if you haven’t!), you’ll be familiar by now that we’re all expecting the Austrian to set Forest up in a shape that will start with 3 centre backs, 2 wing backs, and 2 holding midfielders.

After that, it’s a little up in the air as to whether we’ll see him go with with the two “10s” behind a striker, one “10” behind two strikers, or maybe even 2 inverted wingers.

The Centre Backs

There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that Glasner’s preferred system suits Murillo almost perfectly. Playing on the left of the back 3, he’ll be given a licence to be a little bit higher on the ball and far more involved in Forest’s build up.

Remember, in my last piece & recently on an appearance on Forest Focus, I explained how Glasner’s LCB at Palace were more heavily involved in open play build up than any other centre back in the Premier League.

Murillo’s data profile matches up really well with Marc Guehi - Glasner’s preferred choice & captain until he was sold to Man City in the winter window. Guehi is a right footer, so with Murillo providing some real balance on that side of the pitch, he could be in for a big season in all phases of play.

If the club decide to keep hold of him, this is probably good news for Morato whenever he is on the field too. Believe it or not, in the second half of the season Morato was better than Murillo with the ball at his feet from a reliability standpoint. Like his fellow Brazilian, he has the ability to progress the ball accurately from his own half, and Glasner would like this part of his game.

In the middle, I think Nikola Milenkovic can be really suited to the central role in a back 3 as well. Although not as mobile as Maxence Lacroix (who played all of his game time as the middle centre back), it could be argued that Milenkovic commands the space around him a little better.

The Serbian had a poor season by his standards last time out - definitely not helped by the constant chopping and changing of personnel and tactics under four different head coaches. His data in a back 3 from the 2024/25 season is a decent match from a defensive viewpoint.

Where Milenkovic will need to adapt is on the ball - I wouldn’t worry too much about his data though as he was regularly asked to go long down the right channel, severely effecting his passing & carrying data. His possession numbers were far better at Fiorentina in both the 2022/23 & 2023/24 seasons.

For now at least, Jair Cunha is slotted in as the right sided centre back. I think he can definitely do play there and I’d be comfortable with him starting the season in that role, but for all his potential I think he would be the weak point in the back 3.