James McAtee emerges as Oliver Glasner’s new midfield quarterback at Forest

James McAtee has quickly become one of the Premier League’s most creative players this season. At Nottingham Forest, Oliver Glasner has retained the 3-4-2-1 structure that served him at Crystal Palace, including the two central midfielders he views as the team’s quarterbacks. The challenge was to recreate Adam Wharton’s influence and replace Elliot Anderson, who moved towards Manchester City, in the same area.

The unexpected solution has been McAtee. The 23-year-old arrived from Manchester City for £30m but started only two league matches last season, despite Forest having four managers. A former attacking No 10 developed by City and England, he is now operating much deeper. His ability to receive and create in crowded areas, long recognised by Pep Guardiola and coach Brian Barry-Murphy, has made the adjustment work.

McAtee has created more chances than all but five Premier League players, while only three have produced more from open play. He ranks second for passes leading to a shot, level with Bruno Fernandes, with Morgan Gibbs-White the only Forest player ahead of him. Forest have recorded just four build-up attacks, rank fourth for forward-pass percentage and third for completed through balls. The upcoming Palace-Forest meeting therefore sets up a clear contest between Glasner’s old quarterback and his new one.

ColdMath take

McAtee’s deeper role has given Forest a direct, fast-tempo passing outlet and helped solve two midfield questions at once. The Palace fixture will show how effectively Glasner’s new organiser performs against Wharton, the player whose role he now occupies.

Forest’s early numbers suggest McAtee is already central to their attacking method, especially when possession must be turned into chances quickly.