Decision to make as change is forced on Forest
NOTTINGHAM Forest boss Chris Hughton has a decision to make over who will take up the left-back spot at Middlesbrough.
The Reds manager has started the same back line for each of his four games in charge, but will be forced into at least one change at the Riverside Stadium today.
Summer signing Nicholas Ioannou has been the preferred choice on the left. However, he will be suspended after receiving a straight red card in Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw with Luton Town.
Hughton brought on Carl Jenkinson for the second half at Kenilworth Road as he shuffled his pack to accommodate Ioannou’s departure.
The former Arsenal man is more accustomed to playing at right-back but did a decent job against the Hatters and could be a contender to start at the weekend.
Tyler Blackett, who can also play there, is ruled out through injury, leaving Gaetan Bong and Yuri Ribeiro as the natural left-backs in the squad.
Bong’s sole appearance in the Garibaldi came back in February, shortly after his January move.
He has come back into the fold under Hughton, who he worked with at Brighton & Hove Albion, and featured for the Under-23s earlier this week.
Although he wasn’t included in the club’s official list of shirt numbers, he is understood to have a place in their 25-man Championship squad.
Ribeiro has yet to be involved under Hughton, with his two appearances this term coming in the Carabao Cup and the 2-0 defeat to Cardiff City, when Sabri Lamouchi was still at the helm.
“It’s something I’ll have to think about,” Hughton said of his defensive dilemma.
“I thought Carl came in and did very well, in a position which is not his favoured one.
“It’s something I’ll have to look at. “Looking at the options we’ve got, Tyler is not fit but Yuri Ribeiro is fit and Gaetan Bong is also fit as well.”
A hectic fixture schedule since his arrival means Hughton has had little time to work with his players on the training ground.
And Forest will take on a Middlesbrough side who have lost only once in the League so far this term.
“It’s hectic. It’s about preparation, game, recovery,” said Hughton.
“You don’t get much opportunity to work with the team. Those days you have during the week, you’re not really getting because you’re very quickly at the next game.
“But it is what it is and it’s the same for everybody. Ultimately, what we do is manage.
“We will all be judged on results and performances.
“There isn’t a manager in this division at the moment who wouldn’t want a little bit more time working with their players.
“It’s about getting results. We need to make sure game in, game out, we’re getting the best results we can.”
Harry Arter is a doubt for the trip north, after the midfielder missed out in midweek with an ankle injury.
Striker Lewis Grabban was also absent against Luton with a hip problem.
Blackett joins Joe Worrall and Fouad Bachirou as those expected to be sidelined until at least after the next international break.
“Probably the most important part of our game is to make sure, for the players who aren’t playing, their training programmes for the next day and the next day is right,” said Hughton. “With the amount of games we have got, we are going to need that kind of rotation.
“It is almost impossible, whatever type of players you have got and their durability, to play so many games. It is a really important part of the game and I can see that certainly for the next couple of games.”