Tykes just as tough as Cherries in the eyes of Hughton
FOREST RETURN TO ACTION WITH A TRIP TO OAKWELL
NOTTINGHAM Forest boss Chris Hughton says he views today’s clash against Barnsley as being just as tough as facing recently-relegated Bournemouth next week.
And he has spoken about the value of using sports scientists as his team head into a hectic run of fixtures.
Following the international break, the Reds play nine games in the next 29 days, starting with today’s trip to Oakwell (3pm).
In that spell, they are up against five of the current top six, including the Cherries, as they look to climb up the Championship table.
But Hughton has played down any suggestions this could be a crucial period in his team’s bid to get a promotion push going.
“It’s not really a chance to lay down a marker,” he told the Nottingham Post.
“Bournemouth are a very good team and as regards squads, they and Watford have probably got the best squads in the division.
“But I must admit, at the moment, I don’t see the Barnsley game as any easier than the Bournemouth game. That’s just how this league is at the moment.
“You want a group of players who are trying to perform well in every game.
“There is always the aspect of players raising their game against the perceived better teams - that’s just human nature and you hope
that happens.
“But you want everyone to see every game as being very tough.”
“We’ve done some good work over this break,” he added. “For some, it’s also been about recovery.
“It’s trying to get the right balance between the work we want to do but also giving the players valuable rest and recovery, because that’s not
going to happen for quite some time now.
“It certainly feels like we’ve hopefully made the most of this break.”
Finding a balance between looking for continuity in his team selection and rotating his squad amid a relentless schedule is a challenge for Hughton.
And insight from his support staff will be a factor in any decisions he makes.
“It’s down to continual communication and good staff,” he said.
“What you can’t do these days is evaluate things yourself, as a manager, just on how players look and feel. We have sports science now.
“It’s constant communication, every day, with my sports scientists and medical team - maybe if somebody has played three games, they’re looking tired and their numbers are not great.
“They are all the things you have to factor in.
“It’s continual communication about who’s fit, whose levels are good and so on.
“That will be the same for every club - which can be a big leveller.
“Finding the balance will be the hard bit.
“We’re used to trying to go with a similar team again when you’ve had a good result. But when you’ve got so many games, you will then make decisions not so much on continuity but on what is the correct thing to do with regards the players.
“Sometimes that can be tional.
“Certainly with forward players, you’re more likely to make changes. But there are certain positions on the pitch where you’d like a bit more stability.”
This weekend will see Football League clubs able to use up to five substitutes from a nine-man bench, as was the case following last season’s restart.
Hughton says that is something he may rely more on as the weeks progress.
“At the moment, I don’t think the new rule will change things greatly,” he said.
“You’ve still got to make your substitutions on how you see the game.
“But the effect it has may change once we’re six or seven games into using it, rather than the first couple.
“Compared to the Premier League, the difference in the Championship is that everybody is playing a lot of games.
“Everyone is playing weekend and then midweek.
“In another season, possibly I might have thought a little bit differently about it.
“But I think it’s very sensible, because there will be clubs who pick up a lot of injuries.” posi