Samba hopes to be back to face Bees
KEEPER AND KNOCKAERT COULD RETURN TO BOOST REDS
NOTTINGHAM Forest are hopeful goalkeeper Brice Samba and winger Anthony Knockaert will be fit to face Brentford tomorrow.
The duo missed the Reds’ midweek defeat to Norwich City due to slight injury problems, adding to a list of absentees which also includes Joe Worrall, Joe Lolley, Harry Arter and Fouad Bachirou.
But boss Chris Hughton is hoping Samba and Knockaert will be fit for the trip to the Bees this weekend.
“We’re hoping they will be okay,” the Forest boss said in his pre-match press conference.
“Both were out on the training pitch today.
“They didn’t train with the team, but they were both out on the training pitch with the sports scientists.
“We’re hoping they will both be training tomorrow, unless there are any setbacks in the morning.
“We’re hoping for good news on those two.”
Forest are without a win in five going into their clash with the division’s fourth-placed side.
They sit nine points above the relegation zone heading into the final nine games.
Aside from having to contend with injuries, Hughton has tended not to make too many changes to his side week to week. And more often than not, he has stuck with a 4-2-3-1 formation.
But when results have not been going his way, he admits it is tempting to make sweeping alterations.
“It does cross your mind. That’s why you need that time to reflect on the game,” he said.
“Sometimes, what you think straight after the game can be different to what you think the next morning when you’ve had more time to think about it.
“Lots of thoughts come into it, about changing personnel or playing a bit of a different forma
tion.
“Generally, any change in formation won’t be too dramatic, but will be tweaking some areas.
“They are the things you are constantly thinking about. It’s results that do that.
“You always know you are one game away from a better result and a better feel.
“That’s what you continue to work for.”
The Reds manager also has to try to keep a big squad happy.
A number of players have struggled for regular game time this season, including several of the summer signings the club made.
“It’s the hard part of the game,” Hughton added.
“You want people who care about playing football matches.
“You don’t want players who are happy to be on the bench or happy to not be involved. It is tough.
“You have to try to give those players as much attention as possible, which is difficult when you have so many games.
“There are some individuals who have had less minutes on the pitch. But we do have a good group of players who have played, and there has been a fair amount of rotation in some areas.
“Sometimes it has been down to injuries and being out for a period of time, then finding it hard to get back in the team.
“These are the problems which will always be there.
“You have to work as hard as you can around them.”