Head coach Steve Cooper hopes Nottingham Forest can continue to benefit from a “confident” Orel Mangala as they battle for Premier League survival.
The centre of the pitch has been a problem area for the Reds at times this season. Settling upon the best midfield combination has not been easy, while in some games Forest have found themselves overrun.
Mangala has been hampered by injuries during his first season at the City Ground, and he has been in and out of the team even when fit. But he has been in fine form of late amid a run of starts for Cooper’s side.
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The likes of Danilo, Morgan Gibbs-White, Brennan Johnson and Taiwo Awoniyi often grab the headlines - particularly after Monday night’s 4-3 thriller against Southampton. But Mangala has been just as key to a recent improvement in team performances, with Cooper keen for that to continue.
"We've always believed in him,” said the Welshman ahead of Saturday’s trip to face Chelsea. “It's really difficult to play really well every single game, as we've seen with most of the lads - and there's no shame in that, because that's how football is.
"For sure, he's in a good place and is showing good determination. It's not just what you see on the pitch, there's a lot of good stuff off the pitch as well, in terms of his preparation and the analysis he likes to do.
"Like everyone else, we are going to need him. We are going to need everybody. Everybody is playing their part.
"He is showing good confidence at the moment. With the position he plays and the type of player he is, if he's feeling confident then I think that's really good because then it allows him to do the things he's good at well. Let's hope that's the case.”
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