Strength in depth across the pitch makes Nottingham Forest a “complete team”, according to winger Joe Lolley.
The Reds take on Luton Town on Friday on the back of a stunning run of form which has propelled them to fourth in the table. But boss Steve Cooper must decide whether to change a winning team, having named the same starting XI for three games in a row amid five successive Championship victories.
Lolley is among those players pushing for a place in the line-up, along with the likes of Lewis Grabban and Sam Surridge - with that particular trio having impressed from off the bench against Blackpool, Coventry City and Birmingham City. The winger says that is a show of quality in the squad which distinguishes them from two years ago, when Forest were last fighting for promotion, only to fall at the final hurdle.
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“I think we’ve got such a bigger squad, better quality, and we dominate games,” said Lolley. “I really can’t remember many, if any, games where the other team are probably coming off the pitch thinking they were unlucky not to pick up anything. We go into it wanting to win every game.
“We’re just a very, very strong team. I think a lot of teams fear us. I just think we’re a very, very good side, and quite a complete team.
“We need to keep improving on that and becoming better. We want to be the best team in the league. At the moment we’re not, and that’s what we’re striving for.
“We’ve got so much quality. But the main thing is every day we work hard in training and everyone is ready for their moment when they come on.
“I feel everyone who has come on has made an impact from the bench and been part of the way we’ve been playing. Not just on the pitch on a match day, but also in training, with the standard everyone sets.
“It’s important to have a good squad. And that’s what we’ve got.
“We’ve got a lot of players who haven’t had as many minutes as they would like. And who are such good players.
“Players like Xande (Silva), who has missed out on the squad the last few games. Players like Alex (Mighten) and Cafu, who would want minutes themselves.
“We set high standards every game. And it doesn’t matter what game it is; it could be a training game, we still have that same winning mentality and desire to be the best we can be.”
