Boss Steve Cooper has laid down a challenge for Nottingham Forest winger Joe Lolley as he makes his way back into the fold.
The 29-year-old hasn’t pulled on the Garibaldi since the end of November, when he came off the bench in the 0-0 draw at West Bromwich Albion for his 16th appearance of the season.
Since then, he has been sidelined through a combination of injury and illness, most recently suffering a recurrence of a tendon problem in his knee.
He has also had to deal with muscle compartment syndrome throughout his career, being particularly affected at the end of the 2019/20 campaign and the start of the following term.
Injury update
Joe Worrall made a surprise early return from injury on Sunday, but the Nottingham Forest defender will have to be managed carefully amid a busy week.
Worrall broke three ribs in the 1-0 win at Millwall on January 15 and was expected to be out of action for six weeks.
Instead, he made his comeback less than a month later, playing the full 90 minutes of Sunday’s FA Cup rout over Leicester City - and getting on the scoresheet - as he wore a special cast for protection.
A video clip of him going in full throttle with a diving headed tackle in the 80th minute, when his team were already 4-1 up, has been doing the rounds on social media - typifying the academy graduate’s passion.
Squad confirmed
Nottingham Forest’s squad for the rest of the season has been officially confirmed by the English Football League.
Championship teams are limited to a 25-man squad, with the Reds having used up only 21 of their allocated spots, as the EFL released lists for each of the 72 Football League clubs following the closure of the January transfer window.
Players under the age of 21 do not count towards that total, as is the case for the likes of deadline day signing Jonathan Panzo, Brennan Johnson, Braian Ojeda, Loic Mbe Soh and Alex Mighten for Forest.
Panzo was one of five new arrivals at the City Ground during January, with Aston Villa loanee Keinan Davis, defenders Steve Cook and Richie Laryea, and striker Sam Surridge all on the Reds’ list.
Positive impression
January signing Richie Laryea has made a positive early impression at Nottingham Forest as he waits to make his debut.
The full-back was in a matchday squad for the first time on Sunday since putting pen to paper with the Reds from MLS side Toronto.
Laryea was an unused substitute as Steve Cooper’s side dismantled Premier League Leicester City on their way to a 4-1 triumph in the FA Cup.
But while he has yet to get on the pitch in the Garibaldi, having just returned from international duty with Canada, the 27-year-old is starting to settle into life Trentside.
