Head coach Steve Cooper faces a selection dilemma when it comes to picking his Nottingham Forest team to face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
The Reds boss named a completely different starting line-up for Saturday’s FA Cup third round tie at Blackpool. But afterwards he made it clear he wasn’t happy with his side’s performance, blasting it as “unacceptable” as a woeful second half saw them thumped 4-1 at Bloomfield Road.
Injuries and a hectic fixture list which involved a fair amount of travelling had played a part in Cooper’s thinking against the Seasiders. He must weigh up whether to give some of those players an opportunity to redeem themselves against Wolves or whether to make wholesale changes again, with the aim of building momentum for the weekend’s league match with Leicester City.
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The Welshman may have to take injury concerns into account again, however. Morgan Gibbs-White (calf) and Taiwo Awoniyi (groin) were left out of the squad to face Blackpool, and Forest won’t want to take any risks if there is even the slightest doubt about their fitness. Sam Surridge and/or Emmanuel Dennis could get another run-out up front, if Awoniyi doesn’t get the green light, while Brennan Johnson will be in contention to step in regardless of whether Gibbs-White is fit.
Gustavo Scarpa was a rare bright spark for the visitors at the weekend, on his first start for the club. The Brazilian is capable of playing a few different roles, so could be in line to take up an advanced position or form part of the midfield.
Teenager Billy Fewster was handed his professional debut on Saturday and also gave a decent account of himself, but it seems likely at least one change will be made in the centre of the pitch for the quarter-final clash. Ryan Yates came off the bench to net a late consolation at Blackpool, and will hope to get back into the XI.
Changes could well be made to the defence, too, given the poor goals conceded to the Seasiders. Few of the back line staked a claim to keep their spots, so Cooper could switch back to the quartet which kept a clean-sheet at Southampton.
That would mean Serge Aurier, Joe Worrall, Willy Boly and Renan Lodi coming back in. It would be no surprise if first-choice goalkeeper Dean Henderson also regains his spot against Wolves.
Predicted Forest XI: Henderson; Aurier, Worrall, Boly, Lodi; Yates, Freuler, Mangala; Scarpa; Johnson, Dennis.
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