Leadership roles
Head coach Steve Cooper has praised academy duo Joe Worrall and Ryan Yates for the way they have taken on the positions of Nottingham Forest captain and vice-captain.
With Worrall - who had captained the team while Lewis Grabban was injured last season - having to settle for a place on the bench in recent weeks, it is his midfield teammate who has been leading out the team. Yates put in a standout display last weekend as the Reds toppled Liverpool at the City Ground, and has been one of the team's most consistent performers of late.
Cooper places much emphasis on the leadership roles. And whether they are in or out of the XI, he says the pair have been setting the right example.
“You look at Ryan and Joe… and it was not a sentimental decision because of their story of coming through the academy," the Forest boss said of assigning the armband in the summer, following the departure of previous skipper Grabban. "Although that did have an impact because of all the new players who came in, so I knew them as good as any of the others after last season.
Yates response
Nottingham Forest midfielder Ryan Yates will have brushed off any plaudits which have come his way in recent weeks.
Boss Steve Cooper says the 24-year-old will instead only have listened to advice on how he can keep improving. And his sole focus will be on getting stuck in against Arsenal on Sunday, when the Reds take on the Premier League pace-setters at the Emirates Stadium.
Yates has been one of Forest’s most consistent performers of late. But he particularly caught the eye with a standout display in last weekend’s 1-0 victory over Liverpool.
Afterwards, Cooper hailed his contribution as a great example for the next generation of talent at the Nigel Doughty Academy who will hope to one day follow in the vice-captain’s footsteps. It didn’t take 90 minutes against Jurgen Klopp’s side to prove to the Reds boss what Yates has to offer, though.
“It didn’t take Saturday to show that; he shows it every day. But, when you look back at that one game, you can see what he is,” Cooper said. "Yatesy will just be desperate to do well in the next game he gets picked to play in. That’s where our focus is."
Surprise Arsenal boost
Arsenal have received an injury boost ahead of Sunday's Premier League meeting with Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium.
Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Elneny returned to training on Saturday after missing the last two months of action for the Gunners. He picked up a hamstring injury in the 2-1 win over Fulham in August and has not played since.
Arsenal announced the player's return by tweeting "Look who's back!" as they prepare to welcome the Reds to North London on Sunday (2pm kick-off). He was not expected to return until after the Qatar World Cup, which starts next month.
Elneny's injury has been a source of mystery during his absence. The full extent of it had never been fully disclosed aside from manager Mikel Arteta describing the injury as long-term.
Suspension dilemma
Nottingham Forest have three players who are walking a suspension tightrope ahead of Sunday’s trip to face Arsenal - and all of them are centre-backs.
Joe Worrall was booked when he came off the bench as the Reds changed system in the second half of last weekend’s 1-0 victory over Liverpool. That was his fourth yellow card of the campaign, having also been cautioned against Newcastle United, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur.
As a result, the 25-year-old has joined fellow defenders Steve Cook and Scott McKenna in being on the brink of picking up a one-match ban. Head coach Steve Cooper will no doubt be hoping that doesn’t lead to a scenario where two of the trio pass that threshold in the same game.
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