Nottingham Forest no longer have to break out in a cold sweat despite Fulham setback
On the south coast, Nottingham Forest received a demonstration of what they will miss but also how they can cope when Morgan Gibbs-White serves his one-match suspension.
The Reds ace was sent off in the 83rd minute of Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion as his challenge on Joao Pedro earned him a second yellow card. The dismissal means he will be absent for Saturday’s clash with Fulham (3pm kick-off) at the City Ground.
Not so long ago, the prospect of being without Gibbs-White would have had Reds fans breaking out in a cold sweat. After all, he is Forest’s main man and the one who makes the team tick.
It was a superb pass from Gibbs-White that set Jota Silva on his way before teeing up Ramon Sosa for the visitors’ equaliser at the Amex Stadium. Right at the start of the game, it was from a Gibbs-White ball that Callum Hudson-Odoi won the penalty from which Chris Wood had opened the scoring.
So who will take up the No.10 role in the England international’s absence against the Cottagers? Jota is one option, and the summer signing showed what he has to offer with his assist against the Seagulls.
But head coach Nuno Espirito Santo - who will also be missing at the weekend after himself being shown a red card on Sunday - does have a few possibilities for the role. Below, we take a look at who could fill Gibbs-White’s boots against Fulham.
Jota Silva
Forest stats so far: Five appearances, four in the Premier League. Has only started one game up until now, but marked it with a goal as he found the net against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup.
Could he do a job? The man known as “the Portuguese Grealish” has looked bright whenever he has got out on the pitch. He always seems keen to get on the ball and try to make something happen. And he has a bit of aggression to his game.
His assist on Sunday was a good example of what he is capable of - running with the ball, head up and looking for a teammate. Kept his composure to play in Sosa rather than plump for the selfish option of having a shot himself.
Joao Ferreira, who worked with Jota at Sporting Espinho, said last month: “The central corridor allows Jota to be closer to the opponent's goal and a greater chance of scoring. As Jota is now also a very capable player between the lines, this is an area where he can be increasingly decisive.
“I've always enjoyed watching Jota play as a striker, either on his own or in a duo, and in my opinion these spaces are where he's strongest. Of course, he can and does play out wide, too, so he's a versatile player, giving the coach the chance to use him wherever he sees fit.”
Formation options: Nuno could stick with his usual 4-2-3-1 formation, playing Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga either side of Jota in the attacking three. James Ward-Prowse and Elliot Anderson could keep their spots in midfield, having started there on Sunday. The only consideration might be Jota’s lack of Premier League starts.
Elliot Anderson
Forest stats so far: Six appearances, five in the Premier League. Has started all but one of the league games so far this season and was also in the XI against former club Newcastle in the cup.
Could he do a job? As with Jota, the 21-year-old’s versatility makes him a very useful member of the squad. He is capable of taking up a few different roles - as he has already shown for the Reds.
“I can play as a No.8, No.10, left wing. It’s always good for a manager to know you can play in many positions because you’ve got a better chance of getting into the team and he will know you’re quite reliable,” Anderson said shortly after putting pen to paper at the City Ground. “But hopefully I can pin down a midfield position.”
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Comfortable on the ball, Anderson already looks like a class act. The Magpies were not happy about letting him go, and it is easy to see why. He can get even better, too.
“Whatever position I have used in him, he has done very well. Tactically I have asked him to do a couple of things that the team has needed, and he’s done it very well. I am really pleased with his level of maturity and his tactical understanding,” Magpies boss Eddie Howe said of the midfielder last season.
Formation options: The Reds are without Danilo and Ibrahim Sangare due to injury but would still have enough midfield resources to cope if Nuno pushed Anderson further up the pitch. Ryan Yates could partner Ward-Prowse in the centre. Jota or Sosa could even start as one of the wingers either side of Anderson, if the Forest head coach really wanted to mix things up.
James Ward-Prowse
Forest stats so far: Two Premier League starts, having been brought into the XI as soon as he was available after joining on deadline day.
Could he do a job? The 29-year-old’s reading of the game has already stood out. He is known for his set-piece skills but there is so much more to him than that. He perhaps wouldn’t bring the kind of magic Gibbs-White is capable of in the No.10 role, but there is no doubt about his quality.
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Nuno particularly values the West Ham United loanee’s experience and composure on the ball. “A very talented player but one that knows the game, knowledge of the momentum of the game and quality and commitment. He has integrated really well,” the Portuguese has said.
Formation options: Yates commented after the 1-0 win at Liverpool how he felt his midfield partnership with Ward-Prowse worked really well, but the latter would doubtless have no problem pushing further forward. Would it strike the right balance, though, if Ward-Prowse was the string-puller and Anderson, for example, partnered Yates?
Change of formation
Another option for Nuno to cater for Gibbs-White’s absence would be to implement a change of system. Rather than the usual 4-2-3-1 formation, he could plump for a 4-3-3 with Hudson-Odoi and Elanga either side of Wood and a combination of midfielders behind.
If he wanted to, Nuno could utilise Jota as another striker in a 4-4-1-1. He could also switch to a back three, especially if Willy Boly is fit for the weekend, and deploy Ola Aina and Alex Moreno as wing-backs in a 3-4-2-1.
It is testament to the work done in the transfer window that Forest have several options for handling the Gibbs-White size hole on Saturday. Whoever starts, there will also be players on the bench capable of coming on and making a difference.