Sean Dyche has some big selection decisions to make for Nottingham Forest’s Premier League clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers
Nottingham Forest head coach Sean Dyche on the touchline against Leeds United(Image: Getty)
Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest starting XI certainly raised eyebrows when the team news was confirmed ahead of kick-off at Elland Road on Friday night.
By full-time of the 3-1 defeat to Leeds United, the concerns of Reds fans had been vindicated. Dyche justified his decisions in his post-match press conference, but it was hard to argue anything other than he had got his selection wrong.
He can ill-afford a repeat against bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers at the City Ground on Wednesday night (7.30pm kick-off). It is a huge game for Forest in their battle for Premier League survival,
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Against Leeds, the Reds had a centre-back at right-back in Zach Abbott, their usual right-back at left-back in Ola Aina, and a central midfielder (Nicolas Dominguez) out wide. It was a case of too many square pegs in round holes – unnecessarily so.
Admittedly, Aina has proved capable at left-back before and Dominguez had done a decent job on the flanks in previous games. But Dyche had a natural left-back available in new signing Luca Netz, and the German did well from off the bench. Teenager Abbott, meanwhile, had a difficult night on the right of the defence.
Dyche will benefit from having Neco Williams back from suspension for the midweek game. It means for all he caught the eye as a substitute, Netz will likely have a watching brief for the most part again.
Centre-back Murillo missed Friday night with a calf problem but it is hoped he could be back for Wednesday. He was a huge miss against Leeds, so having both the Brazilian and Williams available again would be a significant boost.
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The biggest decisions for Dyche to make concern the top end of the pitch. Does he go with two out-and-out wingers from the off to really take the game to the visitors.
Omari Hutchinson set up Forest’s consolation goal with a lovely cross after entering the fray in the 54th minute. He will hope he has made a case to be in the starting XI, but Dyche could also turn to Dan Ndoye on the opposite flank to Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Up front, Lorenzo Lucca put his hand up to make the line-up with his goal at Elland Road. The January signing nodded in Hutchinson’s cross in the dying minutes of the game.
Igor Jesus has worked hard and had to play a lot of minutes in the absence of other forward choices. The Brazilian has plenty to offer but has been struggling to find the back of the net in the Premier League.
Lucca looks like he could be a better fit under Dyche. It could be he is handed his first start for what really is a must-win game for the Reds.
Forest predicted XI: Ortega; Williams, Milenkovic, Murillo, Aina; Sangare, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Lucca.
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