Head coach Steve Cooper was left frustrated by a number of Nottingham Forest players not making the most of the opportunity afforded to them in a woeful FA Cup defeat at Blackpool.
The Welshman named a completely different line-up to the one which had toppled Southampton in midweek. And that meant rare starts for some of his squad at Bloomfield Road, with the chance to catch the manager’s eye.
Few of those brought into the XI pressed their case to retain their places in the Premier League - or against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night - however. And while Cooper won’t make snap judgements based on one performance alone, he was left “deflated” by what transpired in a dismal 4-1 thumping on the west coast.
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“There was a more than strong enough team to win the game comfortably,” he said. “A team with Premier League experience and players who have excelled in the Championship in recent years. That team was more than strong enough to do well.
“We had to protect the squad a little bit. We picked up some injuries from the other night, and having a three-game week with only two days between each game means a high risk of even more injuries.
“But at the same time, we do have a real feel-good factor in the squad and this was a good opportunity for the lads who haven’t played in the last couple of weeks to go and do their bit. Unfortunately they didn’t.
“It’s just a real pity for our supporters. It’s really deflating, to be honest.
“The League Cup is the next game, but don’t think we are going to forget this too quickly. I won’t.
“I’ve been very clear with the players that we can’t just turn things on and off. We can’t.
“There was too much entitlement in our game, and I hate that. We need to sort it out.”
Cooper added: “There’s some things where players certainly fell short. That can happen. I’m not narrow-minded enough to say one game gives a full opinion on what I or we think of a player.
“If you look at the game for what it was, in isolation, some guys fell really, really short. That’s the crux of it, really.
“If anything, this should be a real reminder of what not to do, compared to what we have done in recent weeks.
“I hope it won’t linger, and I don’t think it will, because of the mentality of the lads. We need to make sure it doesn’t. I’m pleased we’ve got a midweek game, because we’ve got to get out playing again quickly.”
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