Willy Boly remains some way off being back in contention for Nottingham Forest as head coach Steve Cooper once again finds himself short on centre-backs.
Scott McKenna has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to the fractured collarbone he sustained in Saturday’s defeat at Liverpool. It leaves Joe Worrall, Felipe and Moussa Niakhate as the options available for Wednesday night’s clash with Brighton and Hove Albion, with a lack of back-up on the bench if the hosts stick with deploying three at the back.
McKenna had only just returned from the hamstring injury which had kept him out since being forced off after just seven minutes against Fulham in February. Boly suffered a similar problem to his defensive partner in that clash at Craven Cottage, but his was of a more serious nature and he faces a fight to feature again this term.
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“He’s not close to playing at the moment, Willy,” said Cooper. “It was a serious hamstring injury he picked up.
“He’s definitely making progress, so we’ll see. He is back on the grass, but he’s right at the early stages of his recovery.”
In what has been a severely injury-hit season, the Reds currently have 12 players sidelined. In addition to McKenna and Boly, they are without Cheikhou Kouyate, Serge Aurier, Jack Colback, Gustavo Scarpa, Ryan Yates, Jonjo Shelvey, Chris Wood, Dean Henderson, Omar Richards and Giulian Biancone.
Cooper made a big selection decision at the weekend as he left top scorer Brennan Johnson out of the XI, but that was with a game-plan to try to get a result against Liverpool in mind. That aside, he has been left to rue the enforced changes which have affected consistency in team selection as Forest battle relegation.
“We have had to make a lot of changes this season - some enforced because of injuries, some because I felt it was needed for a game,” said the Welshman. “That’s really how it’s gone this year.
“I think it would be easier if we had a real settled team. That’s how we were a little bit when we were picking up points, but unfortunately, through injuries, we had to change it about.
“But none of these (selection) decisions are easy. What I would say with the lads is there’s a real hunger to play from everybody and a real disappointment from lads when they’re not - and that’s right, players should be disappointed but show it in the right way, because that’s important as well.
“Any decision, not just with Brennan, is not taken lightly. We’re just trying to get the decisions right.”
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