Pele is yet to make an appearance since joining Nottingham Forest on loan from AS Monaco. The 27-year-old has made the matchday squad on two occasions under Martin O’Neill but wasn’t introduced from the bench. And with Ben Watson & Adlene Guedioura expected to return to face Derby on Monday night, Pele might be left out of the 18 entirely.
The defensive-midfielder is behind Watson, Guedioura, Claudio Yacob, Jack Colback and Ryan Yates in the pecking order and will be short of match fitness given his lack of activity which doesn’t go in his favour. Pele played an u23s match for Forest two weeks ago in order to boost his sharpness, but there appears to be too much competition for a starting place.
Before his loan move from Monaco, Pele was struggling for minutes. He’s made only eight Ligue 1 appearances in the first-half of the season and spent the last six weeks as an unused substitute. Barring an injury crisis, it’s hard to see how Pele will get himself into the starting lineup before he’ll return to his parent club.
Unless he’s a standout performer in training, the Guinea-Bissau international will have to stay patient for chances.
Crippy Cooke’s previous article
Opinion: Nottingham Forest outcast could miss Derby clash, O’Neill has too much competition
