Manager Sabri Lamouchi admits that Nottingham Forest may once again be without right-back Matty Cash when they travel to Oakwell to face Barnsley on Sunday afternoon.
Cash has missed Forest’s last two games – Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Preston and Wednesday’s 2-2 stalemate with Swansea – through injury, and the defender could once again be on the sidelines as Lamouchi’s men travel to Yorkshire looking for the win that will finally guarantee them their place in this season’s Championship play-offs.
Asked after the Swansea match whether Cash could be available for the trip to Barnsley, Lamouchi told Nottinghamshire Live: “Maybe. Maybe yes, maybe not. I don’t know.
“It was so risky to take the decision now, so we will check him tomorrow for Barnsley.”
Elsewhere, attacking midfielder Joe Lolley made his return from the bench against Swansea, having sat out the game at Preston due to shin splints.
But despite his brief came, Lamouchi admitted that Lolley is still not as close to full fitness as the club would want him to be, with the Frenchman adding: “It was nice to see him. But we need Lolley in a better condition. He tried, but not with success.
“We need him on top if we want him to make the difference.”
Is it worth risking Cash and Lolley at Barnsley?Yes
No |
This will be frustrating for Forest.
They do still need one more result to guarantee that all-important top-six spot this season, and having the creativity and reliability of Cash and Lolley to call upon would surely help them to do that.
However, with the likes of Carl Jenkinson impressing while filling in in the side, Forest may still be confident of getting the points they need anyway. Should that be the case it would make more sense not to risk further injury to Cash or Lolley in these regular season games, considering the importance of those play-off matches they will be hoping to play in in little more than a week’s time.
