Injuries are part of parcel of football and at Nottingham Forest, they have typically reared their ugly head at the most inconvenient of times.
Even last season, Forest lost Michael Dawson for the best part of the campaign, whilst hotshot Lewis Grabban was also missing for crucial periods of the season.
Football is a squad game these days, however, and as one door slams in the face of an unfortunate player, the opportunity will knock for another.
That is the situation staring Tobias Figueiredo in the face right now.
When Michael Dawson hobbled off at Stoke last Friday, Figueiredo’s heart must have sunk as Chema Rodriguez received the nod from Sabri Lamouchi to get kitted up and prepare for action.
The 25-year-old defender performed admirably alongside Dawson last season and he must have been anticipating the call to make the move off the bench.
Rodriguez did okay at the Bet 365 Stadium, so it was perhaps more surprising that with Dawson ruled out for the Blackburn trip, Figueiredo was the man tasked with filling his void from the off at Ewood Park.
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After a somewhat interrupted start to life in English football, this could now be Figueiredo’s chance to take the bull by the horns and hold down a place in the Forest team.
The man who has played 15 games for the Portugal under-21 team signed permanently for Forest in the summer of 2018 for £2 million (Record). He has initially impressed on loan under the management of Aitor Karanka; who took a punt on him from Sporting Lisbon.
His first full season in the Championship didn’t go according to plan. He played just 13 times for the Reds, spending time out with a torn thigh muscle.
Future plans
Figueiredo would desperately like to stay fit and keep his place in the Forest team alongside Joe Worrall. On his day he is a quality defender and given his age there is lots of potential for him to improve.
When Dawson returns from injury he may well lose his place anyway. All he can do, however, is give everything he has and throw Lamouchi a selection dilemma.
The experienced defender could well see this campaign as his last at 35-years-old. Figueiredo is still under contract beyond this season and with every game he plays during the current campaign, he is potentially auditioning to become the first choice during 2020/21.
Figueiredo has played just 30 games in over 18 months at the club. If he can maintain his place in the side he must start standing out from a crowd of other central defenders vying to take his place should he flop.
A bit of luck on the injury front wouldn’t be unwelcomed by the Portuguese ace and he will hope his run in the team can continue.
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