Nottingham Forest take on Cardiff City in this afternoon’s lunchtime kick-off with the Reds looking for a morale-boosting performance.
Forest lost 1-0 to Barnsley in the Carabao Cup and 2-0 last weekend to QPR in the Championship curtain-raiser.
After last season’s capitulation on the final day of the season, it seems vital that Forest get themselves three points on the board as quickly as possible.
Ahead of today’s game, we looked at a starting eleven that Sabri Lamouchi could select.
In goal and back four
Lamouchi did add Abdoulaye Diallo to his ranks this week but the goalkeeper is likely to play second fiddle to Brice Samba.
The Congolese stopper should start with Diallo settling for a place on the bench.
Across the back four, Lamouchi might opt for more of the same.
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He did concede after last weekend’s defeat at QPR that leaving Yuri Ribeiro out might have been a mistake.
Tyler Blackett didn’t do a lot wrong though and he should continue, with Jordan Gabriel at right-back.
Loic Mbe Soh has enjoyed a full week of training with his new team-mates but he might settle for a place on the bench with Joe Worrall and Tobias Figueiredo starting.
In midfield
Ryan Yates and Jack Colback provided the axis in midfield last weekend but Lamouchi might choose to break that up this weekend.
It wouldn’t be overly surprising to see summer signing Fouad Bachirou come into the team for the visit of Cardiff.
The man who checked in for £700,000 could earn his first Championship start at the expense of Yates.
The attack
In terms of the attack, there is likely to be just the one change from last weekend’s four players.
Luke Freeman was very impressive at QPR and should operate in the No.10 role once more.
Joe Lolley will probably keep his place in the team on the left-hand side, with Lewis Grabban the obvious choice to play as the striker.
On the right, however, Sammy Ameobi could come in to replace Nuno Da Costa who didn’t have the best of afternoon’s at QPR last week.
Here is how Lamouchi could line Forest up this afternoon.
