Nottingham Forest star Neco Williams was in action once again for Wales on Tuesday night as they beat Latvia 1-0. Keiffer Moore scored the game’s only goal and the national media delivered an intriguing verdict on the Forest man.
It hasn’t been all sweetness and light for Williams at Forest. He started the season as the first-choice option at right-back but has now lost his place to Serge Aurier. After Tuesday’s game Wales Online have delivered some praise to the player.
Williams cost Forest £17 million when he signed from Liverpool during the summer. At 21-years-old, he was expected to really take the Premier League by storm but that hasn’t really been the case.
Steve Cooper has used Williams 30 times this season, with Williams registering a single assist in the Carabao Cup. In recent weeks, Williams has featured on the wing as opposed to in his natural role as a wing-back.
Wales Online were certainly impressed with him the other night, and they said: “Played the game in the opposition half, which is exactly what he likes. Tried his luck from range in the first half but his looped volley didn’t dip enough. Went even closer just after the break, his drilled effort tipped onto the crossbar.”
Williams in action for Wales and media deliver verdict
It’s very intriguing that the national media claim that he had a good game when he could play further up the pitch – and herein lies the problem. Williams isn’t comfortable playing as a full-back at Forest largely due to the fact that he’s a work in progress defensively.
That’s the current problem and one that is providing a conundrum for Cooper. Forest won’t be washing their hands of Williams any time soon but ultimately, he’s too much of a liability to be playing at right-back with Aurier a more composed option.
However, Williams does have a future. It’s all about finding a place on the pitch for him where he is best suited. Cooper has toyed with him as a winger and perhaps that will have to be his role in the team for now.