Nottingham Forest allowed Lewis O’Brien to join Middlesbrough on loan during the January transfer window. Last night, he was in action as Michael Carrick’s men took on Sheffield Wednesday.
The Reds signed O’Brien from Huddersfield for £10 million in the summer of 2022. He played 14 times for Forest during the first half of last season but then missed out on the 25-man squad for the second half.
He moved on loan to D.C. United and earned some praise from Wayne Rooney who was keen to sign him permanently. He called him a ‘really good player’ for some sound performances in the MLS.
Last night, Forest-owned O’Brien was handed another chance to start by Carrick. It would appear that he’s still getting up to speed at Middlesbrough, with some player ratings suggesting as much from last night.
Teesside Live claimed: “Added much more balance to Boro’s midfield, but was at times a little sloppy in possession.”
Clearly, O’Brien will need a bit of time to find his rhythm once again. It’s so long since he played football in this country and he will need to get back into the groove.
Forest owned O’Brien ‘sloppy’ during Middlesbrough draw with Wednesday
It’s hard not to feel some sympathy for O’Brien with how his Forest spell has panned out. He looked a very useful addition to the ranks when he was added but things haven’t really worked out.
It’s hard to imagine O’Brien playing for Forest again in the Premier League. The Reds have a number of midfield options now at their disposal and ultimately, they’re better than the 24-year-old.
O’Brien should prove a useful addition to the Boro ranks, however. Given what Carrick did as a midfielder, it’s hard to imagine there being a better move for the Forest man to make for his latest loan.
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