Nottingham Forest legend Garry Birtles has picked out Felipe for praise after the Reds beat West Ham at the weekend.
The pundit was speaking on the Forest Focus podcast.
So, what has Birtles had to say about Forest defender Felipe? Let’s take a closer look…
What Garry Birtles has said about Forest centre-back Felipe
Well, it would appear as though Birtles is a big fan of Felipe and his presence back in the Forest team definitely helped at the weekend.
It was Felipe’s first outing for the Reds since a 12-minute cameo in a 1-1 draw against Wolves back in December.
He had been on the bench for the last three games but he’d failed to get on in any of those games.
Felipe has been struggling with injuries this season and as a result, he’s made just five appearances for the Reds during 2023/24.
Birtles was quizzed by host Matt Davies on who he thought was the Man of the Match at the weekend – and for the former striker, he was in no doubt.
He told the Forest Focus podcast: “I think Felipe for me. He came in, he did nothing wrong and he just did everything you’d expect from a centre-back, he didn’t try to be clever, he played to his strengths and he marshalled everyone around him.
“I think when you look at a player like that, he didn’t do anything spectacular but I think the way he makes everything look so easy is spectacular. He’s good in the air, he reads the game well and he just makes everything seem so comfortable.”
Reds can really kick on if Felipe stays fit
On Saturday, it appeared a lot less hectic defensively from a Forest perspective and that was largely down to the presence of Felipe.
In our view, Birtles is spot on to pick Felipe and he really showcased what a big miss he’s been for Forest this season.
At 34-years-old, Forest won’t be able to count on Felipe forever and his contract will be up in the summer.
In the here and now, however, he can really help Forest and if he stays fit, remaining in the Premier League shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
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