OPINION
Nottingham Forest have been pretty busy in terms of transfer dealings this summer, and it is safe to say that they have got sufficient squad depth this season.
However, with the recent arrivals of Claudio Yacob and Panagiotis Tachtsidis, one player’s future at the City Ground has been plunged into serious doubt.
That player is Liam Bridcutt, who has been ousted from the first team so far this season in the Championship, apart from his sole appearance in the Carabao Cup win over Newcastle United a few weeks back.
He put out an excellent performance in this tie but he has not been rewarded for his efforts in this campaign, and based on the number of midfielders that have been brought in, it would be easy to say that his first team opportunities are pretty limited.
However, what boss Aitor Karanka needs is an experienced player to aid his promotion bid, and he must look no further than the enforcer.
When he was at Brighton a few seasons ago, Bridcutt was a hugely reliable player in the middle of the park, and had the ability to track back when needed to cover the back four.
The 2017 signing from Leeds United is confident when he is in possession, and allows the more creative players of the pack to surge forward and do their thing.
It is puzzling why he has been ousted in such a fashion, but Karanka must give him a golden chance to prove himself one final time.
He deserves that at least, and if he ends up leaving in January, the Reds’ manager will come to regret it.
The 29-year-old needs to demonstrate that he is worth picking over the new arrivals, and there is no doubting that he will be able to do that with the vast level experience he has under his belt.
The Spaniard must hand Bridcutt the chance to shine, or Karanka will have to kiss promotion goodbye.