Cox-Less Pairs Options for Forest

With the upcoming news of just how long Simon Cox will be out for it could make life difficult for Forest in the striking options. Instead of the three quality up front options we have, we know the two main strikers, and that’s a problem. Obviously if Cox can be injure so can Sharp or Blackstock, and with the loan window now being shut there is no scope for bringing in a short term measure.


McGoldrick and Miller are tied in to long term loans and cannot be recalled, so they are no goes. Tudgay has just gone to Barnsley, he could be recalled, and Robbie Findley has been back off loan from Gillingham for a couple of weeks. Matt Derbyshire is still out on short term loan and could be recalled we could also maybe use McGugan as an auxiliary striker.

In the short term for the Ipswich game we could use both Blackstock and Sharp, but we do need back up options. Earlier in the season we played 4-2-3-1 often. The problem here is one we discussed in the Gillett piece whereby two players dropping deep are both looking for the same ball. However we did play well with it in the late summer sunshine before when Cox was injured after the Ireland game.

It would of course been an ideal opportunity for a youngster to step up, say a Patrick Bamford, this would have been ideal. No pressure in the team for a short burst of games through till we can bring someone in. Coming off the bench maybe, unfortunately that possibility was removed, and we can’t, as there doesn’t appear to be a 19-20 year striker coming through, and any younger than that would be too risky unless they were set to be a wonder kid.

Derbyshire or Findley could use this as a chance to re ignite their Forest careers. Fail, and it would be the end of them for definite. They would be in a confident team making chances, whereas last year it was in a struggling team, not making chances. It’d be hard for any striker to come into a struggling team, but one with the injury problems Derbyshire had would be difficult. It could be a chance that a few fans have said he could take. A handful hold on to the belief that he isn’t as bad as he seems, and surely eventually will come as good as his former pedigree suggests.

Findley has that one element the rest of the team lacks, pace. And although his finishing or passing and certainly control is questionable, if you had the kind of balls Lansbury has been playing, half the battle is won, and you don’t need to control or move your position, you just have to finish.

My preferred option would be re-calling Tudgay, but I am unsure on the caveats of his loan, with it being so soon since he went, and being with a view to a permanent move both parties might decide against it.

Whatever we choose we have the quality within the squad to cope till January. Then if Cox is out for a year as some have predicted, then we might need to re think what we are doing striker wise. As said McGugan would surely also be able to fulfil a more attacking role and this might suit him.

Where it will really tell is if we are chasing a game and need new options and right don’t immediately we don’t have any. Let’s hope Coxy isn’t out for months and it’s not nearly as bad as first feared. However planning for the worst can’t hurt.

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