Goalkeeper
At the moment there is nothing really to discuss here as Navas is the only fit senior keeper. Goals conceded have not really been his fault, so no complaints here. It is good to see him on Twitter with fighting talk about the team, so he is really integrated into the team it looks like.
When Henderson is back and fully fit, I would have whoever is doing better in training and then kept in the team until they are culpable for a goal and then switch. And repeat. I do have one eye on Navas' distribution, especially long range, to be taken into consideration as well.
Defense
Lodi is very good defensively, but was caught out high up the pitch on a couple occasions. Still, I would have him starting, and with him and Aurier in the full back positions, I am pretty comfortable. Aurier has been slammed by Richard Keys after the game, but overall, Aurier has made the team better so I am not going to complain. Both can whip in decent crosses when advanced, although these need to be with more quality consistently.
Filipe is really starting to grow into the role at Forest, and does show a nice turn of pace. When Niakhate is back (he was on the bench) I think the two will form a good, quick, partnership and will help solidify the back 4 with Lodi and Aurier. Boly will give great challenge to that back pairing and even offer up the option to play wingbacks with all 3 being in the centre at the back.
Midfield
The midfield is the largest talking point with fans. What is clear is that the creativity of Shelvey is needed in the team. Forest win far more when Yates starts and he is the heartbeat of the team with passion and dynamism (he was in the top 5 most fouled players in the Premiership before he went off sick). Yates provides the drive with the ball on the ground and Shelvey with passes forward to give two forms of threat to the opposition. That should be 2 of the midfield 3.
That leaves an enforcer role if Yates is to be free enough to be effective going forward and to keep Shelvey away from key defending. Sadly Freuler, as much as Cooper trusts him, is not quite doing that right now consistently. I think he is in to provide the leadership missed by Yates when he has been ill. Mangala might be able to be this enforcer, but ideally Kayoute will be the key when he is back and fully fit. Colback is not the worst choice until then, but recently playing both Colback and Freuler is too negative in my mind and stifles the required creativity.
Danilo once he adjusts to the pace of the Premiership is the medium term solution here and that will make a wonderful midfield trio. Scarpa has a role to play right now, whilst he is getting up to speed of the Premiership as well, as an impact sub, when opposition legs are getting tired. He can create opportunities as well as score goals.
Forwards
Dennis a ticking timebomb. He needs to learn not to try and take on players when all Forest players are forward, so not to lose the ball and creating an opposition overload on their counter. This happened once, and nearly happened again in the Spurs game. A classic example of the Dennis good but bad in equal measure was deep in the second half of this game. He tracked back very quickly to rob the ball from Kulusevski with a wonderful tackle. He then broke back up the field but then again was so slow to find the pass or try and go it alone with pace that he was robbed by Kane and Spurs broke again. It took some great defending to save a 4th goal.
It looks like he is trying to emulate Saint-Maximin with mazy dribbles, taking on defenders and keeping them guessing, just the execution is not consistent enough and until this is ironed out, he should not be in the starting XI, but he does actually add some dynamism when he comes on. He does also need to learn not to throw himself to the ground every time he loses the ball, it is getting tired already. As I mentioned he has potential, but with key games against Newcastle, Wolves, Leeds and Villa coming up, I am not sure starting him to find the confidence, composure and better decision making is the right idea, although injuries might necessitate it. Why not start banging in goals in the U21s?
So who should be up front? A lot depends on the results of scans for Johnson and Wood. But when available I think most fans would agree Johnson and Gibbs-White should start. Lingard did not really show much today, although they all found it tough, and Wood still does not convince me as he should be able to hold it up better given his key role when playing.
As mentioned already, Dennis should not be started at the moment. I really do think that Surridge should be given a shot as he has done nothing wrong other than just staying onside when he has been given game time (and that is something he does need to fix). A key factor is that he can finish, especially when cutting in from the left!
Awoniyi is supposed to be getting closer, and he should be eased back in and then form the starting 3 with Johnson and Gibbs-White. Awoniyi has been working on holding up the ball with more success, and can provide pace as a double weapon. If Lingard can start firing up with quality, there is no reason why he can’t be put in rotation for a starting spot, as with Surridge if he finds goals.
It seems Lingard is not being offered a contract extension, so he needs to put himself in the shop window for Middle Eastern and USA based options that are being whispered, so I hope he will start firing through necessity.
An update here is that Johnson has just been selected for the Wales squad, which would seem to indicate he is not as badly injured as fans feared. If that is the case, then I would say he, Gibbs-White and Surridge would be my starting picks, although very young, until Awoniyi is fit.
With Scarpa on the bench, he can also come on in a forward wide role. Lingard would be an impact sub, Wood would be used if we are trying to close out a win (although he needs to be able to hold the ball up better to be given this role), and Dennis can also be used as an impact sub until he displays his potential on a consistent basis, but he does have the potential to find a goal more than Wood or Lingard at the moment I would say.
For Newcastle, it looks like Gibbs-White and Surridge are two of the three, and with Scarpa only just flying back from Brazil after some horrible personal circumstances (so will not be in all the training this week), Dennis may get his shot as the only other option with injuries is Lingard. Lingard and Scarpa would be on the bench.
So for Newcastle:
Navas
Aurier Worrall* Filipe Lodi
Shelvey Colback Yates
Gibbs-White
Dennis Surridge
* If Niakhate is fit enough, he replaces Worrall and switches sides with Filipe
For Wolves / Leeds / Villa:
Navas
Aurier Filipe Niakhate Lodi
Shelvey Kouyate* Yates
Gibbs-White
Johnson^ Awoniyi^
* Colback plays if Kouyate not yet fit
^ Surridge is first option if Johnson / Awoniyi is not fit, and Dennis is second option if both are not fit
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