16/04/2008 - Reds come flying down the wings!
Nottingham Forest's "flying" wingers can play a key role in their play-off campaign, Colin Calderwood predicted today.
The Reds' place in the play-offs was confirmed last night as Walsall lost at home to Bristol Rovers.
Now Forest boss Calderwood has his sights set on fine-tuning his squad.
Kris Commons has returned to form following his recent injury problems, while Garath McCleary is building a growing reputation since bursting into the first-team squad, netting the decisive goal in the 2-0 win at Carlisle.
And, with Arron Davies set to return from his hamstring problem within the next two weeks, Reds manager Calderwood knows he will have plenty of options down the flanks.
"Kris has played well. He has had a big contribution," said Calderwood. "There is a slight concern about his injury but he has come through okay. We have to find the best situation for him, a position where he can get the ball as often as possible.
"The formation we are using at the minute does give him freedom, but also a lot of responsibility.
"Kris can flow off to the left side, which is where he becomes impossible to pick up. People try to go man for man with him, which is when they start to have a problem. When he is on the right and comes in on his left foot, he has the whole pitch open to him. But we have also got Garath who is equally comfortable on either flank. So we have two people who can play wide and cross off either foot.
"And, within a fortnight we should have Arron Davies back as well, which will give us another option out wide."
In the meantime, Calderwood says he is not concerned about who Forest end up facing in the play-offs.
And he does not believe that the play-off line-up is stronger this season, with the likes of newly-relegated Leeds and Southend both likely to be involved. ''Any team that ends up in there has had a successful season and is in there on merit," he said. "It is not about what they have done last season or which division they were in last season.
"Southend are on a very good run, Leeds similarly have had some good results. But we have to add ourselves to that group and be confident that we can get through."