Aaron Jaffe
Nuno Espírito Santo has insisted that Tuesday night’s FA Cup clash away at Exeter City is a ‘priority’, despite the 59-place difference between Nottingham Forest and the Grecians in League One.
Forest have returned from warm weather training in the United Arab Emirates, capitalising on a brief gap in the crowded schedule to bond as a team after their 7-0 riot against Brighton & Hove Albion.
“It was good,” Nuno said. “The schedule allowed us to have a nice trip, because we had time. At the same time, I think it was important for us to be together. We had a chance to work in nice facilities, good training sessions and enjoy ourselves and spend some time together, regarding the bonds. Now everything is going to be judged tomorrow. Everything that we do is going to be related to our training camp, so let’s make sure that we make it right.”
Exeter City sit in 18th in League One and are winless in their last five matches. They progressed to the fourth round with a 3-1 win against Championship outfit Oxford United, but have struggled for form since.
With the Reds sitting in 3rd in the Premier League and facing two challenging away trips to Fulham and Newcastle before Arsenal visit, many would expect Forest to overlook this game. However, Nuno has insisted that it is their current ‘priority’ and will be a ‘tough match’.
“It is a priority now. It is the game that we have to focus on. It is the most important game that we have.
“We have been around for enough time to know that every game is so difficult. In this competition, when you play away from home, it is always hard. We expect a tough match tomorrow at Exeter.
“The FA Cup allows teams from different competitions to have a chance to compete, but I’m looking forward in the aspect that I think it is a good moment for us as a squad to take advantage of this game. To reward the players that are working so hard who don’t have minutes. At the same time, bring everybody that we want to bring to the last games of the competition, so that is important. I am looking forward [to it], but I’m always concerned and worried about the game.”
The Forest boss also discussed the mental test that his squad will have managing the occasion and atmosphere as they travel to the Southwest of England.
The game will be played at Exeter’s 8,200-strong St James Park, where the crowd will be on top of Forest’s Premier League talent in the hopes that they could potentially slip up.
“We have to get ready for that. We already had a chat about the game. I think in these games, what is important is to try and find simplicity. Solve the problems in a simple way, because our talent and our quality will show, I hope.”
Nuno was tight-lipped concerning team news ahead of the game. Callum Hudson-Odoi and Murillo have recently returned to training, but there were no indications as to whether they will feature.
“Everybody has to be assessed, because it’s always details and things that we have to look at. Let’s see how the training session goes tomorrow, it’s so early, now we go and prepare the game and then we make the list and decide the squad.”
Forest have progressed further than the fourth round in two of their last five FA Cup campaigns and with a chance of winning silverware at stake, the cup’s highest-ranked side have a point to prove on Tuesday night.
Aaron Jaffe
Featured image courtesy of @pedramraz via Unsplash. Image use license found here (Unsplash). No changes were made to this image.
In article image 1 courtesy of officialnffc via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
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