Boss Chris Hughton hopes to be boosted by the return of some of his injured players in the coming weeks, as Nottingham Forest head into a hectic run of fixtures.
Harry Arter is available to face Barnsley this week, having returned early from international duty with the Republic of Ireland as a precaution for a minor injury.
Fellow midfielder Samba Sow will be missing for the trip to Oakwell, due to a hamstring problem, after being substituted in the 2-0 victory over Wycombe Wanderers before the break.
And while Hughton will also still be without defenders Joe Worrall (foot), Tyler Blackett (unspecified injury) and Michael Dawson (calf), as well as midfielder Fouad Bachirou (hamstring) and striker Lewis Grabban (hip), he says they are closing in on a comeback.
“Arter is fine. He came back as more of a precaution,” Hughton told NottinghamshireLive.
“He’s trained the last few days and is good, so that’s no problem.
“I think the encouraging ones, because we’re getting closer, are the longer term ones in Joe Worrall and Tyler Blackett.
“They’re not training yet, but they’re doing some good running outside.
“We’re hoping they’ll be training within two weeks, but then they’ve got to get up to speed.
“They are the encouraging ones.
“Grabban hasn’t been outside yet.
“But I think he is on track. At the time we thought it would be three or four weeks.
“The good thing about Grabban is that he has played games and it’s been a short period of time, so that’s positive.
“Bachirou is probably still a little bit further away, even though he’s making good progress.
“Samba is still out, but it’s not bad.
“He had a tight hamstring, so we brought him off in the Wycombe game as a precaution, which I think has worked out really well.
“He’ll be available very soon.
“Dawson is out with a slight calf problem, so I expect he will be fit very soon.”
The Reds face a jam-packed schedule of nine games within the next 29 days, including taking on five of the current top six after their clash with the Tykes.
As they look to push on from successive wins and mount a challenge at the top end of the table, it could prove a decisive period heading into the festive fixtures.
Hughton says calling upon his squad will be important, especially with Football League clubs reverting to being able to use up to five substitutions from a nine-man bench - as was the case following last term’s restart - starting from this weekend.
“The squad will be hugely important,” said the Forest manager.
“We’ve got to be lucky and hopefully not pick up injuries.
“The injured players who are, slowly but surely, coming back will play a big part because you want as many available as possible - particularly the possibility of using five subs from nine on the bench.
“That gives us options of using the squad, so if you have as strong a squad as possible, that gives you a better opportunity.”
