"I trust in my players." That’s the message from Nottingham Forest head coach Sabri Lamouchi, after making the bold decision to start Ryan Yates at Luton on Saturday.
Midfielder Yates hadn’t played a first team game since the final outing of last season against Bolton, having undergone surgery on a persistent knee injury over the summer.
Yates, a graduate from the Nigel Doughty Academy was thrust into the Reds’ engine room at Kenilworth Road alongside stalwart Ben Watson, and produced a fine display to help his team record a vital 2-1 victory.
It was a first win in three for Forest, and came on the back of successive defeats coupled with a frustrating postponement seeing them move fifth in the Championship.
Lamouchi dealt with some criticism after making sweeping changes for the 1-0 loss at Wigan last month, but saw his team selection may dividends at Luton, admitting that making adjustments will always be viewed in a positive light, if a win then follows.
"It was a tactical choice,” said Lamouchi.
“When you win the manager is right.
"When we lose maybe I am wrong.
"I trust in my players, all of them, but I can only pick 11."
The Frenchman also praised the spirit of his side with the way they bounced back to those reversals, while heaping credit on leading marksman Lewis Grabban for notching his sixth of the season.
"Yes it's a fantastic strike and he could have got one more,” he said. “He played for the team and the team played for him.
"With this spirit, it's really important for us."
