Garth Crooks has raved about one Nottingham Forest player after a 2-2 draw against Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday.
It wasn’t the result that Forest were looking for at the weekend as they looked to put three points between themselves and Luton once again.
Morgan Gibbs-White and Danilo did put Forest in the lead but two goals from Matheus Cunha ensured a share of the spoils for Wolves.
The focus for Forest now switches to Everton this weekend and Crooks believes one City Ground star is going to be integral to the team’s fortunes.
Garth Crooks says Nottingham Forest star is an ‘inspiration’
Following promotion to the Premier League, Forest were in a position to attract a better standard of footballer.
Steve Cooper knew Morgan Gibbs-White extremely well having managed him for the England under-17s and briefly at Swansea.
He quickly became the club’s number one target after Huddersfield were beaten in the Play-Off Final – with Evangelos Marinakis stumping up the funds to land him.
Gibbs-White was immediately handed the number 10 at Forest and last season he scored five goals and claimed eight assists as the Reds stayed up.
This term, Gibbs-White has scored six goals and claimed seven assists and Crooks has raved about him after Saturday.
He told BBC Sport: “If Nottingham Forest are to stay in the Premier League this season they must keep Morgan Gibbs-White fit.
“He was the inspiration in the 2-2 draw against Wolves and his headed goal epitomised how the lad is not afraid to get in where it hurts in order to score goals.
“I’m not entirely sure whether the player’s motivation was fuelled by the fact that he was playing against his old club and had a point to prove, or whether it was purely down to Forest’s perilous situation. He wasn’t afraid to make his point.
“Having scored, he confronted the Wolves fans, with his hands cupping his ears as if to say ‘what have you got to say now?’.”
Gibbs-White’s stats at Forest will increase his valuation
Last season was somewhat hard work for Gibbs-White when it came to goals and assists, with a number of his contributions coming in the closing stages of the campaign.
After Saturday, he’s now equalled last season’s totals and with five games to spare, there should be more to come for the playmaker.
Gibbs-White is just brilliant and he’s comfortably been one of the team’s most consistent performers this season – even if David Prutton has bemoaned his set-pieces.
That is one aspect of his game that does need to improve but on Saturday he got on the end of one and perhaps Forest need him in the box after all.
Gibbs-White has been linked with a move away from Forest, with West Ham and Tottenham both monitoring his situation.
However, given the number of goal contributions that he’s registered since signing for Forest, the rumoured £50 million price tag seems fair.
That would give Forest profit on Gibbs-White and if he does have to be sold, they’d stand a very good chance of getting that fee for a player of his stature.
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