Aston Villa-owned Gary Gardner is enjoying his new role under manager Dougie Freedman at Nottingham Forest.
Nottingham Forest midfielder Gary Gardner has told the club’s official website that he is enjoying his role under manager Dougie Freedman.
The 22-year-old is an all-round central midfielder, but in recent games he has been deployed as a defensive midfielder.
The youngster, who joined Forest on loan from Aston Villa in the January transfer window, has taken to his new role well.
Gardner has scored one goal and created three chances in seven Championship appearances so far for the Reds, while having a pass accuracy of 70% and winning 68% of his duels.
The Englishman has now explained how he has adapted to his new role under the new Forest manager.
“I’m the sort of player that likes to get in the box, an all-round midfielder,” Gardner told Forest’s official website. “But the new gaffer has told me to do a job.
“It’s just to get on the ball and to look after the number 10, clean things up, get stuck in, win the headers and get the team playing. I’ll play anywhere as long as I’m on that pitch.”
Long-term effects
Gardner is a talented young player who is scheduled to return to Premier League outfit Villa at the end of the season when his loan deal at Forest runs out.
Playing in a new role in the Championship is only going to help the youngster in the long run.
The second tier of English football is very tough and hugely competitive, and playing in the defensive midfield position is going to enhance Gardner’s skills.
Perhaps Gardner will eventually go back to being “an all-round midfielder”, but the experience he is getting under Freedman at Forest is going to make him more versatile.
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