Could Jack Colback be playing his final games for Nottingham Forest?

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Nottingham Forest’s Jack Colback joined the club on loan until the end of the season.

Nottingham Forest midfielder Jack Colback put in another subdued performance against Cardiff City, likely harming his chances of securing a permanent switch to the City Ground.

The 28-year-old moved to Nottingham Forest from Newcastle United on loan until the end of the season, joining Aitor Karanka’s mini revolution on deadline day, as he became one of seven fresh faces.

Colback initially started off well, impressing as Nottingham Forest recorded consecutive clean sheets against playoff hopefuls Sheffield United, an improving Norwich City and East Midlands rivals Derby County back in March.

Since then, however, Nottingham Forest have struggled for form as they’ve won just one of their last eight games, with the latest trip to promotion-chasing Cardiff City ending in a narrow 2-1 defeat.

Among their poor run the Reds endured a six-game goalless streak- their second worst run in recent history – and one which raised questions over several players, and manager Aitor Karanka in particular.

The lack of creativity in midfield is an evident issue, and in Ben Watson, Adlene Geudioura and Colback, there’s a distinct lack of mobility out of possession which disrupts Karanka’s ideal counterattacking style.

It’s an area which Nottingham Forest need to address this summer – alongside their shortage of strikers – and it leaves a big question mark over Colback’s future at the club.

The player seemingly has no future at Newcastle United and he offers plenty of top-level experience, but he doesn’t really offer anything different to Watson, Geudioura or Liam Bridcutt.

Against Cardiff, Colback recorded just one tackle and one shot on target of note, failing to provide any key passes or break up the hosts attacks with interceptions or effective clearances.

He has featured ten times in the Championship as a midfielder for Forest during his loan spell, but his average of 0.6 shots on goal, 0.2 successful take-ons and 0.8 key passes per game makes for dim reading (Whoscored).

The Tricky Trees need creativity in midfield, evident by their poor goal return of late, and in Colback they have a player who doesn’t offer that therefore there seems little reason to keep him on beyond the end of the season.