Ola Aina has received praise from former Nottingham Forest teammate Anthony Elanga after stepping into an unfamiliar central defensive role for the Premier League side, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
The Nigeria international was named as a right-sided centre-back in Forest’s starting XI last weekend, a position he has rarely played since moving to the club.
Aina was forced to adapt to the role after Nikola Milenkovic was ruled out, while Jair Cunha was also unavailable due to a hamstring problem. Despite his limited experience in a back three, the Super Eagles defender produced a performance that earned appreciation from Forest supporters.
The display has also given manager Oliver Glasner another option to consider ahead of Forest’s weekend meeting with Coventry.
Aina has predominantly featured at right-back and left-back since joining Nottingham Forest on a free transfer and has established himself as a popular figure within the dressing room.
Speaking on his Instagram channel on Wednesday night, Aina was asked about his experience playing at centre-back and admitted that the position required him to approach the game differently.
He said: “It was a bit of a difference, I can’t lie. It was different. There was a lot more…I feel like I had to read the game a bit more. That was a bit difficult for me, I can’t lie.”
Despite acknowledging the difficulties of playing in an unfamiliar position, Aina impressed enough to attract praise from Elanga, who previously played alongside him at Forest.
The Newcastle United winger responded to Aina’s comments on Instagram with a brief assessment of the Nigerian’s performance.
Elanga posted: “I think you played that role perfectly.”
Aina’s versatility could prove useful to Glasner as Forest prepare for their next fixture, particularly with defensive injuries affecting the manager’s options.