Ola Aina admits filling in at centre-back for Nottingham Forest against Aston Villa demanded a completely different way of reading the game than he’s used to at full back.
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Super Eagles defender Ola Aina has spoken about the challenge of adapting to an unfamiliar centre back role for Nottingham Forest, admitting the position forced him to read the game differently from his usual duties at full back.
A Late Reshuffle Against Villa
Aina was deployed on the right side of Forest’s three man defence during their 2-1 Premier League win over Aston Villa, following injuries to established centre backs Nikola Milenkovic and Jair Cunha. Though he impressed in the role, he admitted the tactical adjustment was far from straightforward, saying it was different and that he had to read the game a lot more than usual, describing it as a bit difficult for him.
A Career Built On Flexibility, Tested Further
Aina has built much of his career on versatility, comfortable operating at both right back and left back, but playing as part of the central defensive unit presented a fresh challenge. Head coach Oliver Glasner explained that the switch came together after the club received late confirmation that two centre backs were unavailable, prompting him to approach Aina at the team hotel to ask whether he felt he could handle the assignment.
Glasner said he had asked Aina directly whether he could picture it working, and the defender’s confident response gave him belief it would. The coach added that he was proud of the performance both Aina and his teammates produced given the circumstances. Former Forest winger Anthony Elanga was similarly impressed, telling Aina he had played the role perfectly.
Another Lesson In Adaptability
For Aina, the experience offered another test in a career already defined by versatility, requiring him to anticipate danger from the heart of the defence rather than the flanks he is more accustomed to patrolling.
