Nottingham Forest are a club currently stuck with the grey cloud of a transfer embargo over their head, and a poor start to the season on the pitch has ensured major doom and gloom around the City Ground.

The squad at boss Dougie Freedman's disposal isn't that bad looking at it on paper, and it is a sign of major disappointment that the Reds are currently in a lowly 19th place in the Championship table.

Littered within the Reds squad there are some causes for optimism that the current form can be overcome and the team can get back on track, and the Forest faithful, and boss Freedman, will be hopeful of it being sooner rather than later.

Here Football League World's Lee Clarke takes a look at FIVE underrated players within the Reds current crop....

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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE 5 UNDERRATED PLAYERS!

Dougie Freedman's Nottingham Forest travel to Middlesbrough this afternoon (3pm kick-off)

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Ben Osborn

Birmingham are still hopeful of bringing Robert Tesche back to the club

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The youngster adhered himself to the Forest supporters last season when his stoppage time goal against Derby County saw the Reds secure a 2-1 win over their arch enemy.

His performances had impressed those of a red persuasion long before he smashed in the winner over the Rams but it was that goal that saw him etch his name firmly into Forest folklore.

The 21-year-old has 51 first-team appearances under his belt for the first-team and after a injury-hit start to the 2015/16 campaign, he will now be hoping to maintain his fitness and help Forest up the Championship table.

Jamie Ward

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It was always going to take some impressive performances to swing the passion into Ward's court following his summer arrival from Derby County.

After a series of usually energetic displays I think it is safe to say that 95% of the Reds faithful are now backing the little nuisance and can see that he is putting 110% in every time he wears the red shirt.

Ward is still awaiting his first goal for the Reds since his summer switch but hopefully his first won't be too far away.

Eric Lichaj

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The American right-back has stepped up ten-fold this season and has easily been the Reds standout performer over the last two months.

Despite a difficult start to the season which saw him make a couple of uncharacteristic errors, the energetic full-back is now showing all the attributes that should be present for a player in his position.

Capped off his start to the season last week when he scored his first goal for the club in a 1-1 draw against recently relegated Burnley.

Daniel Pinillos

The Spaniard full-back arrived in the summer following the expiry of his contract at Cordoba in La Liga and he has taken to the Championship with ease.

The form of Lichaj on the right and Pinillos on the left-hand side of defence have been the two highlights of an otherwise pretty bleak start to the season so far.

The left-back berth is one that has for a while now been hard to fill but in the 23-year-old, Forest have themselves a shrewd acquisition.

Tyler Walker

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Walker is arguably one of the brightest prospects in the Championship at present but I think his indifferent form to the Reds is down to the system currently played by Dougie Freedman.

For the England Under-20's Walker plays as part of a front two and thrives, whereas for Forest, the youngster operates as part of a front three and often finds himself forced out wide, which isn't his game at all.

For Forest to really make the most of his talent, they need to play him to his strengths and give Walker a run in the side as part of a front two rather than a three.