Steve Cooper has revealed that Joe Lolley's absence at Nottingham Forest is likely to extend into the new year, as per a report from Nottinghamshire Live. 

The 29-year-old has been missing from the squad since late November, suffering a knee injury in early December. 

Lolley has played 765 minutes of Championship football this season but has not been able to secure a regular starting place in Steve Cooper's side. 

Despite the initial knock not seeming too much of a disturbance, it appears that Lolley will miss the next couple of weeks. 

Speaking to Nottinghamshire live about the winger, Cooper said: “He’s had a recurrence of a tendon injury in his knee, so he’s not ready.

“It’s a bit inconclusive how long he will be out for, but it’s certainly going to be a couple of weeks, I think.

“It’s not good news. But injured players are not my focus; the ones who are in the squad and are available are. That will always be my way, to focus on the players who can play in the next game, because they are the ones who can make a difference.

“That’s just the way I go about it.”

The verdict 

Despite not being as influential this year as he has been in previous seasons, Lolley is a player that offers the Forest attacking line a lot and a different dimension too. 

The 29-year-old's dribbling ability and subsequent end-product makes him a feared opponent at Championship level and a player who can spark something out of nowhere. 

The Reds do possess strong attacking options this season, with the likes of Brennan Johnson, Alex Mighten and Philip Zinckernagel impressing, but Lolley pushes competition levels at The City Ground and could be a big player for the promotion-chasing club as the term progresses.