ARLukomski: We cannot judge Jonathan Forte solely as an impact sub

Approaching today's game against Swindon Town, Kevin Nolan has said that Jonathan Forte will start up front due to the injury suffered by Shola Ameobi.

Forte offers something different in attack compared to Jon Stead and Ameobi. He is easily our fastest striker and at the minute our most prolific with two league goals, coming against Wycombe and Morecambe, and one in the Checkatrade Trophy against Everton.

Pace up front is important in any league, especially in League Two. It can make all the difference, whether the striker in question is in the starting lineup trying to get you that early goal to set you up on the front foot, or coming on as an impact substitute trying to help the team get back into the game or grab a winning goal.

Forte is very much key to us due to our reliance on long balls up to Shola. His pace means we can play it on the ground more and it allows the midfield to help in creating chances, whilst when we play long balls up to Shola, the midfield is always bypassed and never get a chance to show what they are like as players when we attack.

Late in the game against Accrington he came on but we still persisted with plan A, which was long balls but this time it wasn't to Ameobi, it was to Forte himself. He is better suited to what happened for the second goal against Morecambe. Playing it on the ground. Providing through-balls which he can run onto and get in behind the defender. Defenders at this level hate pacey strikers.

If we played the ball on the ground we could be a lot stronger and more chances will come game by game. Nolan says he doesn't want to pass for the sake of it, but if we used Forte's strengths to our advantage and we take into consideration how well we played, playing passing football in the second half against Accrington, we could be a very very dangerous side.

The former Oldham man will be a very crucial player for Notts this season and could be the difference between playoffs or not. But we cannot judge him solely as an impact sub.

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