Cardiff City boss Erol Bulut has told loan players Jonathan Panzo and Alex Runarsson they must be ready to take their chance but those ahead of them have rendered themselves undroppable so far this season.
Cardiff were desperate to add defensive cover and Bulut finally got his man in Panzo, whom he had been targeting all summer, on deadline day in the summer. The Bluebirds boss has close ties with Forest's owner, Evangelos Marinakis, who also owns one of Bulut's former clubs Olympiacos, and was finally able to strike up a deal. City also have Josh Bowler on loan from the Midlands club.
Runarsson, meanwhile, enjoyed a positive loan spell at one of Bulut's old clubs in Turkey, Alanyaspor, last year, and with Ryan Allsop heading for the exit, Cardiff did well to get a deal for the Iceland international over the line.
However, it's likely not been the start to life at Cardiff that both players had expected. They can have little to complain about, though, with City's two centre-backs, Mark McGuinness and Dimitrios Goutas, being standout performers for the club so far this term. And Jak Alnwick's form has skyrocketed since he was installed as No.1.
Panzo played a vital role in helping Coventry City get to the play-offs last season and he would likely have expected to be starting for City this season. But he arrived unfit, had a couple of dicey outings at Ipswich Town and Blackburn Rovers and those in front of him have flourished. Bulut said he won't be changing his defence for the sake of it.
"I spoke with Panzo, because I was the one who wanted him here at the start of the season. We were pushing to get him and we got him late.
"When he came he was not fit. He was not fit enough to play 90 minutes. In Ipswich we put him to play 20 or 25 minutes and then in cup games he played. But right now, Macca and Goutas are doing well, so I don't have any reason to change this. I told him this, too. I told him 'Continue your hard work' and he is doing well. When he gets his chance he has to take his chance. When he plays well he will play.
"Maybe a player then goes out (of the team) and he will have to wait a few games. Football is like this. If you have a chance you have to use it well. Right now, I have no reason to change my centre-backs because the back four are doing well right now.
"Of course, some players, like Jon, can be sad about why he is not playing. OK, but I have to think about the team now. If one player is not playing so much, I am not going to play him just to play. If it is going well, why should I change? Players have to understand that and I told this to the players. It doesn't matter if it is Jon or someone else. Right now, everything is going well, so we will continue.
"There are some games that Macca or Goutas will tire, then he will get his chance to play and he will have to use it well. He or maybe somebody else."
As for Runarsson, who has one league outing and two Carabao Cup appearances to his name for Cardiff, well, by Bulut's own admission, he was signed as a No.1, but the elevation in Alnwick's game this season has been nothing short of remarkable. Save a horrible touch which led to Watford's goal in the 1-1 draw with the Hornets at Cardiff City Stadium, the Geordie stopper has been flawless.
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