Craig Forsyth has been ruled out for months after a knee injury in Tuesday's victory at Portsmouth left him needing surgery. The 37-year-old will see a specialist on Friday before the next step is decided, but Derby County already expect to be without him for at least a couple of months.
That is a heavy blow for Derby County because Forsyth has been one of the experienced figures in the side, and the timing matters as much as the length of the layoff. With West Ham Vs Derby County drawing search interest around the fixture, the immediate issue for Derby is that one of their most seasoned defenders is now facing a long spell away from the team.
The injury was enough to end any short-term hope that Forsyth might be back quickly. Surgery is required, but the exact procedure is still to be confirmed after Friday's appointment, which leaves Derby County waiting for clarity on how long his recovery will take and how much of the season he could miss.
There is more concern in the squad, even if not quite as much as first feared, because Lewis Travis is also set to be absent. He suffered a knock in the 3-0 defeat by Swansea City and has undergone scans, with John Eustace saying Trav is going to be missing for four of five weeks and that the situation is not as bad as initially feared.
Travis's spell out is shorter than Forsyth's, but it still removes another experienced player for a crucial stretch. Eustace's words offered some relief, yet they also underlined the problem facing Derby County now: one senior defender out for months, the captain sidelined for weeks, and the medical picture still not fully settled for either player.
Friday will bring the next piece of the story when Forsyth meets the specialist, but even that will only answer part of it. Derby County already know they will have to manage without him for a long time, and the unresolved question is how invasive the surgery must be before his recovery can properly begin.
