Brentford head coach Thomas Frank hopes Finnish striker Marcus Forss will again make the most of an opportunity to showcase his talents in the Carabao Cup at Stoke.
The 22-year-old hit four goals in the 7-0 trashing of Oldham in the last round, but has made just two substitute appearances in the Premier League since.
Forss was a regular in the Sky Bet Championship last season, scoring in the play-off semi-final second leg against Bournemouth which helped secure a place at Wembley.
Frank accepts it can be a difficult period having to watch on from the bench most weeks, with Ivan Toney, Bryan Mbeumo and Sergi Canos leading the attack.
“You need to be (patient) in any team, depending on who you are and how much you have played. Especially when you are a youngish player who has not established himself yet,” Frank said.
“I am sure if we played in the Championship, he would play and maybe be the number one striker, but of course we have gone a level up and we need more than one good player.
“Marcus has gone through a very good development as a player and as a person.
“When he was younger it was more maybe that he would come and knock on the door, now he knows what he has to do.
“I like him, we like him and when the opportunity is there, that is when he needs to be ready.
“Me and our coaching staff need to be on top of him in terms of extra training, feedback with video, to make sure that when he gets the minutes he is ready.”
Mbeumo went off during Sunday’s Premier League defeat against Leicester because of a hamstring problem, so will not feature against Stoke.
Frank feels it is another chance for Forss to stake his claim.
“Marcus will start, that is 100 per cent sure. He did fantastic in the cup tournament,” the Bees boss said.
“He had a very good substitution play against Chelsea and he did many things right.
“He was a bit unlucky when the ball dropped in the situation against Leicester, but as always he was working very hard.
“We have been doing everything we can to do extra with Marcus, on his finishing, getting into the right areas in the box and creating the right situation where he needs to perform and we hope that can keep him to a high level.”
Stoke come into the tie on the back of three successive Championship defeats which have seen them drop down to ninth, but are among a bunch of clubs just three points off fourth place.
Frank will not underestimate the challenge ahead at the bet365 Stadium.
“They are a very energetic and aggressive side which press forward and can mix their game up,” the Bees head coach said.
“We will need to defend very well and then hopefully create the situations we want.
“I am in no doubt we will go up there and put a good performance in, then see if that is enough.”
