Okay, let’s draw attention away from the apparent implosion that’s occurring in the upper echelons of Forest and consider matters on the pitch for tomorrow. We welcome Coventry to the City Ground where, of course, we’re on a bit of an unbeaten run – the bad news for us is that our visitors are on a pretty good run of away form of late, so will undoubtedly be looking to end our run.
Twenty-six games unbeaten is an impressive record at the City Ground (creatively ignoring the play-offs, of course), and as we struggle for things of positivity to draw upon it gets mentioned more and more by the club and hence picked up by the media (and me). I’d not really noticed us amassing an unbeaten run at home ’til a few games ago though, once these things start getting talked about a lot they seem to be at most risk of ending!
If Billy is actually in Nottingham for the fixture (sic), he might be tempted to tinker with the team that drew at Vicarage Road slightly. Kelvin Wilson’s mysterious back problem renders him a doubt, but there are no fresh worries from the trip to Watford so there’s plenty of scope for potential tinkerage – with the likes of Raddy Majewski and Nathan Tyson eager to reclaim a starting berth.
The Skyblues are on a decent run away from home, built at least partially on their ability to field an unchanged side for a number of games – that seems set to change, as Coventry manager Aidy Boothroyd have injury concerns over defender Ben Turner and striker Clive Platt. That could open the way for former Forest striker and notable sex-pest Marlon King to make only his second start for Coventry. He’s sure to enjoy a less-than-friendly reception from the Reds fans.
In their last couple of away games Coventry have taken all three points from Sheffield United and Ipswich Town, so they will be high on confidence on their travels much as the Reds might feel our own home record sufficiently impressive to give them the edge psychologically. Of course, with the unsettling news of the latest round of histrionics between Billy Davies and the board, our players might have their mind elsewhere..
Bizarrely the official site preview picks out Ian Wallace as a notable player linking the two clubs – presumably they must’ve forgotten that we signed Stuart Pearce from them, very much as a makeweight in the signing of Ian Butterworth. Butterworth only went on to play 33 times for the Reds, whilst Stuart Pearce – well, we don’t need reminding of what he went on achieve with Forest and beyond!
As for the game, despite Coventry’s decent away form of late you’d like to think that we should have enough in the locker to secure the win. You’d like to, wouldn’t you? Recent form gives the impression of an irresistible force meeting an immovable object – of course, that physics paradox could just result in our favourite scoreline this season playing out, a low-scoring (or no-scoring?) draw.
I’d prefer a win, though! And still have a nagging fear that we might taste defeat at the City Ground for the first time in aeons…
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