City v Forest. Match preview

26 November 2011 13:17
A six nil win for the Bluebirds would take the club to 2nd place in the Championship. For an hour or two at least.

City are three points behind West Ham who entertain Derby in the evening game.

To be hoinest, a 1 nil would be fine. Any victory would continue the fine run of form the club has enjoyed this November, usually such a barren month.

Forest are now managed by Steve Cotterill. He joined them earlier in the season after the departure of Schteve McLaren and has seen them win four of the last six games.

"It will be no bigger test than any of the other games really," Cotterill said about today's game. "They don't come any easier and they don't come any more difficult. It will be tough, we know that.

"But if we play to the level we've done in the last few games, we know it will be a tough game for them too.

"There hasn't been an easy game yet, but we are looking forward to it."

Forest are a team Malky Mackay has kept his eye on.

“It’s been interesting as a spectator watching it in terms of the differences this season,” said the City boss.

“Obviously there had been a manager who had been there for a few years and got to the play-offs.

“You always look at the clubs who made it to the semis and the play-off final and you see how they start the following year and if there are changes.

“Obviously Forest decided to change their manager and for whatever reason he’s been quickly changed again and Steve Cotterill is in there.

“He’s had some very good results to start with. The squad they have there is very experienced I have no doubts this season that they will click.”

Early team news from Sporting Life:

Captain Mark Hudson is a doubt for Cardiff as they prepare to take on Nottingham Forest.

Centre-back Hudson missed the 1-1 draw at Coventry in midweek because of a hamstring strain which he picked up in training, and he may not be fit enough to face Forest.

If Hudson does not recover in time, either Anthony Gerrard or Darcy Blake will fill in alongside Ben Turner at the heart of the Bluebirds' defence.

Otherwise, striker Rudy Gestede misses out as he continues his recovery from a hamstring problem, but manager Malky Mackay has no new injury or suspension worries ahead of the game.

Mackay is looking to lead Cardiff to a seventh consecutive game unbeaten in all competitions.

Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, have no new problems ahead of the trip to the Welsh capital.

Manager Steve Cotterill has four players returning from injury. Midfielders Paul Anderson (hamstring) and George Boateng, and forwards Garath McCleary (knee) and Dexter Blackstock (knee) got more minutes under their belts in a reserve-team game on Monday.

Anderson made his comeback as a second-half substitute during the thrilling 3-2 home win over Ipswich, but Cotterill is still mindful of nursing the quartet back into first-team contention.

If Blackstock features, he will be returning to the stadium where he was injured 12 months ago last weekend.

Former Forest striker Robert Earnshaw, who returned to Cardiff during the summer, could line up against the Reds.

Source: FOOTYMAD