Forest travel to Roots Hall on Tuesday night, to face a Southend side that have just climbed back in to the top six following the 2-0 home win over Luton at the weekend.
Calderwood has now lost the backing of the majority of fans and desperately needs a win to try and get us back on side. You have to wonder if the players care if he stays in a job or not after the disappointing performance against a struggling Crewe at the weekend. It was yet another below par performance from the lads and one that now sees us 8 points behind second placed Doncaster.
Southend have hit form and look to have their season back on track. They now sit in sixth place, on 57 points. That’s just three behind us, although we do have a game in hand over them.
United manager Steve Tilson has been busy in the last week bringing in loan signings and looks to have the Shrimpers in a fine run of form after the poor start to the campaign. Don’t expect his side to be the pushover they were at the City Ground back in November, when they got thumped 4-1 thanks in no small part to the sending off of Leon Clarke.
This is yet another must win game, then again they all are now. Will the players put in a display that could save their boss his job? On current form, you’d have to say no. Although Mr. Doughty is unlikely to part company with Calderwood any time soon (no matter how bad things get), defeat at Roots Hall will make things very uncomfortable at the home game against Walsall on Saturday. Something has to change. Either an upturn in fortunes on the pitch, or a new man at the helm off it.
Vital Quotes:
Southend United Team News:
Alex Revell and Charlie MacDonald are expected to be sidelined with hernia and ankle problems respectively.
Player to watch: Nick Bailey
Bailey is the club’s top scorer with 11 so far in all competitions. The midfielder was signed by Tilson in the summer, for £175,000 from Barnet and looks to have been an astute buy.
Nottingham Forest Team News:
Forest will have a host of players getting treatment ahead of the game. Commons is a major doubt, but Luke Chambers might make enough progress in recovering from injury to force his way back in (since writing, both have been passed fit). Tyson should get back in the starting eleven, after playing over half an hour at the weekend. The major doubt for this one will be Arron Davies, who went off on Saturday clutching his hamstring.
Player to watch: Chris Cohen
Our box to box midfielder is one of the few shining lights in the side at present. If he can get the side going then we may get something out of the game. The only thing missing from his game is a few more goals.
Match Facts & Stats
Back in November we thumped the Shrimpers 4-1. Leon Clarke was sent off for tamely sticking the head on Luke Chambers. Whilst the player had to go, you have to say that our lad milked the situation somewhat.
In 9 meetings between the two sides Forest have won 5, drawn 1 and lost 3. Last season we won 2-0 at the City Ground and lost 1-0 away.
Match Prediction:
1-1.
Next Fixtures:
FL1. Walsall (h). March 15, 2008. KO 3pm .
