With a play off place already confirmed Forest will head to the seaside this weekend hoping to end a run of 3 months without an away win but will be facing the only Championship team that could do the double over Forest this season and also happens to be on a cracking run of form at home. It’s going to be a tough test for the reds but with Forest looking most likely to play the 6th placed team in the play off semi’s they could do themselves a big favour here by putting a dent in one of the most in form contenders for that 6th place spot.
Vital Quotes:
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Blackpool Team News:
Blackpool’s former Celtic defender Stephen Crainey is the only injury doubt ahead of this game.
Player to watch: Charlie Adam
Blackpool’s top scorer this season with 15 goals including the winner at the City Ground earlier this season, but it will also be worth casting a weary eye over to former Forest loan striker Brett Ormerod who has also weighed in with 10 goals
Nottingham Forest Team News:
David Kelly hinted towards players being rested after the Ipswich win which guaranteed Forest a play off place and vital members of the squad could be placed on the bench for this game or dropped from the squad completely. Ever presents this season Lee Camp and Chris Gunter could be due a well earned rest while strike duo Earnshaw & Blackstock may be held back for the challenges ahead, on loan midfielder Raddi Majewski could also be saved for play off games.
Player to watch: Guy Moussi
After finally getting some regular football in a Forest shirt the French midfielder has started to look like the player we all thought he could be, his battling performances have started to get him noticed and he’s even getting himself on the score sheet. If he can continue with his recent form the injury suffered by Paul McKenna may not be quite as devastating as we’d first thought.
Match Facts & Stats
There have been 73 league encounters between these two teams prior to this game with Forest holding the advantage with 28 wins & Blackpool 23 including the 0 – 1 smash and grab at the City Ground earlier this season which leaves us with 22 drawn games. This fixture has produced 193 goals in past meeting with Forest claiming 104 of them. Blackpool won the corresponding fixture earlier this season in a game that Ian Holloway said after the match left him feeling like a ‘masked robber’
Blackpool are on a great run of form at home having won 6 & drawn one of the last seven games to leave them just 2 points outside the play off places with three games to go & should they maintain that form nobody will want to meet them in the semi finals so Forest could do themselves a massive favour by picking up a result here, it won’t be easy though with Blackpool being one of the leagues top scorers at home with 42 goals which only the top two can better.
Forest’s away day woes came to an end with the 1 – 1 draw at Bristol City last week which brought to an end a run of 7 consecutive away defeats but they have won away from home just once since Christmas. On the plus side for Forest, they do boast the leagues second best away defence having conceded just 22 away goals in 21 games.
Ref Watch:
Anthony Taylor of Cheshire will take charge of this game, this is the ref who infamously sent off Kelvin Wilson on new years day 2008 when Malvin Kamara of Huddersfield fell over his own shoe laces, Forest fought back after the resulting penalty to come out 2 – 1 winners thanks to a stunning Lewis McGugan strike, but no thanks to Mr Taylor.
He will be assisted by Paul Kettlewell of Lancashire & Andrew Screg of Merseyside while Forth Official for the day will be Andrew Hutchinson of Cheshire
Match Prediction:
With Blackpool being the only Championship team this season that Forest have failed to take any points from but also being in terrible away form it’s hard to predict a reds win, I’m going for a draw though with several Forest back up players trying to prove they are worth a position in the play off team. Blackpool 1 – 1 Forest.
Next Fixtures:
Saturday, 24 April 15:00
The Football League Championship
Nottm Forest v Plymouth
