FA Cup: Forest vs Preston Pre-match.

We don't do cups. Or at least as long as I can remember, we haven't done cups. They seem to be like having kids. With the energy and the time they take, there's never really a good time to have them if you have priorities like keeping afloat or rising up up the ranks.... which is generally every team, every year.

Either way.

Here we are, 4th round FA cup, Preston North End. Billy Davies has said that he'd like to go on a cup run and keep that winning mentality. Hes shown those aren't def words with the line up, and the performance, and the scoreline against west ham.

League one promotion chasing Preston sound like a lower league 'gimmie' but they have already beaten championship opposition in the form of Ipswich. So it would be foolish to assume they don't have the credentials to put us away. However it seems that their main focus is on the league and Preston do seem to field weaker teams in cup games (but hey, still beat Ipswich).The last time we played Preston was in the 2010-2011 season in which we won 2-1 for us to be knocked out in the subsequent round by west ham.

The name Joe Garner may ring a few bells. The former-forests-substitute-second-half-hatrick overcame Ipswich in the last round and his 5 goals in cup, alongside his 8 in league show good goal scoring form. Davies who has scored 3 in cup and 2 in league will miss out due to a 3 match suspension.

Forest however, aren't without hindrance. A back line plagued by injury has hit bare bone with Harding (3rd choice LB), collins (4th choice CB), and Halford (striker) occupying the back line against blackburn. We hope that players recover in time for this match and if not this match, use this time to reach fitness before Watford next week. This cup game is strangely well timed regarding injuries.

Regarding favorites, without sounding bias everything points to a forest victory. Forest have a formidable home record of late, and forests desire for a cup run in contrast to PNEs focus on the league may be influential. The thick vein of form Reid, Lans, and Pato have hit along with Vaughans re-installment may be too much to handle. However, they wont roll over, and the 11 goals they've scored so far show lethality which may put to bed a team built on complacency.

Prediction: Forest 3-1 PNE - Garners got to Score but i think we'll field our regular team which'll be too much for Preston. That and Preston fans seem to consider billy abit of a bogey manager.

Thoughts?

COYRs