SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP
• Venue: City Ground
• Date: Tuesday 12 January 2016
• Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio 5 live and BBC local radio; text commentary on the BBC Sport website
Current League Positions / Points
Birmingham 8th – 39 pts
Forest 14th – 31pts
Team News
Nottingham Forest will be without skipper Henri Lansbury for the clash with Birmingham.
The midfielder suffered an ankle injury just 17 minutes after coming on as a substitute in Forest's 1-0 FA Cup win over QPR on Saturday.
Lansbury's injury means Gary Gardner, a recent loan signing from Aston Villa, is set to retain his place after returning to the midfield against QPR.
Manager Dougie Freedman, whose side have drawn their last three league matches 1-1, is already without Andy Reid (groin), Britt Assombalonga (knee), Daniel Pinillos (knee) and Matty Fryatt (Achilles).
David Cotterill and Neal Eardley are both out of Birmingham's trip to the City Ground.
The duo came off at half-time of Saturday's 2-1 FA Cup defeat against Bournemouth after only just returning from injury.
Cotterill was withdrawn at the interval suffering from a tight hamstring while Eardley has a knee problem.
Blues boss Gary Rowett told the club's official site: "It's an awkward one at the moment. Cotts trained all week, we knew it was a little bit of a gamble but I wanted to start him because I felt it was better for him than to come off the bench cold later in the game."
MATCH FACTS
• Dexter Blackstock has scored three goals in three starts against Birmingham City for Nottingham Forest, including the winner in the reverse fixture in September.
• Birmingham have conceded exactly one goal in five of their past six matches with Forest, keeping a clean sheet in the other (W3 D1 L2).
• Jamie Ward has attempted the most shots without scoring in the second tier this season (40).
• The Blues have won three of their past four in the league, after going five matches without a win previously.
• David Vaughan has made more tackles than any other player in the Championship this season (104).
• Forest have recovered a league-high 11 points from losing positions this term.
Highlights from Birmingham vs Forest earlier this season, the Reds winning 1-0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez71C6tnmpo
This is a good article from Birmingham Evening News
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/birmingham-city-confident-mood-ahead-10714971
My Prediction? 1-1
Live @ http://www.ja606.co.uk/articles/viewLiveArticle/332362
Match Thread – Nottm Forest vs Birmingham C
posted on 13/1/16
Thanks Morninchile - interesting that
posted on 13/1/16
If you fail an appeal they can and often do extend the ban to four games.
posted on 13/1/16
Ray:
"If the Commission upholds the punishment, they then consider whether or not to increase it – If the Commission decides that the claim had no prospect of success or could be considered abuse of the system, they can add additional matches to the suspension, up to the maximum given (so, three, in standard cases). This is used quite rarely, obviously, due to how controversial it could prove to be."
That additional game ban seems to be at the discretion of the Commission, not automatic
posted on 13/1/16
So, if they think we are trying to pull their plonker, the ban could get increased to 6!!!
posted on 13/1/16
Yeh, I'm aware it is something they can do, probably "often" is exaggerating a fair amount
In this case he had his foot up, player appear to have been shot so although even the opposition manager has suggested it shouldn't have been a red, I could see them extending it.
posted on 13/1/16
He'd also be gutted if the ban got extended and he missed the huge FA Cup tie against Watford, these are the sort of ties where a none EPL get a rare chance to play one of the true giants of the game.
posted on 13/1/16
DF seemed very reluctant to consider an appeal last night. He was wary of getting the ban extended. There was clearly contact but it was wrongly interpreted by the Ref. The only way an appeal would be successful would be for Donaldson to admit he made there most of it-no chance! Even Rowett admitting it was harsh wouldn't be much help. The Ref could come out and admit he dropped a clanger but given the dog's abuse he got off everyone last night, highly unlikely.
posted on 13/1/16
Glad Jokic had a good debut. DF seemed delighted with him. I can see Forest being tough to beat but also unlikely to outscore opponents readily so it looks like it'll be draw city for the Reds!
posted on 15/1/16
Surprise, surprise - the Swansea defender sent off for a challenge much like Vaughan's has had his red card overturned. According to BBC Sport:
'Swansea City have won their appeal against the straight red card shown to Kyle Naughton in Wednesday's 4-2 home defeat by Sunderland.
A Football Association hearing determined that Naughton, 27, who was dismissed for a first-half foul on Yann M'Vila, was wrongly sent off by referee Graham Scott.
The defender's three-match suspension was withdrawn with immediate effect.
He will be available for the Premier League game with Watford on Monday.
Swansea interim manager Alan Curtis said Naughton had won the ball cleanly while Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce described the decision as "a soft red card."
posted on 16/1/16
We all know that it isn't a level playing field and Prem clubs will always get more support than the rest of us.