Forest Preview – Home, Dec 26th

I’m all about Boxing Day football, it’s probably the best fixture of the year, other than the final day, so long as there’ some drama to enjoy. And, of the last couple of season’s, Boxing Day has been entertaining.

Last season it was a 4-2 reverse at home to Bristol City, Mat Sadler making his last Golden Boys appearance to date, the season before a Luigi De Canio [remember him? Most R’s fans pine for hime] led QPR also trounced us 4-2. However hopefully Malky’s men will have laid off the turkey this year and they’ll serve up a Christmas cracker [groan…] against Billy Davies’ Forest.

In third and level on points with second placed WBA, Davies’ first full season at the City Ground has been a dream after taking over in January.

The squad has been revamped majorly with Lee Camp arriving permanently between the sticks – a man always good for banter, if not for his name but his pathetic barnet and time-wasting tendancies! Meanwhile, former Premier League full backs Nicky Shorey and Chris Gunter offer real quality and left and right back respectively.

In the middle, Davies recruited an entirely new central parnership bringing in his former PNE skipper, Paul McKenna. The grafter grabbed his first Forest goal last weekend, against Preston of all teams. Alongside him is Pole, Radoslew Majewski; an industrious and cultured user of the ball, Majewski is more likely to be seen getting forward than Mr Sensible McKenna.

Up top and it was all change for the tricky trees. Big Dele Adebola arrived from Bristol City on a freebie whilst David McGoldrick and Dexter Blackstock were recruioted from Soton and QPR for considerably more. Throw into the mix young gun Joe Garner, Nathan Tyson AND Robbie Earnshaw, and you’ve got a potent striking sextet.

So yes, the gist of this is that Watford WILL have their work cut out tomorrow, four losses from five is a disappointing slump whilst Davies’ men are unbeaten in….well, a long, long time. Something could give, let’s wait and see!

Watford are still without Ross Jenkins whilst Craig Cathcart and Don Cowie are injured, Nathan Ellington won’t play again before he leaves for Greece in six days time – hoorah!

Likely Watford XI
Loach
Hodson Mariappa DeMerit (c) Doyley
Cleverley Lansbury Eustace Harley
Helguson
Graham

Likely Forest XI
Camp
Gunter Morgan Wilson Shorey
McKenna
Anderson Majewski Cohen
McGoldrick Adebola