The one and possibly only contribution that ITV has made to modern day football is introducing U2?s Beautiful Day as an anthem for British footballing culture. It is another classic from the Dublin boys that I would like to propose head all previews to the forthcoming weekend?s matches though. Forget ?Smackdown Sunday? where the supposed top four of the Premiership went head to head in a blatant and unashamed choreographing of the fixture list by Sky. This ?Scintillating Saturday? throws up two clashes to be savoured between another of England?s top four clubs. Yes League One?s Port Vale versus Bristol City and Tranmere Rovers versus Nottm Forest is in the eyes of this footie fanatic, Even Better Than The Real Thing.

Whereas Arsenal v Manchester United and Chelsea v Liverpool sets up the biggest clubs in Britain with Premiership title aspirations thrown together in a must see for the viewing public worldwide, they are hardly the in-form teams of their division. The tenth game of the Coca-Cola 2006/07 League One campaign however will match up first with second, third with fourth.

Port Vale v Bristol City

Port Vale were early leaders until Forest caught them up and since then have slipped to fourth. Having beaten John Gregory?s new club QPR in the Carling Cup mid week confidence will be buoyed for the visit of Bristol City. Favourites for promotion from the league last year City flopped like a fish on the quayside but a better start this season and they must be eying a spot at the sharp end come May.

Tranmere Rovers v Nottm Forest

There is an added spice to the game at Prenton Park, Rovers the side with the best home record of the league this season, Forest with the best away record. The onus will be with Tranmere to break down a defence who have looked solid so far in front of a (kind of) reliable Paul Smith although without Danny Cullip, the job should be easier somewhat. Ronnie Moore will be expected to play a strong front line; the former Forest front man Gareth Taylor, in his first meeting with the Reds since his departure in the summer, alongside ex-Stoke City striker Chris Greenacre.

Junior Agogo started his first game for the Nottm Forest last Saturday against Carlisle and put in a good performance that is encouraging if the league form is to set itself back on track down Trentside. There is much to be worried about though and the Reds midfield has lacked fluency and creativity so far this campaign. It comes as a boost then that Kris Commons has declared himself fit to play against Rovers following pre season knee and ankle injuries. He played a good sixty five minutes in the Reserves 4-1 victory over Leeds United having a hand in three of the Forest goals. He has been named in Calderwood?s squad and will likely have some part to play tomorrow.

Prospect for the Reds?

We will have to hold our breath and see. I said at the start of the season that it would be around ten to fifteen games before we see what NFFC under Calderwood would be like. I will revise that statement now to twelve games. At this point a busy September will be behind us but before then Saturday?s opponents as well and Port Vale and Swansea provide three tough tests to our promotion credentials.

An excellent start has kept the City Ground abuzz following the tail end of last season but (and there is always a ‘but’) we are still not playing good, flowing football. Many fans will point to the 352 formation Calderwood fancies and I have yet to be fully convinced by the imbalanced look this strategy gives to our midfield, although I can understand the merits.

October brings the chance to draw breath as the fixture list throws up only seven games in two months, a stark contrast to the seven games throughout September alone. Five points from nine between now and then should be a realistic target and the manager?s tactics will be vindicated if this is achieved.

Finally, may I extend my warmest welcome to the Reverend Simon Cansdale to the Club?s backroom staff as a part-time mentor and confident for the players and coaches. I wish him all the best in his new role.

This entry was posted on Friday, September 22nd, 2006 at 10:10 am and is filed under Nottingham Forest. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. Both comments and pings are currently closed.