Boss Jim Magilton says he will decide on the day of the game what changes to make to his side for the Blues' trip to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday. Shane Supple could replace Richard Wright in goal, the more senior keeper having made a number of errors this season.

Magilton said: "I would like to be consistent in my selection, while also aware that one or two have had below par games. But I will sleep on it and maybe give people the benefit of the doubt.

"I may give Campo a rest. Alex Bruce has done well and is breathing down people's necks. He has been unfortunate to be left out. Moritz Volz didn't defend particularly well at times on Saturday, but he gives us a real threat going forward, so it is about the balance.

"I will sleep on all these because I don't want send any jittery signals out because people are already jittery.”

Possibly the closest call is between Richard Wright and Shane Supple for the goalkeeper's jersey. Wright has made several mistakes which have cost goals this season, while Supple's only game so far was the 4-1 Carling Cup victory over Leyton Orient.

Magilton says Wright has not been in top form since his return to the club: "Richard has not been at the level we know he is capable of and he's having one of those periods where every shot seems to be going in.

"It's an unfortunate part of the game that goes with being a goalkeeper that when things are not going quite right for you, the ball often ends up in the net.

"He's a strong character though and will come through it, but Shane is desperate to play, just like Wrighty, and I know he won't let anyone down.

"We have real competition for places all over the park and that includes in goal and I'll sleep on the decision on who plays at Forest."

While the goalkeeping selection remains up in the air, Magilton is unlikely to make too many changes at the back. David Wright is likely to continue on the left with skipper Gareth McAuley in the centre and Moritz Volz on the right. Ben Thatcher is out for several more weeks with a torn thigh muscle.

If Bruce has done enough to win himself a place in the side it is more likely to be at centre-half at Richard Naylor's expense than at right-back in place of Moritz Volz, although the club captain has been in generally good form despite a couple of recent poorer games. Tommy Smith is sidelined until March with a broken ankle.

Midfield is again where most of the difficult decisions are to be made. Town will probably field a 4-4-2 formation having looked a better side after switching to a two-man strike force at Charlton a fortnight ago having started 4-5-1.

Owen Garvan looks likely to come in for Iván Campo in the middle after impressing from the bench on Saturday. David Norris was Town's best performer against Swansea and is likely to keep his place alongside the Irishman with Alan Quinn and Jon Walters probably keeping their wide roles.

Veliche Shumulikoski will be hoping for some involvement after missing out in recent weeks, while Norris and Quinn are both fine after suffering minor knocks during Saturday's game.

Up front, Pablo Couñago and Jon Stead look like Magilton's preferred pairing with Kevin Lisbie and Danny Haynes probably on the bench and Jon Walters available to be moved up front if required.

Forest have added QPR goalkeeper Lee Camp to their ranks since Saturday, the former Derby man joining on loan until January. Crystal Palace midfielder Carl Fletcher also moved to the City Ground on a short-term basis on Friday and made his debut during Saturday's 2-1 defeat at QPR.

Former Norwich striker Robert Earnshaw is currently out of action with a hamstring problem, while midfielder Guy Moussa has undergone ankle surgery and Joe Garner is a long-term absentee with a knee ligament injury.

Julian Bennett is a doubt with a hip problem, while Lewis McGugan is expected to be fine despite a calf injury. Midfielder James Perch missed the trip to Loftus Road with a knock.

Manager Colin Calderwood says his side need three points so they can start to pull away from the relegation zone: "The bottom line is that we have got to get a win to move ourselves closer to the teams above us.

"There is a bit of head scratching in the dressing room as to what will conjure a victory for us.

"But we just have to be bigger, better, stronger and braver and that starts tomorrow. It is a tough situation. Nobody wants to be on the run we are, but I know what will happen when we come out of it - it will make us all slightly better and much improved."

The former Scotland international was disappointed with his side's defending during their weekend defeat: "We were beaten by two throw-ins at the start of the second half, which is really tough to take.

"It is slack defending and that is two goals in the last two games that we have conceded from the edge of the box. People know their roles, but we are just not quite there at the minute.

"We have lost too many goals at the start of the second half this season and it is something we have spoken about. We have to find a solution.

"This run certainly does not build confidence. But the way you get out of this kind of situation is through hard work on the training ground.''

No current Town player has represented Forest, while none of Colin Calderwood's squad has spent time with the Blues. Calderwood, then Northampton's boss, was interviewed by Town when they were looking for a new manager in the summer of 2005 before eventually appointing Jim Magilton.

The ex-Tottenham and Swindon defender is currently under pressure after his side's poor start to the season and the replacement of winger Paul Anderson on Saturday was met with chants of "You don't know what you're doing” from travelling supporters.

Forest have the upper hand historically with the Tricky Trees winning 28 games (25 in the league) between the sides, Town 17 (16) and with 12 (11) ending in draws.

The Blues hammered Forest 6-0 at Portman Road when the teams last met in March 2005 via goals from Tommy Miller (2), Richard Naylor, Ian Westlake, Shefki Kuqi and Darren Bent.

Earlier in the season, which ultimately ended up with relegation for the Midlanders, the teams drew 1-1 at the City Ground with Bent again on the scoresheet for Town and Paul Evans for the home side.

The Blues' last victory at the City Ground came in December 1999 when a Matt Holland goal took promotion-bound Town to a 1-0 win.

Tuesday's referee is Graham Laws from Tyne and Wear, who has shown 22 yellow and two red cards in 11 games so far this season. Laws's last Town match was the 3-1 away defeat at Sheffield United in November last year in which he awarded the Blades an extremely dubious penalty.

Likely squad: R Wright, Supple, Volz, D Wright, McAuley, Naylor, Bruce, Balkestein, Garvan, Norris, Campo, Miller, Shumulikoski, Quinn, Walters, Couñago, Stead, Lisbie, Haynes, Rhodes.

Photo: Action Images

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