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McCarthy Has Selection Dilemma Ahead of Forest Clash
Friday, 28th Mar 2014 15:46

Boss Mick McCarthy says Anthony Wordsworth’s performances in the last two games have given him a dilemma in the centre of midfield with Cole Skuse available for Saturday’s home game against Nottingham Forest after injury. The eighth-placed Blues go into the match, one position behind the visitors on goal difference and just two points from the top six.

McCarthy has been delighted with Wordsworth’s displays and admits he’s given him a welcome problem now that Skuse is over the hip injury which kept him out of the wins at Brighton and at home to Derby.

“He’s done everything I could have asked of him in the last couple of games,” he said. “It would be much worse for me if he’d been [rubbish] and we’d lost two!”

However, he admits that three tough Championship games in eight days is a big ask, especially for players such as Wordsworth who haven’t had too many matches in recent months.

“That’s the case,” he added. “But there aren’t too many who haven’t played an enormous number of games in my squad because I’ve not used that many players.

“The back four have all played about 36 games each, Cressy’s missed a couple but it’s been fairly solid throughout.

“But three games in a week takes its toll. Our stats on Tuesday showed that we covered 121km as a team. That might mean nothing to you, when we played Wigan up there and lost we covered 110km as a team and we played well and thought we’d run around.

“Derby, they were just behind us, 119km. And with eight games to play, that’s remarkable. But if you work that hard it takes its toll, definitely.”

That could see Skuse return to his regular midfield role for Wordsworth against Forest with Luke Hyam likely to continue in the other central position.


McCarthy could also be weighing up whether to switch Jay Tabb for Stephen Hunt on the left or Paul Green for Paul Anderson on the right, but is unlikely to change his regular back four with skipper Luke Chambers and Aaron Cresswell the full-backs and Tommy Smith and Christophe Berra in the centre, while Dean Gerken will continue in goal.

Up front, loanee Jonny Williams, who plays the last game of his currently scheduled month from Palace, will be behind Daryl Murphy.

McCarthy, who has loaned club captain Carlos Edwards to Millwall, has confirmed that Alex Henshall, signed on loan from Manchester City, is in the squad ahead of matchday, although may not get into the final 18.

Despite managerless Forest having gone nine games without a win in all competitions, McCarthy warns that the match will be no walkover.

“They’re no mugs coming here, believe me,” he insisted. “We just watched the game they played in midweek against Charlton.

“Despite losing 1-0 in the last 10 minutes or so they’ve got a good squad of players. There were plenty of really good, solid Championship players playing out there.”

Forest caretaker-boss Gary Brazil will be unable to call on central defender Jamaal Lascelles, who is banned having picked up 10 bookings, adding to a lengthy list of unavailable unfit players.

Defenders Eric Lichaj (hernia), Kelvin Wilson (back) and Jack Hobbs (ankle) are all out, along with midfielders Henri Lansbury (back), David Vaughan (knee), skipper Chris Cohen (knee) and, perhaps most significantly of all, Andy Reid (hernia). Striker Marcus Tudgay has been recalled from a loan spell with Charlton.

Centre-half Danny Collins was on loan with Town in the 2011/12 season, while former Blues left-back Dan Harding is also a member of the current Forest squad. One-time Town coach and caretaker-manager Charlie McParland is now Forest’s U21s boss.

Luke Chambers joined Town on a Bosman free transfer after departing the City Ground in the summer of 2012, while David McGoldrick signed on loan from the Tricky Trees in January last year before putting pen to paper on a permanent deal in the summer. Paul Anderson was with Forest from August 2008 until July 2012, initially on loan from Liverpool.

Scott Loach was an academy schoolboy with his hometown club after leaving the Blues’ youth set-up when his family relocated back to the Midlands.

Historically, Forest very much have the upper hand, winning 34 of the games between the two sides (31 in the league), 15 (14) ending in draws and Town winning 19 (18). The Tricky Trees are currently without a win in their last nine in all competitions, losing six and drawing three.

In December at the City Ground, Town stretched their unbeaten away run to six games as the game ended 0-0.

Forest were unhappy not to be awarded a first-half penalty when striker Simon Cox went to ground as he tried to take the ball past Dean Gerken, who made a number of impressive saves for the Blues, who also had chances.

In November 2012 at Portman Road, Guirane N’Daw, Luke Hyam and Daryl Murphy were on target as Town climbed out of the bottom three by beating Forest 3-1.

Visitors’ keeper Lee Camp should already have been sent off before he and ex-Blues loanee Collins failed to deal with a long ball and N’Daw netted his first and ultimately only goal for Town.

Dexter Blackstock equalised for the visitors after the break but Hyam slammed in his first for the Blues after DJ Campbell’s penalty had been saved and Murphy added the third late on.

Saturday’s referee is Andrew Madley from West Yorkshire, who has shown 91 yellow cards and four red in 32 games so far this season.

Madley’s most recent Town match was the 2-0 home victory over Reading in January in which he booked Stephen Hunt, Paul Anderson and one Royal.

Squad from: Gerken, Loach, Chambers, Richardson, Cresswell, Mings, Berra, Smith, Skuse, Wordsworth, Hyam, Green, Hunt, Tabb, Anderson, Henshall, Williams, Murphy, Nouble, Ebanks-Blake, Taylor.


Photo: Action Images



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rambohambo added 16:00 - Mar 28
I would keep with woody for certain he needed these to games to prove himself and he has , get hyam on the bench and put skuse alongside woody
19

WeirdFishes added 16:05 - Mar 28
Can't drop Woody.
24

StuartBrett8 added 16:06 - Mar 28
Agreed Skuse for Hyam should be the only change from the Derby match.... I'd say drop Hunt but Tabb aint great on the left wing
5

brendenward35 added 16:06 - Mar 28
Well you asked players to give you a headache and Woody has so what's the problem Mick? if it works why change it. Woody has proved his worth so you know what to do PICK HIM and I'm sure he will play well again for you. You said after Brighton you were worried he'd have tired legs and he proved you wrong so I'm sure he'll be up for tomorrows match
23

TractorCam added 16:09 - Mar 28
Is it really a hard choice? Replace Skuse with Hyam.
-7

bluefeast added 16:12 - Mar 28
Its a squad game and if woody gets 20 mins tomorrow then thats good management. playing him from the start and him pulling up injured is bad management. We need every one of our players between now and the end of the season. Ps Smith to score at anytime in 90 mins is a great bet with lad brooks. COYB
2

Keaneish added 16:14 - Mar 28
Are you so sure it has to be a 4-4-1-1 Phil? We looked infinitely more interesting as a side when we went to 4-3-3 and carried far more threat!
8

jocasaja added 16:14 - Mar 28
If they are fit enough then I would stick with the same starting eleven - I thought apart from a couple of stray passes that Luke Hyam played really well - either way it was a great game on tuesday and a terrific atmosphere - lets really lift the roof off tomorrow - can't wait COYB !!!
12

tractordownsouth added 16:18 - Mar 28
Skuse and woody simple as ...
3

LankHenners added 16:19 - Mar 28
If it ain't broke don't fix it! Only sensible change, if he wants to play Skuse, is to replace Hyam for him, as it would be a like-for-like change.
14

bring_back_Wickham added 16:23 - Mar 28
Don't change something capable of beating Brighton and Derby!
13

Seasider added 16:35 - Mar 28
Surely must play Woody against the Trick Trees!!!

Think Phil is trying to worry us by saying may bring in Tabb and Green for Hunt and Anderson.Thought both our wide men had poor games on Tuesday compared to the rest of team,and deserved to be subbed BUT PLEASE NOT TABB & GREEN as this is another must win game.

Jocasaja says same starting eleven but I would prefer the team that finished although of course the little Welsh Wizard must start and wouldn't worry if Richardson started at right back as I know Chambo trained;but would be a little worried about him after his double vision on Tuesday which dont think was caused by a knock?

Most of all though look forward to beating our largest crowd so far of 18731 on New Years Day and Ipswich winning by more than a three goal margin for the first time also this season ;as goal difference could be important come the end of season.
4

hadleighboyblue added 16:36 - Mar 28
the team that finished on Tuesday deserves to start tomorrow , don't understand all the calls for skuse to replace hyam - skuse goes missing too much
1

tractorboyz82 added 16:40 - Mar 28
For me it's got to be:
Gerken
Chambers
Smith
Berra
Cresswell
Hyam
Wordsworth
Skuse
Williams
Murphy
Nouble
-7

jocasaja added 16:52 - Mar 28
I agree with seasider...I meant to say stick with the team that finished ...even big Frank played his part well....really excited about tomorrow, and I really think the crowd helped them over the finishing line on tuesday...lets roar from the start
2

irishtim added 16:55 - Mar 28
I Would start the same team. Glad Andy Reid out. He makes them tick imo.
2

pazelle added 16:59 - Mar 28
Same side that beat Brighton and Derby please Mick - bit of a nobrainer imo. Good that Skuse is fit again but bad management to drop Woody based on his performances. Maybe he's been crap in training...

And Hyam should always play when fit. Best ballwinner at the club and he never stops going!
6

WickedBlue added 17:08 - Mar 28
Why play Skuse except he's one of Mick's favourites. Why tinker with a winning side? If all the players that played in the last game are fit they should play. The only reason people say Skuse for Hyam is because our so called supporters really seem to hate a local lad in our side. Yet all the reports from the experts not our moronic supporters have said Hyam has played well these last two games.
0

GerkensBeard added 17:16 - Mar 28
On Brightons and Derbys performances Wordy was better than Hyam and also put as much work in as him as well. But I fear it will be the case of MM playing his favourites again
1

CambridgeBlue added 17:29 - Mar 28
Got to go attacking given Forest's inability to close down decent opponents recently?
0

Keaneish added 17:38 - Mar 28
Seasider, i think calling Hunt and Anderson wide men is a bit of a fallacy that comes from playing a 4-4-2.
MM has them playing so narrow they aren;t able to run at people, get by them or give the central two too many options. Tabb and Green are probably far more suited in truth but i for one would feel more comfortable having Anderson and Hunt starting even if it's an illusion they're an attacking threat in this system.
2

boysinblue added 17:44 - Mar 28
There's no dilemma Mick. Same team please. No one in the middle deserves to be dropped. 'If it ain't broke'.....
7

dubblue added 17:48 - Mar 28
Looking forward to my first visit to Postman Rd this year. Hope MM sticks with the winning formula.
3

essexboy added 17:50 - Mar 28
SIMPLE,Keep the same team as Tuesday night.EASY.!!
2

LiamCP123 added 17:51 - Mar 28
"McCarthy could also be weighing up whether to switch Jay Tabb for Stephen Hunt on the left or Paul Green for Paul Anderson on the right"

Oh my lord.
3


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