Chambers and Orr Emerge as Doubts for Millwall Clash Friday, 7th Dec 2012 13:48 Defenders Luke Chambers and Bradley Orr have emerged as doubts ahead of Saturday’s home game with Millwall. The Blues will again definitely be without midfielders Nigel Reo-Coker and Luke Hyam. Boss Mick McCarthy says Reo-Coker is on the way back after his hamstring problem, while Hyam remains on the sidelines with his calf injury: “They’re both injured again. Nigel came out and trained yesterday but unfortunately he’s not going to be fit, and Luke likewise, he’s still injured. “He must have got a really nasty knock because it’s turned out to be longer than we thought. “I would have hoped they’d both be fit for this weekend, but they’re not. I won’t tip them for next weekend, I’ll just hope that they are fit.” A couple of other problems have emerged in training: “Luke Chambers has gone home this morning feeling poorly, he’s not felt right for a couple of days. He went out and started training and went back. We’re hoping that he’ll be OK. “Bradley Orr went off in training yesterday with a stiff neck. I’m hoping he’s going to be OK, I think he will be. “I’m considering all my options at the moment because it seems to going OK and then you get two or three injuries and suddenly you realise we’re fairly thin on the ground.” McCarthy will ideally want to field an unchanged side against the Lions, who he was with as both a player and a manager. Stephen Henderson will be in goal with Orr and Aaron Cresswell the full-backs as long as the on-loan Blackburn man is fit. If not, skipper Carlos Edwards could move back, while youngster Elliott Hewitt may be in with an outside chance of a debut having been a regular on the bench in recent weeks. Danny Higginbotham will take over from Chambers in the middle of the defence if the former Nottingham Forest man doesn’t make it with Tommy Smith moving to the right-sided central role. In midfield, captain Edwards will be on the right unless he’s required at full-back with Jay Emmanuel-Thomas perhaps in line for a start if that’s the case. Andy Drury seems likely to continue in the centre with Guirane N’Daw with Lee Martin on the left and DJ Campbell and Tyrone Barnett up front. The Blues manager says confidence has been boosted by recent results and the climb out of the bottom three but he's determined to keep everyone's feet on the ground: “It can suddenly go backwards. We’ve got a really good team in Millwall coming here tomorrow and to get something from that would be great, then we go to Elland Road. “Well, that’s a tough old place. They’ve just beaten Crystal Palace, Leicester and Huddersfield, so they’re on a bit of a run. That is why it’s important to focus on Millwall, let’s get something out of this game first. “I like to keep a lid on it and keep expectations as low as possible. Our hopes are high, but if you have a couple of good results and suddenly get carried away, you find you’re being slapped in three games and you’re back to square one and I don’t want that to happen.” Millwall boss Kenny Jackett has said he expects ex-Blues midfielder Liam Trotter, striker Darius Henderson and winger James Henry, a Blues target in the summer of 2011, to be back from injury. Trotter has been suffering with an adductor problem, while Henderson and Henry have had hamstring and calf injuries respectively. Skipper Paul Robinson is sidelined with a pelvic injury, while striker John Marquis is out having undergone groin surgery. Central defender Mark Beevers has agreed to join the Lions from Sheffield Wednesday on a permanent basis in January when his current loan spell is up in January. Blues manager McCarthy was a Millwall player at the end of his career between 1990 and 1992, when he took over as boss. He remained manager at the Den until 1996 when he took charge of the Republic of Ireland. McCarthy’s record as manager of the Lions reads played 203, won 74, drew 70 and lost 59. In 1993/94 they finished third in what’s now the Championship but lost out to Derby County in the semi-finals. Town coach Mark Kennedy started his playing career with Millwall, making 46 starts and eight sub appearances and scoring 12 goals between 1992 and 1995. Ipswich-born Trotter moved to the Den from Portman Road during the summer of 2010 after a loan spell, turning down a contract with the Blues. Striker Andy Keogh had a trial with the Town academy when a schoolboy, while winger James Henry was the subject of a bid from former manager Paul Jewell in the summer of 2011. Frontman Chris Wood, on loan from West Brom, is Tommy Smith’s room-mate when they are away on international duty with New Zealand. Millwall have the better of it historically having won 18 games (17 in the league) and Town 16 (13), while 12 (12) have ended in draws. The Lions are unbeaten in 13 games and have won six of their last eight. Last season at Portman Road, in April, two goals from Andy Keogh and one from former Blue Liam Trotter saw Millwall to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Town in what was the Blues' final home game of the campaign. Keogh put the Lions ahead after three minutes, old boy Trotter added the second just after the hour mark, then, after Grant Leadbitter had had a penalty saved, Keogh netted the third late on. In October 2011, at the Den, Jimmy Bullard netted a superb first goal of the season but Town fell to a deserved 4-1 defeat. The home side were on top from the off, going two in front via Jay Simpson and Darius Henderson early on. Bullard pulled a goal back for the Blues after the break but Simpson’s second and the Lions' fourth from Liam Feeney soon after sealed a comfortable victory. Town have confirmed that the Portman Road pitch has been covered and the game isn't expected to be in any danger despite the weather. Boyeson’s most recent Town match was the 3-1 home defeat to Nottingham Forest in January in which he booked only Grant Leadbitter, who also netted a spotkick which had been awarded to the Blues after Jay Emmanuel-Thomas had been fouled. Squad from: Henderson, Loach, Lee-Barrett, Orr, Hewitt, Cresswell, Chambers, Higginbotham, Smith, Mohsni, N’Daw, Drury, Edwards, Carson, Emmanuel-Thomas, Martin, Murphy, Campbell, Barnett, Chopra, Scotland.
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