Derby day looms

Big games between local rivals often have a habit of getting over-hyped by fans - and that's exactly what I'm likely to do here! Maybe I'm getting carried away with the excitement and expectation that builds before a clash against the sheep botherers but this game certainly does feel like an important encounter between bitter rivals.

Some fans seem to be fearing that with Derby on the up and Forest faltering a defeat may well be on the cards. The air of trepidation surrounding the fixture is to be expected given the last few results but it's important to remember that if Billy's boys can muster a victory against the sheep it could be just the confidence boost we need as a team and a fanbase.

The game could both knock confidence down to the lows of the late Calderwood era or boost it back to the short Billy-honeymoon days. For that reason, hype or no hype, it's an extremely important game as the season heads into the all-important final phase.

The fact that Derby were victorious in the cup encounter here could both help and hinder Forest. If we take the lead there will undoubtedly be jitters among the players who let that two-goal lead slip and were painfully pipped to the win. The travelling mutton men will undoudbtedly remind them of that game if they need to be.

However, you would hope that those same players will want to wipe out the memories of that chilly midweek night and maybe that will motivate them to come out on top in a game that is much more important than the cup clash

Some fans are starting to look at Derby's resurgence and fear that Forest made a mistake no to snap up Nigel as manager. To me it seems to me to be far too early to assess which side chose most wisely back in January. Nigel is doing well now but it is premature to herald him as a success and you have to look at the respective bosses' starts in context.

Cloughie has inherited a squad that should never have been in the basement battle. Any side coming down from the Premier League should be challenging the top 6 and not flirting with the dreaded trapdoor. The hapless Paul Jewell was fortunately unable to get his team to capture form but the likes of Commons, Hulse, Barazite, Ellington, Connolly, Green etc are strong players. At the moment it could be argued that they are merely starting to perform as they should.

We have to admit it, on paper theirs is the stronger side. But that's not to say we are without hope. The verve and energy of the early stages of the cup game saw the Tricky Trees blow away their rivals - and showed that passion, energy and youthful exuberance can go along way, especially in the chaos of a derby game.

A timely ease to the injury situation would be most welcome - especially in Robert Earnshaw's case. His addition makes the team immensely more threatening and adds a cutting edge to a group of players that has seemed a little toothless recently. Without him we are a little short of firepower.

Judging from his post match comments after Ipswich Billy Davies seems to be losing patience with several of his squad. That seems understandable but unfortunately at the moment no-one can really be left out. Garner has looked uninspiring, Wilson lacklustre, McGugan mediocre and Thornhill un-threatening to name a few but all of these must be encouraged to re-find their form. Maybe the atmosphere and excitement of a Derby can be the occasion the current under-performers can feed on to find decent performances. Or maybe that is wishful thinking.

I would personally like to see McCleary brought in to the starting 11 to face the sheep. He may be rough and ready but his pacy, mazy dribbles do unsettle defences and we need his spark to take the game to them.

As I mentioned at the start the result could have a big impact either way. A defeat would add to the doom and gloom (which has been made worse by a lack of signings) but a win would erase that negativity. A draw may be useful but given the fact that some teams around us are picking up form and have games in hand a single point may not be enough, especially with the likes of Reading away to come.

Billy's Reds must treat this as an opportunity to re-find the optimism of a few games ago rather than a daunting test. If they seize that opportunity there will be more than a few smiles on faces of the City Ground faithful.

Before the cup game at Pride Park I said it was Billy's chance to make himself a hero here - right now there's something infinitely more important than folklore, at least in the short term, at stake. Points and confidence must be secured. Let battle commence....