Clarets at Forest for first away game in three weeks

That's another international break over with and again it does seem to have been an age since we were last in action. I'm sure manager Sean Dyche welcomed the blank Saturday to allow his small squad the opportunity to recharge the batteries but watching England proved to be a very poor substitute for me rather than seeing the Clarets in action.

Some of our squad were on international duty. Both Danny Lafferty and Sam Vokes added to their international caps whilst Danny Ings got his first start for England Under-21s. His brace in the somewhat easy win against San Marino were the first goals ever scored for England at that level by a Burnley player.

Kieran Trippier says we have to play with smiles on our faces

He will have come back on a high. Never mind the opposition; to play for your country and score goals is some achievement no matter who it is against.

The draw last time out saw us go into the break with a two point lead at the top of the table with both Leicester and QPR just behind waiting for a slip. We've been top of the league now since 1st October. That's over seven weeks and it is not something we want to give up easily.

Right back Kieran Trippier reckons that the break was needed. "I feel ready go to again. It was a good break and I think it was a good time for the international break to come," he said.

"Against Millwall and Bournemouth we weren't at our best, but we did well to come back and get two big points that keeps ups at the top of the league, and we are refreshed now and ready to go to Forest and get three points."

So many supporters I've spoken to this week have warned how tough this Saturday's game is. Trippier agrees with them but also said: "Equally it's a difficult game for them.

"We have to go there and be positive, play with smiles on our faces and with passion. We are top of the league for a reason and that's because we have done well in all the games. We have out-performed other teams and already beaten some of the bigger teams in this league, so on Saturday we go there with a clear mind to try and get the three points."

We even received plaudits this week from a former Blackburn manager. Yes, I know that doesn't narrow it down too much with there having been so many in recent times.

It was Michael Appleton on Sky's preview of the weekend. He said: "I've seen them two or three times this season and it's no fluke they are where they are. They are a good side. They play attractive football and obviously in the front two they get a lot of opportunities for scoring goals."

There has been some speculation since we last played that the front two could just become three with the capture of a loan signing. It hasn't happened as yet and it will be the same squad for Forest, although I do believe there are likely to be additions before the emergency loan window closes next Wednesday.

The injury concerns have been over Dean Marney. He returned for the Bournemouth game and should be ok for tomorrow's game. In that Bournemouth game both Keith Treacy and Junior Stanislas came on and did well but I would expect Dyche to stick with the same eleven for tomorrow's game.

If so we will line up: Tom Heaton, Kieran Trippier, Michael Duff, Jason Shackell, Ben Mee, Scott Arfield, Dean Marney, David Jones, Michael Kightly, Danny Ings, Sam Vokes. Subs from: Alex Cisak, Kevin Long, Danny Lafferty, David Edgar, Brian Stock, Junior Stanislas, Keith Treacy, Ryan Noble.

Forest were always expected to be one of the clubs competing at the top end of the division this season after a strange sort of season in 2012/13 when they did their level best to beat Blackburn for the number of managers.

They started the season with Sean O'Driscoll before sacking him on Boxing Day and replacing him with Alex McLeish who survived just 40 days before Billy Davies returned for a second spell.

They were very much a mid-table side when Davies arrived but then went on a run of six consecutive wins that lifted them into fifth place with eight games remaining. Only one of those eight games was won, however, and they had to settle for eighth place although a win on the last day of the season against Leicester would have seen them reach the play-offs.

With new players coming in during the summer they were very much one of the fancied teams and it is no surprise to see them in the top six right now. They have a total of 26 points from 15 games and 14 of those points have come at the City Ground where they have won four and drawn two prior to losing to Blackpool in their last home game.

The Blackpool defeat followed a 3-1 reverse at Yeovil, thus becoming the first visiting team to lose at Huish Park this season, but they more than recovered from those two results last time out with a 2-0 win at Leicester, a result that allowed us to stretch our lead at the top of the league to two points.

Simon Cox and Jamie Mackie both scored their second league goals of the season to secure that victory but three players have found the net more often. Physical striker Darius Henderson has scored four times whilst midfielders Henri Lansbury and Andy Reid lead the way with five league goals each.

Reid won't be a problem tomorrow. The former Sunderland midfielder has returned from international duty with an injury as has David Vaughan who is currently on loan from Sunderland.

But it is in the centre of defence where Billy Davies will be thankful for having a big squad. Kelvin Wilson and Danny Collins are both out long term and to add to that Greg Halford has now been ruled out with a training injury. Jamaal Lascelles is one central defender who is fully fit and they will be hoping Jack Hobbs shakes of a virus to play although right now he's considered a major doubt.

To add to that, Forest, like Burnley, have players out on loan which means all of Guy Moussi, Dexter Blackstock and Simon Gillett are currently out of the picture.

Davies admitted: "We're disappointed to have these boys missing for Saturday but it may give a good opportunity to other members of the squad."

Like us he's been looking to strengthen his hand and added: "We have been working hard to bring players in on loan but have had a number of attempts knocked back."

One of the knockbacks Davies suffered was in his attempts to bring in Federico Macheda. He opted for a return to Doncaster for whom he played tonight in a 2-1 win against Yeovil.

Should Hobbs play the Forest team could be: Karl Darlow, Gonzalo Jara, Jack Hobbs, Jamaal Lascelles, Chris Cohen, Henri Lansbury, Nathaniel Chalobah, Radoslaw Majewski, Jamie Paterson, Jamie Mackie, Simon Cox. Subs from; Dorus de Vries, Dan Harding, Eric Lichaj, Adlene Guedioura, Djamel Abdoun, Matt Derbyshire, Darius Henderson.

Last Time We Were There

It's two weeks short of a year since we last played at the City Ground and it wasn't a good day for the Clarets as we fell to a 2-0 defeat. It was a game where we were the better side in the first half, but failed to take our chances, and where we lost our way in the second half and fell to goals from Dexter Blackstock and Billy Sharp.

Ben Mee had been injured in the home draw against Blackburn six days earlier and his place was taken by Danny Lafferty in an otherwise unchanged team.

It wasn't a particularly good game at all but in the first half, when we were much the better of the two teams, we missed three outstanding chances.

Danny Lafferty played well on his return to the side

With less than two minutes gone some bad defending from Elliott Ward let in Charlie Austin but the usually reliable striker blazed his shot well wide of the goal when we all stood in anticipation of the opening goal.

Martin Paterson hit the post when he should have scored and then Chris McCann was played in on the left hand side of the box, placed his shot past Lee Camp and wide of the far post.

You pay for missing chances like that and we did. It was 0-0 at half time after 45 minutes on top but the second half was very much different although for the first 14 minutes of the half nothing much happened.

Then, Andy Reid, who was beginning to give Kieran Trippier a difficult game, hoisted over a ball for Dexter Blackstock to climb all over Jason Shackell and head home. Sean Dyche was adamant after the game that the goal should not have stood.

There's no doubt that Blackstock did climb on him but referee Heywood gave the goal and goalkeeper Lee Grant was more than convinced Shackell was to blame for the goal as he wagged his finger at his captain.

We tried to change things. Sam Vokes and then Junior Stanislas came on but when Reid played a ball between Trippier and Michael Duff for Sharp to run on to the game was up for the Clarets as the  striker scored with ease.

It had been a disappointing afternoon for the Clarets who slipped back to 17th in the table with only Lafferty, on his return, playing well throughout.

The teams were;

Nottingham Forest: Lee Camp, Alan Hutton, Elliott Ward, Danny Collins, Dan Harding, Simon Gillett (Guy Moussi 66), Henri Lansbury (Chris Cohen 59), Andy Reid, Lewis McGugan (Adlene Guedioura 74), Dexter Blackstock, Billy Sharp. Subs not used: Karl Darlow, Daniel Ayala, Radoslaw Majewski, James Coppinger.

Burnley: Lee Grant, Kieran Trippier, Michael Duff, Jason Shackell, Danny Lafferty, Brian Stock (Sam Vokes 65), Dean Marney, Chris McCann, Ross Wallace (Danny Ings 81), Charlie Austin, Junior Stanislas (Martin Paterson 73). Subs not used: Brian Jensen, David Edgar, Joseph Mills, Marvin Bartley.

Previous Games against Nottngham Forest

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