Team News
Curtis Davies will be available again after suspension but Liam Ridgewell and Jordon Mutch are still out despite the latter returning to training this week.
For Doncaster Adam Lockwood returns from suspension but El-Hadji Diouf, Pascal Chimbonda and Richard Naylor are still out.
Last Meeting
Blues won the last meeting 2-0 in March 2009 thanks to first half goals from Cameron Jerome and Hameur Bouazza. The game at St Andrews that season finished 1-0 to Blues.
Recent Form
Blues’ league form has taken a dive in recent weeks with only one win and two draws from the last six matches. They are still unbeaten at home.
Doncaster sit 23rd but they have managed to record two wins in their last six matches including the prize scalp of league leading Southampton last week.
Outlook
It’s all starting to look a bit worrying isn’t it? Now while I accept that the Championship is very much an up and down league our recent run of form does not suggest a top six finish is likely. Since the end of October (and Chris Hughton getting the Manager of the Month curse) we have won just once and now sit in mid table. We desperately need to turn things around and start getting wins so it’s a good time for the visit of a side that currently sit in the bottom three. Well it would be if they hadn’t beaten Southampton last week.
Doncaster are a side that have struggled all season but look to be on the up after recently splashing out with multiple loan signings mostly from Premiership clubs. In the last few weeks they have brought in Marc Antoine Fortune, Habib Beye and Herold Goulon all from Premiership clubs. They also have the current Championship player of the month in Billy Sharp who has scored five goals in the last month. Doncaster are the league’s lowest scorers but Sharp will need to be watched.
Our team has started to look very tired and in need of a change but unfortunately there really aren’t that many options available to the manager. The return to full training of Jordon Mutch is a big boost but this game may come a bit too early for him. When he does return he will improve the midfield which is very one dimensional at the moment. We are too reliant on Chris Burke to provide goal scoring opportunities although hopefully Jean Beausejour can be more influential after missing the midweek game. We are also missing a goal threat from central midfield (In the Craig Gardner role) so maybe Wade Elliot or N’Daw could be given the chance there to try and provide this. While Boaz Myhil did make a mistake for the second Hull goal he has been solid recently so we should give him a chance to make amends.
This is a game that we need to win if we are serious about promotion and I’m going to get off the fence and predict that we do.
My prediction 2-1
C’mon you Blue Boys.
@Aylesbury_Blue
Def was looking a bit worrying with 2mins to go,hopefully that late goal will give us the mid-season lift that we need.