Forest are currently unbeaten and sit at the top of the championship table whilst our Rams side are currently seventh after a slower start to the campaign.
Last season saw Forest edge us out by a Jack Hobbs goal in the away fixture, though to be honest they thoroughly deserved the win and the return game at the iPro saw Derby dish out a 5-0 thrashing to our rivals.
Many excuses have been made for that defeat including the claim we were playing a team of reserves.
It's true that they had players injured, but the side that they put out should have been capable of making a game of it.
Karl Darlow is their first choice goalkeeper and is actually now on loan to them having completed a multi million pound transfer to Newcastle along with Jamal Lascelles, a Derby born lad.
Gonzalo Jara played in the World Cup and Danny Fox completed a permanent move to the City Ground in the summer.
Danny Collins is an experienced centre half. Far more so than Keogh and Buxton. The midfield contained players who had been with the club for a few years. Radoslaw Majewski and Guy Moussi who played in the City Ground fixture as well.
Jamie Mackie was a million pound signing, though he has since departed to Reading on loan.
Jamie Patterson very highly rated by many Reds fans. Jonathan Greening obviously in the twilight of his career, but was one of the better opposition players and Simon Cox a £2.5m signing.
Forest have strengthened in the summer under the management of Stuart Pearce. Michael Mancienne, Jack Hunt, Micael Antonio and big money signing Britt Assombalonga are amongst those who have joined the Pearce revolution.
There's no doubting the quality of their squad and they have one capable of going up automatically!
That's if, they can stay clear of injuries. Cohen, Lichaj, Lansbury, Fryatt, Hobbs, Vaughan and Wilson have all struggled with injuries in the past few months. Keep most of them fit and I think they are bankers for promotion. If not, they will face the play off lottery.
Our Derby side has had a slow and unspectacular start to the season. It was always going to be a hard ask to start as we finished last season.
The next three games will say a lot about our team. Forest, a resurgent Blackburn and Cardiff. You won't get a harder trio of fixtures than that!
We haven't really gotten started yet and is very important to get some points out of these games.
What we do need is a Plan B! We need the ability to switch to 4-4-2 rather than keep to 4-3-3.
We need to be able to play people like Leon Best in his natural central position rather than out wide.
There's also a lot of talent in the development squad that's knocking on the door of the first team. Alefe Santos and Ivan Calero impressed against. Charlton in the. League Cup. They may still be young, but isn't Will Hughes?
Jordon Ibe will give us more width, but we must use him.
We come up against the strongest midfield in the league on Sunday and our three will have their work cut out.
Our defence will have to be on top of it's game too! Especially our full backs who will face Antonio and Burke. For me this is a game for Ryan Shotton to start, but Steve McClaren will do what he feels best.
A point from the game will be a very good result! A win would be just sensational!
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