NOTTINGHAM Forest must shackle the best forward line in the Championship if they are to maintain their revival in form, Colin Calderwood warned today.

Second-placed Birmingham visit the City Ground this afternoon, as the Reds look to add to their haul of four points from away games at Crystal Palace and Derby.

But while the central defensive partnership of Ian Breckin and Wes Morgan has left the back four looking stronger, Calderwood knows Forest will again have to be at their best to shut-out Alex McLeish's promotion hopefuls.

Birmingham's top scorer Gary O'Connor is injured but the Blues can still call upon veteran Kevin Phillips and Scotland international James McFadden up front, as well as Marcus Bent and Cameron Jerome.

Calderwood said: "They have had a couple of defeats recently and I don't look at any particular team and think 'they are the best'.

"But I do look at the different sections of teams, and I can say that they have the best group of forwards of any team in the Championship.

"That will really test us today."

In the last few days, Calderwood has spent time with his squad focusing on the goals Forest have conceded so far.

"We have pointed out to the players where we have had our failings so far this season," he said.

"It is not a case of us bringing them back down to earth. But there has been a realisation that simple things have cost us time and time again.

"They now understand where the goals against have come from and why they have been conceded.

"There have been too many of them. We have to look to get a clean sheet.

"There have actually been limited chances against us in the majority (of matches) but we have to be perfect today.

"The ultimate test will come today against that best set of forwards in the Championship.

"We have spoken about the importance of our positioning on the pitch when the opposition have throw-ins, corners and free-kicks.

"We have also looked at things when the ball is in open play. It is tying these things down that will help us.

"We are finding it tough to score sometimes, but we have scored enough goals to have won games if we had managed to be better overall defensively.

"That is what we must do."

But Calderwood insists his players go into the game in a positive mood, and want to increase their confidence with a win.

He said: "We want something to keep the good feelings we have got going and I don't think anything would help more, psychologically, than a win over a big side like Birmingham.

"For that reason, I am happy we are playing them today."

paul.taylor@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk