It is very much a tale of two strikers at St Andrew's as Nicklas Bendtner and Mikael Forssell experience contrasting fortunes.

Birmingham's 18-year-old wunderkind, Bendtner, is enjoying a rich vein of form that has seen him nominated to be the Powerade Player of the Month for September.

Competing alongside the likes of Michael Chopra, Alan Lee and Grzegorz Rasiak indicates just how far Bendtner's stock has risen since his arrival from the Emirates Stadium.

The on-loan Arsenal player scored three goals in five appearances last month and has garnered five during his short stint at St Andrew's.

A fully-fledged Denmark international, it would appear the football world is his oyster as long as can concentrate on the job in hand.

"He has got every chance of making it at the top level, as long as he keeps his feet on the ground," said Steve Bruce, the Blues manager.

"I think he is perfectly happy here, as he is doing exactly what he wanted to do, which is further his footballing education.

"We just hope he can stay with us for the rest of the season and that is our main aim. It is a double-edged sword because the better he does the more difficult it is for us but we want him to do really well.

"He is now at the next stage, in that you can only play in the reserves for so long. You've got to go and play with the men and be a big boy and he has done well, considering he is only 18.

"It was the making of Fors-sell when he came here on loan. Let's hope it is exactly the same thing with Nicklas."

Forssell's first season on loan at Birmingham saw him score 19 goals and was chiefly responsible for their highest-ever Premiership finish.

He was coveted in the same manner that Bendtner is with a host of clubs pursuing the Finland international. Yet a knee injury the following season effectively ruled him out for the campaign and he finally arrived at St Andrew's last summer for a fee of #3 million.

However, as Bendtner's star has continued to rise, so Forssell's has fallen and he is regarded as their fourth-choice striker.

He has yet to start a Championship fixture since August and the jungle drums have been beating with reports suggesting he has fallen out with Bruce over a lack of first-team opportunities. Schalke and Borussia Monchengladbach are monitoring the situation but Bruce is adamant he has no problem with Forssell and can understand his frustrations.

"He is upset and disappointed that he hasn't figured a lot this season, which is understandable," Bruce said.

"Every player wants to play.

We haven't had words at all and we need four strikers. Something could happen to someone tomorrow, you never know.

"That's what I want to guard against. Mikael will get his chance again, I'm sure. The biggest mistake I made last season was going in with three strikers, knowing the injury doubts against Mikael and David Dunn."

Forssell's only goal of the campaign was from the penalty spot against Sunderland yet, as well as attracting interest from Germany, Blackburn Rovers and Charlton Athletic are also said to be keen.

However, with the transfer window closed until January, Forssell can stake his claim at St Andrew's for at least another two months.