On 12/6/2023 at 7:32 AM, Downsouth said:

Good job BS thanks

I hope some of our old Ipswich members return for this thread as they showed just how knowledgable they and certainly welcomed previous contributions from them.

Do so enjoy the mdt when opposition fans contribute don't you?

I'll give it a go. 

You may remember I posted my season preview here in late July and I put Town in 13th. I felt like we were maybe lacking a CB and an additional forward player to make the top six but I felt that outside the parachute clubs, the league was fairly open so if everything had fallen into place, 6th place wasn't entirely out of the question. One of the consequences of the widening gap between the Prem and EFL is the number of loans each team needs to take on to be successful, as Boro found out last year. This leaves teams needing to rebuild each summer and that's something we didn't really need to do, or at least not to the same extent. Relegated teams aside, I don't think there's that much difference in the quality of most squads in the league so having that advantage has taken us a long way.

Continuity and having an excellent coach are the two reasons why we're doing even better than I expected. From January in League One last year, we learnt to win games in different ways, by grinding results out as well as breaking teams down. From our results this year, that has been the case too - McKenna is willing to gamble in matches at Portman Road, knowing that we can beat most teams in a shoot out. Away from home though, we've been grinding results out in low scoring matches, save for the last few weeks. Compare this to Burnley in the Premier League who only won matches one way last season and have struggled to translate that into a division where you can't dominate the ball every week.

I wrote this in August and it mostly still applies now if you want a bit more of an in depth look on us. 

How Ipswich Town have adapted to life back in the Championship (substack.com)

My big worries going forward are our set piece defending (we're particularly vulnerable to balls being floated into the box between the RB and RCB) and losing key players to AFCON/Asia Cup. There's lots of talk about us falling away and with a gun to my head, I'd say Leeds probably will overtake us, but that's much more down to the depth they've got rather than performances so far; we're outperforming our data ever so slightly but on the whole, we have deserved the points we've won on the balance of play. It would now take a monumental drop off for us to miss the playoffs.

An open game and a 2-2 is my score prediction. I know that contradicts what I said about us grinding results out away from home but we have opened up at times and I feel like that's what Carrick will do as well. With Boro struggling with injuries it should be an opportunity for us, but Luongo and Williams being out will be a blow at our end too. 

 

The lack of posts on here suggests people aren't particularly optimistic about this game. And neither am I. I thought we could get something against Leeds with their lack of defensive full backs, but this is a different kettle of bream. I can see this being a real confidence-sapper, but here's hoping the walking wounded can rise to the occasion.

6 minutes ago, RiseAgainst said:

The lack of posts on here suggests people aren't particularly optimistic about this game. And neither am I. I thought we could get something against Leeds with their lack of defensive full backs, but this is a different kettle of bream. I can see this being a real confidence-sapper, but here's hoping the walking wounded can rise to the occasion.

I think we'll win, I just cba posting, haha.

Just got Baldur's Gate 3, so I'm focused on that.

10 minutes ago, EFL View said:

My big worries going forward are our set piece defending (we're particularly vulnerable to balls being floated into the box between the RB and RCB) 

I wouldn't worry. We've invested a lot of time and money over many years trying to ensure that we are ineffective at set pieces. Sure, Greenwood scored a screamer of a free kick recently and we grabbed one from a corner, but word on the street is that those players involved have been punished severely for these indiscretions.

32 minutes ago, RiseAgainst said:

The lack of posts on here suggests people aren't particularly optimistic about this game. And neither am I. I thought we could get something against Leeds with their lack of defensive full backs, but this is a different kettle of bream. I can see this being a real confidence-sapper, but here's hoping the walking wounded can rise to the occasion.

Too many injuries to get anything out of this game I’m afraid 😟 

Ridiculous about of players out

49 minutes ago, RiseAgainst said:

The lack of posts on here suggests people aren't particularly optimistic about this game. And neither am I. I thought we could get something against Leeds with their lack of defensive full backs, but this is a different kettle of bream. I can see this being a real confidence-sapper, but here's hoping the walking wounded can rise to the occasion.

The sheer number of missing players plus the number of goals we are shipping regularly leaves me less than hopeful. 

Awaiting that teamsheet with trepidation.

This would be a tough game even if we had every player available. They're having an incredible season and our defending away from home is ropey at the best of times. Not going to read too much into it if they beat us comfortably. 

Could be a big opportunity for Silvera after nearly 3 months on the bench, though I suspect it'll be Rogers that starts on the right.

Edited December 9, 20232 yr by TeaCider24

48 minutes ago, TeaCider24 said:

Could be a big opportunity for Silvera after nearly 3 months on the bench, though I suspect it'll be Rogers that starts on the right.

Silveria could still start If none of the injured players are back. 

Only option i see then is Howson at RB, Crooks dropping back with Barlaser. Rogers at 10 which allows for Silveria to come in on the flanks oppoisite Greenwood.

 

Doesn't necessarily mean anything, as he'd be there anyway, but Fry is with the squad.

He has a wash bag so is fit I reckon.

As @Stitchy said. Hopefully that means Fry is fit. VDB at RB and Howson stays in midfield. Hopefully we got enough in starting 11 to get a positive result. Bench will be lacking a bit mind.

Fancy us today. Ipswich away form has been poor as of late