The Blues go up against Derby County this afternoon hoping to show good bouncebackability from their shocking 1-0 defeat at Doncaster last weekend. The table never lies, and if we are to go by that, we should see an interesting game between eleventh-placed Town and twelfth-placed Derby who are only separated by virtue of five more goals scored by Ipswich.
The Rams won 3-0 at home to Sheffield Wednesday last week, and will no doubt be hoping for more of the same at Portman Road come kick-off.
Manager Paul Jewell saw his Derby side start the season like they ended it in the Premiership, picking up a solitary point until his first league win in 10 month of being Derby boss on September 13th.
Rams chief executive Adam Pearson recently admitted that a season of consolidation was needed in the Championship and he doesn’t expect them to be challenging for honours come the end of the current campaign.
From the Dugouts:
‘The players want to put on a display for the fans because they are as upset as I was with how we performed last week,’ said Town manager Jim Magilton.
‘It’s never easy to adjust immediately to life in this division after coming down from the Premier League, and it took them four or five games to find their feet, but they have a good manager, good players and come to us on a decent run of form.
‘I think the fans can have a part to play for us. If they get right behind the team from the start, as they did against QPR, then that can give the players a lift but ultimately it’s down to the players to go out and show that last week was a blip and right a few wrongs.’
Meanwhile, Derby manager Jewell is expecting a tricky afternoon in Suffolk: ‘Ipswich are formidable on their day, a good side with some good players and it will be a tough game. But it is a game we are looking forward to because we are competitive now.’
Ipswich Town Team News:
Captain Gareth McAuley is a big concern with a hamstring injury that caused him to miss the defat against Doncaster, while Moritz Volz is definitely to miss the game having picked up his fifth booking last week.
Alex Bruce will probably start at right-back should McAuley be fit, but if not will probably partner Naylor at the back. Pim Balkestein however will be looking for a recall with Ben Thatcher still not match fit.
Veliche Shumulikoski played for Macedonia in midweek and will probably be rested especially after a poor showing against Donny last week. Owen Garvan will probably continue alongside David Norris who will vacate the right-midfield slot for Jon Walters. Darren Ambrose is tipped to make his second full debut for Ipswich at left-midfield in place of Alan Quinn.
Kevin Lisbie will miss out having also underperformed against Rovers, meaning that the preferred strike duo of Jon Stead and Pablo Counago should return to the team.
Danny Haynes could return to the bench following an abductor muscle injury.
Player to watch: Jon Stead
Stead has five goals to his name already this season having signed before the transfer window shut in August, all of which have come at home. Should he need any extra reason to bag a goal or three, he is up against his former side after spending three months on loan at Pride Park in 2006.
Derby County Team News:
Darren Powell could make his Derby debut having signed for two months to provide cover for Paul Jewell’s injury ravaged defence. Lewin Nyatanga and Claude David both played for their national sides in midweek, while first-choice duo Martin Albrechtsen and Dean Leacock are both missing with a calf and groin injury respectively.
Player to watch: Emanuel Villa
Check out the report on this week’s dangerman and own-goal specialist, Emanuel Villa >>>>>
Match Facts & Stats
Ipswich: LWWDW
Derby: WLDWD
Ipswich have had the better over today’s opponents historically, winning 25 (16 in the league at Portman Road), drawing 18 (7) and losing 22 (7).
Ipswich beat Derby 2-1 at Portman Road in April of the season that the Rams were promoted to the Premiership via the play offs, 2006/07. Goals from Franny Jeffers and a last minute Danny Haynes penalty gave Town the win after Matt Oakley had put them ahead with just 8 minutes gone. On that occasion, there were 10 yellow cards and 2 red cards dished out. A good end to a disappointing season for Town, while it was a bad end to a good regular season for Derby.
Ref Watch:
The referee is Mick Russell, who was last in charge of a Town game in March, when they drew 1-1 at Southampton.
Match Prediction:
The doom will be lifted at kick off and I am expecting an Ipswich win today. Two teams having two indifferent seasons, and they both look fairly even on paper. A nice entertaining game to end 3-2 to the Blues.
Up Next…
…Ipswich travel to the Midlands to play Birmingham on Tuesday night.
