Can Town Turn The Tables Tonight?

Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy has admitted as much. Anything less than a win tonight at home to Cardiff City and we will seriously struggle to make the top six.

“I think for us to be in the play-offs we need to win against Cardiff,” he explained to the official Ipswich website.

He went to cover most eventualities by suggesting that Town could lose tonight and win their next three but realistically anything less than a win against the bluebirds and we will seriously struggle to get into the end of season mix.

Confidence would be seriously damaged too for the game away to Wolves away on Saturday if the blues don’t take all three points against the Bluebirds at Portman Road this evening.

A victory on the other hand could kick start our season once more, in what is arguably the most competitive domestic league in the world and two home wins on the trot would be a huge boost!

Cardiff are not exactly in free-fall having won their last away game at Leeds United only three days ago 1-2 and they have not lost away in their last seven encounters so this they will not be a pushover and it promises to be another big challenge.

The will to win might be greater for Town but that alone will not be enough. The crowd getting onside will of course help and an early goal would do the world of good too but there will be a lot of nervous energy, both in the stands and on the pitch tonight.

Luke Varney could miss out which would be a shame as he has worked his socks off up front and has been a good loan signing to date.

Young Teddy Bishop, having played the full 90 minutes against Blackpool, might find his way onto the subs bench and I fancy both Richard Chaplow and Stephen Hunt to start tonight; probably at the expense of Bishop and Tabb and although Kevin Bru has trained a little recently, he will not be fit enough to start I suspect.

Daryl Murphy alluded to it and I am sure it has crossed the gaffer’s mind too but a superior goal difference is worth an extra point and as our leading scorer suggested, to miss out on those play-off places this way would be an absolutely devastating blow.

It is therefore imperative that if we go in front we must continue to press forward and not fall back into our all too familiar comfort zone – otherwise we could be playing with fire again.

I am hoping the Town faithful can do their bit tonight and get behind the blues from the start.

McCarthy has been encouraged by what he has heard – or perhaps not heard from the fans of late so he too will be hoping the crowd can play the part of the extra man tonight.

F.W. – Vital Ipswich