This is more than just another league match at Portman Road. The Blues must rekindle some of the confidence of old, if they are to go to Lincoln City next Tuesday in a positive frame of mind.
It is unlikely that Town will get any new players through the door before either of these games are played. Town are notoriously slow when it comes to dealings in transfer windows so we should not expect to see any new faces any time soon.
Rumour however is rife today that Ipswich made a bid in excess of 1.5 million pounds for Preston striker Jordan Hugill but it may be a good thing that the offer was turned down because reading what Preston supporters think of him is a sobering thought.
The general consensus of opinion appears to be that he is a very average forward and a player they acquired from Port Vale for just 25,000 pounds in 2014.
He is described as a hard-working striker, who is physically strong and who chases lost causes and presses from the front. Hugill has scored 13 goals in 28 starts and 37 sub appearances for the Lilywhites, including six so far this season.
Who does that remind you of? Daryl Murphy perhaps? We can quickly see why manager Mick McCarthy has taken such a keen interest then!
It is unlikely however that Town will stump up more than one and a half million – although if loan players come in as well, they may spend around that amount on one player, as they did when they bought Adam Webster from Portsmouth in the last transfer window.
As for Saturday, Mick McCarthy will have to juggle his attacking options again, as David McGoldrick will be out for at least two weeks with a hamstring strain. It is not as serious as first thought but it will probably mean that Brett Pitman and Freddie Sears will start up front for the Tractor Boys.
Blackburn Rovers have injury concerns of their own. Craig Conway and Corry Evans are rated as very doubtful at the moment.
Rovers boss Owen Coyle explained the situation, ‘ Both are major doubts. Craig Conway has responded well to his work on the grass with the medical team, but the game at Ipswich is likely to come too soon for his hamstring.’
He continued,’Corry Evans injury is one that we need to get to the bottom of. We want him to be fit for the games we have to come so the medical staff will look closely at that, but he is a big doubt.’
But Rovers will welcome back Darragh Lenihan from a three-game ban after his red card in the Boxing Day defeat at Barnsley and of course Marvin Emnes, who was cup-tied at QPR.
Rovers are looking for their third straight victory of the New Year, as the club that currently lie in 22nd in the Championship finally seemed to have turned the corner – just in time for Town!
Frank Weston – Editor of Vital Ipswich
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