Time Town Tamed The Canaries Tomorrow

Ipswich may be at home tomorrow but that does not make them the bookies favourites, and for a number of reasons.

Norwich are on a bit of a roll at the moment and are unbeaten in eight matches. Ipswich, on the other hand, are going through a losing spell and find themselves as they approach this one, having lost six of their last eight matches in the Championship.

There is also the sad fact that Ipswich have not beaten their fiercest rivals since way back in 2009 – so even recent history is against us. Remember too, that Town have failed to win any of their last eight league matches against Norwich, including the painful two that took place in the 2014/15 play-offs.

In fact, Mick McCarthy’s last league win against Norwich came in September 2007, when he was in charge of Wolves, so a victory is very long overdue for all concerned.

Why do you think I am so optimistic about the Tractor Boys chances tomorrow afternoon at Portman Road? Well, for a start, with a big crowd and home advantage, I have a feeling the Blues might play the way they did when they defeated Newcastle United – also against the odds at the back end of last season.

Yes, we will not have Emry Hues – although he is back in training and may find a place on the bench but we do have lots of attacking options and the key to our success may well rest with Joe Garner and whether he passes a fitness test or not?

But perhaps the real thorn in the side of Norwich, could in fact be Martyn Waghorn, who has been directly involved in four goals in his last two Championship appearances at Portman Road with two strikes and two assists! If they are together upfront, then I feel confident of a Town victory.

David McGoldrick too is in fine fettle for Ipswich at the moment and I think he has to play from the start as well. From the bench we can expect to see Bersant Celina and Freddie Sears; along perhaps if fit, with the irrepressible Tommy Smith – who is always good in derby matches.

James Maddison is a big threat for the visitors and just like Waghorn, has scored two and assisted two on the road for the Canaries but so too is Jonas Knudsen who has a very impressive goalscoring record when we meet each other!

And of course we have to get one over on their temperamental Portuguese mouthpiece, who is not worthy of a mention by name but will be well and truly caged, like the rest of his clan, when the final whistle blows at Portman Road tomorrow.


Frank Weston – Editor of Vital Ipswich