Town Need To Return To Winning Ways.

If only the Blues could replicate the result of four years since, when Mick McCarthy took charge of his first match away to Birmingham City in the league.

Then, we were at the foot of the table and with just 7 points seemingly destined to drop down a division but that 0-1 victory at St.Andrews, was the catalyst for our rapid improvement.

We can only hope that lightning strikes twice tonight when we again face them away from home in a game that we really need to get something from I fear.

Teddy Bishop is unavailable again having picked up another knock in training and if manager Mick McCarthy is tempted to make changes, then it is probably not going to be at the expense of either Cole Skuse or Jonathan Douglas, who he believes are arguably the best midfielders we have.

The natives are getting decidedly restless though and just over four years into his role as manager of Ipswich Town, he is coming under increasing pressure to drag us away from the relegation zone and back up the table.

Birmingham winger Jacques Maghoma could return after illness but it is likely that forward Greg Stewart will miss out.

Paul Caddis has a shoulder problem and is doubtful for this one, as is Stephen Gleeson and Diego Fabbrini with a thigh problem.

Birmingham boss Gary Rowlett can feel our manager’s pain and said of him, ‘ I think Ipswich are very lucky to have Mick McCarthy as their manager because he’s done a fantastic job for them with very very few resources. He’s very pragmatic in the way he plays, but that’s his style and we’re the same so you can’t criticise someone like that if it’s been working.’

Brett Pitman could play some part tonight but probably not from the start, having missed almost three months through injury.

Dean Gerken, Grant Ward and Cole Skuse have all been affected by a sickness bug since Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Cardiff City but they are expected to pull through for a game against against a side who are fighting for promotion and a win for the home team, might take them back into those play-off places that we aspire to.

Town would love another win to relieve the pressure yet on paper at least this seems quite unlikely.

Ipswich have only won one of their last 15 league games at St Andrew’s and we all know when that was!

Frank Weston – Editor of Vital Ipswich