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Ipswich Preview in Association with EZE Group
Birmingham entertain Ipswich tonight looking to build on their first home league win for ten months on Saturday. Mick McCarthy’s men come to St Andrews on the back of two defeats and will be looking to reverse that run of form.
Ipswich
The Tractor boys have a similar record to Blues in their first two league games this season having won one and lost one but went out of the Capital One Cup to Crawley after extra time.
Defender Elliott Hewitt faces a late fitness test but Jonathan Parr and Paul Anderson could both return from slight knocks.
Blues
Lee Novak and David Davis are both expected to be fit as Clark could play an unchanged line up from the team that beat Brighton on Saturday. Andrew Shinnie is out after getting injured playing for the development squad while Reece Brown, Will Packwood and Denny Johnstone all impressed and could feature off the bench.
With the home win hoodoo ended, Blues can go into this one with a fresher mind and without the feeling that they have to win; something I think that will be positive and actually make them more likely to do so. Clark’s men played a very high tempo pressing game on Saturday and it will be interesting to see if they can play like that again for ninety minutes tonight; for this reason I think Davis (rib) might not be started as he came to us on the back of a somewhat shortened pre-season and may not be fully fit.
Paul Robinson was the winner of the tickets courtesy of EZE Group for tonight’s game, having been only ten out, and of the seven people who correctly guessed Wes Thomas as the first goalscorer against Brighton, John Lester is the winner in that competition – would both please drop me a line for me to make arrangements.
Tags: David Davis, Ipswich Town, Lee Novak
33 Responses to “Ipswich Preview in Association with EZE Group”
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Not THE Paul Robinson surely?
No the one that plays for Blackburn !
I would be over the moon with another win tonight – from reading his comments doesn’t seem LC is keen on playing two wingers from the start – so probably Novak & Cotterill starting, and i’m fine with that – surely he will stick with 442 – would definitely like to see Gleeson getting on the ball and making some forward play happen, need somebody to not be afraid of passing a through ball (risking that it may not come off) – it will be another tough test tonight – hope the lads are well up for it!!
I agree. I am sure Clark will name a unchanged X1 with options offence and defence off the bench.
whatever team L,C. selects tonight, a win would really set us up, !!.
Its very early in the season but I feel tonight’s match will show how far we have come from last season.
McCarthy is a mans man and he expects his sides to play likewise, they are a big powerful side with some good players, Blues have to stand up to the physical battle that surely awaits them.
Win tonight and maybe even I will look forward with some optimism, lose and I fear we will be in for a repeat of last season
Gutted not to get the three points. Very impressed by the new team over last two games given they were put together for next to nothing. More than held our own against a decent Ipswich team. Definitely feels better that these are our own players rather than a team full of loan signings. Certainly lots of positives to take.
Mick Mcarthy’s comment after the game was important to me. “I think Birmingham look a different side this season. They look very good.”
Ipswich are not a bad side themselves. Overall I am satisfied to our start at home and I don’t think we need to worry to much about our home form any more. This is a different team. Let’s us hope that our away form isn’t bad either. I think we can finish well above the relegation zone, and that’s not bad is it, considering the owners we have? Let’s hope we solve that as well soon. Onwrd and upward! KRO
Should have had all 3 points, I like the new look and style of play.
Only criticism is , when we went in front we dropped deeper and let Ipswich come at us, the same when we went 2-1 up, this put undue pressure on the back four and the inevitable happened.
Not sure I agree with Robbo coming on for Thomas, much preferred to have seen Duffy or Brown to give Ipswich something to think about, there defenders were tired after the run around they had been given by Novak, Thomas Donaldson and Cotterill.
Still a positive result given the team we have, once again they gave 100% and that is all we ask.
Need more movement on throw-ins and Randolph has to stop the big Heave-ho, Ipswich must have won 90% of them tonight.
KRO+DNM
This was my point the other day. There’s aren’t the big bustling centre forwards in the game any longer to take advantage of goalkeepers’ punts upfield. It’s a totally wasted kick and just invites pressure. Surely someone needs to tell Randolph to curb it and play the ball out.
Surely that’s down to the goalkeeping coach?
What about the throw-ins Staffs, the long ball down the line and we hardly won one, that is schoolboy football.
100% effort is all well and good but the continuous giving the ball away is asking for trouble.
If we are going to play the high line it has to be all match, we can’t afford to drop back and let the opposition come at us.
KRO+DNM
There is definitely a lack of movement at throw ins. It’s not that difficult to lose your man.
This has been one of our failings for years tho. I used to comment on other Forums about just this. No-one moves and the thrower takes ages to decide who to throw to.
I don’t think you can blame the thrower as much to be fair. If he has no one to throw to, all he can do is launch it, or be blown up for time wasting. It’s down to the other players to give him a target to aim at. At every throw, there should be at least 2 options for the thrower. No excuses.
Sorry Staffs, I disagree. Many times I have seen Players run into position and the thrower has waved them away, bounced the ball and then threw it to the opposition. It isn’t only us, but it is us I concentrate on so notice it more.
Fair enough Chas. We all see different things in matches.
Spot on Chas and Staffs. I remember Dugarry getting tee’d off when taking a throw-in because players were just dawdling about. How long ago is that? Sharpen up lads.
There is no doubt in my mind that last season we would have lost that match, so progress has been made, possibly because Clark has resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes.
There does seem to be a mood of togetherness among the players that was lacking last season long may it continue.
Very disappointing to concede late on, but for those berating the referee for allowing an inordinate amount of injury time need only recall Bolton last season.
Up until the two possible penalty decisions I thought the ref had a good game for someone who averages 6 bookings a game.
If you worked out the added time for subs and injuries I reckon 3 minutes was justified.
But as you say we had our share at Bolton, if we hadn’t dropped deeper Ipswich probably wouldn’t have been in a position to get that cross over.
Both Ipswich goals came from similar situations, if we play the high line it has to be all match to be effective. Overall a good game, been a long time since I have clapped so much during a match.
KRO+DNM
Just the subs are 3 minutes Chris.
Yes, my maths are not working today, at the end of the day they should play till the whistle. Hopefully they will learn from playing too deep.
KRO+DNM
If only that were his only transgression! Blatant penalty not given for foul on Caddis; arm in the face of Blues player right under his nose no foul given and yet Robinson was booked for his first challenge which in comparison was not as bad. A string of other soft decisions given to Ipswich in the last 35 minutes some of which looked more like fouls against Blues players. His inept, bordering on bias, performance during the last 35 minutes frustrated me more than the concession of the second equaliser. I personally thought Novak was fairly anonymous and I’d have brought Gray on to replace him for the last 15 odd minutes to have a run at their back four. I also thought that bringing Robbo on for the last few minutes to play in midfield disrupted rather than strengthened the line up. Despite that still a far more encouraging home performance than most of last season’s but I wasn’t that impressed with either Brighton or Ipswich and I fear sterner tests await us.
I don’t think the 5 minutes was wrong tbh. 6 subs,goal celebrations.The hold up before Spector threw kicked the ball out.Plus couple of other stoppages.
He might be Mad Mick, but he talks a lot of sense. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28862331
Shame about the last minute goal.It ruined what has been Two much improved performances.I wasn’t expecting a lot after Middlesborough,but it looks like we have a TEAM. We had better players last season,but we would have lost last season if Ipswich had equalised just after the break. Defence look big and strong,although we seemed to go into panic mode for 15 minutes or so after HT. Thomas and Donaldson give us an outlet as they work hard and keep chasing everything. If we can time the passes to Donaldson right,we could have found a new Marlon King.His goal last night was like watching King.He played on the last defenders shoulder and the finish was typical Marlon.Just hope fans don’t start moaning if he gets caught offside now and again. Time the passes right and we’ll have a 20 goal a season striker. I don’t think we’ll be challenging,but i don’t see us struggling if we play like we have for the last two games.
Cameron Jerome has signed for Norwich on a 3 year deal.
Whilst we are looking a much better side this season there are still many things which are disturbing me. The first is the amount of free headers the opposition are having on our goal. This has been the case in every game including pre season friendlies where the opponents have not been good enough to take advantage.
Secondly, possession of the ball. We play like the ball is a hot potato and players seem to be trying the impossible ball where a bit of patience and passing to a nearby team mate maybe a better option.
Thirdly, while I’m happy to see more bodies in the box and more shots on goal. 4 on target out of 14 is pretty poor.
Fourthly, set piece execution. Does anyone practice taking free kicks in training?
well well well the bloody ref should have gone to vision express stone wall penalty 3-1 game over imo…. well play blues keep upsetting the non believers lol
this high tempo game…… Clark the fans are lovin it…….kro
Must keep it up for 90 minutes though and not drop deeper after we score, that was nearly our undoing against Brighton and definitely against Ipswich.
KRO+DNM
What high tempo game ?
cannot wait to see Matt Green in attend again we are spoiled for choice lol