Another ground like Derby in the past 15 years or so we've owned, can we keep that up? The system at the minute is a weird one. TWO holding deep mids, a striker completely isolated....goalless.... add to that our ability to concede goals for fun from set pieces.... Our luck has to change at some point though!? Got a feeling we might nab a win v Norwich, but can see more issues here. Bannan + Forestieri are very good players, they've got the monkey off their backs last night and do have a good squad. 2-1 defeat for me. Think we'll score, but every chance we'll concede our average 1 from a set play and then not sure I trust us to not concede from open play either. As for line up - well going to assume it'll be our now usual back 7............ Bart Donacien / Nsiela / Chambers / Knudsen Skuse Chalobah Edwards Nolan Edun??! Jackson Got a feeling Jackson may get the nod for this one - not sure though. Oh, and if we are losing by a goal on 60/65/70, any danger of 2 strikers please to give it a go?
I’ll be at Hillsborough for this one. Wednesday are one of the poorer sides in the Championship, desperately lacking any kind of spark. Roughly the same Town line up, 1-0 Wednesday.
Press conference is today, two days before the game. Has anyone seen these? These live pre-match press conferences started under McCarthy and are as dull as ditchwater and look unprofessional with a smartphone shoved in the manager’s face. I’d like to see the press conference face on, with proper microphones. The manager in a suit from time to time. Norwich resorted to painting their away dressing room pink but making these press conferences a bit more of an event and giving the manager a bit more stature would be such a simple marginal gain for Town.
Another draw and another decent performance but with the same glaringly obvious deficiencies we've seen so far this season. Same line up as Tuesday, but with Rowe to make an appearance from the bench.
I'd take a scrappy 1-0 win. Quite honestly I'd take any sort of win over a good performance in this match, just to get that first win on the board before the Norwich match. Sheffield Wednesday have a few good players and picked up a good win over Millwall in midweek, but they are beatable and will likely be struggling in lower mid-table this season. Regarding the first team, I'd replace Knudsen with Kenlock, Chalobah with Downes, Ward for Edun, and Harrison for Jackson and start the game with same formation and style of play. If we go behind or need extra firepower, I hope Hurst will amend the system a little and be open to playing two strikers. Hopefully the new signings Donacien, Nsiala, Edwards, and Nolan can continue their decent starts and that Nolan can contribute to a goal. Having one or both of our strikers will score their first league goal of the season too.
The weak link at the back are the two CBs although they looked tighter against Derby (despite the two goals we conceded). The defensive weaknesses for the two goals (not closing down, standing up and facing the ball head on) are mistakes that many Premier League defenders and all but the very top defenders like Kompany, Ferdinand and Terry would make. I think our defence is not really the problem and I wouldn't change it too much until we had some reinforcements / or Woolfenden is fit. I do have one idea though. Chalobah can play at centre half and I'd get Downes and Rowe involved over Ward / Roberts. 4-3-3 Bart Donacien / Chalobah / Chambers / Knudsen Skuse Nolan / Downes Edwards / Jackson / Harrison By the way, this will never happen on Saturday!
Skuse a big doubt and Nolan a doubt also. Encouraging press conference from Hurst - the striker debacle addressed directly. I'm happy to give Hurst time to get the side playing the way he wants and I'm encouraged that he's open to trying other things, but just not yet.
Well that's not correct - they have plenty of spark. Bannan + Forerestieri are both quality. George Boyd coming back. Plenty of creative players. Problem is - they've all been there years now and their poor at the back. If they don't have injury issues like last season they still have a top 10 squad no issues.
Rather than watch a few minutes of goals and shots, which by definition is all action, why don't you sit through a few 90 minutes of their football?
I can't remember being this excited for a Town match. A match against an average team. A match on the back of no wins in five. Waiting for a Town win is like dating a very hot woman who is making you wait 6, 7, 8 dates to sleep with her. Let's hope Town score over and over again tomorrow!
Well, that should certainly fire the players up...if they read this forum! I am going for a hard fought 1-0 Town win. Gotta turn the corner some time. Then a great morale boosting run of 2 wins(NCFC incl) and a draw to take us up to top10.
Well, well, in answer to all our prayers! First time for Jackson & Harrison to be paired. Lets see some goals! Come on Ipswich!