Slavi said today (among many scathing comments about our performance against Brighton), “All of our plans were undone and we didn’t show enough desire, spirit and competitiveness to get back in the game. We surrendered in the last 30 minutes of the game and it’s quite simple, we cannot repeat that performance.” So what's he going to do that will makes us stronger and at one of our bogey grounds? Unfortunately Michael Madl is still out, so I'd out McCarthy McCarthy and do an Allardyce by going 4-1-4-1. Obviously Rohan Ince will be back but that defence not only needs as much protection in front of it as possible, it needs some leadership. And the starting line-up for me is: ........................Bettinelli............. ..Fredericks..Stearman..Amorebietta..Garbutt.. ...........................Baird................ .........LVC.......Ince....Parker...Hyndman... .....................McCormack......... Even though Tom Cairney is said to be (possibly) okay after his 'dead leg' I wouldn't risk him: better fresh legs for Saturday. Ream is too powder puff for what will be a robust Ipswich side and Dembele is blowing too hot and cold (evidence his walking straight off the pitch at the end of Friday's game without taking the time or having the respect to acknowledge 2500 travelling fans who endured a horrible performance).
Relatively experienced chap in the middle tonight, Mr Paul Tierney also has a few Premiership games under his belt. Another one we've only seem once though - in the home defeat 1-0 to Hull in January. Looks like he's calmed down a bit (or someone has had a word in his ear). from last season. Then, in 37 games he gave out 134 yellows and a whopping 8 reds; whereas this year he's only on 107 yellow and 3 red in his 38 games.
I fully expect you to score at least once. It's then up to us as to whether we have remembered what scoring is like at home. I'm hoping that with this being a dead rubber and 'nothing' match that we at least try to take the game to you
Cheers Scowey. Our man says "we're still in a war" and I can't see Mick McCarthy going out quietly. So may be more fiesty than you expect - certainly looking to our lads for a bit more graft than Friday night. Anyway if you're at the game, enjoy! The football if not the result, that is.
Oh my .. how wrong can you be! It's Slavi Bingo Night The 'team' being sent out is: Bettinelli, Stearman, Burn, Hutchinson, Ream, Tunnicliffe, Parker, Ince, Christensen, McCormack and Dembele [Won't attempt putting them in any kind of formation. Apparently Hyndman dropped out late on with 'an illness' but that doesn't explain the "back four".] Subs are: Lonergan, Garbutt, Baird, Fredericks, Cairney, Woodrow and Smith
Had to go to a meeting this evening and only just back in. So not even being able to follow Gentleman Jim, can't offer a comment on our overall play. Reading the (obviously unbiased) account on the Official site though we could/should have come away with all 3 points. My only 'off the cuff' observation is a ponder as to whether Slavi making those two substitutions (McCormack and Parker) in the last 5 minutes of normal time cost us? Whatever, when I saw the team before the game I did not expect even 1 point. So well done the lot of them. And continuing the earlier theme: When you're smiling .. Given the other results, we are still 10 points clear (allowing for superior goal difference) with only 3 games now to play. Cookie - now safe to say we're safe, for sure
I only listened to Gentleman Jim but sounded like we deserved to win. Defence was actually good but Ipswich did not play well with their first shot on goal over the bar on 71 mins.
Not for sure, but almost certainly. We've got a 16 goal cushion, so a series of Mk Dons wins by two or three goals, and similar defeats for us could still drag us down. I'm not saying that I'm worrying about it, but I'm counting no chickens until we get one more point or MK Dons drop one more.
Couldn't get to game but friend who did phoned to say it was an average performance but a poor performance by Ipswich who only really got better in the last 20 minutes. He wasn't happy about the defensive tactics Jokanovic had set out and failed to dominate a poor Ipswich team. But it looks like MK Dons will be the last club to fill the 3rd spot and go down with Charlton and Bolton. Not sure what we can look forward to in the last 3 games, will they play better or worse with the pressure off. If they are as inconsistent as during the season I doubt Jokanovic can inspire a grandstand finish like he wants.
