TEAM NEWS Cardiff City winger Peter Whittingham is available again after recovering from a knee injury. Also returning are left-back Andrew Taylor who has been ill and forward Tommy Smith who had a hamstring injury. Ipswich are without on-loan goalkeeper Stephen Henderson who is sidelined with an ankle injury, so Scott Loach will continue to deputise in goal. Midfielder Andy Drury has recovered from the virus and striker Frank Nouble could be handed his debut. MATCH FACTS Head-to-head • Heidar Helguson was on target twice, as Cardiff came from behind to beat Ipswich 2-1 in the reverse fixture in October. • This is the 20th league fixture between these clubs on Cardiff soil, and Ipswich have the better record with eight wins to the Bluebirds' six. The Tractor Boys have won three and drawn one of their last four visits, subsequent to Cardiff's 1-0 win in November 2007 - all at Championship level. • Cardiff have only achieved the league double over the Suffolk club twice in their history, and not since 1946/47 in Division Three South. Cardiff City • Cardiff, who were knocked out of the FA Cup by Macclesfield of the Blue Square Bet Premier last time out, are protecting a seven-point lead at the top of the table, and pressing for a fifth successive Championship victory. • All 56 points have been picked up from matches in which no more than a single goal was conceded, while they've lost on all six occasions in which two or more goals were shipped. • The Bluebirds have found the net in each of their last 24 league outings, have opened the scoring in 18 of the 26 and have only dropped three home points. Ipswich Town • Ipswich go in search of a third successive away league victory and a 200th on the road in second level league football. • Mick McCarthy is looking for an eighth win from his 14th league match in charge, having guided the Tractor Boys from the foot of the table to three places and five points above the danger zone. • The Suffolk club have the worst goal difference in the Championship of -21, and own the weakest attack away from home in the division (11 goals scored) and the poorest defence on the road (27 conceded).
Sounded like a draw was a fair result. I was disappointed with that but we increased the gap to 3rd by a point and it looks like we'll increase the gap to 2nd by a point as well thanks to DJ and the wendies. With Leicester playing 'brough on Friday the top of the table will contiue to spread out. Blackpool in disarray with a third manager this season. The runes are with us............
Good point in the end considering the other results around us, but that was probably the worst all round performance of the season. Couldn't string more than a couple of passes together where it mattered. Passing it across the back four and neat triangles on the touchline is all very well, but in front of goal we had no answer. Marshy had little to do to be honest but when he did, he flapped a lot today. Thank God for Huds and Turner at the back. Connolly's distribution was poor and Tayls got caught out of position a few times. In the middle, Gunnar hardly completed a pass and gave the ball away a lot - Whitts was little better. Out wide Conway and Noone tried hard but it rarely seemed to come off for them. Bellers was off tune and a bit subdued, and as for Rudy first half, he looked a mile off the pace. I would be reluctant to see him start again at the moment. Something is seriously missing from this side. I still reckon a genuine target man to hold up the ball could be it. It's funny that a point today at home against a bottom 6 club is a good result for us.
Its true what McKay said in the post match interview when he said that I don't look at their League Position but at the current form table. We are in the top 6 in the CCC form table having only lost 2 in the last 10 and having won 7 of those. McKay conceded that you needed to work as hard as we did today or you would have lost. Personally I think a draw was a pretty fair result and puts us in a good position for our next 2 "6 pointers".
micks certainly turned things round for you, next season i can see him giving promotion a real go. great to see the reception chopra got, hope things work out for him. as for today we never got out of the blocks and never looked like scoring or winning, so to come out of it with a clean sheet and a point is something we'd all take - especially as it was freezing and rainy, i just couldnt wait to go home
Not taking anything away from your lot JWM - you got the point fair and square and we didn't deserve any more than what we got. Still say we played poorly and far below the standards we've set ourselves. When you do that against a team battling under a new manager, there's no hiding place. What Malky said was right and we had no divine right to win that game, but frankly, the lads didn't turn up yesterday. To be honest, you should have beaten us at your place under Jewell. We were poor that day as well (what is it about us when we play you?), and we only won the game because you blew it at the death. Good club Ipswich, and the best of luck to you under Mick. Could never dislike the guy despite him coming across as a typical Barnsleyman - full of blunt Yorkshire crap.
We didnt play well at Ipswich but more than deserved the win. Yesterday was a fair result. Ipswich worked hard and the number 8 was quality. They looked though what they are a low table team. Problem is we looked no better. Disappointed with their following as well. If they normally have a 1000 where were the other 800. Why do away fans bar a few clubs like Leeds and Sheff Wed bring so few fans to the CCS?
Can't see that we more than deserved the win at Ipswich. Don't travel to away games these days, but watched that game at Portman road live on the tele. If keeping going means we more than deserved the win then I agree, otherwise we should have been demolished. Ipswich battered us first half and how we went in only one down was a miracle. Second half started exactly the same way - under the cosh with no answers. Then they got the collywobbles in the last 15 and Helguson got a couple to pinch the game from a side lacking in confidence that had no idea how to close a game out.
Very generous comments Oldsparkey Hilts Yes we are currently a low table team but we are in the top 3 or 4 in the current Championship form table which is exactly what your manager alluded to after the game!
