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Ipswich Town v Plymouth Argyle



Saturday 28th October 2023 – 15:00


Portman Road







Pre-Match Thoughts - Mike



As each week passes I just get more and more astounded by the incredible season we are having following our promotion from League One. Week after week records are tumbling as we rack up the wins, neutrals are lauding our every move and rival fans way lyrical about little old Ipswich, fewer and fewer appear to think we will fall away now and we are the real deal. It is easy for us as Town fans to heap all the plaudits onto the Manager and his team but when it is coming from outside the club it means so much more.

A couple of days ago we had a lead of just Six points and the pack looked to be closing but now it is back up to a very healthy Nine and a game in hand too, a game which in all truth is very winnable, i don't care what anyone says, and i said it last week too, a Twelve point gap even at this early stage of the season takes some catching, even if by some miracle we were to lose Four in a row what are the chances of others winning Four in a row in this most predictable of Divisions, our position is an incredible One and it may get even better if we continue to turn out win after win.

I keep hearing Leeds this and Leeds that and in all honesty I am not raving about them at all, yes their finishing at our place was excellent on the day but man our defending was schoolboy in that mental Ten minute period, we put Three past them in defeat and I would not bet against us doing it again if we were to play them. I also think it is doing us a massive favour with Leicester ripping up trees too at present as it takes a bit of the focus off us allowing us to keep doing what we are doing and while we are hardly going under the radar it certainly helps keep a bit of attention elsewhere.

Our latest win was a really tough ground out victory at Ashton gate where it has to be said City did give us a bit of a test in the second half, I don't think anyone would argue that we looked the classier of the Two sides with all the quality but what they lacked in quality they made up for in effort so fair play to them. After a more than shaky opening Five minutes I thought we dominated the first half and should really have gone into the break at least two goals ahead, a few chances went begging with Morsy crashing One off the post, Hirst forcing a great save out of their keeper and Broadhead & Chaplin causing mayhem in their box on several occasions.

I think we were always going to see the home side give it a go after the break and for the most part of the second half they had the better of it in my opinion, I think in some ways we made it easier for them with our decision to sit back a bit and invite them onto us, add to that we definitely faded in the final Fifteen minutes, perhaps the Seventeen day break was taking it's toll but how pleasing what is that we stood firm to get the job done, even if we did have to rely on One incredible stroke of luck with the ball crashing off the Post & Hladky before rolling along the goal line before Williams hacked it away, we don't really get loads of luck but that One was massive.

I know some were a little frustrated with Kayden Jackson and I get it, however I do think his pace and movement was instrumental in creating space in and around the box for others to exploit, yes at times his final ball leaves a lot to be desired but generally I thought he did ok and I could see why Kieran Mckenna included him in the starting line up, with Wes Burns set to be out for a few weeks we can expect to see more of Kayden, who along with Omari Hutchinson will fill the gap left by Wes and I am pretty cool with that even though in my opinion we definitely missed some of Burn's attributes.

That is now Four 1-0 away wins this season and for me it is no coincidence, we definitely set up a bit differently to how we do at home and have more focus on defence, I can't say I had noticed it before but we definitely dropped off and sat back a bit against Bristol City which suggests we are more than confident of keeping clean sheets, I remember saying last season when it looked like Sheff Wed and Plymouth were going to pip us that the difference with us and Wednesday was that they were getting the solitary goal wins when we could not achieve them and this season is a case in point as to how crucial that ability to grind them out is.

Next up we have a return to Portman Road and last seasons League One Champions Plymouth Argyle provide the opposition, again with the way we are going at home it is another Golden opportunity to pile more points on the total, I also think after last season we really owe the boys from Devon one after that hideous fluke of a goal from Bali Mumba at Portman Road denied us not only victory on the day but the league One title too, yes they finished as champions and fair play to them but we've been acknowledged as the best league One side there has ever been and i want us to go out and prove to them that we have moved on quite a bit since last May.

The pilgrims did chalk up a comfortable Three goal victory in midweek against the whipping boys from Hillsborough to ease their worries a little bit, the win lifted them to Eighteenth place in the table with a Six point gap between themselves and the drop zone. Their line up needs little introduction to us with Morgan Whittaker, Bali Mumba, Dan Scarr and Michael Cooper all very able players at this level. As I have said on several occasions already I am struggling to predict a Town defeat right now and this week is no exception, no game is easy and all that cobblers but Plymouth at home is a game I currently expect Town to win, I think the rustiness of a long break will be behind us now and with the sell out expectant Town crowd driving them on I can only see the boys coming up trumps again so yes it's a home win for me with more records probably tumbling. Anyone not enjoying the journey ? Home win. COYB'S.




The Opposition – Plymouth Argyle Honours



League


Third Division South / Third Division / Second Division / League One
Champions (5): 1929–30, 1951–52, 1958–59, 2003–04, 2022–23
Runners-up (8): 1921–22, 1922–23, 1923–24, 1924–25, 1925–26, 1926–27, 1974–75, 1985–86

Third Division / League Two
Champions: 2001–02
Runners-up: 2016–17
Promoted: 2019–20
Play-off winners: 1996

Southern League
Champions: 1912–13

Western League
Champions: 1905–06


Cup


EFL Trophy
Runners-up: 2022–23




The Manager – Steven Schumacher








League Table as at 27.10.2023






Form Guide




Ipswich Town





30 Sep Huddersfield 1 - 1 Ipswich Town

3 Oct Ipswich Town 3 - 0 Hull City

7 Oct Ipswich Town 4 - 2 Preston

20 Oct Rotherham pp. Ipswich Town

25 Oct Bristol City 0 - 1 Ipswich Town






Plymouth Argyle





30 Sep Hull City 1 - 1 Plymouth

3 Oct Plymouth 0 - 2 Millwall

7 Oct Plymouth 1 - 3 Swansea City

21 Oct West Brom 0 - 0 Plymouth

25 Oct Plymouth 3 - 0 Sheffield Wed




Head to Head






Match Referee – Gavin Ward








IPSWICH TOWN 2 PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 1

Hoping for a win but the hashes come round so quickly. Some will still be feeling the effects of Wednesday. Could see a few changes. I think it depends what options we have, particularly up front.

Very closely contested game . Both teams can score, I think it’s down to whether we can defend our box when they have the ball. Keep Whittaker and Mumba quiet well be half way there …

We're at a point where 3pts is expected from a game like this, but I think it's a lot trickier than at home to a team in 18th may appear at first look. Plymouth would have had a less gruelling game midweek I should think, they're closer to the playoffs than the relegation zone points-wise, and they have a positive goal difference, which is more than can be said for Preston and Southampton in 4th and 5th.

Not an easy game in this division is well demonstrated here, I prescribe 3 goals to Town in the first 10 minutes as a little nerve settler please.

Ricco wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 27, 2023 2:35 pm

We're at a point where 3pts is expected from a game like this, but I think it's a lot trickier than at home to a team in 18th may appear at first look. Plymouth would have had a less gruelling game midweek I should think, they're closer to the playoffs than the relegation zone points-wise, and they have a positive goal difference, which is more than can be said for Preston and Southampton in 4th and 5th.

Not an easy game in this division is well demonstrated here, I prescribe 3 goals to Town in the first 10 minutes as a little nerve settler please.

I think the positive GD was helped by the 6 goal drubbing of Norwich and Wednesdays 3 goal mauling of Sheff Wed. Interesting to see Plymouth haven't beaten anyone in the top Ten yet, hopefully that continues tomorrow

hallamblue wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 27, 2023 2:34 pm

Very closely contested game . Both teams can score, I think it’s down to whether we can defend our box when they have the ball. Keep Whittaker and Mumba quiet well be half way there …

Spot on its about keeping those two quiet, it won't be easy but an early goal and we can win 3-1.

Believe we'll need to perform better than the win at Bristol if we want to really get another victory. Last seasons two best teams from another division now fighting it out in a higher league. Home advantage should swing it for us but games at PR this season have been wild on occasion with opponents to us scoring freely.

The bridge between us and 3rd place is really encouraging but Leicester appear a damn nuisance in that they're going to be so tough to overhaul in hope of first position. It's within our capabilities to get the home victory but all manner of crazy sh*t has occurred at Portman Road this season. So long as we get five and they only four, hell that'll represent a satisfactory score. Believe though it'll be more likely 2- 0, 2 - 1 to ourselves but guess we'll just wait until the time arises.

Hope to see Hutchinson start on the right today.

Probably fairly similar line up to the Bristol game - maybe Taylor gets the nod over Masimo as he has played alot of football recently.

Tricky as depends if we will go with a totally rotated XI against Fulham on Weds.

Edmundson and Hutchinson in for Burgess and Jackson, Burgess not in squad, Tuanzebe on bench

Big big game today and slightly nervous about it. (probably because there are no nerves re Hibs today....., that'll be a spanking) ....., but reckon Argyle will be well and truly up for this today....., Whittaker & Co will have done their homework. A slender 1-0 win again would be very good indeed.

5-1 Ipswich


CAPTION:
Ref: "Foul was down there, 50 yard penalty over there."
Schumacher: "What sport are you effin reffin, ref?"

Fairly happy with the team selection especially Hutchinson being awarded his Portman Road debut which could be key. Burgess not being selected cones as a bit of a surprise and for me he has every right to feel disappointed unless there’s a reason which hasn’t been made public.

Prediction 3-1 home win.

Losing 0-1

Anyone able to watch it? Not working for me (in Germany as usual) - EDIT: working now

1-1 Luongo but looked like an Own Goal

Well that really was a lucky break, 1-1 courtesy of an own goal by the ex Norwich City man Bali Mumba who zi believe scored against us last season.

Mumba OG

HT

Poss
Shots
On Target
Corners
Fouls

63 - 37
10 - 4
2 - 2
9 - 1
5 - 4

Build on that...... should be 3pts come 90 + 3 days.

An excellent first half of football, all credit to Plymouth who I expected to sit back and make it difficult for us to play but are really having a go at us and unlucky not to go in ahead. That said we’ve had our chances but just not sharp enough in front of goal.

Nice to see Andre Dozzell has scored an equaliser for QPR at home to Leicester City who had 82% possession in that first half.

Sitting here in 30° Cape Verdean heat and just checked in with the scores! EADT seem to think Edmundson was lucky to perhaps not receive a red card or give away a penalty just before our equaliser! What's the concensus of those watching?

Yes yes yes George Hirst 2-1

2-1 Hirst

AzzurroMark wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 28, 2023 4:10 pm

Sitting here in 30° Cape Verdean heat and just checked in with the scores! EADT seem to think Edmundson was lucky to perhaps not receive a red card or give away a penalty just before our equaliser! What's the concensus of those watching?

Yes we / Edmundson were very lucky indeed, it would have been a pen and a red card more times than not. We definitely got away with one which makes a change as it’s normally the other way round.

Charnwood wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 28, 2023 4:19 pm

AzzurroMark wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 28, 2023 4:10 pm

Sitting here in 30° Cape Verdean heat and just checked in with the scores! EADT seem to think Edmundson was lucky to perhaps not receive a red card or give away a penalty just before our equaliser! What's the concensus of those watching?

Yes we / Edmundson were very lucky indeed, it would have been a pen and a red card more times than not. We definitely got away with one which makes a change as it’s normally the other way round.

Charnwood wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 28, 2023 3:57 pm

Nice to see Andre Dozzell has scored an equaliser for QPR at home to Leicester City who had 82% possession in that first half.

Giveth with one hand, taketh with the other - 2nd yellow & Dozzell is off!

Hladky!

3-1 Marcus Harness

No more please, that’s my prediction.

Brilliant 2nd Half

What a come back from being 0-1 down.

3-2 An uncomfortable 6 minutes ahead