Tractor-Boys.com

Ipswich Town v Leicester City



Tuesday 26th December 2023 – 19:45


Portman Road







Pre Match Thoughts - Mike



The much anticipated return fixture with Leeds Utd turned into a bit of a nightmare as we were comprehensively beaten by a far superior team on the day, I think it was pretty much the first time in Kieran McKenna's time at the club that we genuinely looked lost for ideas in how to combat them and by the close of play I for One was happy that it was only Four, they crashed the ball off the Crossbar twice and missed other opportunities too so as disappointing as it was it could so easily have been much worse.

While defeat was deserved it was somewhat galling in how they took the lead as there was clearly a foul in the build up on Connor Chaplin which was waived on and boy were we to pay for that decision, the subsequent corner wasn't defended at all well and despite Hladky pulling off a good save to keep out Piroe's header Tuanzebe was caught napping at the back post as Struijk ghosted past him to head home. It really went from bad to worse after that as a cross from the left wasn't cut out by Burgess which resulted in Leif Davis firing into his own net, it was very poor defending all round with Clarke beaten by Summerville who got in the cross before the aforementioned c*ck up pretty much sealed our fate.

The Third came just before the break with Davis again very much involved as he gave away a penalty having been put under pressure by Summerville. It was probably the worst half of Football from Town for many a long day and to be honest it looked very much like it was Men against Boys for much of the half. Not long into the second half more poor defending by Clarke & Tuanzebe saw the home side go Four up, both Town players had chances to clear before Piroe smashed home. Thankfully that was to be the end of the scoring which saved Town's blushes from further embarrassment but even so what we had witnessed was not pleasant.

While we were all very disappointed and somewhat surprised by Leeds dominance it has to be acknowledged that it is One game in half a season where we have struggled to compete, there is no need for mass panic or wholesale change to what we have done so well for much of the campaign, we still sit in a cracking position and all of the pressure is still very much on Leeds to close us down, clearly some new blood in the Transfer window will be needed to bolster the ranks and to cover any loss to some of these ridiculous tournaments that loom large, Players will also be on the way out and we just know that Ashton & McKenna will be bringing in better than what we currently have, it's how it works.

The good news is we have am immediate chance to right some wrongs and get ourselves back on track as Boxing day see's us back in action, the bad news is that it is current League leaders Leicester City who come to town looking for the points. To be honest I ahve felt for some time now that we will have the beating of the Foxes, for some reason I just see us turning them over, I am convinced that Leeds will prove to be the harder of the Two games, yes Leicester are winning games and are currently Six points clear but no way have they been overly convincing in quite a few of their games to date.

With their strength of squad it is little surprise that they lead the table and are hot favourites to go up but they are beatable, Town at home are a different animal to what we saw at Elland Road and all the boys will be hell bent on a positive reaction to a bitterly disappointing showing last time out. Clearly another defeat could see our lead dwindle down to a mere Four points and that will be very much evident in the players thoughts going into such a big and important game.

While on paper this should represent our sternest test of the season I will stick with my heart and go for Town to turn Leicester over and show the watching world that the last game was indeed a blip and that we are going nowhere anytime soon. Thankfully our skipper Sam Morsy still sits on Nine Yellows and is available, other changes are possible though and it wouldn't surprise me to see Woolfenden back in alongside Burgess for this One. It promises to be a cracking atmosphere and an excellent advertisment for the Championship, let's just hope Town can return to something approaching their real saves and get a very hard job done. Town win for me, just.



The Opposition – Leicester City FC - Honours


League

First Division / Premier League
Champions: 2015–16
Runners-up: 1928–29

Second Division / First Division / Championship
Champions: 1924–25, 1936–37, 1953–54, 1956–57, 1970–71, 1979–80, 2013–14
Runners-up: 1907–08, 2002–03
Play-off winners: 1994, 1996

League One
Champions: 2008–09


Cup


FA Cup
Winners: 2020–21
Runners-up: 1948–49, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1968–69

League Cup
Winners: 1963–64, 1996–97, 1999–2000
Runners-up: 1964–65, 1998–99

FA Charity Shield / FA Community Shield
Winners: 1971, 2021
Runners-up: 2016



The Manager – Enzo Maresca







League Table as at 24.12.2023







Form Guide




Ipswich Town



2 Dec Ipswich Town 2 - 1 Coventry City

9 Dec Middlesbrough 0 - 2 Ipswich Town

12 Dec Watford 1 - 2 Ipswich Town

16 Dec Ipswich Town 2 - 2 Norwich City

23 Dec Leeds Utd 4 - 0 Ipswich Town






Leicester City FC



2 Dec West Brom 1 - 2 Leicester City

9 Dec Leicester City 4 - 0 Plymouth

13 Dec Leicester City 3 - 2 Millwall

18 Dec Birmingham City 2 - 3 Leicester City

23 Dec Leicester City 3 - 0 Rotherham




Head to Head







Match Referee – Sam Barrott







IPSWICH TOWN 1 LEICESTER CITY 0

Only prediction i'm going to make is that Morsy gets booked

Lol ^^^^ you’re probably right VR.


I’ve gone for a Town win, simply because we’ve got too! But we really must adapt our play a little to deal with their undoubted counter attacking style.

Turn up, play, show no fear and win! Stick to the principles that have served us well for half a season; but don’t forget to apply those lessons learned from Saturday. The scene is set boys - grab the quick turn around opportunity and send us all home buzzing. COYB!

An 8:45am start, as good as it gets. Won't hear a word said against Sky.

Getting up at watching the Leeds game during the witching hours was a bit sad, I'm looking forward to a great start to my day with a scintillating victory over the league leaders.

Great preview and echo all of it.

A win tonight will be huge and will be proof that its more than a fairytale season….. its a legitimate push. It’ll be very difficult, infinitely more difficult than Leeds United due to venue…….. you lot being there in attendance is every bit as important as Kierons decisions. Be that 12th in a wild PR and bring the 3pts home.
Predicted 2-2 in the PL but ——>> proper sh*t at that ——->> going for a tight 3-2 win for the TB’s. Defence isn’t going to miraculously be decent v a top team hence the two foxes goals. But the attack will feed of YOU LOT……. 3 goals, maybe more.
COYB’s


Caption:

Enzo: “Well, i feel, like i said before……, and ….. i’ll say it again, …… because i believe that…… in the game……. against all the odds….., we can…..”
Ref: Ok Enzo. Shut it now. About to kick off.”

Match is on ESPN+ in the U.S. I'm really looking forward to watching this one! If we play our best, we can beat anyone on the day. COYB!

Looks like Leeds are falling apart again. Man down and goal down to Preston. Could be a good day

valleyroad wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 26, 2023 2:48 pm

Looks like Leeds are falling apart again. Man down and goal down to Preston. Could be a good day

Could well be, I had a bad feeling about our game with Leeds, but I think we will get a result at Portman Road against Leicester. Tonight 10 points clear of Leeds and 3 behind Leicester. Up the town

Preston 1 Leeds 1 88 mins

2-1 Preston

lucy wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 26, 2023 3:17 pm

Preston 1 Leeds 1 88 mins

Preston 2-1 Leeds 89 mins

Just a shame we couldn't grab a result against Leeds at Weekend

A point tonight or better fill fix that

FT 2-1 I'm hoping we can bounce back and win tonight but I'd happily settle for a Point

While that result in Preston is FANTASTIC, …… its a tad annoying as well. Leeds really did make that Elland Road encounter a proper Cup Final (like another poster had stated) and its a pity Ipswich couldn’t match the intensity. Because no way Preston are a better side than ITFC.

Must rub salt into Leeds wounds tonight with 3pts. BE LIKE Leeds tonight @ Elland Road…… be “on it” from the start. And ride out the storm of the added 10mins at the end…… (like the ref gave Leeds today)

COYB’s

lucy wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 26, 2023 3:30 pm

FT 2-1 I'm hoping we can bounce back and win tonight but I'd happily settle for a Point

Oh happy days it just proves Leeds are inconsistent away from home, Let's set about Leicester tonight and get them 3 points back,

This is the probable lineup for tonight,
Hladky
Williams Wolfie Tuanzebe Davis
Morsy Lulongo
Burns Chaplin Broadhead
Hirst
Bench: Walton, Burgess, Donacien, Taylor, Hutchinson, Ladapo, Harness, Aluko

I'm Benching Burgess due to his absence from the coming January Asian Cup, and to me, Donacien is safer than Clarke, and Aluko is a good playmaker to bring something different

Pure speculation since I didn't watch the game, but I wonder if Preston defended a lot deeper to counter Leed's speedy forwards? I predicted a draw against Leicester, but if we can get the win it will certainly take the sting out of the Leeds defeat.

number 9 wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 26, 2023 4:05 pm

Pure speculation since I didn't watch the game, but I wonder if Preston defended a lot deeper to counter Leed's speedy forwards? I predicted a draw against Leicester, but if we can get the win it will certainly take the sting out of the Leeds defeat.

Yes they did, had a 3 4 2 1 line so beefed up the midfield to squeeze Leeds 4 2 3 1 once Leeds lost the keeper Meslier's red card and Piroe was taken off for the Bench 2nd Keeper Darlow it was a very ill-tempered game typical Roses Red Lancs v White Yorks contest little football more kick and rush clogging

Woolfy in for Tuanzebe
Harness in for Broadhead
Taylor in for Luongo

Leeds had their goalkeeper sent off for pushing a Preston player in the face.Sky sports commentary is so biased towards Leeds,I watched most of the ipswich game with the sound off or down.

Well this is going to be interesting

Leicester seem to be sending all their attacks down our left side, clarkes been left standing once already, got to be at his best tonight

Hirst injured, would like to see broadhead given a go there

Hirst down injured but he gets up. Then down again. Looks like hamstring.

Nope, it's Jackson replacing him.

Jackson on for Hurst

0-1

So much space on the left hand side

Way too much space down their left side.