Championship - Plymouth Argyle vs Ipswich Town Preview & Matchday Thread

[Frosty]

Plymouth Argyle v Ipswich Town



Saturday 2nd March 2024 – 15:00


Home Park







Pre-Match Thoughts - Mike



Another professional and competent display saw Town make it Four from Four as Birmingham City were dispatched relatively easily by the close of play, it's a result which see's Town remain neck and neck with Leeds Utd in the race for the Top Two but more significantly perhaps is the closing of the gap to one time runaway leaders Leicester City to just Six points, add to that Southampton's wobble continues to gather pace as they slipped Five points behind the Blues following their shock defeat at home to Millwall.

Town definitely had to patient in the opening half hour of the game against the Brummies although a few half chances were falling our way, kieffer Moore in particular was finding himself in some decent situations but on this occasion he was unable to take advantage of any of them. it was then Chaplin's turn to see his shot easily gathered by Ruddy in the Birmingham goal but it was encouraging stuff from Town with our opponents not really threatening much at all early doors. There was barely a Quarter of the game gone when Town were forced to replace Wes Burns with man of the moment Omari Hutchinson and it was a change that was going to prove pivotal come the close of play.

Chances were coming thick and fast with Hutchinson very quickly causing them problems, there had been very little of Birmingham going forward and just before our opening goal they had their first effort at goal which was blocked with little worry. The first goal when it did come was deft touch from the ever alert Conor Chaplin who guided home Sam Morsy's effort to leave Ruddy stranded, there was more than a hint of offside about the goal and having seen it a few times since I think it is fair to say we have finally got one go our way which perhaps shouldn't have.

Town continued to dominate much of the contest and were to rue missed chances as Birmingham somehow got an undeserved equaliser right on half time and very much against the run of play throughout the half, it came from Boradhead getting himself in a mess while on the attack and within seconds they had worked it nicely into our box and a decent finish flew past Hladky.

The second half was to prove much more even with Birmingham giving as good as they got and Town were finding it hard to replicate their first half dominance, Town were still looking the more likely where chances were concerned and Hutchinson, Sarmiento and Davis all saw efforts spurned. With everyone nervously looking at their watches Town finally regained the lead from Sarmiento after some good work from Hutchinson and the excellent on the day Axel Tuanzebe who selfishly played it across for Sarmiento to make no mistake from close range. With the game all but over Town added a Third, a lovely header on by Moore put Hutchinson through and with his pace and composure he was never going to miss and sure enough he tucked it away to put a fairer reflection on the final score.

Much has been mentioned of our run of "winnable" games and this win makes it Four on the spin, Five still to go and if we can keep that run going we really are in the thick of the promotion shake up, the only concerning thing was the possible knocks to Burns, Broadhead & Chaplin but hopefully they are not too serious and we also have players chomping at the bit to play so we should be covered. the biggest plus of the afternoon for me was the performance of our stand in Right back Axel Tuanzebe, I can't lie I have not seen anything to rave about with Axel at Centre back but on this occasion and in a different position he was superb, didn't put a foot wrong and got the crucial assist to set us on our way to victory, it also adds healthy competition for Harry Clarke who missed out with a dead Leg.

Next up is a very tricky trip to Plymouth Argyle, never the easiest away day what with the distance and Plymouth's decent home form most of the time, add to that they do seem to get the rub of the green against us and I think there is still an element of rivalry with us after last season where they won the title and yet every man and his dog said we were the best team in League One by far, I do know it didn't sit well with their fans who have taken quite a dislike to us so this will not be an easy afternoon for sure.

Plymouth were expected to struggle and for me they have done better than most expected, currently on Forty points and in mid table will represent a decent effort but still their is only a Five point gap to the bottom Three so they will be looking for wins, especially at home. Last weekend saw them pick up a very impressive win away at Middlesbrough which I certainly didn't see coming and with players of the calibre of Whittaker, Mumba & Hardie etc they have it in their locker to cause upsets, we just cannot afford any slip up's now or the Top Two dream will fade.

I will be more than happy to come home with a win as this looks a banana skin in the making but this Town team never know when they are beaten and never give up, we have lost less than any other team in this league so we need fear nobody, on our best day we are too good for Plymouth, let's just hope we turn up and get another very tough job done, Five on the bounce sounds so sweet, it's the narrowest of wins for me by One goal to Nil. COYB'S.




Plymouth Argyle - Honours



League


Third Division South / Third Division / Second Division / League One
Champions: 1929–30, 1951–52, 1958–59, 2003–04, 2022–23
Runners-up: 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 – Ian Foster







League Table as at 28.02.2024







Form Guide




Plymouth Argyle







10 Feb Sunderland 3 - 1 Plymouth

14 Feb Plymouth 2 - 2 Coventry City

17 Feb Plymouth 0 - 2 Leeds Utd

20 Feb Plymouth 0 - 3 West Brom

24 Feb Middlesbrough 0 - 2 Plymouth



Ipswich Town




10 Feb Ipswich Town 2 - 2 West Brom

14 Feb Millwall 0 - 4 Ipswich Town

17 Feb Swansea City 1 - 2 Ipswich Town

20 Feb Ipswich Town 4 - 3 Rotherham

24 Feb Ipswich Town 3 - 1 Birmingham City




Head To Head







Match Referee – Josh Smith








PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 1 IPSWICH TOWN 2

[marko69]

Nice preview, and yep seeing a slippery banana skin fixture in this one. Need a win to keep 2nd a real possibility, but seeing a draw.
Having said that, “i saw” the Hertz being decent last night. How wrong was that, (utter shower o shyte)…….. so, err, 2-1 ITFC.

COYB’s

Caption:

Ref: “Can you grow hair up there, Ian?”

[Bluemike]

Kieran McKenna has confirmed Wes Burns and Nathan Broadhead will both miss this weekend's game at Plymouth with muscle strains.

[Dazzz67]

Nice one Mike.

It will be a big miss with Burns and Broadhead out, but we have good competition for those areas so should be fine, especially the form Hutch has been showing and a chance for Harness to shine.

Potential to be a toughie this but think our firepower should just about edge it.

[rossi]

Nice one Mike.

It will be a big miss with Burns and Broadhead out, but we have good competition for those areas so should be fine, especially the form Hutch has been showing and a chance for Harness to shine.

Potential to be a toughie this but think our firepower should just about edge it.

I put Harness in the same category as I put Burns - decent enough at L1 and lower Championship levels, questionable at higher Championship level. Agree 100% that Hutchinson should replace Burns, but I would play Sarmiento ahead of Harness in the other position - actually I wouldn't, I'd play Al-Hamedi which would give us the option of switching to 4-4-2 during the game if required.

[valleyroad]

Not an easy venue but the reality is if Town are to get an automatic spot then they really need to win this match. Plymouth will be seeing their home fixtures as matches they need to take points from to avoid getting dragged closer to relegation. No easy matches now

[shabba]

So Broadhead and Burns out, Chaplin may or may not start.......lineup thoughts?

Hladkey

Axel/Clarke (does Axel remain after MOM or Clarke return, I'd suspect Clarke).
Burges
Wolfie
Davies

Morsy
Masimo

Hutchinson
Chaplin (Harness if Chaplin doesn't start)
Sarimento

Moore

Assume that's how it will be, or will be see Al-Hadmi start? Then you have no striker option from the bench though, other than Jackson. Not sure I'm keen to see Jackson start wide right and Omari centrally either - would prefer Harness.

Harness may also start wide left, so alot of options still. the bench might look weaker though so could be less impacts from subs.

[Bluemike]

I think it will be.......

Hladky

Clarke
Woolfenden
Burgess
Davis

Morsy
Luongo

Hutchinson
Chaplin
Harness

Moore

[Charnwood]

With 3 games coming up in 8 days I’d like to see Axel Tuanzabe keep a place in the team, I think he deserves it after his performance last week. Given his primary position is CB maybe play him alongside Burgess with Harry Clarke at RB.

Another consideration could be to start Travis alongside Morsy in place of Luongo who for me has been a little casual in his last couple of games giving the ball away more than he did earlier in the season. For me he’s much better going forward than he is defensively where tomorrow I think we might need to play tight.

Assuming Conor Chaplin is fit to start I’d like to see Omari Hutchinson and Jeremy Sarmiento either side of him sitting behind Kieffer Moore with Marcus Harness and Ali Al-Hamadi as our attacking back up.

Hladky

Clarke, Tuanzebe, Burgess, Davis

Morsy , Travis

Hutchinson, Chaplin , Sarmiento

Moore

[shabba]

I think it will be.......

Hladky

Clarke
Woolfenden
Burgess
Davis

Morsy
Luongo

Hutchinson
Chaplin
Harness

Moore

I think you may well be right here Mike.

[arana peligrosa]

Wonder what time the players leave Portman Road to make the trip over there but voted to win. Can't see what position they're at in the league but results just recent appear unsatisfactory. Concede goals left and right it would seem but somehow got a win at Middlesbrough last time out.

Had this match gone ahead maybe 5, 6 weeks back I'd pick out a draw or even an opposition win such was our poor form and missing out on results but the team has improved considerably in that time and looking again like automatic promotion material. We got to win really as can't rely on say Leeds, WBA and Southampton opponents to help us out and take points off teams mentioned. McKenna needs to pick an attack minded squad and put emphasis on goals and attack. They're (Plymouth) weak in that area and can be got at.

PAFC 1 ITFC 3

[marko69]

Got to assume the coaching & playing staff are in Plymouth right now in a nice hotel. Nice meal, 7 pints of Carling then bed by 10pm.

[hallamblue]

I think it will be.......

Hladky

Clarke
Woolfenden
Burgess
Davis

Morsy
Luongo

Hutchinson
Chaplin
Harness

Moore

I think you may well be right here Mike.

Defensively, I hope you’re wrong…..

[ashfordblue]

I think it will be.......

Hladky

Clarke
Woolfenden
Burgess
Davis

Morsy
Luongo

Hutchinson
Chaplin
Harness

Moore

I think you may well be right here Mike.

Sorry but you can't drop Axel after his MOTM performance last week, that would be an absolute insult, Clarke will have to be on the bench as an impact sub

[number 9]

Got to assume the coaching & playing staff are in Plymouth right now in a nice hotel. Nice meal, 7 pints of Carling then bed by 10pm.

Sounds like my daily routine!

[marko69]

Got to assume the coaching & playing staff are in Plymouth right now in a nice hotel. Nice meal, 7 pints of Carling then bed by 10pm.

Sounds like my daily routine!

I have faith that you do jest! Got to be 10……… 7 is for p*ssies!

JOKING! (Before Aberdeens 3rd biggest Spiderman kicks my arse!) ……. One half of lager tops will suffice!

[Bluemike]

I think it will be.......

Hladky

Clarke
Woolfenden
Burgess
Davis

Morsy
Luongo

Hutchinson
Chaplin
Harness

Moore

I think you may well be right here Mike.

Sorry but you can't drop Axel after his MOTM performance last week, that would be an absolute insult, Clarke will have to be on the bench as an impact sub

I didn't say that's what I'd do, I said it's what I think it will be.

[Dazzz67]

Guys. anybody drinking 7-10 pints of that gassy pisswater does not deserve to work at PR, has to be something with an element of taste lol.

We are Ipswich Town after all!

[Bluemike]

Aspells cider will do for me

[Charnwood]

Back in the day there was a time when Town had crates of beer in the dressing room after the game. I’m sure if G&B trawls back through old photos in the late 50’s early 60’s he’d find pics of Town players in the bath drinking Tolly Cobbold ale from the bottle.

[marko69]

Guys. anybody drinking 7-10 pints of that gassy pisswater does not deserve to work at PR,

[number 9]

Back in the day there was a time when Town had crates of beer in the dressing room after the game. I’m sure if G&B trawls back through old photos in the late 50’s early 60’s he’d find pics of Town players in the bath drinking Tolly Cobbold ale from the bottle.

Also remember hearing about players having a smoke at half time?

[Charnwood]

Back in the day there was a time when Town had crates of beer in the dressing room after the game. I’m sure if G&B trawls back through old photos in the late 50’s early 60’s he’d find pics of Town players in the bath drinking Tolly Cobbold ale from the bottle.

Also remember hearing about players having a smoke at half time?

They were doing that even in Sir Bobby’s day with plenty of pics of Kevin Beattie and Alan Hunter smoking in the dressing room.

[Charnwood]

I see Plymouth have only picked up 1 point from their last three home games with a 2-2 draw with Coventry City and losing their last two without scoring, 0-2 to Leeds and 0-3 to WBA. This would suggest if we want to win we may need to keep a clean sheet as we did at Millwall although Plymouth’s home record is far more convincing than The Lions in their den.

Our problem is, if we want that second automatic promotion place is we need to match or better whatever Leeds do and with their local Yorkshire Derby kicking off at lunchtime today at least we’ll know what’s required before kick off.
I fear a comfortable Leeds win but Huddersfield are capable of springing a surprise so we can live in hope.

As with every Saturday this season I can’t wait for kick off and live in hope of another Town win and a continuation of our winning streak which today could extend to 5 games.

COYB’s

[number 9]

I have faith that you do jest! Got to be 10……… 7 is for p*ssies!

JOKING! (Before Aberdeens 3rd biggest Spiderman kicks my arse!) ……. One half of lager tops will suffice!

Yes I'm joking, 7 pints is a bit much even for me!

Back to footie, have to admit I am bit nervous about this one. I do think Plymouth will be fired up for this and if our defence is shaky it could quickly turn into a disaster. Hopefully, we'll get the early goal and continue to dominate. Fingers crossed.

[AzzurroMark]

Guys. anybody drinking 7-10 pints of that gassy pisswater does not deserve to work at PR, has to be something with an element of taste lol.

We are Ipswich Town after all!

Or 'cabbage water' as my Grandad who was a Brown & Mild drinker, used to describe it!

[Bluemike]

I just live in hope that one day soon the defence will be faultless and keep a dominant clean sheet to make at least one afternoon more comfortable when we really need it, could today be the day.

[Bluemike]

As a side note, I recall last season everyone, (particularly the gobshite Plymouth fans) comparing Kieran McKenna and Steven Schumacher, bit of a joke now seeing how Schumacher has guided Stoke to the bottom Three since his arrival, no comparison between the Two and never was.

[marko69]

As a side note, I recall last season everyone, (particularly the gobshite Plymouth fans) comparing Kieran McKenna and Steven Schumacher, bit of a joke now seeing how Schumacher has guided Stoke to the bottom Three since his arrival, no comparison between the Two and never was.

Is that right? Thats hilarious.

For me, (opinion alert) anyone who does not now believe that Ipswich have quite a special young guy in charge, well ….. don’t know how to help that.
You’ll have the odd doughball who will TODAY judge his time at Ipswich and label him clueless based on his team selection……… but they’re waiting in the wings to pounce. No time for that type of fan. Sustained evidence of cluelessness is required…….. ie, Paul Lambert, Roy Keane, and Paul Jewell near the end.

[Bluemike]

Three changes, Hutchinson and Sarmiento in for Burns and Broadhead, Travis in for Luongo, Tuanzebe keeps his place..