Premier League - Ipswich Town vs Fulham FC Preview & Matchday Thread

[Frosty]

Ipswich Town v Fulham FC



Saturday 31st August 2024 – 15:00


Portman Road








Pre Match Thoughts - Mike



Well there is nothing quite like a good old meaningless Cup tie against inferior lower league opposition to bring the early season positivity crashing back down to earth with an almighty bang. there was genuine hope after the Two games against Liverpool and City to suggest we aren't far away from being very competitive in this league and with the new arrivals coming into Portman Road at an alarming rate things could surely only get better. So Wednesday's trip to AFC Wimbledon in the Second Round of the Carabao Cup was the perfect opportunity to get a confidence boosting win to get our season up and running, add to that the chance to integrate some new blood into the team while getting Minutes into some rusty legs in preparation for Saturday and beyond. All sounds good in theory, however the delivery of such plans was to prove somewhat harder.

I don't often say this but I think Kieran McKenna got it completely wrong on the night, yes hindsight is a wonderful thing but some things just didn't sit right with me, the team selection was bizarre for several reasons, in my opinion at least. First off what better time to get Muric back out on the pitch to gain some confidence after his horror show at the weekend, a clean sheet would have done him the world of good. Next up why oh why play Burgess alongside O'Shea when it is as clear as day that will probably never be the starting pairing, it is going to be greaves plus One so play that combination to give them a chance to gel.

I get the need to see what Cajuste and Phillips can do but I think One half each alongside a Morsy or Luongo would have been the way to go. I also think our front Four are nailed on to be Hutchinson, Szmodics, Clarke & Delap so play them as a unit for crying out loud, no better chance to start to bond etc. I just felt the whole thing was wrong from the off. The game itself with those that were on the pitch was frustrating, we dominated possession and yet aside from the two goals we created little, we basically had Two crosses into our box to defend and both ended up in the net, the marking/defending was schoolboy.

Even when it came down to the penalty shoot out we get it wrong, OK Burgess finished his well but it's a known thing you go with the best takers at first and yet Conor Chaplin, the clubs penalty taker didn't even take one ? I mean what planning is that ? As for jack Taylor's effort, a guy that can score screamers from 35 Yards, the least said the better. All in all it was a terrible night in every sense of the word. What it has done it take away the opportunity to progress in a cup that would have afforded fringe players vital game time etc, add to that a home tie with Newcastle would probably have seen well over Twenty Thousand fans in the stadium for a bonus game, I guess we don't need the money !!! Although we do.

The positives for me were Jens Cajuste who looks a very good addition, I hope to see him alongside skipper Morsy on Saturday, also Jack Clarke did what we know he can do and looks a really good signing too, although I hope he beats a man on the outside too as cutting inside every time will soon be sussed out by opponents. Ogbene had a decent opening twenty Minutes before fading but again, he only arrived in the morning ! The bottom line is we have to park this game and move on.

With the season starting with Three defeats it is now very important that doesn't become Four as Fulham FC come to town, aside from the fact we need to get points on the board fairly early a positive result will dampen down the sudden concerns across social media etc because concerns very quickly turn to mass hysteria and as we know Town fans are about as knee-jerk as it gets when things go wrong.

Fulham are a very capable side who looked pretty decent on the opening weekend when they were very unfortunate to lose to Manchester Utd, they showed they have plenty about them and cannot be taken lightly, I think I will be saying that every week from here on in. They got their First Three point haul last week against newly promoted Leicester City and again looked pretty decent. With names like Iwobi, Smith-Rowe, Muniz, Traore & Lukic in their ranks there is no way anything will be coming our way easily, anything we get will have to be earned. From my perspective I would clearly love a win but I would be accepting of a point in this One, just to get on the board and snuff out the losing run and at our best we are capable of it.

First off we need to get the selection right and I am confident KM will do just that, I think he played around a bit too much Wednesday and will realise it if not admitting it. I want to see a mix of new signings and a few of the "Band of Brothers" that have served us so well in getting to where we are, we need a blend of both, I do expect to see Delap, Szmodics, Greaves and Muric start, maybe a couple of others too who stood out but lets keep some of the old guard in there as well, I am a firm believer that you can change too much too soon, Wednesday being a prime example of it. So lets get Portman Rocking as we can and make it a hostile place for Fulham to come to, and we need to remember that despite the disappointment and embarrassment of Wednesday evening this was the season when we all said we need to stick together and believe in the process, anything less and we will fail, IPSWICH TIL I DIE.



The Opposition – Fulham FC - Honours


League

Second Division / First Division / Championship

Champions: 1948–49, 2000–01, 2021–22
Runners-up: 1958–59
Play-off winners: 2018, 2020

Third Division South / Third Division / Second Division

Champions: 1931–32, 1998–99
Runners-up: 1970–71
Promoted: 1981–82

Third Division

Runners-up: 1996–97


Cup


FA Cup

Runners-up: 1974–75

UEFA Europa League

Runners-up: 2009–10

UEFA Intertoto Cup

Winners: 2002



The Manager – Marco Silva








League Table as at 29.08.2024







Form Guide




Ipswich Town



17 Aug Ipswich Town 0 - 2 Liverpool

24 Aug Manchester City 4 - 1 Ipswich Town





Fulham FC



6 Aug Manchester Utd 1 - 0 Fulham

24 Aug Fulham 2 - 1 Leicester City



Head to Head







Match Referee – Lewis Smith








IPSWICH TOWN 1 FULHAM 1

[shabba]

Nice preview as always, definitely a tough game this - as you say they mostly all are now.

I wonder who we will see from the start, I predict;

Muric

Axel
Wolfie
greaves
Davis

Morsy
cajuste

Hutchinson
Szmodics
Clarke

Delap

Home form is going to be key to staying up

[Bluemike]

Yep that's exactly my team too

[ITFC2024]

Agree with Shabba's line up, but I think KM will start Luongo instead of Cajuste.

[shabba]

Yeah I could see that happening

[Charnwood]

Shabba’s line up is exactly what I posted elsewhere earlier in the week although at CB I did have one option which was (Woolfie or O’Shea) which could still be a possibility although the latter looked rather uncomfortable at Wimbledon.

I think O’Shea / Greaves is the intended partnership so McKenna may want to get it settled and working sooner rather than later and no better place to do it than at Portman Road.

Town 2 -1 Fulham. with goals from Sammy Szmodics and Jack Clarke. Let’s get the season going.

[osborne77]

Yep, O'Shea is clearly the future, just depends if KM thinks he's ready or if he needs the international break to work on the understanding with Greaves. Although I'd prefer Cajuste, I agree with 2024 that he might stick with Luongo and sub him mid-way through second half. I'd be happy with a draw and showing we can compete against mid table opposition this early on. Would be over the moon with a win.

[Steve]

Which channel is best to watch live games using a VPN?

[Cabanas Blue]

I don't know if we will see Muric today I read that he was not at training yesterday.

[Cabanas Blue]

Which channel is best to watch live games using a VPN?

Try different ones just before the start, Bein Fubo now sports, Optus is the one I found best last season.

[Bluemike]

I don't know if we will see Muric today I read that he was not at training yesterday.

Good news at last lol

[shabba]

Which channel is best to watch live games using a VPN?

You’d need to pay. If you can be in the US you can get Peacock TV for £5 a month and watch the 3pm prem games.

[shabba]

Shabba’s line up is exactly what I posted elsewhere earlier in the week although at CB I did have one option which was (Woolfie or O’Shea) which could still be a possibility although the latter looked rather uncomfortable at Wimbledon.

I think O’Shea / Greaves is the intended partnership so McKenna may want to get it settled and working sooner rather than later and no better place to do it than at Portman Road.

Town 2 -1 Fulham. with goals from Sammy Szmodics and Jack Clarke. Let’s get the season going.

I think Wolfie will start - then KM has two weeks to get the players on the training ground and I suspect we will see a lot of the new signings start at Brighton away.

[shabba]

Muric

Axel
Wolfie
Greaves
Davis

Morsy
Phillips

Obenge
Szmodics
Hutchinson

Delap

[Bluemike]

Disappointed it's ogbene over Clarke

[Ricco]

Disappointed it's Phillips over Cajuste

[Cabanas Blue]

I don't know if we will see Muric today I read that he was not at training yesterday.

Good news at last lol

Maybe he doesn't need training

[Bluemike]

Disappointed it's Phillips over Cajuste

Same

[Charnwood]

A bright start by town but it looks like Davis is in for another tough afternoon trying to mark Traore.

[Charnwood]

OMG what a stunner 1-0 Delap


….and an assist for Leif Davis. The assist machine is up and running.

[Charnwood]

Who said we need a new striker. Delap will do for me.

[Mariner67]

Delap you superstar

[Cabanas Blue]

And I didn't want him to expensive and poor goal scoring record, what do I know nothing.

[Charnwood]

Delap you superstar

Straight out of the Paul Mariner school of shooting that one.

[arana peligrosa]

Three different leagues in three seasons but the same formation always remains. Not sure 4-2-3-1 is going to suit us at the highest level week in week out if that's the way we're set to go but that's McKenna's modus operandi and seems unlikely to change any time soon. Not entirely content with the players picked, Chaplin should be starting unless not match fit, edit there's been a goal and we have a lead.

wasn't entirely sold on Delap but he's scored to put us ahead. Seems against run of play, perhaps fortunate to be in front but what the hell it's a lead for us and need for three points today is going to be quite essential. Those at the game will possess a clearer understanding.

[Charnwood]

1-1 Traore for Fulham.

The guys absolutely everywhere.

[Cabanas Blue]

It was coming sorry to say.

[shabba]

Fairly even first half, Fulham are a decent side.

Much harder to create against these sides.

Solid overall performance.

[arana peligrosa]

disappointing to concede and team now will have to show enough character to restore a lead. it's games and opportunities like this we're really going to have to make home advantage count. Seems a few fouls out there and incidents but probably no more than usual. Half-time score in that it's level - would like to see McKenna add another forward for second period and introduce say Chaplin, Al-Hamadi and Luongo when available. Morsy after a caution needs to be careful but most of all seems we need to raise our game next 45 in order to take any victory from the contest. The players need to give something back to the fans after the Cup exit.

[Charnwood]

Decent 70 mins for Kslvin Phillips now replaced by Lens Cajuste for the final 20 mins. COYB’s