Tractor-Boys.com

Ipswich Town v Newcastle United



Saturday 21st December 2024 – 15:00

Portman Road






Pre-match Thoughts - Mike



What an incredible feeling that was last Saturday at Molyneux as Town snatched a priceless victory right at the death to bring Three precious points back to Suffolk, it made such a refreshing change to be on the right end of a last gasp goal and the celebrations amongst the players and fans alike told you just what it meant to everyone, I can remember some really special moments in the dying seconds following Town on the road, Carlos Edwards rocket away at Derby County and Richard Chaplow's breakaway goal right at the death at Watford are Two that spring to mind but this most definitely has to be right up there the way the celebrations went.

I think over the Ninety minutes we were worthy of the win, certainly in the first half Town had put in a decent performance and while Wolves too had their chances and moments I just felt we looked the better side and more likely to score. After the break it was definitely not quite so comfortable with Wolves upping their game and looking more like what I had expected before the kick off, however even when they were in the ascendancy we still had Two really good second half chances with Wes Burns stinging the hands of the keeper before Liam Delap just failed to get a good enough touch on Burns cross with the goal gaping.

The goal that put Town ahead may have had an element of luck attached to it but the move beforehand was good and how Hutchinson failed to score after some incredible work from Delap beggars belief but thankfully Conor Chaplin had the composure that Hutchinson lacked and his goal bound effort finally found it's way into the net following a couple of deflections off wolves defenders.

As is always the case with Town we just cannot kill games off and do things easily and so it proved once again, the clock was ticking down as slow as I can ever remember and sure enough their equaliser duly arrived, again it was a poor goal to concede and for me Muric should never be beaten at the near post like he was, I think judging by some of the glances from his teammates in his direction they thought the same thing also. the following few minutes were about as uncomfortable as it gets but Town also kept going and weren't just sitting back as we entered injury time.

What followed in the final second can only be described as utopia, sheer heaven as Two of our subs Jack Clarke & Jack Taylor stepped up to provide the moment of the season so far, a pinpoint cross followed by a towering header sealing the win with the whistle about to blow, what followed was incredible and a fantastic moment to savour. Once the final whistle had blown some of the home players decided to show a bit of passion at last with some aggressive and unacceptable behaviour and not for the first time in recent days either, they really do come across as a nasty bunch and in disarray. The down side is Liam Delap got himself booked and misses this weeks crucial game which is not great but we have to cover him with what we have.

The win certainly makes the league table look so much better as we were in danger of being cut adrift and with a tough run of games coming up we could well have found ourselves well behind, that said looking at some other sides fixtures I don't think we are the only one's by any means with a hard schedule coming up, Leicester & Everton in particular have equally hard games in the coming weeks.

I thought Jens Cajuste, Cameron Burgess & Darragh O'Shea had excellent games and this run of form Burgess is on has really shocked me as a few games prior to it I was convinced he was our weakest link so it has been a real bonus to see Cam step up while Jacob greaves is absent, we are certainly going to need more of the same what with Newcastle, Arsenal & Chelsea on the horizon.

Next up in our final game before Christmas with the Geordies from Newcastle coming to town for what promises to be yet another difficult game for the Boys in Blue. getting home wins is crucial at this stage but I am not sure we can put this One down as a home banker by any means, in fact a point would represent a good days work although it does depend on what Newcastle turns up on the day. At times they look fab and others bang average so who knows what to expect, what I do know is that we just have to turn up or we lose, it's that simple. The team is going to look a bit different for sure with Delap unavailable but as Jack Taylor showed if you get your chance you have to take it and earn the right to be in the Manager's plans, maybe it's the turn of Sammy Szmodics, Nathan Broadhead or Ali Al-Hamadi to be the hero, it looks like One of those will lead the line.

I am edging towards a share of the spoils in this One and I would not be too disappointed with that although a large part of me is secretly hoping beyond hope for another big win, we can do it, we are good enough but as I say virtually every week, we have to be error free, we have to take our chances and we have to come out of the blocks firing and take the game to them, it worked against Villa so why not Newcastle ? How wonderful would it be to go into the festive period on the back of another win and our first at Portman Road, presents don't come any better than that. COYB'S.

I would just like to wish each and every One of you a very "Happy Christmas" with your loved One's and health and happiness for 2025, not to mention everything we wish for for our beloved Ipswich Town FC.



The Opposition – Newcastle United - Honours


League


First Division / Premier League

Champions: 1904–05, 1906–07, 1908–09, 1926–27
Runners-up: 1995–96, 1996–97

Second Division / First Division / Championship

Champions: 1964–65, 1992–93, 2009–10, 2016–17
Runners-up: 1897–98, 1947–48


Cup


FA Cup

Winners: 1909–10, 1923–24, 1931–32, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1954–55
Runners-up: 1904–05, 1905–06, 1907–08, 1910–11, 1973–74, 1997–98, 1998–99

Football League Cup / EFL Cup

Runners-up: 1975–76, 2022–23

FA Charity Shield

Winners: 1909
Runners-up: 1932, 1951, 1952, 1955, 1996

Inter-Cities Fairs Cup

Winners: 1968–69



The Manager – Eddie Howe








League Table as at 19.12.2024







Form Guide





Ipswich Town



24 Nov Ipswich Town 1 - 1 Manchester Utd

30 Nov Nottm Forest 1 - 0 Ipswich Town

3 Dec Ipswich Town 0 - 1 Crystal Palace

8 Dec Ipswich Town 1 - 2 Bournemouth

14 Dec Wolverhampton 1 - 2 Ipswich Town




Newcastle United



25 Nov Newcastle Utd 0 - 2 West Ham Utd

30 Nov Crystal Palace 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd

4 Dec Newcastle Utd 3 - 3 Liverpool

7 Dec Brentford 4 - 2 Newcastle Utd

14 Dec Newcastle Utd 4 - 0 Leicester City





Head to Head







Match Referee – Stuart Attwell










IPSWICH TOWN 1 NEWCASTLE UNITED 1

Excellent preview and aw man, Richard Chaplow! Bloody hell forgot all about him.
I did laugh out loud at one part in that review and i was visualising Omari Hutchison reading it.
Hutch: “COMPOSURE? Chaplin is a flukey wee bstd!!”

Voted ITFC win in this. The lads well & truly UP for this one at this superb time of year for feeling “up & positive”. Really praying it can be anything but a loss. Send the Geordies back up the A1 greetin intae their nookies.
2-0 ITFC …… or 2-1 if Muric decides to run to the semi circle for a corner.

Headline:
AFTER IPSWICH DEFEAT, FANS ASK, EDDIE? HOW?

Ref: “Wow. What a lazy, sh!t headline.”

Newcastle blow hot and cold, they can cut teams apart on their day but look very ordinary on others.
I'm really hoping that we can win this one, and with Delap not available KM may well decide to tweak the formation a bit.
However, for the Wolves game I predicted a Wolves win - on that basis I predict a Newcastle win on Saturday

I’ve gone for a Town win out of blind loyalty tbh. But agree with you Newcastle are erratic in their form. Had we had our strongest team available I think we’d give them a good game at PR, but think we need them to have an off day snd us fully in it. Shame about the ref. God, why did it have to be him????

Considering the history of Sir Bobby and ITFC/Newcastle it would be well received and appropriate if a one minute of applause is initiated at the beginning of the match.

No idea what the result will be, but unfortunately Newcastle have found their form in their last two matches.

I remember someone saying to me years ago regarding Newcastle United, “Aye, sleeping giants”

hows that like? When were they awake?

Massive club yes, but historically the most inconsistent club (for their size) in English football.
So yep……. They’ve found form, but they’ll probably traditionally bottle it at PR tomorrow.

This post may not age well but willing to back it up with a pavarotti on ITFC.

Would love us to take at least a point. Surely the home win has got to come some time so why not tomorrow? Head says 1-3, heart says 1-0...

Unfortunately think they'll probably have too much for us. 1-2

Not a foregone conclusion tho - and would dearly love to be wrong

Has Al Hamadi completely recovered from his abductor thingy? Reason I ask, is that may play a part in who KM picks for the #9 role. If there is still any concerns for the Iraqis fitness, I can see KM going with Szmodics.

I’m sure I’ll eat my words, but isn’t it time Broadhead is given a chance?

So could the forward line up be:

Hutch Chaplin Broadhead

Szmodics

???

I think Al-Hamadi is still nursing it judging by what KM said.

Oh what a surprise McKenna goes with a player we’d all least expect to play # 9 role! We look lightweight up front in my humble opinion

I'm more concerned at Hutchinson being central aaaaaaaaagain...

hallamblue wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 21, 2024 3:03 pm

Oh what a surprise McKenna goes with a player we’d all least expect to play # 9 role! We look lightweight up front in my humble opinion

Chaplin?

But how do we where the front four will play? I love the idea of them all being false 9s

Ricco wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 21, 2024 3:04 pm

I'm more concerned at Hutchinson being central aaaaaaaaagain...

He will be on the left, Szmodics up front I’d assume

Jesus wept

I hate VAR and the premier league.

Blame whoever kicked the ball out of play from the kick off just when you need to keep possession and let everyone settle into the game. The was absolute schoolboy stuff.

Cabanas Blue wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 21, 2024 4:09 pm

I hate VAR and the premier league.

How can you blame VAR for that. If it was that difficult to sort out surely the benefit of doubt should favour the attacker.

Our defence looks all at sea. Unless we tighten up this could be a landslide.

They're doing a Mohammed Ali and weathering the storm......., then bam bam bam..... 3-1 Ipswich......, book it

Yet another week we’re getting skinned down our left side.

I'm out

Hope no one booked it. SHYTE! At Portman Road as well.

Come on. Pull your fingers out.

Charnwood wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 21, 2024 4:16 pm

Cabanas Blue wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 21, 2024 4:09 pm

I hate VAR and the premier league.

How can you blame VAR for that. If it was that difficult to sort out surely the benefit of doubt should favour the attacker.

I don't blame VAR but without it the goal wouldn't have been given, the game was better without it IMO.

Leif is getting caught out of position time and time again. Hutchinson seems half yard too late. Messing about with ball way to much at the back, play the conditions. Newcastle are yet we are still getting caught trying to over pass at the back, for me our best two players so far are Morsy and Burns

The S ir Alf Ramsey Roof is Leaking, we all got given Ponchos

lucy wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 21, 2024 4:40 pm

The S ir Alf Ramsey Roof is Leaking, we all got given Ponchos

Did the previous roofing contractors leave them behind? Cowboys!

What a load of f**king sh*t this is. When you don't play a striker who can hold the ball up, it keeps coming straight back. Sort you f**king team selection out KMck for f*ck sake

mendipblue wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 21, 2024 4:43 pm

What a load of f**king sh*t this is. When you don't play a striker who can hold the ball up, it keeps coming straight back. Sort you f**king team selection out KMck for f*ck sake

I agree but the ball isn't getting to the forward line


F*CK no excuses that was totally perfected. Cannot defend Muric for that.. Right before halftime and the killer.. Kieran stop that playing out sh*te

How many times FFS.