Championsip - Ipswich Town vs Blackburn Rovers Preview & Matchday Thread

[Frosty]

Ipswich Town v Blackburn Rovers



Saturday 23rd September 2023 – 15:00


Portman Road








Pre-Match Thoughts - Dave


Hi everyone, no report from Mike this week as he is off on a cruise and apparently wi-fi is erratic at best.

He did give me a bit of an update on how his trip is going which I am sure he wont mind me sharing with you all.

He got a fantastic deal on the cruise of a lifetime on a vessel called the ‘Costa Concordia’, he says the rooms are spacious, although a bit dated, and the biggest downside is that he needs to keep running the portable de-humidifier at all times.

I think he’s living a bit of childhood nostalgia on this trip, and in fairness I maybe over-read into his messages, but he seems to be living the life of a Pirate. He said a bird has sitting on him for most of the trip, he feels like a cabin boy, and he had some jolly’s with a guy called Roger the other night.

Anyway no doubt he will update us all on those magical ports he is visiting such as Tripoli, Beruit and Odessa on his return.

Switching back to football, I always feel a bit of a fraud when I try and write these, as I am not at the games and the perspective and subtilities are different to what a camera catches.

I personally have been quite stunned with our return to the championship, but without doubt we have gone up another gear since last season. My own personal thoughts have been along the lines of ‘what an amazing start, but how long can this last?’.

We all know player form can fluctuate during the season, as will the results no doubt, my bigger fear at the moment centres around injuries and perhaps the squad depth from a perspective of the quality of the back up. In hindsight how good would it be to know that we have a Greg Leigh still on the bench for us? I assume we will have Williams and Clark in the starting lineup this Saturday but the cupboard looks a bit bare if one of these two gets injured or needs subbing. Not sure how long Davis is out for, or whether Donicean is available. What are the other options? Woolfy or Ball as RB, possibly Burns. LB seems even more exposed. In the case of CB's, not sure if our backups are match fit as yet. I don’t have any fear around central MF or strikers, but we would probably miss Chaplin if he was unavailable.

Interesting match this Saturday, seems winnable if we play ok, but Blackburn are no mugs either. Last season they only missed out on the playoffs due to goal difference. They have been very mixed so far this season with win/loss of 3-3 and one draw. Sunderland beat them 1-3 during the week at home, so I am sure we will be competitive against them. They do have the ability to score goals as they have shown this season, their defence would appear to be their Achilles heal.

I assume we will go in with our strongest available team as next weeks mid week match is against Wolves in the league cup followed by an away game at Huddersfield which will no doubt be targeted as a very winnable fixture.

My pick would be a 2-1 win to Town.

Have a great weekend all, and I look forward to Mike returning after they locate his lifeboat.


ps ......... the ref is Keith Stroud



The Opposition – Blackburn Rovers - Honours



League

First Division / Premier League
Champions: 1911–12, 1913–14, 1994–95
Runners-up: 1993–94

Second Division / Championship
Champions: 1938–39
Runners-up: 1957–58, 2000–01
Play-off winners: 1992

Third Division / League One
Champions: 1974–75
Runners-up: 1979–80, 2017–18


Cup


FA Cup
Winners (6): 1883–84, 1884–85, 1885–86, 1889–90, 1890–91, 1927–28
Runners-up: 1881–82, 1959–60

Football League Cup
Winners: 2001–02

FA Charity Shield
Winners: 1912
Runners-up: 1928, 1994, 1995

Full Members' Cup
Winners: 1986–87

Football League War Cup
Runners-up: 1939–40



The Manager – Jon Dahl Tomasson







League Table as at 21st September 2023







Form Guide





Ipswich Town



19 Aug QP Rangers 0 - 1 Ipswich Town

26 Aug Ipswich Town 3 - 4 Leeds Utd

2 Sep Ipswich Town 3 - 2 Cardiff City

16 Sep Sheffield Wed 0 - 1 Ipswich Town

19 Sep Southampton 0 - 1 Ipswich Town






Blackburn Rovers




19 Aug Blackburn 1 - 2 Hull City

27 Aug Watford 0 - 1 Blackburn

2 Sep Plymouth 3 - 0 Blackburn

16 Sep Blackburn 2 - 1 Middlesbrough

20 Sep Blackburn 1 - 3 Sunderland





Head to Head







Match Referee – Keith Stroud








IPSWICH TOWN 2 BLACKBURN ROVERS 1

[marko69]

Nice

[Bluemike]

Just docked at Lisbon so have WiFi, Dave I was laughing out loud at breakfast in the restaurant lol

[Mauswara]

"although a bit dated"

Nothing wrong with a nice bit of Formica.

Floats well.

[arana peligrosa]

Three replies for a game we got tomorrow but in any event voted to win. They don't appear anything special and can be got at.

We're probably stronger in just about every department but other scores (we've been involved in) thus far has shown that predictions can fail.

Preston and Leicester should both gain victories so it's essential we take three points ourselves to maintain a challenge. Norwich could lose also given the trip they got to Plymouth but guess we'll see on the day what transpires.

ITFC 2 Blackbird 1

[marko69]

Three replies for a game we got tomorrow

Yes, been quiet round these parts this week. Big game at PR today.

[number 9]

Is it me, or could Jon Dahl Tomasson pass as Freddie Sears dad?

Hoping for a comfortable win. We should be alright if we stick to our game plan. Time for Hirst to score, hopefully Hutch starts. One more yellow for Morsy, and he'll be suspended...I'll be watching.

ITFC 2 v 0 Blackburn

COYB!!

[Bluemike]

Will be trying to keep abreast of events at Portman Road from Sunny Gibraltar today, Barbary Apes everywhere but no Monkey business from Blackburn today please, Town to chalk up another win all being well.

[marko69]

Tomasson caption:

Freddie Sears: “HEY DAD?”
Tomasson: (picture)

(Definite resemblance , 9 )

Ref:

Mike as he steps ashore: “Where the fk are these monkeys?”
Keith Stroud, who should be at Portman Road but has accidentally found himself in Gibraltar: “FFS, MIKE, BEHIND YOU……. MIND YER CHIPS!”

[Cabanas Blue]

Wow that's a surprise but great that Davis is fit and playing.

[Charnwood]

Shocked but pleasantly surprised to see Leif Davis in the starting line up and little disappointed that Hutchinson hasn’t kept his place. That said I think McKenna sees todays line up as his current best team which can’t be bad.

Disappointed to be missing watching the game for the first time this season but pleased to be playing competitive golf for the first time for a year.

Will be following closely from the golf buggy.

Prediction 3-1 win

[AzzurroMark]

Harry has his goal. 1-0 Town

[Cabanas Blue]

Clarke ball watching.

[AzzurroMark]

Broadhead 2-1

[Cabanas Blue]

Lovely goal

[Charnwood]

Holy Moly just checked in to see if any early goals and already!

[AzzurroMark]

Holy Moly just checked in to see if any early goals and already!

You & I might've undercooked it with 3-1 wins at this rate!

Crazy stats - Blackburn 64% possession, us with 6 shots and 4 of them on target in the first 23 minutes!!

[lucy]

3-1 Hirst

[AzzurroMark]

3-1 Hirst

Crazy first half!!

[Charnwood]

That’s my prediction done, blow the whistle ref.

What a anr to be missing and even worse golf Is crap too. Far too hot for. Golf, well that’s my excuse !

[Cabanas Blue]

That’s my prediction done, blow the whistle ref.

What a anr to be missing and even worse golf Is crap too. Far too hot for. Golf, well that’s my excuse !

Mine as well.

[Cabanas Blue]

Excellent first half we could have scored 6 or more COYB.

[marko69]

Great stats for ITFC on BBC....., great attacking stuff

[JohnnyB]

Meanwhile down in Plymouth...

[marko69]

Love that question 4 in the prediction league......., but I am personally looking or 9 minutes added on at the end. Hope its not 3-2 at the time.

[Steve]

Sounds totally amazing, real good stuff Town are playing. Lets hope for more in the second half

Just feeling so high with this Ipswich team now, keep it up Town

On a side note, anybody seen the Plymouth V Norwich score line? Plymouth winning 4-0

[marko69]

Meanwhile down in Plymouth...

Thats a long, quiet coach journey home.

[lucy]

Morsy 5th Booking of the Season

[lucy]

3-2

[Charnwood]

Oh no … can’t keep up with this !