| We May Surprise a Few People This Season Written by ippy_land on Saturday, 6th Aug 2016 10:25 With the new season kicking off at Portman Road today, I look at what this season will hold for us and whether we are strong enough to challenge the so called 'big boys'. Despite last season’s disappointments, Town finish just five points outside the play-offs whilst missing Teddy Bishop, Ryan Fraser, David McGoldrick and Daryl Murphy for large parts as well as Ainsley Maitland-Niles not kicking on in the second half of the season, last year was not the big failure some fans make it out to be. I believe with additions Town have added in recent weeks (Conor Grant and Grant Ward) the squad is certainly good enough to be in and around the top six IF the core players stay fit and hit the heights we know they all can (I know it is a big IF). Goalkeeper The two keepers looked pretty even last season but now it looks as though Bart will be first choice and a safe pair of hands and Dean Gerken's a more than good enough number two. Both keepers do struggle to command their areas like others in the league but make up for it because of their shot-stopping ability. I do believe a great keeper will win you around 10-15 points in a season and Bart will do that as shown away to Huddersfield last season (Town won 1-0), Bart certainly kept us in play-off contention towards the end of last season, hopefully he continues where he left off. Defence But with a few games left and our fate decided Mick gave youth a chance and a chance for Josh Emmanuel and Myles Kenlock to impress giving Ipswich a different dimension 'flying full-backs', who will give Chambers and Knudsen a run for their money this season, hopefully. Increased competition at centre-back with the additions of (the highly-rated) Adam Webster and Paul Digby which freshen up the defence with Ipswich having two back fours potentially. I believe it will be Knudsen at left-back still (although I would like that to Kenlock's position come the end of the season) with Chambers right-back (can do a job and gets some vital goals), Berra and Webster at centre-back with smith having to fight for his place. Overall a more balanced defence, with more competition and youth. Central Midfield The loss of Bishop last season was extremely costly for Town. After bursting on the scene in the 2014/15 campaign, we all hoped he’d kick on in what turned out to be an extremely frustrating season for the 20 year old. This season with Bishop, Kevin Bru, Andre Dozzell (McGoldrick, who can play in attacking midfield) along with the young guns James Blanchfield, Adam McDonnell and Kundai Benyu, Town can hopefully produce goals and a spark we didn’t have last season whilst still having the solidity Cole Skuse, Luke Hyam and Jonathan Douglas can provide. Wingers This week Town started by signing Grant Ward (21) from Tottenham (for a reported £500,000), wo played right midfield for Rotherham last season and looks like the pacey, tricky winger we’ve been missing. In addition Conor Grant (21) was signed on a season-long loan, who can also play centrally. He is not to have been said to be a 'flying winger' but a left midfielder who has a great left peg and a set piece specialist (which will get Murph licking his lips). I do expect us to land one more winger by the end of window (hopefully Crystal Palace's Sullay Kaikai) and that to force Freddie Sears and Bishop to play more centrally and a further balance team giving us options of using a 4-4-2 or 4-4-3 system. Strikers Our wingers let us down last season which forced Sears to go wide, McGoldrick had his normal frustrating injuries, other teams got onto Murphy more and targeted him leading to fewer chances, he also picked up a few knocks which stopped momentum and Pitman struggled to get a real run of starts and when he did our side lacked creativity. All having a knock-on effect towards a lack of goals last season. But I still very much believe they are all quality at this level and with other positions falling into place our strikers can do what they do best, whether that be in a two or three up front. Overall, I am quietly optimistic about our chances this season, last year I was expecting us to do well, whereas this season I'm hopeful, our squad is very similar to last season, building on solid foundations and adding young and hungry players to that I am hopeful we will cause a few upsets this season and who knows it might just happen. COYB! Thank you for reading this far if you have, this is my first blog so tell me what you think (please don’t be too harsh). Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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