Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Hutchings: Feathers Will Fly at Portman Road
Friday, 26th Oct 2012 13:36

Caretaker-manager Chris Hutchings expects there to be a “few feathers flying” at Portman Road on Saturday as table-propping Town look to win their first home game since March against Sheffield Wednesday, who are one place above them in the Championship. The 55-year-old says both sides are currently fighting for their lives.

Hutchings watched the Owls’ 1-0 defeat at Blackburn on Wednesday along with coach Mark Kennedy and is anticipating a tough game: “I thought they were a good side.

“I thought Blackburn started very well and they probably dominated the opening 45 minutes and scored an early goal which settled them down, although Sheffield Wednesday had two very good chances in the first two or three minutes from set pieces. They’re a big side, they’re going to be a threat from those.

“In the second half Dave Jones must have given them a little bit of a rollocking because they came right out and had a go at them.

“Blackburn dropped deeper and deeper but soaked up the pressure and got the win at the end of the day.

“They’re fighting for their lives at the bottom of the league, but we are as well, so there could be a few feathers flying.”

A passionate Hutchings, who seems likely to be in charge for just the one game with Town hoping to name the new permanent manager next week, says he’ll be on the edge of his technical area encouraging the team on, former boss Paul Jewell having been criticised for his less visibly vocal approach on the touchline

“I’ll be there and I’ll be telling them," he said. “I’ll be charging them on, don’t worry about that, and my staff will be there as well. And I expect my players to do it, we’ve been working on things [in training].

“It’s not rocket science,” he continued, “we just have to work hard and maybe have a little bit of luck sometimes, cut out our individual mistakes and we’ll be all right. We’ve got some very good players.”

With regarding to his team selection, he says he has similar ideas to former boss Jewell but that some of the personnel may change. He hints that Senegalese international midfielder Guirane N’Daw, who was left out of the ex-manager’s last few sides might return to the 18: “He was another one [like Daryl Murphy who missed the Derby match] that was left out, Paul’s decision.


“We’ll have to wait and see who’s in the squad. I’ll keep you all guessing. I wouldn’t think there will be too many changes.”

Despite making an error for Derby’s first goal on Tuesday, loan keeper Stephen Henderson is likely to keep his place behind what will probably be an unchanged back four with skipper Carlos Edwards on the right, Aaron Cresswell on the left and Luke Chambers and Danny Higginbotham - whose loan has been extended to three months - in the centre.

Central midfield may be an area where Hutchings decides to make changes with Nigel Reo-Coker and Richie Wellens looking well short of match fitness in the second half against the Rams.

That could see N’Daw, Andy Drury, Massimo Luongo or perhaps Luke Hyam return to the side with one or both of the starters against Derby dropping out.

In the wide positions, Hutchings will be weighing up which of Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Daryl Murphy, Josh Carson and Lee Martin to utilise.

Up front, he has a choice between using the now familiar 4-2-3-1 system or 4-4-2 with DJ Campbell, Michael Chopra and Jason Scotland options along with Murphy. If he sticks with a lone striker with one behind, Martin or Emmanuel-Thomas will take up that position.

The squad is fully fit aside from Paul Taylor (foot) and Elliott Hewitt, who is on his way back after tonsillitis and his hip operations. Massimo Luongo again looks to be the domestic loanee missing out - Town are only able to play five of the six - having tweeted that he is back in London this evening.

Wednesday face foot-of-the-table Town on Saturday and then third-bottom Peterborough next week, but manager Dave Jones insists those matches are no more significant than any others: “Every game we play is important, not just the next two.”

Jones is waiting on the fitness of loan striker Jay Bothroyd and former Spurs centre-half Anthony Gardner, who both missed the Blackburn game: “Jay was ill on Friday night but he has also had a swollen ankle. We tried to get him up and running on Tuesday but it was still too swollen.

“We think we might have him for Saturday, and Gardner as well - he’s had a swollen knee. It was unfortunate for them. But they’ve got to try it again on Friday and we’ll see how they are.”

Midfielder Rhys McCabe is a doubt with a thigh problem, while recent addition Adam Davies will be amongst the subs with ex-Blues loan keeper Stephen Bywater currently suffering with pneumonia and third-choice Arron Jameson missing due to a groin injury. Long-term absentees are defender Reda Johnson (foot) and midfielder Chris Lines (groin).

Wednesday have just had the better of the Blues historically, winning 16 times (15 in the league), losing on 15 (14) occasions with eight (seven) matches ending in draws.

The Owls sit in 23rd place, two points and one place above Town. While the Blues are without a win in 11, Wednesday haven’t been victorious in 10.

The teams last met in February 2010 during the Owls’ relegation season. A Carlos Edwards thunderbolt took the Blues to a 1-0 victory at Sheffield Wednesday and out of the bottom three.

The Trinidadian struck just before the quarter hour with Town unlucky to have a late Jon Walters header ruled out for a push. Earlier that season, the sides played out a 0-0 draw at Portman Road.

Daryl Murphy was on loan at Hillsborough for a month in 2005, making four appearances but failing to find the net.

Wednesday Winger Jermaine Johnson spent time on trial with the Blues back in January 2001 but failed to win a contract. Keeper Stephen Bywater was at Portman Road on loan in 2007/08.

Young Canadian-born striker Caolan Lavery, a Northern Ireland U21 international, joined the Owls over the summer having turned down a professional contract with the Blues last season after coming through the academy.

In what’s likely to be a popular move, Town are offering free beer at the game. Full details here.

The club are also supporting the Children in Need appeal with fans under the age of 16 able to watch the game for £5, with adult tickets available for £20 and senior citizens, students and under-20s able to purchase seats for £15. Full details here.

Saturday’s referee is Roger East from Wiltshire, who has shown 40 yellow cards and two red in 15 games so far this season. East’s most recent Town match was the Blues’ last victory, the 1-0 win at Watford in August, in which he booked Hornets’ winger Mark Yeates and no one else.

Squad from: Henderson, Loach, Lee-Barrett, Edwards, Cresswell, Ainsley, Higginbotham, Chambers, Smith, Mohsni, Reo-Coker, Wellens, Drury, N’Daw, Hyam, Murphy, Emmanuel-Thomas, Martin, Carson, Campbell, Chopra, Scotland.


Photo: Action Images



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.



Chris_ITFC added 13:56 - Oct 26
Let's hope he can walk the walk too! Just think, the last time we had a caretaker in charge, Colin Healy set up Tamas Priskin to beat the Gunners in a packed Portman Road -Those Were The Days!
0

Dowson added 13:57 - Oct 26
the only feathers flying is from jewell and cleggs pillow fights
0

ericclacton added 13:57 - Oct 26
He has to do something different in the M F at the moment it looks quite lame.
0

MickMillsTash added 13:58 - Oct 26
feathers will fly ?
lets hope he makes more sense in the dressing room

Play N'daw plea
0

sirburley added 13:58 - Oct 26
dont think this has been mentioned yet...how about burley/venus..?..
0

bluefeast added 14:04 - Oct 26
We will win... And i so hope we do.
0

Kesgraveblue57 added 14:06 - Oct 26
I'll be there to wave you goodbye Hutchings
0

matthewharley added 14:08 - Oct 26
HOW ARE WE GOING TO WIN WITH HUTCHINGS IN CHARGE HE IS THE HALF OF THE PROBLEM JOE JORDAN FOR MANAGER OR MICKY MAC
0

JimmyJazz added 14:10 - Oct 26
Sheff Wed looked good last week against Leeds, with Bothroyd in particular a threat. Crosses into the box, if anything that will be our downfall. They looked suspect at the back though
0

itfcjay added 14:20 - Oct 26
Jimmyjazz lets hope we win 1-0 then as we havent scored more than one goal since Huddersfield and threw away 1-0 leads 5 matches running !!!
0

martleshamitfc added 14:33 - Oct 26
“Blackburn dropped deeper and deeper but soaked up the pressure" and "they are a big side" - oh dear i don't like the sound of that , we drop deeper and deeper and concede every set piece! Best of luck lads, fingers crossed.
0

BlueVelvet added 14:39 - Oct 26
Lets hope he watched that very important DVD the other night!!!!!!!!!!!!!
0

RetroBlue added 14:39 - Oct 26
Same shower of players, same coaching staff, same mistakes, same outcome. Town will lose !
0

blue_enough added 14:40 - Oct 26
Why don't we try two goalkeepers Chris?

Oh and don't forget naughty Nigel, he'll probably set fire to your P45 chris! Oh Nigel you're such a joker! I bet you were at the vodka bar weren't you Nigel!
0

SouperJim added 15:10 - Oct 26
FREE BEER! :D
0

dubblue added 15:11 - Oct 26
looks like a one all draw. two sides lacking in confidence.
0

arc added 15:14 - Oct 26
From his comments (in other stories), I am guessing he may drop JET.
0

Pabloisgod84 added 15:47 - Oct 26
i tend to disagree that we have some good players:

gk's - all 3 are prone to errors and are not commanding enough
carlos - decent player playing out of postion
Higgy - loan
chambers - slow, not been impressed so far
cresswell - are one potential future star, gone off boil but still young (probably end up selling him for £50)
Hyam - decent , needs to come on more and be a regular, i like him
Drury - another very average centre midfielder
ndaw - oh and another one
luongo - not seen enough but on loan
wellens - unfit and loan
reo cocker - we will see
martin - good one week bad the next 4 , too inconsistent
carson - when he gets his chance doesnt take it
murphy - why he keeps coming back will never know
jet - should stick to twitter and retire from football, unless he wants to work hard and use his talent
chopra - best days are behind him, too much baggage
scotland - past it
dj - on loan

so all in all boys and girls its a dreadful squad, i pity the manager who has to work with this lot!

i do hope im wrong however
0

NoelTheDub added 15:54 - Oct 26
Please ..... is there anyone out there.... play 442 and try score more than 1 goal a game,play a proper winger not a converted striker out wide. 451 wont work in this league or any unless your barca .
0

itfcham added 15:58 - Oct 26
Pabloisgod84-you've just slated the whole team more or less. Haven't been to P.R this year. Been a fan all my life. Getting slagged big time here in Ireland cause of where we are in the table. But you know what who give's a monkeys. You guy's make me laugh on TWTD's, one minute ye are loving it next min everthing is crap. Wake up lads. We have been a mediocre team the past decade or so. Ya we have hit a slump, bad management Keane, Jewell whatever you want to say. But surely there's a belief in us Town fans that we can get back into the playoff's again and get behind them.. go to PR stop slagging them off every opportunity ye get. This is the chance now to get behind the boys and show Wednesday and other teams what PR and Town are about. Ham.
0

Pabloisgod84 added 16:14 - Oct 26
itfcham:

i never slated the team it wa sjust my opinon player by player, and when i go watch them home or away i always get behind them 110%, im a passionate fan like most people.

my message was just merely my opinion and has been for a few years, we dont seem to attract decent players anymore unless they have issues or are cast offs.

i have belief that we can get of the bottom indeed but playoffs is crazy.

its not like one minute im loving the team and next hating it, i agree for the last 10 years weve been very average and we have no right to be topping the table.

it is a right of the fans who pay a lot of money to watch this terrible set of players and the average dross they churn out week after week to demand more. playing 1 up front at home as well doesnt help the entertainment value either.


maybe stick with lacrosse mate

0

bohslegend added 16:17 - Oct 26
I think we should return to the 3-5-2 shape deployed by GB in our last promotion season. Cresswell and Edwards have the legs to play as wing backs, play Higginbotham and Chambers at CB with Moshni sweeping. R-C, Hyam and Martin in the middle 3, with Chops and DJ up front.
Spring JET, Murphy or Carson from the bench when needed. Or Wellens (while he's here), Luongo or NDaw in midfield.
Oh and Henderson in nets.
0

since1990 added 16:20 - Oct 26
I respect Hutchings - I know he's probably contractually bound but it must be difficult to stay around when your manager and most importantly friend has left.

I'll be buying my ticket and supporting the team whilst no doubt some of you hope mistakes are made so you can scream abuse at the bloke, just to make you feel a little better that your wife ain't putting out or something.

So, good luck Hutchings. COYB

PS - the guy that was singing "we're the tractor boys and we make some noise" on Tuesday... please stop. It's cr@p - rant over : )
0

itfcham added 16:29 - Oct 26
Fair enough.can understand when your paying week in week out watching the rubbish we have been playing. .. wasnt getting at you bud. and I wasnt saying that this season we be in the playoffs. but surely we be up there again in the next season or so. ps. tis hurling, prob the best game in the world. ..
0

eaii added 16:31 - Oct 26
If you make the same mistakes as Jewell then the sooner you leave the better, Carlos at right back JET and Murphy on the wings no anchorman in the middle then again please leave!
0


You need to login in order to post your comments

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© TWTD 1995-2024