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McCarthy Taking Each Game As It Comes
Friday, 18th Apr 2014 06:00

Boss Mick McCarthy is taking the traditional one match at a time approach as the Blues go into the first of two crucial Easter fixtures at Watford on Saturday. Town follow up their visit to Vicarage Road with Monday’s home game against AFC Bournemouth.

Asked how many points he believes his team needs to ensure a top six finish, the Blues manager admitted: “I don’t know. I haven’t a clue. We could go to Watford and get beaten and everything would be doom and gloom.

“Then we could win the next three and we’re suddenly back in it. I just do not know. I don’t look at everybody’s fixtures. You get twisted doing that.

“We’ve got Watford and Bournemouth, let’s see what happens. We could be well in it, we could be out of it, we could be still on the cusp of it by 5.30 on Easter Monday. Let’s just go and try and beat Watford. That’s the only way we can look at it.”

He’s expecting a tough game against the Hornets, who are unbeaten at home since January: “They’re playing well. They’ve had good results since the new manager came in, playing 3-5-2.

“They’d stopped doing that and went back to that when they came to us and they’ve played it most of the season, and played it well.

“It will be a hard game, there’ll be a full house, apparently. I don’t know whether they can get anywhere near the play-offs, I don’t look beneath us, I’m looking up above to see where we can get to.

"It’ll be a tough game, a good game for us and if we get something out of it we’ll still be in it.”


The Town boss is unlikely to stray too far from the team which won at Huddersfield and then beat Doncaster last weekend.

Dean Gerken will continue in goal with skipper Luke Chambers at right-back and Tommy Smith — who is expected to be over a calf problem - and Supporters Player of the Year Christophe Berra at the centre of the defence. Aaron Cresswell will return at left-back in place of Tyrone Mings, having recovered from his groin injury.

In midfield, Cole Skuse and Luke Hyam will be in the centre, with Paul Anderson thought likely to be fit enough for inclusion on the right despite a hamstring niggle. If not, Anthony Wordsworth could get a recall in the position he occupied at Blackburn recently.

Stephen Hunt will probably be on the left, while Jonny Williams will play just behind main striker Daryl Murphy.

Young striker Jack Marriott has been brought back from his loan spell at Woking and may be on the bench ahead of Paul Taylor, with McCarthy believing the 19-year-old is nearer match sharpness. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake unlikely to be involved, due to a hamstring problem.

Top scorer David McGoldrick is now definitely ruled out for the season having undergone cartilage surgery yesterday.

The Hornets will be without suspended centre-half Marco Cassetti, while on-loan Arsenal striker Park Chu-Young is sidelined with a toe injury.

Midfielder Cristian Battocchio (knee) and full-back Lloyd Doyley (ankle) are back in contention, while winger Ikechi Anya (Achilles) faces a fitness test having picked up a knock in the 2-2 draw with Millwall.

In December at Portman Road, David McGoldrick netted Town’s first penalty of the season, but Troy Deeney equalised as the sides drew 1-1.

McGoldrick put Town ahead in the 73rd minute after Gabriele Angella had handled, but Deeney hit back nine minutes from time.

In August 2012, Michael Chopra’s 90th-minute goal ended Town’s 15-match run without a victory against Watford as the Blues left Vicarage Road with a 1-0 win.

Town were good for the three points but had to wait for their goal with Chopra converting a Carlos Edwards cross moments before the final whistle. The victory, in the second game of the 2012/13 campaign, was Paul Jewell’s last as Town boss.

Historically, the clubs are evenly matched, the Blues winning 25 times (22 in the league), losing 25 (24) and drawing 17 (17).

Town keeper Scott Loach rejoined the Blues from Watford for £150,000 during in the summer of 2012.

Reece Brown signed for the Hornets in the summer after his release by Manchester United following a loan spell with the Blues at the end of last season. He is currently on loan at Carlisle.

Watford goalkeeper-coach Alec Chamberlain was, like Loach, a youth player with the Blues but never made a first team appearance, while Town youth development coach Steve Foley spent time coaching at Vicarage Road earlier in his career.

The game is being shown live in some overseas nations, while it is one of the main matches on The Football League Show. There is also live commentary on Five Live Sports Extra as well as Radio Suffolk.

Saturday’s referee is Gary Sutton from Lincolnshire, who has shown 86 yellow cards and six red in 27 games so far this season. Sutton’s most recent Town match was the 2-1 home victory over Huddersfield in December in which he kept his cards in his pockets throughout.

Squad from: Gerken, Loach, Chambers, Richardson, Cresswell, Mings, Berra, Smith, Skuse, Hyam, Wordsworth, Anderson, Green, Hunt, Tabb, Henshall, Williams, Nouble, Murphy, Taylor, Marriott.


Photo: Action Images



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raydean added 07:02 - Apr 18
"You get twisted doing that" haha
-1

BlueandTruesince82 added 08:53 - Apr 18
Have town sold out their full allocation for watford?
0

BlueandTruesince82 added 08:57 - Apr 18
To answer my question. Yes!
3

essextractorboy93 added 10:25 - Apr 18
Come on lads 3 points please! Lets make so much noise and make a difference! Please everyone stand up in the away end! Nothing worse than sitting down to kill it. Beat Watford away last season so why not this year!
3

TimmyH added 10:42 - Apr 18
Totally correct not to look more than a game ahead, it's such a crazy league you just don't know what will happen. Brighton are at Huddersfield today and it's about time Huddersfield did something at home :) and Reading have a toughy away to Wigan so fingers crossed neither win.
As for us I'd bite your arm off for 4 points over the Easter period!
2

gypo added 12:32 - Apr 18
Blueandtruesince82 yeah sold out also heard town fans getting tickets in home end aswell. Should be a far few there Saturday.
1

BlueandTruesince82 added 12:56 - Apr 18
So I gather gypo looks like I will be going to the Bournemouth game instead. Its so nice that we're still in the mix. Cant remember the last time I was this exicted and I still don't actually think we will quite make it. No shame in this season though. Not often I say this but I kinda cant wait for summer to be over. World what? Means nothing bring on the 14/15 season
2

Ipswichlove added 14:12 - Apr 18
Realistically we need 10 Points if not 12 from our last 4 games but its unlikely

My predictions:

Watford(a) - we need a win - but I predict 1-1

Bournemouth(h) - we need a win - but I predict 0-0

Burnley(a)- Any points is good- but I predict 0-2 (cos hopefully burbly will be in party spirit)

Sheff Wed(h)- Need a win - and i predict a 3-0 win

These would prpobaly not be enough to make playoffs but this is only my predictions- i am still hoping COYB
-1

Thetfordtractor added 14:53 - Apr 18
Anyone know the best place online to watch the match please?
0

JackITFC96 added 15:45 - Apr 18
Coldplay magic- call us ipswich, yes we do, call it ipswich, we're the boys in blue!
-1

blue added 16:03 - Apr 18
Liking these half time scores at present , Huddersfield we love you at present , sheff wed we also love you too at present :) Keep up the good work !!!
3

Seasider added 16:36 - Apr 18
With 15mins to go looks like Blackburn and Bournemouth are drawing and Brighton and Reading losing !!!
2

town93 added 17:04 - Apr 18
Very good full time scores for us!!! Means a draw will actually move us up to 7th, but wouldn't it be nice to take advantage of these results and give ourselves 2 points breathing space in 6th. Go for it tomorrow lads!!
3

Seasider added 17:10 - Apr 18
Unlike previously we now have game in hand of other teams around us,unfortunately Brighton got equaliser to take them into top six;but if we win tomorrow will be 6th with 67 pts,Brightons 65
A draw would put us equal with Brighton who still have superior goal difference;but would be above Reading who lost 3-0 to WigAN
coyb
3

battyblue added 17:21 - Apr 18
Its in our hands now do the business and we are in the playoffs must go for the win tomorrow and then take it from there COYB
4

afrodids added 18:44 - Apr 18
Although we need a win tomorrow I'd take a point tbh however it's in our hands win the next 4 then it's play offs. Bit of a tall order tho. COYB keeping the dream alive.
2

rollercoastertown added 23:51 - Apr 18
Take a big breath and enjoy the ride my friends. The next two weeks will be full of twists, turns, heartbreak, joy and buckets full of tension. Welcome back our old friend the end of season play off chasing run in. We have missed you.
3

Fat_Boy_Tim added 02:26 - Apr 19
I thought all week, if we can get a win this weekend, someone would slip up, I didn't seriously think all of them would. Go get those 3 points lads! This is the first time I've looked at the table recently and thought "I'd rather be Ipswich out of all those teams fighting for 6th". Well done MM, given this position last year we'd have bit your gift wrapped hand off! With those results, we still wouldn't be out of it if we lost tomorrow!
1

mrivancampo added 08:08 - Apr 19
Not looking at oppositions fixtures? That's silly mm. You have to know who the opposition are playing, or you won't know if we are in the playoffs or not. What happens if you only realise we are 6th too late and it come as a shock and you don't have time to get the team prepared?
-6

BlueandTruesince82 added 10:00 - Apr 19
4 from 4, I think its to much. 10 points might be enough. If we win all 4 im naked streaking in the quad.
1

BlueandTruesince82 added 10:01 - Apr 19
Ivan appears to have dropped a few IQ points since he played for us lol
1

itfcserbia added 10:21 - Apr 19
If anybody have any live streams please send in private message - this is a MUST SEE stuff! COYB!
0

muccletonjoe added 10:49 - Apr 19
On the other side of atlantic but will be thinking of the blues today , just heard our fate is in our wwn hands now - as if we wouldn't have taken this position at the start of season. Hope we get the result we need. COYB
1

tcc4 added 12:06 - Apr 19
Come on the town massive game today must try and take advantage of others dropping points yesterday. Can see big mick setting us up to not concede so a draw most likely but will take that I think. Read something about a link to watch live stream, does anyone have this?
0

Turkishblue added 12:12 - Apr 19
Flamingo and Banana have left Ipswich for the match! Wish I could be there today to cheer the boys! For the live stream brigade check out myp2p.ec as it's streaming there COYB :)
1


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