Town boss Mick McCarthy will be looking for history to repeat itself when the Blues take on Brighton at Portman Road tonight. Last September, after a tough August, back to back home wins over Middlesbrough and Yeovil got Town’s season up and running.

Having taken five points from a difficult first month of the campaign, the Blues beat Millwall 2-0 in the first of this September’s two back-to-back home games on Saturday and the Town manager is after another three points this evening.

“It’s mirroring last season, we had four points and then we won two games. That doesn’t mean to say we’re going to win two games now.

“It’s always going to be what we end up with at the end of the season but, of course, we want to beat Brighton here. It’s a big game for us, our home fixture and winning on Saturday has given us confidence.”

McCarthy says Brighton, who are currently a point and three places behind the Blues on seven in 17th, are in a state of flux with Sami Hyypia having taken over as boss in the summer after Oscar Garcia’s departure.

“I’ve watched three of their games,” he said. “We watched them prior to playing Birmingham because that was the fixture they played just before they played us, and Birmingham beat them 1-0.

“We watched them against Charlton [2-2 draw] and also against Brentford [lost 3-2] on Saturday. A bit of a mixed bag but still playing the brand of football that they want to play, playing out from the back.

“They’ve had a fair change in personnel and a change at manager and coaching level. Stephen Ward’s not there, the winger, Will Buckley, went to up to Sunderland, they’ve lost a few players, lost the manager. It’s bound to be a change.

“But they’re still playing the same way, have still got threats, Craig Mackail-Smith, they signed Chris O’Grady but they did lose one for £8 million, Leonardo Ulloa, who went up to Leicester, which everybody can see has turned out well, he’s a very good player and a big loss to them.

“Jesse Lingard from Manchester United was playing with them, he’s not there, so they’re making changes and we’re only six games in. How can you tell over six games with a new manager and a new team?

“I think they’re transitional but they’ve still got threats all over the pitch. They’ve still got good players.”

He says new manager Hyypia is a bit of an unknown quantity at Championship level: “I don’t know him as a manager. I know of him as a player. I didn’t play against him and I’ve never managed against him.

“I’m not being derogatory about him but how many games has he had in the Championship to decide whether he’s a decent manager in the Championship? I don’t know. He’s got to have a bit longer before we all make a decision on him.

“But what he was was a top class player. I don’t know his management record prior to coming here.

“It’s a good club. When I went down there last season I saw the stadium and apparently the training ground’s brand new. It’s a fantastic club.

“They’re trying to get in the Premier League, they just missed it last year. All of it just tells me that they’re a tough nut to crack. If they put it together on any given day they’re a good team.”

McCarthy seems likely to stick with the team which beat Millwall with Dean Gerken in goal, Jonny Parr at right-back and Tyrone Mings - who is over the back problem which forced him off against the Lions - on the left.

Christophe Berra - who is expected to be fit despite suffering an ankle problem on Saturday - and skipper Luke Chambers will be at the heart of the defence.

In central midfield, Teddy Bishop will again partner Cole Skuse with Paul Anderson on the right and Jay Tabb on the left. David McGoldrick and Daryl Murphy will continue up front.

Cameron Stewart, Stephen Hunt and Darren Ambrose were all in yesterday’s U21 side and won’t be considered for inclusion on the bench. Stewart was forced off with a knee problem in the 1-0 victory over Charlton.

Seagulls boss Hyypia says his team have things to work on following the defeat at Brentford: “In the first half we were a little bit too open in our defending and made it too easy for Brentford to attack and score goals.

“We need to work on it to do that better on Tuesday. It is very good that we have another game coming up quickly to make things right.

“We know when we have the ball that we can play but we need to concentrate a bit more so that we don’t lose the ball too easily.

“When we correct these two things for Tuesday then we will be okay and when we get the chance to score I would like to see the ball in the net more than in the stands.”

Albion will again be without Solly March (back) and Dale Stephens (ankle) but have no new injury problems.

Historically, Town have the upper hand, having won 29 of the games (26 in the league) between the sides, Brighton 22 (20) and with 13 (12) ending in draws.

In March at the Amex, second-half goals from Tommy Smith and Daryl Murphy saw the Blues to a 2-0 victory over the Seagulls.

Smith nodded home Murphy’s header across goal from a corner on the hour, then the Irishman stooped to add the second with 10 minutes remaining after excellent work from Jonny Williams on the left.

In September at Portman Road, David McGoldrick netted in the 20th and 24th minutes to see the Blues to a comfortable 2-0 home victory.

While the deflected first had an element of good fortune, the second was as good as anything the striker has scored for the Blues.

Brighton keeper David Stockdale spent the first half of 2011/12 on loan with the Blues making 18 appearances. The 28-year-old joined the Seagulls full-time from Fulham this summer.

Albion midfielder Jake Caskey-Forster is the stepson of ex-Blues and Seagulls striker Nicky Forster, while Town assistant boss Terry Connor was a player with the Seagulls between 1983 and 1987.

Tonight’s referee is Christopher Sarginson from Staffordshire, who has shown 15 yellow cards and one red in six games so far this season. The game is Sarginson’s first involving Town.

Squad from: Gerken, Bialkowski, Parr, Hewitt, Mings, Chambers, Berra, Smith, Skuse, Bishop, Hyam, Bru, Anderson, Tabb, Henshall, McGoldrick, Murphy, Sammon, Bajner.

Photo: Action Images

BrettenhamBlue added 08:18 - Sep 16 Would have included Ambrose and McDonnell in the squad
1

kuyski added 09:34 - Sep 16 Can use Hyam or Bru to replace Skuse?
3

paulthebluealien added 11:24 - Sep 16 Come on Town let's get another positive result today. Basically, 'positive' means a win :D
0

Smithy added 11:35 - Sep 16 Happy with side, but Hyam should really be in for Skuse, no exSkuse
5

TimmyH added 11:40 - Sep 16 Brighton look like their struggling some what to find their feet so far this season and by that I would say we should win this, but not too many of the clubs in this league win back to back homes within a few days of each other (although as above we managed it last season, just!) - I've gotta a feeling that it's going to be a draw. Hyam in for me and Ambrose on the bench please.

3

ingyblue added 13:10 - Sep 16 I know McCarthy would want to keep balance in midfield with an attacking player in Teddy Bishop, but Skuse is in woeful form at the moment. Would Hyam not do a better job in there with Bishop!
3

Seasider added 15:46 - Sep 16 Have just seen highlights of last seasons game,and Saturdays,(went to both) and Skuse made mistakes in both,especially Saturday. Hope Mick will drop him for Hyam,and bring Henshall in for Tabb who nevertheless had good game on Saturday; but doesn't carry the threat that the former Man City youngster does going forward. Suspect it will be same starting line up as last game though,wouldn't want Mick to become a tinkerman,but a little tweak now and again helps I think as Derby and Millwall games show.

0

Wacko added 16:44 - Sep 16 There's something wrong with formatting of this article on mobiles
0

TheSelkirk added 16:51 - Sep 16 Have a suspicion that we might see the Skuse / Hyam partnership reinstated tonight. Personally, I think the same team as Saturday's - but with Hyam in for Skuse - would be a good move (but what the hell do I know compared to MM). Add Stewart to that team at some point and I think we will have the strongest and most positive team we've seen in a long while.
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls