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4-4-2 For Blues? - Ipswich Town News

Town manager George Burley looks likely to revert to the 4-4-2 formation he prefers for tomorrow's game with QPR. Town bad-boy Gary Croft looks likely to move into the right back position with Mark Venus at left back and John McGreal and Manu Thetis in the centre of defence. Jamie Clapham will move into midfield along with Jermaine Wright, Jim Magliton and Matt Holland while David Johnson and Jamie Scowcroft play up front.

Missing from this line-up are the injured Mickey Stockwell and Richard Naylor who seems a little unfortunate to be dropped so soon after his dramatic start to the season.

Returning to Town will be former striker Chris Kiwomya who is likely to get a less than friendly reception. In last season's corresponding fixture Kiwomya bared his arse to the North Stand prompting chants questioning the success of his move from Town to Arsenal in 1995. This week Kiwomya said he regretted his arse-baring antics and hoped that he might get a better reception this time around. Not sure that this is very likely.

George Burley said of Kiwomya's side "QPR have a good squad and it will be a tough game. We know we have made some costly mistakes in defence recently - having said that we still have the fourth best defence record in the League! But it is important that we get back on a winning track and stabilise our position in the top six ahead of Tuesday's game with Charlton."

David Sheepshanks has revealed that Town are unsurprisingly in the best state of financial health since he joined the board in the 1980s. Sheepshanks was speaking in anticipation of next week's annual financial statement which shows the club in the black and a long way from the £7 million debt of neighbours Norwich City. The £6 million sale of Kieron Dyer is the source of most of Town's current wealth and with only £1.69m spent by George Burley so far this season, Sheepshanks says that there is more money for transfers available. No doubt the priority is still on a left winger, however, there could be one or two other players coming to the club over the season.

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