Jimmy Bullard could make his first start after his recent return to the Blues when Town take on Blackpool at Bloomfield Road on Saturday. The midfielder has been working on his fitness during the two-week international break, having come on as a sub against Leeds, and could be considered ready to go into the starting XI, along with new loan signing Danny Collins.
Manager Paul Jewell says the 32-year-old has been busy during the last couple of weeks: "He’s worked hard in the last fortnight, Jimmy. He had an effect on the game against Leeds without being at his best.
"He knows he’s short on match fitness but Jimmy has that buzz about him, that drive about him that he can get away with certain things and in the last two weeks he’s worked exceptionally hard.”
Further good news for Jewell is that defender Ãvar Ingimarsson and midfielder Lee Bowyer are ready to return after thigh and hamstring injuries respectively: "They’re as important as anyone in the squad because we want everybody fit and available for selection. When your team is picked for you because of injuries, it’s not ideal.
"You want to be making decisions because of form rather than fitness. It’s good to have those two back, but it’s good to have anybody back.”
New centre-half Ibrahima Sonko suffered a hamstring problem in training last week and is a doubt, while Jay Emmanuel-Thomas will probably only be considered as a sub having returned to training after his ankle injury on Wednesday.
Defender Tommy Smith is back from his one-match ban for his red card at Peterborough but midfielder Lee Martin still has two games to serve after his dismissal at London Road.
The Town boss says the Leeds win seems a while ago: "It seems a long time since we last had a game. It was nice to score a late goal because it seems that late goals have come against us more often than not.
"We showed a lot of character in that game. We weren’t at our best. We’d been thrashed 7-1 the week before and we were nervous and we were edgy, all the things you would expect.
"But at least we came out with a positive result and sent the fans home happy. We’re now looking forward to games.”
He says Blackpool, relegated from the Premier League last season and now eighth in the Championship two points ahead of the 14th-placed Blues, will be tough opposition: "Ian Holloway’s done a terrific job there.
"They’ve lost Charlie Adam, arguably their best player, but they seem to have continued the good work that they’ve produced over the last two years.”
Jewell will stick with David Stockdale in goal, while Carlos Edwards seems certain to be at right-back despite only returning from international duty with Trinidad and Tobago today.
Aaron Cresswell will continue at left-back with the central defensive positions probably be occupied by Ingimarsson and new signing Danny Collins. Sonko probably won’t be risked as Ingimarsson is back with Damien Delaney set to be on the bench.
In midfield, Jewell has choices to make not least regarding his formation. He could match Blackpool’s 4-3-3 with three of Bullard, Bowyer, skipper Grant Leadbitter, Mark Kennedy and Keith Andrews in the centre of the midfield. Alternatively, he could go with his preferred 4-4-2 and utilise two of them.
There might be a case for resting Andrews after two tough games with Ireland and a trip to Russia and back this week, while there are also arguments for leaving out Bowyer, only just back from his injury, and out-of-form Leadbitter. Jewell’s comments hint that the talismanic Bullard will be involved.
As for the wide roles, Daryl Murphy will start in one and Josh Carson — or perhaps Lee Bowyer - may get the nod in the other. Michael Chopra is likely to be the lone central striker if Town field what Jewell views as his 4-3-3 formation but is often described as 4-5-1. Jason Scotland is his likely partner if the Blues line-up in a 4-4-2.
Blackpool boss Ian Holloway is waiting on the fitness of winger Elliot Grandin, who has been out with a foot injury and may hand debuts to recent signings Daniel Bogdanovic and James Hurst.
Former Blues striker Billy Clarke, an all but certain starter against his old club, joined Blackpool on a free transfer from Town in the summer of 2009, while Jay Emmanuel-Thomas was on loan at Bloomfield Road between August and December of the same year, making seven starts and five sub appearances, scoring once.
The Seasiders tried to sign Jason Scotland before the transfer window closed and Blackpool veterans Kevin Phillips and Barry Ferguson were both Blues targets early in their careers, as well as over the summer in the striker’s case.
Historically, Town have won eight games between the sides (seven in the league), seven have been drawn (seven) and Blackpool have won three (two).
The teams last met at Bloomfield Road in March 2010 a couple of months before the Tangerines reached the Premier League for the first time via the play-offs.
Then, Town were again left ruing missed chances after a Jason Euell goal gave Blackpool a 1-0 victory. A mistake from Gareth McAuley allowed former Wimbledon man Euell to net the winner in the second half, but the Blues had more than enough opportunities to get back on terms and go ahead later in the half.
In January of the same year, goals from Jack Colback and Owen Garvan gave the Blues a 2-1 victory in the FA Cup against a Blackpool side which was reduced to nine men before the end with Ian Evatt and Rob Edwards red-carded for professional fouls. Brett Ormerod scored for the Tangerines.
The league game between the sides at Portman Road that season came in the December when Town won 3-1 at with Jon Stead, Jack Colback and Gareth McAuley scoring for the Blues and Evatt netting for the visitors.
Town have now returned their few remaining tickets and a very limited number will be available at the turnstiles from 2pm. The home side are also set to sell out their allocation.
Saturday’s referee is Colin Webster from Tyne and Wear, who has shown nine yellow and two red cards in four games so far this season. Webster’s most recent Town game was the 0-0 draw with Watford at Portman Road in March 2009 in which he booked only Pablo Couñago and Ivan Campo.
In the preceding November, Webster was coincidentally the referee in the Blues’ 1-0 victory over Blackpool at Bloomfield Road, the match in which David Norris made his controversial ‘handcuffs’ goal celebration.
Squad from: Stockdale, Lee-Barrett, Edwards, Cresswell, Ingimarsson, Collins, Delaney, Sonko, Smith, Ainsley, Bullard, Leadbitter, Kennedy, Andrews, Bowyer, Healy, Carson, Emmanuel-Thomas, Drury, Murphy, Chopra, Scotland, Ellington.