McCarthy Names Mix of Youth and Experience - Ipswich Town News

Town boss Mick McCarthy has named a team which is a mix of first-teamers and youngsters for this afternoon’s first friendly of pre-season against Shelbourne at Tolka Park.

Dean Gerken starts in goal with Jonathan Parr making his first appearance in a Town shirt at left-back and Ben Wyatt, who joined the club on a pro deal from Norwich earlier in the summer, on the right. Tommy Smith and Luke Chambers are at the centre of the defence.

In centre midfield, Anthony Wordsworth is partnered by Luke Hyam with Paul Anderson and Alex Henshall on the right and left respectively, and young striker Darren McQueen — who joined the Blues from Spurs after a trial — is up front with Paul Taylor. Town are likely to change the whole or most of the XI at the break.

David McGoldrick didn't travel as he continues his rehabilitation after his knee injury, Daryl Murphy and Stephen Hunt aren't risked due to calf problems, while Freddie Veseli wasn't in the squad which made the trip to Ireland earlier in the week.

Shelbourne are fielding a side mainly made up of U19s, trialists and players suspended from domestic games.

Town: Gerken, Parr, Chambers, Smith, Wyatt, Anderson, Hyam, Wordsworth, Henshall, McQueen, Taylor. Subs: Crowe, Bishop, Hewitt, Clarke, Berra, Mings, Stewart, Lawrence, Tabb, Skuse, Nouble, Marriott.

What to read next:

Potter: I Felt Our Physicality Would Cause Ipswich Problems
West Ham United head coach Graham Potter was pleased to finish the season by claiming three points via his side’s 3-1 victory over the Blues at Portman Road, but felt his team lost their way for a spell in the first half.

Chaplin: Summed Up a Lot of Our Season
Town forward Conor Chaplin believes the nature of the Blues’ 3-1 defeat to West Ham United was synonymous with their season.

McKenna: West Ham Executed Better Than Us in Both Boxes
Town boss Kieran McKenna felt his team showed a lot of things they’ve done well this season in their 3-1 final-day home defeat to West Ham but that the Hammers executed better in both boxes.

McKenna: Enciso Left Out as We Focused on the Lads Who Will Be Here Next Year
Town boss Kieran McKenna has revealed on-loan forward Julio Enciso was left out of the team which faced West Ham today as he was focusing on the players who will be at the club next season and also to allow the forward to prepare for Paraguay’s World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil, while Ben Johnson and Alex Palmer were among a number of players who have been ill over the last couple of weeks.

[Podcast] Blue Monday - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Blue Monday team is now available.

Delap Supporters' Player of the Year
Liam Delap was voted the Official Supporters Club’s Player of the Year, narrowly beating Jens Cajuste to the award.

Ipswich Town 1-3 West Ham United - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.

Ipswich Town 1-3 West Ham United - Match Report
Town’s final game of their one-year return to the Premier League ended in their 24th defeat of the campaign as they were beaten 3-1 at Portman Road by West Ham United. James Ward-Prowse gave the Hammers the lead two minutes before half-time following a mix-up in the Blues defence, then Nathan Broadhead levelled seven minutes after the restart but Jarrod Bowen restored the lead only three minutes later and Mohammed Kudus added a third on 87.

Ipswich Town 0-1 West Ham United - Half-Time
James Ward-Prowse’s goal two minutes before the break has given West Ham a 1-0 half-time lead over the Blues at Portman Road.

Walton Starts After Palmer Ill in Warm-Up
Town have been forced into a late change in goal for this afternoon's final game of the season against West Ham with Christian Walton coming into the team for Alex Palmer who was taken ill in the warm-up having initially made two changes with Conor Chaplin and Nathan Broadhead returning to the XI.