Dyer: McGoldrick Could Play Crucial Role - Ipswich Town News

Former Blue Kieron Dyer says returning striker David McGoldrick could have a vital part to play when Town visit Norwich for the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final on Saturday (KO 12.15pm). Dyer is still predicting that both legs will end in draws and that it will take a penalty shoot-out for the Blues to win a place in the final at Wembley on May 25th.

Dyer, 36, was amongst a host of ex-players at the first leg, which finished 1-1, and when speaking to TWTD prior to the match predicted a draw.

"It went exactly how I thought it would,” he said. "There were spells where it looked like Norwich were the better team, but when we turned the game into a fight and made it scrappy and played at high intensity we looked really dangerous.

"I fancied a draw in both legs and it looks like we’re well on the way to getting those results. I still fancy penalties!

"I was very surprised to see Graham Dorrans play instead of Wes Hoolahan for Norwich and I think maybe he’ll come in for them in the home leg. I thought he made a difference when he came on as sub. He’s got that playmaking ability.”

Dyer was delighted to see McGoldrick take a place on the bench having been out of action since the trip to Rotherham at the start of February due to a recurrent thigh problem.

"What was very pleasing for us was seeing David McGoldrick on the bench,” he added. "Obviously we didn’t need him because we weren’t behind at any stage, but maybe it would have been nice for him to get a run-out just to give him a bit of match fitness.

"But it looks like he’ll be getting another week’s training so I’m sure he’ll feature in the second leg.

"He can be a big plus for us. I know he’s missed a lot of football but when you come back from long injuries the first couple of games you can get through just on adrenaline. You find it hits you in the third, fourth or fifth game.

"If he features at some stage I don’t think lack of match fitness will play too much of a part because I’m sure his adrenaline will be super high for that game.”

Manager Mick McCarthy has said McGoldrick is probably only up to playing around 20 minutes at present but Dyer says the Irish international is capable of making an impact even in such a relatively short time on the field.

"There were spells, especially in the second half, when Norwich started to dominate possession, it just needed someone who could get their foot on the ball for us,” the former England midfielder continued.

"The ball was like a hot potato, we’d attack, lose it straight away, then Norwich would have it for 30 or 40 passes, then we’d only have it for three or four.

"From that point of view he’s got that bit of class where he can slow the game down and I think he’s going to be crucial.

"If you look at the game, even though Norwich had better spells, I think we had the better clear-cut chances. Freddie Sears had the shot when John Ruddy made the great double save and then he had the free header in the second half as well.”

Overall, he was delighted with the result: "If you’d have given me one-all before the game, I’d have taken it.

"All the pressure’s going to be on Norwich now in front of their home crowd. They’ve got to win and I think that’s going to play into our hands.

"Last month when Middlesbrough went up there and Norwich had to win the game, they put in a very edgy display and Middlesbrough nicked it 1-0. I can see us going there and doing a Middlesbrough.

"We’re very hard to beat, are going to frustrate them and then with our strikers we’re always capable of scoring.

"In the first leg we played only Daryl Murphy up front and put Freddie out wide, which was probably the right way to go. I think the gaffer did his homework because we said before the game that where Norwich are so strong is their midfield.

"He obviously didn’t want to get overrun in there so he maybe sacrificed a bit of firepower up front to load up the midfield and it worked.

Dyer celebrates his second goal in the second leg of the 1998/99 play-off at home to Bolton

"I know Jonny Howson scored a great goal, he’s very good at his third man runs but over the 90 minutes I thought Cole Skuse was probably our best player, he did a great job in there. He’ll have a massive role to play again.

"I like Kevin Bru as well, I think those two and Teddy Bishop are probably our strongest three in midfield. So, even though it was disappointing that Freddie was out wide, I could totally understand why because we probably got to play our strongest midfield.”

Ipswich-born Dyer expects Brentford to prevail over his former club Boro in the other game despite being 2-1 behind from their home first leg - "I fancy Brentford to go through, I’ve got this funny feeling. I thought they played really well in that first game” - when he believes they will then meet the Blues at Wembley.

He’s sticking with his predictions prior to the first leg, even if he has been told his prediction of Teddy Bishop netting the vital spotkick is unlikely.

"After I said that [U16s academy coach] Liam Manning said it was a great prediction but that Teddy’s only played the full 90 minutes about once in his whole Town career.

"He’s usually one of the first substituted, so for him to play 90 minutes and then extra-time in such a high intensity game would be a surprise.

"But I did predict it from the start, so I have to stick with it now. I still do fancy penalties and us to win on penalties!”

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