Town boss Paul Jewell will be looking for his side to bounce back from what he admits has been his toughest week with the Blues when Leeds United visit Portman Road on Saturday. The Town manager hopes that the signings of Jimmy Bullard, Ibrahima Sonko and Daryl Murphy will help his team to react after last Saturday’s 7-1 defeat at Peterborough United.

Jewell said: “It’s been the toughest time since I’ve been here. Saturday was an unbelievably tough day, it was a tough weekend.

“Sunday and Monday weren’t great but you’ve got to get over it. You can have a couple of days mourning, if that’s the right word. But you can’t let the hangover affect the game the next Saturday.

“Ever since the game finished we have to look forward to Saturday. It’s so important that we try and cut out the silly errors that we’re getting punished for that I spoke about after the Southampton game and I’m speaking about now after the Peterborough game.”

The Blues boss says a brief nightmare spell led to Town’s spectacular downfall at London Road: “When you analyse the game, it was three and a half minutes of complete madness. We were 1-0 up, then 1-1 and in three and a half minutes we [ended up 4-1 down and] had one sent off.

“Two of their goals were offside, I spoke to the referee’s assessor, who admits that, and that the penalty was two yards outside the box.

“I don’t think many managers have been in the situation where they’re 6-1 down with 54 minutes gone and they’ve got to try and keep it down to single figures. It was a horrible day for myself, the staff, the fans and the players.

“We’re not blaming referees, it’s down to ourselves. We haven’t had much luck but I think we’ve got to start believing in ourselves and we’ve got to be tougher to play against. Hopefully the signings we’ve made will make an improvement.”

Jewell watched Leeds draw 2-2 at Upton Park last week and thought they played well: “I was very impressed with them against West Ham. I thought they were very unlucky not to take all three points.

“They’ve got a bit of pace in the wide areas and like every game in this league, it’ll be tough.”

The Blues boss is without Lee Martin (three-match ban) and Tommy Smith (one) after their red cards at Peterborough, while Lee Bowyer is unlikely to face his old club due to a hamstring problem which Jewell is loath to risk.

Central defender Ívar Ingimarsson is still sidelined with his thigh strain and striker Tamás Priskin has suffered a recurrence of his knee problem.

David Stockdale is set to continue in goal, the on-loan Fulham man having been Town’s man of the match at London Road despite the deluge of goals.

Carlos Edwards looks likely to stay at right-back with Aaron Cresswell on the left. Ibrahima Sonko will come in for his Town debut at centre-half alongside Damien Delaney.

Rumours have been circulating that Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been training in the central defensive role he often occupied as a youngster at Arsenal, however, if true this seems unlikely to be anything more than a contingency with the Blues still short of cover in that area of the squad.

Jewell seems certain to switch back to his five-man midfield in order to end the run of heavy defeats. Despite not playing a game since the Preston match at the end of last season, Jimmy Bullard looks likely to come into the central midfield three with skipper Grant Leadbitter and Keith Andrews also in the middle. If Bullard isn't considered ready, Mark Kennedy will start in the deeper role.

New loanee from Celtic Daryl Murphy could well make his second Town debut in one of the wide roles, perhaps his less-favoured right side, with Jay Emmanuel-Thomas on the left and Michael Chopra up front.

Leeds boss Simon Grayson, who was once signed on loan by Paul Jewell during his time as Bradford manager, says the Blues have one of the strongest groups of players in the Championship, more so after this week’s additions: “If you look at their squad on paper they have got one of the best squads in the division, coupled with them signing Bullard and Murphy and what they've already got.

"Paul is going to be bitterly disappointed about the last few games, but that's the nature of the Championship. We know they could come out fighting because that is what Paul Jewell is all about, that's what he will be telling his players because I would."

Grayson is looking for his squad to begin matches more on the front foot: "We need to start games better to give ourselves a better opportunity to win them.

"We can't keep conceding goals so early on because you give yourself a mountain to climb. But all credit to the players as every time they have done that they have shown resilience and a fantastic attitude to get back into the game."

The Whites, who are in 13th in the league having won one, drawn one and lost two, went through 2-1 at Doncaster Rovers in the Carling Cup in midweek with Honduran winger or second striker Ramon Nunez netting his fourth and fifth goals of the season, although only one of those has come in the league.

Grayson says he’s considering whether Nunez has done enough to win himself a place in his Championship starting line-up: "I'm still undecided on what to do ahead of the weekend.

"Ramon keeps producing good performances but the competition is tough at the minute. It's up to the players who are not in the team to try and get a place and ultimately it's down to the players in the team to stay in the team.

“If someone doesn't catch your eye in training then they have no chance of being picked. If you underachieve, you are out of the team."

Striker Billy Paynter is likely to be back after a thigh strain, while Luciano Becchio is still recovering after a hamstring injury. Another forward, Davide Somma, is currently sidelined after knee surgery.

Veteran midfielder Michael Brown has a calf problem, while defenders Tom Lees and Aidan White are expected to get over minor knocks.

Historically, Leeds have the superior record in the fixture, winning 26 (25 in the league) clashes between the teams, Town have been victorious on 22 (17) occasions and with 19 (16) games ending in draws.

In March, Town recorded only their second 0-0 draw of the 2010/11 season as they left Elland Road with a deserved point.

Both sides could have been in front at the break after an end-to-end first period, Tamás Priskin and Lee Martin missing the Blues’ best opportunities. In the second half Town rarely threatened but their backline held firm.

Goals from Jason Scotland and Tommy Smith saw the Blues to a 2-1 victory over 10-man Leeds at Portman Road earlier in the season, ex-Blue Alex Bruce having seen red for fouls on Town loanee Andros Townsend.

Bruce joined the Whites from Town last summer and former Blues loanee Darren O’Dea moved to Elland Road from Celtic during this close season, while Lee Bowyer was with Leeds 1996 and 2003, making 257 starts and eight sub appearances, scoring 55 goals.

Keeper David Stockdale is from Leeds, supported his hometown club as a boy and came close to joining them in the summer prior to signing for the Blues on loan. Bowyer and Keith Andrews were also players wanted by Simon Grayson this summer. New Town fitness coach Andy Liddell is also from Leeds and is a supporter of the club.

Portman Road will be inaccessible to home fans for a short time after the game with the police calling on supporters of both clubs to behave respectfully and responsibly.

Fans should also note that there will be no trains from Ipswich to Stowmarket after 6pm with buses replacing the services to Diss and Norwich.

Town’s matchday programme is now available online for various platforms in addition to the printed version.

Saturday’s referee is fans’ favourite Andy D’Urso from Billericay, who has shown 20 yellow cards and no reds in six games so far this season.

The Billericay-based official’s most recent Blues match was the 7-0 FA Cup hammering at Chelsea in January, while he also took charge of the 3-1 home defeat to Swansea earlier in 2010/11 in which he failed to award Town a penalty when Carlos Edwards was blatantly brought down inside the area.

Squad from: Stockdale, Lee-Barrett, Edwards, Cresswell, Sonko, Delaney, Ainsley, Kennedy, Leadbitter, Bullard, Andrews, Murphy, Emmanuel-Thomas, Carson, Healy, Drury, Chopra, Scotland, Ellington.

Photo: Action Images

Blue_75 added 18:26 - Aug 26 Sonko is Superman - let's hope the opposition haven't got any Kryptonite! Tomorrow's team: Stockdale Edwards Sonko Delaney Cresswell Bowyer Andrews Bullard JET Murphy Chopra COYB!!!!!
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johnhazlebum added 18:48 - Aug 26 Loath or Loathe? Loath is an adjective meaning "unwilling." Loathe is a verb meaning "to hate intensely." I loathe Bowyer, however PJ is unwilling to risk him.
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MarkITFC added 18:50 - Aug 26 so if it is 451 i reckon Stockdale Edwards Sonko Del Cresswell Andrews Bullard Leadbitter JET Murphy Chopra
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jas0999 added 18:53 - Aug 26 For me this is a home game and unlike some on here - I expect us to win. A draw simply won't do. Let's just hope PJ doesn't bore us to death with a negative one up front!
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raycrawford added 18:56 - Aug 26 BlueITFC - Stuart Attwell was the ref for the snow game against Leicester. The last time W'urso "Reffed" was against Swansea when he failed to award us a stone bonker of a penalty and from the resultant clearance they came up the other end and scored a worldy!
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TheBluesBFF added 18:56 - Aug 26 I'm sick and tiered of jdwell saying his hopeing2 bounce back
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Keaneish added 19:40 - Aug 26 Why is Leadbitter playing? Leadbitter. Why are you playing!? Do one. This is jimmy's day, you'll only spoil it for everyone. Go to Portsmouth.
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itfc_since_birth added 19:41 - Aug 26 Ok - now the season begins! I am sick of the negativity of some people, so for this reason I am asking all those who at least feel PJ has worked hard to assemble a team this summer to get behind them, agree on here, and give the Stands noise to lift the roof off and make the Leeds fans wonder what the hell has hit them!! To all players out there - go out salute the fans, kiss the badge and play your socks off - this is important to the fans, the town but most of all to the club,Bobby and Alf! COYB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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IvorFeeling added 20:18 - Aug 26 The wind of fortune seems to have changed since last Saturday and what a difference a week makes, especially as we tried to get him before the yellow peril Let's all do a bobble and lump on for promotion. Need a mutely type snigger! http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14678219.stm
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Mr_Evans added 21:06 - Aug 26 "Portman Road will be inaccessible to home fans for a short time after the game with the police calling on supporters of both clubs to behave respectfully and responsibly. Fans should also note that there will be no trains from Ipswich to Stowmarket after 6pm with buses replacing the services to Diss and Norwich." Utter joke! Keep the away fans in! Why should town fans from the North Stand have to walk ALL the way round only to miss their train!? Pathetic!!

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harlingblue added 21:29 - Aug 26 Why does PJ pick Leadbitter as Captain, he has not got the charisma or DEMAND to be (Manager on the pitch)? Who would you choose? My choice would be Kennedy (if selected) Andrews (if he was really ours)...they were the only players with character in last Saturdays nightmare...Chopra and Stockdale excepted.
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runningout added 21:46 - Aug 26 Your right, Grant Leadbitter doesnt need the captaincy YET....
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HarryfromBath added 22:34 - Aug 26 It looks as if things are tough. D'Urso not good mind you. He has been sending our players off for over a decade, including a particularly unfair one in a Premier League defeat against Chelsea. The wounds never heal. All in all, quite tough then.
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Gazelle added 22:52 - Aug 26 We may well find that once Leadbitter gets some decent players around him he'll come good. Wouldn't like him to leave and come back to haunt us.
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Mutiny added 23:00 - Aug 26 Where is the captain? At Portsmouth.
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ClassyCranson added 23:19 - Aug 26 After by far the worst performance I can remember in suppporting the football club, it has been an amazing week. I couldn't have dreamed that we would have signed three really decent players in the space of 24 hours. I've got to say the owner has been magnificent this week, backing the manager in the best way with new arrivals and not a hint of pressure on his tenure after last week's debacle. I am glad he stays in the background, it reminds me of the Cobbolds, he lets the manager manage. Still need extra defensive cover but the manager knows that is the case. Hopefully Ivar will be back for Blackpool game in any event. On a negative note, I still find it really disapppointing and disgraceful that the captain has not spoken publically about last week's debacle. I find it difficult to be positive about the player after that, he seems to have no idea or knowledge of the history and traditions of this football club. The football club comes first, so I will cheer him on whilst he plays with the Suffolk Punch on his shirt. Sooner rather than later I can see us if the bulk of this squad can stay fit putting a decent run together. Looking forward to great atmosphere at tomorrow's game and an Ipswich win.

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footyblue added 00:25 - Aug 27 Stockdale Ainsley Sonko Delaney Cresswell Edwards Bullard Andrews Carson JET Chopra Subs ALB Drury Murphy Peters Leadbitter
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danieldeath92 added 01:25 - Aug 27 Have we ever won a game that d'urso refereed?
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GiveusaWave added 02:36 - Aug 27 Stockdale, Edwards, Sonko, Delaney, Cresswell Leadbutter, Healy, Hyam, Murphy JET, Chopra
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maximoalex added 05:32 - Aug 27 ClassyCranson - excellent post. Just a shame no-one picked up on my Alan Partridge reference!
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maximoalex added 05:34 - Aug 27 ClassyCranson - excellent post. Just a shame no-one picked up on my Alan Partridge reference!
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Keaneish added 08:09 - Aug 27 I agree with you footyblue, although i'd probably have Murphy up front with Chops and JET on the bench or murphy on the left and carson on the bench. Leadbitter should be training in the ressies if Martin is!
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ericgates added 08:34 - Aug 27 I hope that Leadbitter is dropped now. Last week aside, I've haven't really ever been impressed by him, considering we paid 2million pounds for him, and his conduct as captain during the peterborough game and during the past week has been frankly disgraceful. I think Andrews would be a good bet for captain, but I'm not sure if i'd prefer a permanent player to be our captain. Maybe Kennedy, Ingarmarsson or Bullard. I'm a bit old fashioned maybe but I think a centre back is the best position for captain. He can see everything in front of him and can encourage or shout at everyone. A point about Delaney, I think he will be ok today, if Sonko plays. Sonko will take the lead as the big, brave specialised centre back. I believe before he came here, Delaney played most of his career at Hull and QPR as a left back, and his partnership with macauley came about as a bit of an experiment by keane. He played well at bristol city with ingarmarrson and played well 95% of the time with macauley. I think when he had to take the lead and organise when he played with smith, eastman, brown etc, he has struggled because he is not 100% confident in his own ability as a CB, let alone telling a whole back line what to do. Having Sonko to his right will also help edwards at right back I believe. Finally, I'm not trying to be controversial with this, and we don't know the full story with what went on for jimmy at hull to get him suspended and more or less sacked. Hull were making all these statements about Jimmy taking 20% of their wage bill or what ever it was, and how they wanted him to move on etc etc. He seemed completely out in the cold, training with youngsters etc, and then all of a sudden he is welcomed back into the fold, it was announced he was part of the squad and competing for a 1st team place, just like every other player, just prior to their pre season tour to slovenia. This is just a theory, and I'm sure we will get inundated by all those chaps from hull on our messageboard again, but the 2 incidents that have been widely reported that jimmy has been involved in, could have been set up by hull in order to sack him, and save themselves from any more embarrassment that they have caused themselves with jimmys ridiculous contract. The alleged slovenian prostitute incident, and turning up at the training ground blind drunk straight from a night out in london, are both situations that could easily have been manufactured by hull officials. Their only way out was to sell jimmy, which nobody could afford, or for him to do something so badly wrong that he contract could legally be terminated. Its just a suggestion, but it seems very convinient for them that this happened, and that all the details of his misdemenours have been made available to the public. There were no stories like this when jimmy went on his post season jolly with connor wickham and pals. Maybe its just a conspiracy theory, but everyone likes a bit of intrigue and gossip i guess! On the other hand perhaps jimmy was just unhappy with his situation at hull and things like this did happen, but I'm glad he's at town nown and hopefully happy.

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ipswich_is_the_best added 08:48 - Aug 27 @ericgates u forgot the other 700,000 off of the leadbitter fee Another bad buy from mr Roy 'I only buy ex/sunderland players or Irish players' keane
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Ipstones added 10:03 - Aug 27 Obviously we were gonna get D'urso this weekend goes without saying!!!! Obviousy he will give us nothng in the game except maybe a card or two!!!! So knowing this as we do we need the lads to put in a cart load of effort to get something out of the game and put the super back into the blues....... Come on you town!!!
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