Blues boss Paul Jewell gave little hint at his Thursday press conference about who might get the nod at the centre of the defence if Ibrahima Sonko isn’t fit enough to keep his place alongside Danny Collins due to his hamstring injury. Damien Delaney and Ívar Ingimarsson are the contenders to replace the Senegalese international.

Jewell, who also reported a couple of niggles to other unnamed members of his squad, says as things stood yesterday morning, everyone was in his thoughts: “They all have to come into my thinking because we’ve got two days’ training before Saturday and I’m a big believer in how players train. If players are sharp and good in training, it takes my eye. If players aren’t then they don’t.

“Someone can play themselves out of the team or out of a place on the bench by a performance in training, or vice versa. That’s why training is vitally important, certainly the way I see it.

“I don’t think you pick any team, whether it’s the same team or a different team, without mulling things over in your mind.”

The Town manager says he has no problem with changing a winning team, having named the same starting line-up for the last six games, the first time a Blues side has been unchanged for so many matches since a record run of 12 in the 1991/92 Second Division championship-winning campaign.

“You can change a winning team, there’s nothing wrong with that,” he said. ”And you can keep a losing team. Whatever I think is best for the team on Saturday, whether that’s the right decision or otherwise, I will do that.

“If I think it’s the right decision to make changes, I’ll make changes, if I don’t, I won’t. That’s the way I see it.

“One or two of the players looked a little bit flat on Tuesday but they might come in full of bounce and, if I was thinking of making changes, by training properly they might just play themselves back into the team.”

Photo: Action Images

DutchTownFan added 09:56 - Oct 21 Is this the chance Ingy has been waiting for? Let's hope he plays and has a good game, so we have good competition at the back. Might be a few more changes though, but don't expect anything to radical. COYB
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Leoipswich added 10:35 - Oct 21 I hope so! DutchTownFan
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jabberjackson added 10:39 - Oct 21 i think Bullard may have a little rest this weekend, and maybe let Jay ET have a chance to prove himself at the top of the diamond with bowyer moving to the base and Leadbitter one of the middle ones...woud like to see Ivan (as long as he's not 'the Terrible') have a go as well, if fit...
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RetroBlue added 10:58 - Oct 21 In truth we need another decent CB at the Club. Delaney (for me anyway) simply isnt good enough, and Ivar is hardly match fit !
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itfc1981 added 11:01 - Oct 21 Ingi all day long, far better player. fully fit again and has played a few behind close doors and reser's games
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TractorMan added 11:45 - Oct 21 Ingi every time if fit - looked very good at Bristol and his injury and his replacement in Smith resulted in our poor run of form. Only when Sonko ad Collins turned up did we look solid again. Ingi and Collins should be a good enough partnership and Jewell has said he doesnt really like two left footers in the team.
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IvorFeeling added 12:28 - Oct 21 phil-scoop PJ has been on the phone to me this am - lol
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blue_em_away added 12:33 - Oct 21 What is it with people wanting to drop bullard after 1 poor game, which he in fact managed to ride through and got better towards the end. The guy will be raring to go on Saturday, so let him off the leash. Delaney bench - no brainer
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Pessimistic added 12:43 - Oct 21 I think Damien delaney should be given another chance after performing very efficiently last Tuesday for the last 30 minutes. Anyway why was it Delaney who was warming the bench and not Ingamarsson? I think it might have to do with his injury or worse still his attitude in training!
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blue_em_away added 12:48 - Oct 21 Pessimistic says it all...
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brockleyblueboy added 13:06 - Oct 21 Blue_em_away - I don't think people want Bullard dropped for a poor performance, but I think we have to sensible as he is obviously one of our highest piad players, has a histroy of injury so why burn him out now when we will need him for the season. We have a quality squad (How long has it been since we could say that) and we can bring in quality, put him on the bench and if we are struggling bring him on in the last 20 to make an impact. COYB - proper looking forward to this game and I reckon it is going to be a cracker. Palace aren't the slouches of old and with Darren Ambrose they are going to be the toughest oppostition we have faced this season

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StowTractorBoy added 13:31 - Oct 21 Leaving Bullard out would be a big mistake in my opinion - ok he was a little below par on Tuesday but he got a crunching tackle early on which should have been a booking and it slowed him up without a doubt. To my mind he is the most important cog in the diamond formation and the one player who can open up defences. Leave him out at our peril I say.
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