Town boss Mick McCarthy has warned that despite Fulham’s current lowly position their squad still contains players with Premier League experience as well as a number of promising youngsters. The Cottagers, who were amongst the pre-season favourites for promotion following their relegation in May, are currently 18th in the Championship, five points from the relegation zone.

“The front guys are certainly a strength,” said McCarthy, whose side climbed back to fourth following Tuesday’s 2-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday. “I don’t know if Scott Parker’s playing, he’s been poorly, I think.

“They’ve still got good players left [from the Premier League] and they’ve got good young players.

“They went out and bought young players that they thought were going to be good enough for the Premier League.

“I think in the Championship on any given day it’s how you take your chances and they’ve got an £11 million striker, [Ross McCormack].

“So if we make mistakes and we give them chances they might take them and it’s difficult to get back. Hugo Rodallega’s still playing for them as well, they’ve got some good players.

“They are a young group of players but they’ve good good players as well and they’ve got some experienced players.”

Kit Symons took over as boss in October having done well as caretaker-manager following Felix Magath’s sacking.

McCarthy says the former Welsh international has taken on a difficult job: “Kit’s inherited it after two or three managers, there have been a lot over a period of time, but just in recent times there have been a few.

“He got it as caretaker-manager and did amazingly well and even then they were still considering somebody else.

“It’s difficult, I think, for anybody to take over in those circumstances. Managers that were changing, coaching staff that were changing and then players that were changing and I think he’s settled it down and is doing a very good job of it.”

The Blues are set to be backed by an away following of more than 4,000, thought to be their biggest in the league since 4,310 made the trip to Reading back in 2005, with 250 making the voyage by boat.

McCarthy says he’s been hugely impressed by the travelling Blue Army: “When I watched the Rotherham game back again I was amazed at the support that we had, it was fantastic.

“Unfortunately we didn’t get the result but we had enough chances. Let’s hope we give them something to shout about and enjoy.”

Tickets will be available to Town fans on the day in a 'neutral zone’, for cash only with an increase on previous prices of £5. Fans planning to take the train should note the current major disruption on the line.

The Town boss has decisions to make having made five changes to his team for Tuesday’s victory over the Owls but feeling some of the players who came in might not be up to two games in a week after playing little first-team football in recent months.

Bartosz Bialkowski is set to continue in goal with goalscoring skipper Luke Chambers at right-back and Christophe Berra and Tommy Smith at the heart of the defence.

McCarthy will have to choose whether Jonny Parr starts at left-back or Tyrone Mings comes back into the XI. Against Wednesday Mings came on at half-time and Parr was pushed into midfield.

Starting the Norwegian in that wide left role may be something McCarthy is considering but Stephen Hunt and Jay Tabb are also options.

Centrally, McCarthy may well decide to return to the Cole Skuse-Kevin Bru partnership with the Mauritian international having been one of Town’s best performers after he replaced Teddy Bishop against the Owls.

On the right, Darren Ambrose may be handed a second league start since returning for his third spell with the club but may not last the full 90 minutes having played relatively little first-team football.

Up front, Daryl Murphy will be looking to net his 20th goal of the season to become the first Town player to net 20 in the league since David Johnson’s 22 in the 1999/00 promotion season.

McCarthy has hinted that Freddie Sears will keep his place after an impressive performance against Wednesday even if David McGoldrick is over his thigh problem, as is expected to be the case.

Recently signed 19-year-old right winger Dylan Connolly will travel with the senior squad for the first time and has been handed the number 24 shirt.

Luke Hyam and Alex Henshall - who returned from his loan spell at Blackpool last week - are the only players currently sidelined with injuries, both with knee problems.

Fulham skipper Scott Parker is expected to be back in the Cottagers’ midfield from the start having been on the bench for Tuesday’s 3-1 defeat to Bolton having been ill.

Full-backs Tim Hoogland (hernia) and Fernando Amorebieta (knee) are both close to a return but the Town game may come too soon for them.

Costa Rica World Cup star Bryan Ruiz is set to be amongst the subs after a loan move to Spanish side Levante collapsed.

Town and the Cottagers last met at Craven Cottage in the Premier League in the Blues’ 2001/02 relegation campaign.

That game, played in the October, ended 1-1 with Town unable to break down a Fulham side which was down to 10 men for most of the game.

Luis Boa Morte saw red just before half-time for a dive, although in truth he should have gone earlier for an elbow on Fabian Wilnis.

Town, who lost Finidi George to a broken cheekbone early on, had already gone behind to a Barry Hayles goal with the equaliser from Jermaine Wright coming in the second half.

On the opening day of this season at Portman Road, David McGoldrick came off the bench to score the decisive goal as Town won 2-1.

McGoldrick added to Daryl Murphy’s first-half goal in the 61st minute with Tim Hoogland pulling one back late on for the visitors.

Historically, the sides have met relatively rarely with the Blues victorious on seven occasions (five in the league), Fulham on eight (seven) and with seven (five) games ending in draws.

The Whites' last victory over the Blues was the famous 10-1 win at Craven Cottage on Boxing Day 1963.

Fulham are without a win in their last five games in all competitions and have won only two of their last 12 matches.

Ex-Town loanee Ryan Tunnicliffe joined the Cottagers in January 2014 from Manchester United after ending his spell at Portman Road early, while former Blue Brian Talbot is the chief scout at Craven Cottage, where he briefly played late on in his career.

The fourth-placed Blues have an opportunity to make up some ground on leaders Middlesbrough and third-placed Derby who are in FA Cup action this weekend. Bournemouth in second will go back to the top if they draw with Huddersfield at home.

Saturday’s referee is Mark Haywood from West Yorkshire, who has shown 85 yellow cards and three reds in 28 games so far this season.

Haywood’s most recent Town match was the 0-0 home draw with Blackpool in February last year in which he booked three of the visitors and no Town players.

Squad from: Bialkowski, Gerken, Chambers (c), Mings, Parr, Berra, Smith, Clarke, Skuse, Bru, Bishop, Ambrose, Anderson, Tabb, S Hunt, Stewart, Connolly, Murphy, Sears, McGoldrick, N Hunt.

Photo: Action Images

warktheline added 19:39 - Feb 13 Didn't realise McCarthy was talking to his players!!!!! I was under the impression it was the usual run of the mill pre match press conference, you know ,you be nice and we be nice. Think it's called respect amongst professionals!!!!!
3

warktheline added 19:45 - Feb 13 Didn't realise McCarthy was talking to the players!!!!! Was under the impression it was the usual run of the mill pre match press conference, you know, we be nice to you and you be nice to us, I think it's called respect amongst professionals!!!
0

neillrumsey added 20:02 - Feb 13 MM must stop talking up the opposition. He appears to be lacking belief. Wigan Brighton and Rotherham he spoke in glowing terms about them all prior to the match and we didn't beat any of them. He should be saying these are down the bottom for a reason, which is most teams are beating them. Keep it tight and lets get three points. MM is still doing a fantastic job with an average team and zero spent which is impressive. Couple of loan signings in midfield would definitely help our cause. COYB

-2

86wsblue added 20:23 - Feb 13 Everyone should keep the faith,we've had a flat few weeks but our time will come again by continuing the good game midweek tomorrow we will be in a good position half way through feb. Personally I cant wait for tomorrow its going to be a quality day out.COYB.
5

MattinLondon added 20:24 - Feb 13 I would say that what mick says in public is probably different to what he says to his players in private are two different things. But he has a tendency to employ cautious tactics. Anyway, here's to the fantastic support and three points,
4

warktheline added 20:29 - Feb 13 Mattinlondon, spot on.
2

TimmyH added 21:17 - Feb 13 Mick is a good man manager and in general gets the best out of players and has no doubt good organisational skills BUT I really don't get this continual 'bigging' up of the opposition...obvious they still have some PL players but are they playing likes ones? obviously not or they wouldn't be where they are...Wigan have some ex PL players and an ex-PL manager but how good were they when they came to PR...the answer: pretty poor!

0

bohslegend added 22:11 - Feb 13 Journalist (prob Phil) every week before game: "Mick, what do you think of the opposition this week? Is their manager any good and have they any chance of winning against your team?" MM (yawns) and replies with the standard respectful manager response: "Yeah, they've got quality all round the park, still a few who could be premier league players, they've spent a ton of money and we're expecting a really tough game" What MM really wants to say is: "FFS lads you ask me this same question every bloody week, why do you expect a different answer? To be honest, this is a game we really fancy, their 2 centre backs are weak and turn like the QE2, the midfield is pedestrian, and they are carrying 3 or 4 lads who have ideas about themselves as premier league players and have no intention of putting in a shift in the championship because they are trying to get sold. The manager hasn't a clue what he is doing despite the fact that he has spent millions on his squad compared to me spending diddly-squat and getting my team to 4th in the league. Yes we should murder these and I want you to go and print it large on your back pages so that the message goes out loud and clear to them - WE THINK YOU ARE SH1TE!" Get the picture??

4

dirtydingusmagee added 22:53 - Feb 13 Who do you actually support Walberswicks ?Trawlerboys or Canaries, it dosnt appear that you are a Town supporter .You knock the team win or lose and now it seems BEFORE the match.Man up and get behind the team.It will not be an easy game,hopefully we will come away with 3 points, but i would be thankful for 1 if its a fair result despite Fulhams position . People should think before saying it should be a cert win , if we were in a lowly position would you expect us to lose every game [ no walberswicks dont say a word ]COYB

3

Guthrum added 01:08 - Feb 14 Blueboy - What he says to the press may well not be the same as his words in the dressing room. McCarthy has more than enough experience at both dealing with the media and preparing players. Underestimating opposition teams is far more dangerous than overestimating them.
4

HackneyBlue added 07:33 - Feb 14 any one know if i can gain entry today in mixed end paying cash
0

skinnyman27 added 07:50 - Feb 14 god alot of twtd posters are misserable, come on ffs, we are still in the play off position, who would have dreamed of that at the start of the season. if we fall away, yes its going to be annoying but as long as the boys give 100% what more can you ask. i love you town, come on, big win today please, but fulham do have some good players, it wont be easy
2

warktheline added 08:43 - Feb 14 @skinnyman, many on here are half empty, not half full!!!!!
2

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 08:51 - Feb 14 PJH, I think you hit the nail on the head on page 1, when you ask what else Mick could say PUBLICLY (sorry, can't do italics on this **** tablet). We don't know what he says to the team privately. I'd guess, being Mick, he still mentions caution, but he might also say something like, "Look, we can win this, but first and foremost, let's make sure we don't lose." Personally, however, I do agree with several others on here: we should really go for it and put the emphasis on attack. That if anything might surprise the opposition!😄

3

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 08:54 - Feb 14 Ok! Didn't read page 2. Looks as tho' several of you got there first.
1

BlueandTruesince82 added 09:25 - Feb 14 I would add that there is no better way to fire up the opposition than tell them they are crap no hopers who we expect to d!ck all over. reaction from opposition manager, pin a copy up on every players locker. Reaction from every opposition player, take the field with a lets show this arrogant prick what we're made of and give them a really good going over. Mick telling the opposition they can't play for toffee is NOT going to strike fear into their hearts and as others have said what Mick says in the dressing room will be of a different ilk. Don't believe everything people say, consider the context.

4

BlueandTruesince82 added 09:27 - Feb 14 * going over attitude
1

skinnyman27 added 09:31 - Feb 14 warktheline, i agree with you, but thats probably how they run their whole life, so i feel very sorry for them. i know every one is different but come on, enjoy life, if you dont like the football we paly, then dont fo watch, simples
2

skinnyman27 added 09:36 - Feb 14 @blueandtruesince82, i agree with you too,when do any managers say, yeah today is going to be easy, were going win 3 or 4 nil, it doesnt happen even if they are 90% sure it will. man u draw to cambridge but i bet van haal though they would tharsh them, but in his interview i bet he didnt say that, he probably said, its going to be tough, they are going to have 10 men behind the ball ect ect.

2

skinnyman27 added 09:37 - Feb 14 excuse my spelling, typing quick on ipad,
0

gosblue added 10:53 - Feb 14 Spot on Skinny. Can you imagine Kit Symonds saying in a press conference 'that Chambers is a bit slow to turn we're gonna get at him' or that Mings likes to get forward so we're gonna get in behind him on the counter' or 'they've got 2 left footed CBs so we're gonna stick it in the left channel behind the right back.' He'll certainly be saying those things in the dressing room and on the training ground. In the press conference he'll be sticking to the script saying something like 'Mick always sets his side up so they're hard to beat, it's gonna be a tough game. ' Managers go on courses to learn how to speak to the media that's why they say the same things.

4

TimmyH added 11:25 - Feb 14 To me it's pointless printing such articles because it doesn't matter who the opposition is whether it's Derby (near top), Fulham (ex-PL playing not so good now) or a newly promoted team i.e. Rotherham, Brentford we're going to hear Mick give us the positives from ALL the opposition - so who is he spinning this too? the media? our supporters? or the players to make sure not to take the specific match to lackadaisical?

1

warktheline added 11:55 - Feb 14 timmy, most of it centres around sky, I would suggest, mick gets fed up with it too, like all other managers, but its part and parcel of the modern game. Look at sky sports news and your see them asking managers about other clubs and situations, pointless.....but its what they want to fill up air time.
5

scunnyblue added 13:53 - Feb 14 Mick makes these types of comments most weeks. as we have only lost 6 in 30 in the league i would say keep it up it seems to be working :-P
1

Blogs 297 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls