Town boss Mick McCarthy has handed Ben Pringle and Kevin Foley their Blues debuts in today’s game against Bristol City at Ashton Gate.

The line-up implies Town will start in a 3-5-2 system with Foley and Jonas Knudsen wing-backs, however, the former Wolves man can also operate in midfield.

Ryan Fraser (hamstring), Cole Skuse (toe), Luke Hyam (calf), Giles Coke (knee), David McGoldrick (hamstring) and Teddy Bishop (hamstring) all miss out through injury, while Jonathan Douglas serves the final game of his three-match ban.

TWTD’s report may lack its usual detail in the first half with our reporter still on a train, services from Paddington having been suspended for more than an hour shortly after noon due to a fatality at Slough.

Bristol City: O’Donnell, Little, Flint, Baker, Golbourne, Pack, Smith, Tomlin, Bryan, Freeman, Kodjia. Subs: Fielding, Vyner, Pearce, Reid, Wagstaff, Agard, Wilbraham.

Town: Bialkowski, Foley, Chambers (c), Berra, Smith, Knudsen, Pringle, Bru, Maitland-Niles, Sears, Murphy. Subs: Henly, Kenlock, Digby, Tabb, Toure, Varney, Pitman. Referee: Tony Harrington (Cleveland).

Photo: ITFC

Photo: Action Images

BlueMachines added 14:20 - Feb 13 Weakest team and bench in a long time.
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sidtheswan added 14:20 - Feb 13 Good luck boys !
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muccletonjoe added 14:21 - Feb 13 something different , lets see what happens here
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TimmyH added 14:25 - Feb 13 Certainly different mainly due to the injuries which by and large only seems to change Micks hand but essentially it's a defensive 5-3-2 formation hoping to catch them on the break (again) with the wing backs joining in. Best of luck lads and the debutees.
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jas0999 added 14:30 - Feb 13 I sincerely hope we don't need our subs. Pitman aside that is an extremely weak bench. What on earth were the club thinking, not strengthening? Our stating eleven though should be good enough to beat Bristol City. Otherwise we are in trouble. Worried about Foley as he hasn't played since the back end of last season, nine months or so ago. Match sharp? We will see!
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BlueMachines added 14:40 - Feb 13 Not being match fit is a poor excuse for someone having a bad game. He has been training the same as the rest of them. I don't buy into the con managers have created over the years of 'match fit'
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footyblue added 14:41 - Feb 13 5 defenders playing for a draw?
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StuartBrett8 added 14:44 - Feb 13 Been crying out for 352 should be solid at the back... 2-0 town :)
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MattinLondon added 14:45 - Feb 13 Attacking wise the team looks good and hopefully with Bru and Pringle in the midfield their should be some spark especially with AMN. Personally I would have put McDonnell and another youngster in on the subs bench rather than Tabb and Toure.
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Keaneish added 14:49 - Feb 13 I'd argue the reason that we've changed to this system is that Bristol City played this way at PR and stretched us at times. Mick being Mick has gone like for like to nullify the threat as he probably sees us stronger man-for-man. Not a fan of this but will be interesting to see how the back 3 play and how the additional man in the middle nullifies Freedman. Johnson vs McCarthy - complete mismatch in experience.....

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Gforce added 14:58 - Feb 13 I fear we will be 5 pts off the top six,by 4.50.
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marco007 added 15:00 - Feb 13 Looking at that team and our bench,I think the reporter would be wise to stay on the train :)
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braveblue added 15:05 - Feb 13 What a ridiculous position to be in when we have a real promotion opportunity. Two players in first 11 who have not played a full game this season in the league. The weakest bench I can remember in many years. vans - you should be ashamed of yourself. Mick - still think every position and nothing better was available? Just hope some of the players do really well and we get the points. We will set up for a nil-nil draw though.

4

Seasider added 15:23 - Feb 13 Micks parking the bus strategy hasnt worked again as Ipswich are behind already,expect he has his excuse that he is short of his regulars.Long way to go as yet though;but cant sit back now.
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JimmyP45 added 15:32 - Feb 13 Thank god we have built up enough points to consider ourselves safe for this season. If we hadn't, with all the injury problems now, I would genuinely fear relegation. Let's just see how we fair til the end of the season.
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Seasider added 15:34 - Feb 13 Town pressing now,why do they have to wait until they go behind.Pringle doing well though.
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DannyITFC added 15:43 - Feb 13 Pathetic.......2-0 down to absolute crap! Evans and McCarthy please leave our club your a joke. Enough is enough I for one will certainly not be renewing my season ticket while this tragic management and ownership are spearheading Ipswich Town Football club. I watched Fulham earlier rip apart QPR both play much better football than we do, how on earth have we managed to be 7th at this point in the season? Quite frankly the lack of ambition in January has proved to everyone the management are content with mid table trash which is all we will ever be with the current setup. I am actually embarrassed to be an Ipswich fan these days......what has happened to our club? We are pathetic and weak. Time for a change or settle for mid table season after season and continue to watch our noisy neighbors Norwich be miles better than us in all areas.

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Seasider added 15:44 - Feb 13 2-0 down,will this only be two wins in 9 as cant see us winning now.Will be lucky to draw.More likely to be thrashing as City look really up for it at present;but if we can get thru til halftime,perhaps the dinosaur will earn his corn.
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StuartBrett8 added 15:53 - Feb 13 My advice to Phil, if you're stuck on the train I would stay there... so much for my prediction :(
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BlueNomad added 16:10 - Feb 13 Next season.................. (Quote from 2002 - Version 14)
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happybeingblue added 16:46 - Feb 13 Watching live stream dear oh dear we look woeful devoid of any attacking ideas
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happybeingblue added 16:56 - Feb 13 That was a shocking performance blooming heck we look rubbish ! I'm getting worried now play offs I'll be happy to stay up after that ... Few injuries but please you can't excuse that performance Bristol weren't much better
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righty added 17:00 - Feb 13 McCarthy said the squad was good enough shows his knowledge he has . He has got to go and take Evans with the club is falling apart at the seam McCarthy OUT
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babyblueboy added 17:12 - Feb 13 Absolutely gutted long expensive trip to see complete dross good squad what a stupid statement no wher good enough only a dissolusioned old fool could possibly think we are good enough for anything other than mid table dross "RUBBISH"
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Bluetone added 17:42 - Feb 13 It must be crystal clear by now that McCarthy's mindset is "If I achieve promotion I'll get found out and sacked; if I stay mid-table in the championship I've got a cushy billet until I choose to retire." Now is the time to change and to blood youngsters and plan to move forward by playing football NOT hoofball.
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