Blues manager Paul Hurst has named a strong starting XI for this afternoon’s pre-season friendly at Braintree Town (KO 3pm).

As is usual at this stage of pre-season, the rest of the large travelling squad are all likely to play a part at some stage.

Missing are striker Joe Garner, who is understood to have picked up a minor knock, while Emyr Huws, Tom Adeyemi and Teddy Bishop, who is here, are likely not to be considered ready for match action.

New loanee Trevoh Chalobah is away with the England U19s, while striker Ben Morris is also absent and is also believed to be with the Young Lions ahead of the Euros in Finland.

Bartosz Bialkowski and Jonas Knudsen are still away following the World Cup.

Town: Gerken, Emmanuel, Spence, Chambers (c), Kenlock, Skuse, Downes, Ward, Sears, Waghorn, Roberts. Subs: Wright, Cotter, Webber, Woolfenden, Ndaba, McGavin, Nydam, Dozzell, Folami, McKendry, Drinan.

Photo: TWTD

PortmanTerrorist added 14:46 - Jul 14 Reality check; who else is there who is not fit ? Still need a player or 3, hopefully starting with the guy from Posh.
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arc added 14:47 - Jul 14 Looks like 4—4—2.
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Freddies_Ears added 14:52 - Jul 14 None of that two separate halves of kickabout. Hurst is setting his stall out, a first team for first half. Happy days are here again.
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Ipswichbusiness added 15:05 - Jul 14 Chambers and Spence does not seem to me to be a strong enough central defensive partnership. We need recruits.
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arc added 15:06 - Jul 14 Well, I'm wrong–this from Stuart Watson: "New boy Jordan Roberts playing as the central striker in early stages for #itfc . Sears on left, Ward on right and Waghorn in behind. Downes/Skuse sitting. 4-2-3-1."
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prebbs007 added 16:16 - Jul 14 What a poor headline Phil !!! How is that a strong line up ? Appreciate it's our first official pre season game but honestly who actually believes any of : Gerken, Emmanuel, Spence, Chambers , Kenlock, Skuse, Downes, Ward, Sears or Robets are good enough for a championship play off challenge ???? Of the starting 11 for me only Waghorn is capable of claiming to be in that category. If we honestly start with any of the other 10 for our opening league game we are in for a very very long season for sure. Gerken is a poor keeper, the back four has no chance of ever playing premier league football. That midfield is so fR from our best available (not for this match) and Sears has again and again proved he can't score goals at championship level. In my opinion this is not a strong team and I would be very worried if any of them (Waghorn apart) start against Blackburn.

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runningout added 16:27 - Jul 14 starting with Strong team?? not sure about that
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inghamspur added 16:51 - Jul 14 We've lost to Braintree???????
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afrodids added 17:23 - Jul 14 Surely that statement "strong side" is a contradiction in terms. The dead wood needs to go. 🥒, Spence, Chambers skuse sears. To avoid relegation we need a complete overhaul of the squad with at least 3 more additions required. For promotion it would need 5 or 6 more. Don't expect miracles from Hurst regardless of how good a coach he is. Sh1t players are still Sh1t and won't turn into superstars overnight naturally talented players are what we require who are guided by coaching.

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