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Ipswich Have a Real Fight on Their Hands This Season - Notes for Blackburn Rovers
Friday, 3rd Aug 2018 11:45 by HarryFromBath

HarryFromBath assesses the mood in the opposition camp ahead of Saturday’s opening game of the season at Portman Road by delving into their forums.

“Is it just me but are we starting to do things like a normal football club?”, “The season can't come soon enough now. The bounce from promotion is definitely evident, as well as a team looking the fittest and most organised it has at this stage for about eight years.”

Rovers head down to Suffolk full of familiar optimism for the coming campaign. Promotion from League One was achieved at the first time of asking and there is a strong sense that the club has found stability under manager Tony Mowbray after enduring several seasons of chaos and decline.

“Momentum is everything. If we approach the Championship believing we can and should compete, we have as much right as anyone else to do well and that money isn't the most important thing, we can go far. If we solely aim for survival and feel that we are not worthy of competing, we’ll struggle.”

“Consolidate at a minimum and I would be very happy at anything better”, “To be quite honest, after the last couple of years, I will take not being in a relegation scrap for most of the season. I will take winning more home matches than we lose and I will take the occasional scalp away from home.”

“We’ll stay up.” Most Lancastrians are confident of survival, although few are expecting a run at the play-offs. “We will comfortably consolidate without ever seriously troubling either end of the table”, “Most of our games will be low-scoring tight affairs. We will come somewhere between 10th and 18th.”

Tony Mowbray

“Tony Mowbray is a down to earth football guy. Everyone, flashy footballer or plodder, will listen to a guy who talks football with honesty and a bit of knowledge. I love listening to his voice as it always reminds me of my dad and so many of the men I knew while I was growing up on Teesside.”

The 54-year-old replaced Owen Coyle in February 2017 with the club struggling to avoid relegation from the Championship. Although they dropped down to League One, fans have appreciated how the former Ipswich playing legend and caretaker-manager has built a close-knit squad of players.

“We have a successful, buoyant, tight-knit group of players who have bonded really well on the back of a promotion season. This is largely down to the set up that Mowbray has created”, “He nearly got us out of relegation trouble in his first season. The remaining players had reason to believe in him.”

“He’s a real top bloke”, “Fair play to him, I thought it was an uninspiring choice. He struck me as a dull guy, I couldn't imagine him motivating modern young players. How wrong can you be, what he has got out of this team is remarkable, and every time he speaks I want to get my boots on and play.”

“On the style of play, I felt that he often set up to counter-attack, which might just suit us better in the Championship. There won’t be teams parking the bus on us up there compared to League One. We are a club on the up with some decent players who clearly have a lot of respect for Mowbray.”

A Quiet Transfer Window

“Mowbray is savvy enough that he will see what we lack”, “We need to gradually build a core set of players and then strengthen year on year. I would rather we tried to establish ourselves as a decent Championship team than become a yo-yo team by simply wasting money on the wrong players.”

“We need young and hungry players that can increase in value that we will obviously sell, hopefully with any funds going back into the team”, “We will live or die by our signings. The team as it stands is barely good enough to stay out of the bottom three or four.”

Fans want to see the club build to a long-term plan and many have welcomed what has been a quiet summer window at Ewood Park. Most activity has revolved around nine contract extensions agreed with the existing squad, but there have been three additions and three departures.

Midfielder Joe Rothwell, 23, has been signed from Oxford on a three-year contract along with Jacob Davenport, a 19-year-old Manchester City academy product, who has agreed a four-year deal. The third addition is attacking midfielder Kasey Palmer, 21, on a season-long loan from Chelsea.

Defender Elliott Ward and one-time Town loanee and winger Liam Feeney have been released, while defender Scott Wharton has returned on loan to Lincoln, where he played since January. The loss of three of last year’s loan signings has also left Rovers short of attackers ahead of the new campaign.

“Last season at times we had Bradley Dack, [striker] Adam Armstrong [on loan from Newcastle from January], [attacking midfielder] Jack Payne [on loan from Huddersfield from January] and [winger or second striker] Harry Chapman [a Boro loan signing in August]. Now we just have Dack.”

Pre-Season Results

Rovers began their pre-season campaign in Scotland with a 2-0 win at Hibernian. A 1-1 draw at Port Vale was followed by a 2-0 home defeat to Liverpool. Successive wins at Lincoln (1-0) and notably at home to Everton (3-0) were then followed by a 1-0 loss on Saturday at near-neighbours Accrington.

RayaNyandeLenihanMulgrewBellSmallwoodEvansBennettDackPalmerGraham

The starting XI (above) for Rovers’ win over Everton is expected to form the core of Saturday’s team with two exceptions on the left flank. Many expect Derrick Williams, who spent time training at the Town academy as a youngster, to replace Amari’i Bell at left-back, while former Blues loanee Dominic Samuel may start instead of new arrival Kasey Palmer.

“We’re at our best playing 4-2-3-1 and an aggressive press.” Blackburn went ahead against Everton on nine minutes when Darragh Lenihan headed home after a clever corner-kick routine. Samuel struck a second on 39 and Dack made it three on 68 against a poor Toffees team.

“This was probably very close to our starting line-up. You could tell that this was the backbone of the promotion team. It was well organised and surprisingly fluid, given our lack of attacking options”, “It is safe to say this squad will be well up for it this season, whether it will be strong enough or not.”

“I’m really not a fan of three at the back.” Mowbray experimented with a back three for part of their last campaign and again in pre-season, but it is not a popular option. “Very worrying that we're lining up with three at the back. The kind of player you need to play wing-back is out of our price range.”

“This squad is thin on the ground in its Championship experience and thinner on its Championship-standard quality”, “Our first XI has more than enough to be competitive, however there are some extremely average players filling the rest of the squad. That’s what will drag us down this season.”

“We lack pace and that spark of creativity.” Rovers are happiest with their range of options in central midfield, where Richard Smallwood and Corry Evans provide balance and industry behind playmaker Bradley Dack. In contrast, striker Danny Graham is their only recognised and experienced frontman.

“There are some good options in the middle. It is possibly our most well-stocked area with a variety of tenacity and technique in there”, “The biggest problem with our team is the lack of pace. We have huffed and puffed in pre-season games. but the lack of forward-thinking players is worrying.”


There is one obvious talisman. “Bradley Dack could have a great season if he has a couple of good forwards to help him shoulder the burden. Expect him to do it all on his own and you will soon find he's double-marked out of most games”, “His link-up play with Danny Graham is telepathic at times.”

Goalkeepers and Defenders

“David Raya is a superb shot stopper. He has a cracking side-volley kick thing that he can do, but he fumbles and is awful with crosses and his kicking still needs a lot of work”, “With experience he will get there, “An opponent last season put a late tackle in on Raya and he was straight up in his face.”

player imageDavid Raya

“An absolutely unreal shot-stopper.” The 22-year-old youth product made his Rovers’ debut against Town in our 3-2 final-day defeat in our 2015 play-off season. “Raya could be a seriously good keeper one day if he was able to improve both the way he currently deals with crosses and his distribution.”

“Ryan Nyambe is fantastic defensively and athletic. He’s good on the ball he is still raw.” The 20-year-old youth product “is not a great attacking player and will never be a wing-back in a million years. He is suited to playing as a right-back as he’s far better defensively than he is going forward.”

“Nyambe is a big strong boy”, “He looks a real physical threat and has used it well in pre-season”, “He is very slim looking and confident and I have high hopes for him”, “He did okay in League One but he has a lot to prove at this level”, “He has to work on his fundamental footballing intelligence.”

“I know the natural assumption is that Amari’i Bell comes into the side this year but I can’t see it.” The 24-year-old left-back signed from Fleetwood in January. “One thing we definitely lack is a bit of pace and Bell does give us that”, “He is very effective with his pace and he can easily beat a man.”

“Bell looks handy going forward but he can be very slack”, “When he is solely responsible for wide attacks on the left he struggles. He is more effective as the left back in a four, taking advantage of overlaps and 2-v-1s. He has much more pace than the far safer Derrick Williams going forward.”

“I don't see a player at all in Derrick Williams.” The 25-year-old former Bristol City man “is technically awful and his passing is poor. The Championship will find him out straight away. We can't play him in a three, he doesn't have the pace or technique on the ball”, “He is one of Mowbray's foot soldiers.”

“Williams is shocking at passing but he’s solid enough at the back”, “He lacks any physical threat”, “I have never particularly rated him and he will be a weak link. He isn't much better going forward”, “Is he a left-back or a centre-back? He’s got pros and cons for both”, “He’s an average steady left-back.”

“When the pre-season pictures of the lads in the Austria training camp came out Paul Caddis looked seriously overweight and in terrible shape.” The 30-year-old one-time Birmingham man “has never been the most athletic but I was shocked when I saw the photos. I can't see him featuring at all.”

“Darragh Lenihan is immense.” The 24-year-old youth product “is a tough centre-half”, “If he and Charlie Mulgrew keep up their good partnership they should be able to make up for each other's weaknesses, but if either one of them suffers a long-term injury then I would really fear for us.”

“Lenihan is not a ball-playing defender by any means”, “His passing isn’t particularly good and at times it can be all over the place. He must improve on his technical ability as it is the weakness in his game. He keeps impressing in his partnership with Mulgrew and his reputation is trending upwards”

Charlie Mulgrew

“Whenever reading opinions of games and who played well, it is rare that people pick out Mulgrew.”

player imageCharlie Mulgrew

The 32-year-old ex-Celtic man “is a bloody good player who is really adept at passing out from the back”, “He strikes an excellent dead ball and is useful for any freekicks from the 20-30 yards mark.”

“What a leader”, “Mulgrew a class act on the ball one of our most underrated players”, “He lacks pace these days to be a good full-back but he’s the organiser back there”, “Our worst-case scenario, without a proven and confident goalscorer, we may well have to rely on his set pieces to score.”

Central Midfielders

“Richard Smallwood is neat and tidy in possession.” The 28-year-old ex-Rotherham man “does a lot of things well. His passing and composure are good”, “He was our most consistent midfielder last season, but I’m not convinced he has shown enough quality to keep his place regularly at this level.”

“Smallwood jogging back when Nyambe and Bennett are sprinting past him full pelt is really starting to grate on me”, “All you need to do is watch him when the opposition are counter-attacking. It's appalling how slow he has become. He puts no effort to get back as it could cost him a yellow card.”

“Peter Whittingham has shown in 10-minute periods that, with time on the ball and players making intelligent runs, he could be an important player for us, but then he fades out of the games.” The 33-year-old former Cardiff man is expected to be a bench option for Mowbray in the coming season.

“Whittingham is a non-productive passenger”, “I don’t see him playing much. For a player with so much experience I would be looking for him to lead from the front”, “He has been a joy to watch at times in pre-season, he looked interested and was pinging the ball to his team-mates for fun.”

“Jack Davenport looks a class act.” The 19-year-old July signing from Manchester City “looks a really tidy player. He has two good feet and looks dangerous”, “He looks very mobile in a deeper role even if he is a bit sloppy in possession”, “He will oust Smallwood from the team sooner rather than later.”

“Joe Rothwell looks slow and afraid to run at his man.” The 23-year-old June acquisition from Oxford “looked quick to me and seemed to have good stamina has that bit about him. He can carry the ball forward as an attacking midfielder but he doesn’t look the type of player to get fans off their seats.”

“Rothwell is inconsistent but technically gifted and very good on his day. It seems that the general consensus among Oxford fans was that he’s neat and tidy with the ball and put his foot in although he goes missing if the game is taken to his team”, “He’s a good pacy player with an eye for a pass.”

“Corry Evans is a midfielder who never gave the ball away.” The 28-year-old former Hull man “wins a lot of second balls with high pressing”, “He does his bit for the cause in defence, blocking shots and chasing down”, “An experienced operator who was our best player in the last month of the season.”

“Evans is a decent quality midfielder that could read the game. I'm not a fan but if he can finally have a consistent season then he'd be first-choice centre midfield for me”, “He is poor until international weeks come around”, “He’s knows this level or higher and certainly in the central midfield position.”

Bradley Dack

“What a difference Dack makes.” The 24-year-old former Gillingham playmaker “will relish playing in the Championship. He’s a big game player”, “He will go down as the best value for money signing in our history and he will be the difference in the tougher games that we will now need to get used to.”

player imageBradley Dack

“A cross between Paul Gascoigne and Carlos Tevez”, “He has looked fit and hungry for the ball, using nice touch to steal it and using his strength to shrug off defenders”, “I'm convinced he can be a very good player in the Premier League one day. He’s so strong and his finishing is so calm and collected.”

“We have got to enjoy watching Dack while we have him, because if he carries on improving like he has we won’t keep him for long”, “Christ he’s special, he’s a niggly little git as well”, “He is destined for really big things and will absolutely look at home at this level. He will impress many onlookers.”

Wide Midfielders and Wingers

“What is with this Craig Conway lovefest? He can barely run for God’s sake.” The 33-year-old former Cardiff winger “is a last 30-minute player at best and if we start games with him I will be appalled”, “If we play last year’s 4-2-3-1, we need a left winger who is quick on the break and can beat a man.”

“I love Conway. He has been a great servant but if we're going to start him we need someone pacy on the opposite flank. “I fully expect Conway to be a regular starter, but more as a defensive winger type”, “He’s an experienced steady Eddie and he’s one of our safer but far less productive players.”

“Kasey Palmer is a good signing but hasn't played yet has been deemed not fit enough to play for 90 minutes by Mowbray. At least we will have him as a bench option from the bench”, “I like the look of him.” The 21-year-old Chelsea loanee featured in Huddersfield’s 2017 promotion-winning season.

Terriers were full of praise for him at the time. “Kasey Palmer looks like he’s having the time of his life.” “He looks to have the ability to play anywhere in the forward four positions”, “His touch is sensational, he gets me off my seat and you get the feeling he can make things happen.”

“Palmer is young and with little first-team experience but plays like a seasoned professional. He can score, he has a range of passes that seem exceptional and an ability to read the game”, “No one has mentioned his strength. He can receive a ball with his back to goal, hold off a marker and turn him.”

Elliott Bennett

“When you think about it, Bennett really is a great lad to have around. I wouldn't mind if I saw his name on the teamsheet at right-back, central midfield or right wing”, “I like him in the centre too, but I think he will be back on the right this season. He adds pace to our sedate central midfield.”

“Bennett plays his heart out.” The 29-year-old ex-Norwich man is praised for his versatility. “He can play anywhere, although it’s not ideal he can at least come inside and unleash that sweet right foot”, “He’s physically quicker, stronger and more of a goal threat than Smallwood in central midfield.”

Strikers

“Dominic Samuel is a bit of enigma who on one occasion powered through three defenders and in the next moment failed to control a simple ball”, “Our most active player who causes problems but always struggles with his decision-making”, “He looks okay wide right but does nothing defensively.”

player imageDominic Samuel

The 24-year-old striker or winger was signed from Reading in July 2017, having played on loan for Ipswich in the six-month period beforehand although he only featured six times in this spell, largely due to injury. “He has a good touch at times and has pace he does flatter to deceive and he gives the ball away too often.”

Danny Graham

“We are literally going into this season with one 33-year-old centre-forward who can't play for 90 minutes. Mowbray needs to get someone in as soon as possible”, “If Graham is injured, or can’t cope with the rigours of the second tier, then we will be relying on Dack for any threat in the final third.”

player imageDanny Graham

“Our only proven forward with ability and experience.” Rovers rate the former Sunderland striker but worry about him lasting the whole campaign. “The fact that few of us would question him being first choice shows he has rebuilt his reputation. He was pivotal to our upturn in results last season.”

“Graham is very good at what he does. He’s the only player in our squad capable of playing the lone frontman role and holding up play at the moment”, “If you don't score goals you go down. We can't rely on Dack getting 15 goals in this division. Danny’s fitness is waning for all his undoubted quality.”

Rovers Fans’ Thoughts on ITFC and the Game

“We never do well at Ipswich and we have been slow starters for years. I fully expect to finish above them come May, but a point here is acceptable”, “This is a game we shouldn’t lose, hopefully we will win and start off a winnable run of opening games intending to keep the momentum from last year.”

“If I were Ipswich, I wouldn't want to open the campaign against a team promoted as impressively as Rovers were. Betting odds are marginally making an Ipswich win favourites which is fair but all three outcomes are pretty evenly backed”, “Head says draw, heart says we will do them on the counter.”

“I think we will hit the ground running here”, “The bookies have Ipswich as relegation material so what better way to start the campaign than three points here providing we have our own house in order. A draw at minimum and I am confident that last season's guys can win against these.”

“You can only fill the club up with so much lower league talent before you end up there.” Travelling Rovers fans are confident of victory against an Ipswich team who many believe to be among the favourites to be relegated. “We can definitely win here, though, if we're set up to do so.”

“We have quite a few winnable games at the start so must hit the ground running”, “Going for a win here. Teams will not park the bus against us in this division and I feel we have the ability to strike on the counter against this lot”, “Sounds like Ipswich are having an unstable summer player-wise.”

“It is a horrible game to call. Ipswich have a new manager bounce and home advantage but they have lost a lot of players and are probably playing a new system. Hurst knows how we will play and our danger men but we have a promotion bounce and an organised team who know each other.”

“I fear a rude awakening on Saturday.” They are fully aware of our new manager. “Paul Hurst will be desperate to get off to a good start, especially given what happened last season, but he will struggle there”, “Whatever skill they lack, Hurst will have them make up for in effort and organisation.”

Websites

The busiest Rovers’ message-board is the friendly and knowledgeable BRFCS.com.


Photo: Action Images



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.



Ndaw added 11:51 - Aug 3
Bizarre so many teams see us as relegation favourites, maybe we're all so delighted not to have Mick and more that we've been blinded by optimism. Anyhow their comments about having to many players from the lower league is nonsense considering all their players were from the lower leagues last year and they think they'll spank us, morons.
20

maccyd9 added 11:57 - Aug 3
What a lazy load of all shoite. (blackburn fans, not Harry). Unstable summer? I'd say exciting and refreshing summer.....lost loads of players??? i'd say improved the squad already with plenty more to come. I'm more confident of a top ten finish than I've been in any season under Mick. The arrogance of the newly promoted teams and those with no knowledge of how bad last season was is funny to see. We will surprise almost everyone imo.
13

horsehollerer added 12:10 - Aug 3
Teams see us as relegation fodder because that's what all the papers and bookies have been saying for weeks. If people read it enough, they'll believe it. But none of them really know anything about us.
You can't blame their fans for being upbeat.
Can't wait for the game. COYB

And cheers as always Harry. Love the season previews on Blue Monday too.
7

BlueandTruesince82 added 12:12 - Aug 3
Blackburn fans no as much about football as their chicken farmer owners it seems
5

Osbourne_One_Nil added 12:24 - Aug 3
Lets hope the Blackburn players and staff are as complacent as their fans are !
3

OwainG1992 added 12:28 - Aug 3
Very much looking forward to us shocking quite a few teams this season.
5

bobble added 12:52 - Aug 3
whats blackburn ?
1

TractorBoyTommy added 12:55 - Aug 3
How delusional are most of the town fans on here! If every other fans team, press and bookies think we will struggle it might suggest that you are wearing your blue tinted glasses and refuse to acknowledge the facts we are only signing average lower league players with no championship experience! I think a fair few of you will be dissapointed in a few weeks when we will be struggling, although I would hate to see us at the bottom of the league. I cant wait to see your comments on here! will definetly put a smile on my face #humblepie
-14

carlo88 added 13:22 - Aug 3
The question is: Was McCarthy making us punch above our weight or holding us back? Bookies and punters obviously reckon it's the latter. No way should we be third favourites to go down though.
2

Wark_On added 13:42 - Aug 3
Thanks @harryfrombath for these excellent insights into our opponents this season. Always a pleasure to read, and often open our eyes to how fellow supporters view their club.
Looking forward with optimism- COYB.
3

ArnieM added 13:43 - Aug 3
Really not sure where all this predicted Ipswich for relegation, shyte, has come from. But it is just that , utter bull shyte.
3

positivity added 13:54 - Aug 3
public service for hurst-haters, our odds for relegation are lengthening, so lump on now if you're that confident!
(before last season we were 11-4 to get relegated, we're currently 7-2, so the bookies are slightly more confident of us staying up this season fwiw)
2

BlueNomad added 13:54 - Aug 3
As so many people who have no interest in our club seem to be so sure we will go down we may as well not bother really. I follow football all year round but don't really know what goes on at other clubs during pre-season.
1

Oldsmoker added 14:03 - Aug 3
Harrys notes on all 23 of our opponents have highlighted how pre-season optimism affects all clubs. If the season was decided on pundits and newspaper talk Stoke and Derby should take the season off and just turn up for the Premiership next season and Town, Bolton and Rotherham should start checking out the pubs near League 1 grounds.
Town fans have the most experience of the Championship (fact) and we will tell these pundits that anyone can beat anyone. If we lose on Saturday it will not define our season. We will improve game after game as our new players become more familiar with the new style and their new teamates.
9

The_Great_Cornholio added 14:26 - Aug 3
I think lots of the journos have believed MM's self-hype back when he was our manager. I truly believe his style of football was suppressing us and we will be better without him.
3

Brad_C_ITFC added 14:48 - Aug 3
Can we sack off Tommy already...
2

carsey added 15:04 - Aug 3
I reckon those not connected with Town believed in McCarthy and had no idea of the dross we were being forced to endure. Whatever happens I'm pleased he has gone and the vast majority of fan's seemed united again.
For those still yearning after McCarthy I would ask where is he working now? I said many times last season if he were really that good why didn't another club offer him a job? The answer is that for all the good stuff said about him by pundits and ex footballers he isn't really that good.
I hopefull of some decent entertainment and putting a few noses out of joint including that lot up the road.
COYB
5

barrystedmunds added 15:16 - Aug 3
I have this horrible reoccurring nightmare that Monotonous Mick is sitting by the phone somewhere waiting for ME to phone if it all goes horribly wrong!!
0

BlueandTruesince82 added 15:32 - Aug 3
If it does go Tong then Gorgeous George must be top of the rolodex
0

TimmyH added 15:45 - Aug 3
Why do we have a real fight on our hands?...McCarthy really isn't that brilliant (haven't heard of a club coming in for him). Might take a time for recruitments/our youngsters with our experienced players to gel though and play a different style of football.

Personally it's a real difficult one to predict how we'll do this season, under Mick it became predictable over the last few seasons...I reckon around mid-table again or just below.
1

TimmyH added 15:48 - Aug 3
I think last season we were 4th favourites to get relegated (but I think that was just before the Waghorn and Garner recruits).
1

Toronto_Tractor added 16:22 - Aug 3
It makes me chuckle how personally everyone takes other fans comments about Town. Its nice being an un-fancied underdog.
4

Talbs77 added 17:34 - Aug 3
This is where we have always done well when we are completely unfancied that's not me saying we will go up but certainly surprise a few including Blackburn who, by the sound of the above fan will win Championship by March.

Saw Mick McCarthy writing in national pres that he always backs Jack Marriott to score, I thought he thought he was fat???!!!!😂😂

The talking stops.... here we go.....bring it on!
1

FromIpswichToPhoenix added 20:07 - Aug 3
Do a runner, TractorBoyTommy. You're insufferable. I see on the news it's hot over there, go outside and catch some sun, it might do you good.
2

Palestine added 20:32 - Aug 3
From their assessments of their players I'd say they will be bottom third. We are much harder to predict but I think it is a season that will get better and better..
1


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