Hurst: A Great Fixture in Which to Get That First Victory Friday, 31st Aug 2018 15:25 Town boss Paul Hurst is well aware of the importance of Sunday’s East Anglian derby against Norwich City at Portman Road with the Blues without a victory over their greatest rivals in nine years (Sky Sports Football, red button from 11.55am/iFollow Ipswich). In addition, Hurst goes into the match with his side bottom of the Championship and still looking for his first win since taking charge. The Town manager says the fans he has met around town and even at Playford Road have impressed upon him the significance of Sunday’s match. “A few, even just here,” he said. “I was having a little run round first thing this morning and one of the groundstaff made me aware he is an Ipswich Town fan since he was a little boy and said, ‘Do you understand the importance of the game?’. “I think if you’re in football you might not have to be from the area, you just know derby days are special and what it means for fans. “I’m fully aware of that. Again, it would be a great fixture to get that first victory. It doesn’t mean you forget everything that’s been and gone or everything’s right moving forward but it would certainly give everyone a big lift ahead of what’s an international break coming up.” He added: “I understand it’s massive for the fans, it’s big for us all. Fortunately there’s no more than three points at stake, but I know that fans love the football club and take it to heart each time we don’t get the result we want, this game in particular because of the bragging rights attached to it. “They’re local rivals and in a lot of ways I think this is almost a bigger game for the fans than anyone because of that rivalry that’s been there for many years whether it’s me sat here, Mick sat here, Jim Magilton, many managers before that. “We want to be able to send them home happy which hasn’t happened too often in these games [recently] partly because of being in different leagues and also not coming out on the right side of results when we’ve faced Norwich. “I’m excited, I’m really looking forward to it. Right from the start it was one of the fixtures that you’re really looking out for and we haven’t had to wait too long for it. “The start of a new month for us, we’ll hopefully see a change in fortunes in terms of the results and I'm really looking forward to walking down that tunnel. “Even before that, when it’s a derby game, you just get that sense as you drive to the ground and almost get a feel just outside the stadium of how much it means to people. “But then certainly when you walk down the tunnel and up to the dugout, I’m really looking forward experiencing that.” Asked whether it’s an ideal game at this point in the season given Town’s current position bottom of the table without a win, Hurst responded: “I could probably answer that at about three o’clock or whatever it is on Sunday! I think it’s a game that we’ve got to look forward to and embrace. “However we perform, we’ve got to try and come out the right side of the result. I’ve said performances certainly haven’t been really poor or anything like that, but they haven’t yielded a points total. “I’m ready for [a situation where] if we’re awful we get three points. Long-term that won’t do us any good but I think just for everyone’s sake and the fact that it’s a local derby, I don’t think any fan will care as long as we come out on the right side of the result. “It has been mentioned that it’s a good game for us. But Norwich are perhaps thinking the same as well.” Hurst says that to some extent it has to be treated like any other match: “You have to in a lot of ways but we’ve just spoken about the balance of making sure people are revved up. “I think the players have been anyway. There might be some people out there saying they’re too revved up when we’ve had two players sent off in the last two weekends, albeit I’m not convinced either of them should have been.
“But I always want my team to be competitive and up for a fight. We know that on derby days that’s got to be an absolute given because if not the opposition will get on top of you. “So we have to be ready for what Norwich will bring but also be fully prepared to try and take our game to Norwich and make sure that they’re ready to stand up to that. “I’ll be asking high energy, that’s what derbies are about, the day, the atmosphere the players feed off of that, but at the same time not getting taken away from what the job is which is still to try and play with some element of composure when it’s there. “But I would be very surprised if certainly the first 10 or 15 minutes at least isn’t frantic and there’s not overly too much football played. But lots of noise in the ground and it’s kind of using that to inspire you but not letting it take away from what is the basics of performing and hopefully then you get the result that you want.” The Blues boss says the early kick-off won’t lead to any change of the regular routine such as the squad staying overnight in a hotel. “No, we looked at that with it being an early kick-off but we’re at home and I have to say if you can sleep in your own bed we’d choose to, so it’ll just be a case of getting up nice and early and getting into the ground and making sure that we’re wide awake ready for that kick-off.” Given the Blues' start to the season and with the Canaries sitting in 18th having won only once, both teams will be looking for a confidence-boosting three points ahead of the international break even aside from the local pride aspect. “No one wants to lose it anyway whether we were sat first and second in the league, never mind where we are and Norwich would have liked to have had a few more points on the board themselves,” Hurst reflected. “I think the fact there is a break, it’s bad enough if you have to wait a few days, never mind a couple of weeks for that next game. “That adds to it as well. But ultimately whatever does happen, there is still 40 games left in the league season, it’s a helluva long way, it is early days.
“But if we were going to only be able to win one of the first six, which is how it would pan out, I think everyone would have picked this one, albeit I’d have rather won more than one and we haven’t done that as yet. But we’ll be striving to do so.” Norwich boss Daniel Farke made 10 changes for the 3-1 midweek Carabao Cup win at Cardiff, which following on from their 3-0 home loss to Leeds in the league meaning their starting XI on Sunday will be difficult to predict. “We’ve watched them, as you would,” Hurst said. “A couple of lads came in [on Tuesday] night and had positive appearances. “The Leeds game, I have to say, while it was 0-0 they more than held their own and the goal looked as though it changed the game and the confidence that you saw come out in one team and perhaps a lack of confidence in the other played out slightly. “But at the minute, I know Leeds lost [2-0 to Preston on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup], but they’re arguably the team that most people are speaking about, so maybe there's no disgrace in that defeat. “But it does pose a little bit of a question in my mind in terms of who will be selected to put on that shirt at the weekend.” Is it a case that the more composed team on Sunday will win the match? “Not just that because you could go out there with composure but then forget to do the ugly side of the game. “We’ve got to be up for the game and I’m confident that the players will be but within that you can’t just charge around the pitch like headless chickens and then not have any quality. In the first 15 minutes perhaps. “I’ve seen many a derby game, I’m sure you all have, where it gets to the end of the game and you think, ‘That was just a battle’. “And if that’s what it takes to win the game then I’m more than happy with that, but I think there will certainly be moments where we have to try and show an element of composure added to sheer desire and physical effort along the way.” Hurst says he’s still to impress the importance of the game on his players: “Not yet, but I think they’re aware, even from last weekend they then know what the next game is, but overall I don’t want it to be kind of just on their minds and almost draining them as we go through the week. “I’ve had this before whenever you’re going into a big game. In general you just try and let things bubble along and not build it up too much until you’re almost at the event.
“As I said, you can quite easily get caught up in it. I think from the fans’ point of view, that’s great, the banter can start and probably when the fixtures came out and they’ll be at each other. “But they don’t then have to go out and run around for 90 or 95 minutes whatever it is on the day. “We’ve kind of kept that quite low key at the minute but trust me, without me saying anything, it won’t be lost on the players and I’m sure people like Luke Chambers and Cole Skuse will be making that be known to the rest of the group as we get closer to kick-off.” Hurst has been frustrated by Town’s inability to keep a clean sheet so far this season with seven of the nine goals conceded in all competitions having come from set pieces. At the other end Norwich have scored more than the Blues - eight to Town’s four in the Championship plus a further six in their Carabao Cup matches - but they have also shipped goals, 11 in the league plus another two in their two cup ties. “I think sometimes that can be how teams are set up,” Hurst considered. “Some managers might be happy to win 4-3 every week, but that’s never been my way. “It’s not about being boring but a lot of the goals we’ve conceded, we’ve mentioned set plays. Some have been individual errors, some have been second phase, we’ve perhaps a little bit unlucky with one or two things. “But it might be easy sitting here and saying it but if they don’t go in we’d certainly be talking about different results. “We’ve had a couple of decisions go against us that no one would have wanted to have happened and I think have been extremely harsh. “Norwich will have their idea about what perhaps their weaknesses are at this moment in time and what they need to put right themselves. Clearly for me, it’s very much Ipswich Town and what we’ve got to get better with.” Among Norwich’s biggest attacking threats is likely to be former Town striker Jordan Rhodes, who joined the Canaries on loan from Sheffield Wednesday in the summer and has scored twice this season. “He came to Norwich from the team we played last weekend, my boyhood team, and it hasn’t quite worked out for Jordan,” Hurst added. “But one thing we know, 100 per cent is he’s a goalscorer, so if he’s in that starting line-up at the weekend we need to be on our guard and when the ball’s being crossed in the box he’s going to be on the move and he’s going to be finding little bits of space.
“He might not have scored as many goals as he would have liked recently but I don’t think you lose that knack of getting into areas. It’s not quite happening for him at the moment, but he’s someone we’ll be fully aware of. “There’s an easy story there to write, I’m hoping that you’re not putting those column inches together.” Hurst says Sunday’s game will be the biggest derby he has been involved in during his 10 years as a boss. “I think as a manager people might not think it’s that big but Grimsby-Lincoln was certainly a big game,” he recalled. “There was a real hatred there with the fans. “Shrewsbury was a little bit different because of distances but this is the biggest game by some distance in terms of numbers of fans that will be there and people have said that they’re not the best of friends, let’s put it that way. “I’m looking forward to that. You don’t want anything off the field or anything silly like that but in the ground you want two sets of passionate supporters. “Straight away everyone feels, certainly at the beginning of the game at least it gets you up for the game and the players are no different. “They’ve got to control that but at the same time use that atmosphere to give them that energy that’s going to be required to compete in this sort of game.” Hurst will stick with Bartosz Bialkowski in goal but will be forced to make one change in his defence with Toto Nsiala’s appeal against last weekend’s red card having been unsuccessful. The Blues boss has various options available to him, with Matthew Pennington, who signed on loan from Everton before Friday's deadline, likely to start. If Pennington is involved then another of the six loanees, probably Jordan Graham, will have to drop out with only five permitted in a matchday squad. Otherwise, Jonas Knudsen or Janoi Donacien could move into the centre alongside skipper Chambers with Myles Kenlock or Jordan Spence coming in at left-back or right-back. Another option is Trevoh Chalobah moving into the backline, however, Hurst is likely to want to keep the on-loan Chelsea man in his midfield. Skuse is a big doubt with a quad injury and again seems likely to be replaced by Tayo Edun alongside Jon Nolan. Emyr Huws could make his return to the midfield as a sub at some stage, also having played the full 90 minutes for the U23s earlier in the week. Gwion Edwards will start wide on the right with Hurst having another decision to make wide on the left. Ellis Harrison could keep his place, however Grant Ward and Graham - if he is involved - are also in contention. Up front, Jon Walters could well come in for Kayden Jackson. If they play, Walters and Graham would be making their second debuts for the Blues. Norwich midfielder Mario Vrancic has been sidelined with a pelvis problem but is back in training, while Kenny McLean is out with ankle ligament damage. Forward Dennis Srbeny (knee) and skipper Grant Hanley (quad) are minor doubts and striker Jordan Rhodes and midfielder Tom Trybull have also picked up knocks but all four are expected to be OK for Sunday. Historically, the teams are very closely matched, Town winning 40 (38 in the league), losing 40 (34) and drawing 21 (18). The 5-1 at Portman Road in 2011 was Norwich’s biggest derby victory, while Town have recorded 5-0 wins on three occasions, in 1946, 1977 and 1998. In February only a 95th minute equaliser from Timm Klose prevented the Blues from ending their nine-year wait for derby glory as Town and Norwich drew 1-1 at Carrow Road, skipper Chambers having given the visitors an 89th minute lead. Chambers looked set to win it for the Blues with a header from a Martyn Waghorn corner but Klose nodded in Hanley's cross seconds from time to save the game for the home side. At Portman Road in October last year, James Maddison’s 59th minute goal saw Norwich City to a 1-0 victory. The Blues deserved something from the game having been the better side in a first half in which Knudsen hit the post and David McGoldrick headed over when he will feel he should have scored. Town are without a win in 10 derbies - six defeats, four draws - their last victory having been at Portman Road towards the end of Norwich’s 2008/09 Championship relegation season when they won 3-2 in what proved to be Magilton’s final game as boss. David Mooney put the Canaries in front before Town struck three times via Alan Quinn, Giovani Dos Santos (penalty) and Jon Stead with Sammy Clingan adding a consolation for the visitors towards the end, also from the spot. Current keeper Bialkowski was on the bench for the Blues during his earlier loan spell at the club. Currently injured Town midfielder Tom Adeyemi came through the youth system at Norwich and made eight starts and nine sub appearances before moving on to Cardiff in July 2013. Blues U18s coach Alan Lee had a brief spell on loan at Carrow Road and played for the Canaries in the 2009 Portman Road derby. His Playford Road colleague Steve Foley was first-team coach at Norwich before he joined Town. Rhodes joined Norwich on loan from Sheffield Wednesday in the summer. The former Kesgrave High School pupil came through the academy ranks at Playford Road having moved to the Blues’ youth set-up in March 2005 for £5,000 from Barnsley after his father Andy joined the club as goalkeeper-coach. The striker made 10 sub appearances and scored one goal for the Town first team before being controversially sold to Huddersfield by then-manager Roy Keane in the summer of 2009 for a fee which, after top-ups and a sell-on following his £8 million move to Blackburn Rovers in August 2012, climbed to just over £1 million. During his time at Ewood Park, Rhodes scored six goals in six games against the Blues, while he failed to find the net as Town drew 0-0 with his next club Middlesbrough at the Riverside in April 2016 and in four games against the Blues for the Owls. Former Town full-back David Wright is now the U18s coach at Norwich, where he had a spell on loan as a player before his time at Portman Road. Sunday’s referee is Robert Jones, who has shown 13 yellow cards and no red in five games so far this season. The Merseyside-based official has only taken charge of three previous Town matches, the most recent the 1-0 defeat at Brentford in April when he booked Knudsen, Callum Connolly, Cameron Carter-Vickers and two Bees. Prior to that he was the man in the middle fo the 1-0 victory over Leeds in January in which he red-carded Eunan O’Kane for head-butting Knudsen in the 37th minute. He also booked Dominic Iorfa and Connolly and two Whites players. Jones, who has previously only refereed 25 games at Championship level, was also the man in the middle for last December’s 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough when he showed two yellow cards to home players before being replaced by fourth official Geoff Eltringham at half-time. Norwich were beaten 5-1 by Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough the last time Jones refereed them in May when he yellow-carded Klose and two Owls, to whom he awarded a penalty, which was converted by the hat-trick-hitting Atdhe Nuhiu. Prior to that he took charge of last season's 0-0 draw at Burton in which he booked one player from each side, James Husband from Norwich. Squad from: Bialkowski, Gerken, Donacien, Spence, Knudsen, Kenlock, Chambers (c), Pennington, Skuse, Chalobah, Downes, Edun, Edwards, Sears, Ward, Graham, Roberts, Nolan, Walters, Harrison, Jackson.
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