Town boss Paul Lambert says the Blues will have to adapt to a surface at Tranmere on Saturday which he expects to be even worse than the one at Oxford on Tuesday. As things stand, Rovers are confident the match will go ahead with a tent on the pitch and blowers drying out the surface.

Tranmere’s FA Cup replay with Watford was postponed on Tuesday and pictures on social media suggested that Town’s trip to Prenton Park might also be in doubt, however, the Birkenhead club have been bullish on the prospects of the match being played.

Asked whether he’d had any assurances the game would take place, Lambert said: “I don’t know, I don’t really get involved with too much of this stuff.

"Some of the staff members showed me some pictures of the pitch and things like that and if that’s the way it is, that’s the way it is.

“I’ll go up there and play, it’s not something I’ll sit and worry about. What you don’t want to do is go up there and the Ipswich fans travel on the Saturday. I think that’s important that the decision is made whether it’s on or off on Saturday morning.”

Lambert says he’s played on worse pitches during his career: “Yes, of course I have. But it’s men’s football, that’s the way it should be. That’s the way it is.

“We have to go and play it. If the referee says it’s on, it’s on and you have to go and play, you can’t make an excuse that the pitch isn’t great, you have to go and try and win a game.”

Might Town have to adapt their passing approach to the conditions? “You might. As I said before, the pitch will play a good part of where we’re going to be and what it’s going to be like. If it is the way I think it’s going to be, after a minute that will cut up, that’s for sure.”

Could he be forced to leave out players not long back from lengthy injuries, the likes of Emyr Huws, Teddy Bishop or Freddie Sears?

“The way the lads have been playing I’ll go with what I think is the strongest side and if they’re feeling good, then we’ll ask the guys to go again,” he insisted.

“I don’t think you’re going to sit here and protect anybody, the guys are in good form at the minute and they’ll go again.”

Quizzed on whether the pitch at Oxford will have taken a lot out of his players and might come into his thinking when he names his XI at Tranmere, he added: “It was, but you can never blame the pitch for the way the game’s going to go, it is what it is.

“There’s no point in saying the pitch was like that or had water on it or whatever, you have to play the conditions and, to be fair, the Oxford groundsmen, they went out there when the stoppage happened and did a good job. It was heavy, yes, but I don’t think it was as bad as it will be on Saturday.”

Photo: TWTD

ChateauWines added 10:36 - Jan 17 My train leaves Mark's Tey at 8.17 am and I'm guessing coaches earlier than that. So hope decision made sooner rather than later
1

MrTown added 10:46 - Jan 17 He is right us travelling Town fans, notice has to be given, preferbly Friday evening, or really early Saturday morning. It is going to be a fair old journey to Tranmere and back.
1

TR11BLU added 11:17 - Jan 17 Needs to be a decision tonight. Very early start tomorrow.
1

Hciwspi added 12:14 - Jan 17 It's going to be tricky if the game is going to go ahead with a tent on the pitch
1

Northstandveteran added 13:20 - Jan 17 Three things I particularly enjoyed about that interview. Firstly, not getting in any excuses if, for instance, we lost because of the pitch. Secondly, tactics may turn to be less attractive on the eye should the need arise. And the third one, he knows it's going to be muddy, grim and hard up there and wants his players to show some heart and fight. Or perhaps I have my blue tinted glasses on and for the 3658th time, I shake my head in disappointment at how utterly stupid I was for insulting my intelligence by letting my brain being fooled yet again? Take your pick, cause I don't know? Oh the joys of supporting Ipswich.......

1

Blogs 298 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls