Liam Gibbs and David Cornell have been handed their league debuts as manager Paul Lambert makes four changes for this afternoon’s fifth-v-eighth clash with Charlton at Portman Road.

Gibbs, 17, comes into the midfield three with Andre Dozzell, who is back after his three-match ban, and Brett McGavin in one of the youngest midfields the Blues have ever fielded in a league game.

It seems likely that Bury St Edmunds-born academy product Gibbs, who has previously made two starts and one sub appearance in the EFL Trophy, will play in a role ahead of the deeper Dozzell and McGavin.

Emyr Huws is missing from the squad, presumably having joined Jon Nolan, Teddy Bishop, Flynn Downes, Cole Skuse and Tristan Nydam on a long midfield injured list.

Cornell takes over in goal from Tomas Holy, who drops to the bench. The Welshman has previously made five starts in cup games for the Blues since his summer move from Northampton.

At the centre of the defence, Toto Nsiala returns alongside Luke Woolfenden with Mark McGuinness among the subs. Skipper Luke Chambers and Stephen Ward continue as the full-backs.

Up front, Keanan Bennetts is on the left and Alan Judge on the right with James Norwood again the central striker.

For Charlton, manager Lee Bowyer, a former Blues midfielder, brings Chuks Aneke, Albie Morgan and ex-Blues loanee Jonny Williams into his XI for Omar Bogle, Alex Gilbey and Marcus Maddison, who drop to the bench.

Town: Cornell, Chambers (c), Woolfenden, Nsiala, Ward, Dozzell, McGavin, Gibbs, Bennetts, Norwood, Judge. Subs: Holy, McGuinness, Kenlock, Lankester, Drinan, Hawkins, Jackson.

Charlton: Amos, Gunter, Williams, Aneke, Shinnie, Pratley (c), Matthews, Morgan, Maatsen, Watson, Smyth. Subs: Maynard-Brewer, Purrington, Pearce, Gilbey, Bogle, Maddison. Referee: Craig Hicks (Surrey).

Photo: Matchday Images

suffolking_good added 14:33 - Nov 28 How does Judge get picked every week . He's simply not good enough any more
4

MoscowBlueMule added 14:33 - Nov 28 Hide behind the sofa time!
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heathen66 added 14:37 - Nov 28 Holy dropped.......Why ??? 4-5-1 again, lets hope the FBs stay in defence as they are leaving the two CBs isolated
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Cloddyseedbed added 14:37 - Nov 28 Wow brave! Fielding a team with the most inexperience that you can in a fixture where you are supposed to be challenging for promotion. I hope the result this afternoon proves me wrong.
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Nobbysnuts added 14:37 - Nov 28 Shambo has officially lost the plot.....what the f#ck is going on..... did he pick that team out of a hat???? I'm lost for words...the bloke is a complete pr#ck.....
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ShropshireBluenago09 added 14:39 - Nov 28 Good luck to Gibbs but not really the game to blood a youngster. Surely Jackson would be better wide left
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Jewell_in_the_Town added 14:41 - Nov 28 Dobra must wonder what he has to do to even get a place on the bench when he sees Gibbs leapfrog him into the team
12

Monkey_Blue added 14:45 - Nov 28 Why is everyone slagging the selection off? Given the injuries I don't see who else should be picked. No one on the bench with perhaps the exception of Lankester is screaming “play me” and I thought we liked giving youngsters a chance? It's ridiculous the criticism lambert gets. Criticise him when it's fair.
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itsonlyme added 14:46 - Nov 28 Oh Dear - I hope for Lamberts sake that team performs well. He is taking a massive gamble IMO!
2

Nobbysnuts added 14:49 - Nov 28 Maybe he is still working for delia? 👤
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Bert added 14:52 - Nov 28 Play the youngsters the fans say, give youth a chance they say ....... then when we have almost all of our midfield players out, they slag off the selection. No wonder people don't bother with this Forum as they used to. Am I worried about the outcome ? Yes, but apart from the omission of Dobra I cannot see what else Lambert can do.
1

Nobbysnuts added 14:54 - Nov 28 The only good thing to come out of that team selection is that shambo might finally get sacked for gross incompetence......
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cat added 14:57 - Nov 28 Lambert ain't gambling he's covering his arse. Should we lose he'll blame it on injuries and having to field the youngest midfield in history. It ain't rocket science, he knows the majority of fans want to promote the youths. What Lambo lacks on field, he's been a master of playing the fans off it.
5

BettyBlue added 14:57 - Nov 28 Lamberty throws in the White towel. Expect resignation and quick exit after this afternoons heavy defeat.
1

timkatieadamitfc added 14:58 - Nov 28 Monkeyblue- why do you think everyone us slagging him off, look at the above posts- HOW IS JUDGE PICKED EVERY GAME - WHY IS DOBRA NOT GIVEN A CHANCE CLEARLY ALL CAN SEE 451 DOESNT WORK AND WE HAVE NO PLAN B(or plan a for that matter) WE PLAYING AT HOME, BUT HOW NEGATIVE ARE WE, I DONT KNOW UF YOU HAVE WATCHED ANY OF OUR RECENT GAMES BUT WE HAVE BEEN DIRE I desperately hope I'm wrong but I can't see anything other than ANOTHER defeat a top 6 side which is rather shameful as it's not even kicked off yet

4

Len_Brennan added 15:01 - Nov 28 Monkey - I think it's because he is missing players, particularly in midfield, but is still sticking to the 4-3-3, which is really 4-5-1, line up, despite having 3 strikers on the bench. It really looks like a day for Hawkins & Norwood upfront, where they can mix it up; playing through the middle when the opportunity suits, or using Hawkins as an outlet to hold it up & lay off to Norwood or someone pushing on, when the midfield is struggling to get a hold of it. With 2 inexperienced kids & Doz (who is light enough himself) in there, it's going to be a tough day at the office for them.

5

BettyBlue added 15:02 - Nov 28 Team selection is a two fingered reaction to criticism from fans. If we need wide men why can't you train some like Jackson to run fast and cross? Or is he unable to understand Lamberty and his Scots accent??
0

AK74 added 15:09 - Nov 28 I think it is now clear that Lambert and Dobra have fallen out. If Dobro can't get in the 18 at the moment when we have so many injuries then I don't expect we'll see him until Lambert goes, which will hopefully be sooner rather than later.
5

Suffolkboy added 15:14 - Nov 28 It's so so easy to be critical and wise from the touch lines ; can only wish we were allowed in to witness the ‘effort ‘ which I hope everyone will put in .We need a real shift , constant focus and application ,and if it's not apparent then that's the time when we ought to ask PL to explain ! If , as I hope, we give a really good account of ourselves ,then it'll be a redemption for the lads , and relief for supporters ,who'll have renewed enthusiasm and constructive critique . COYB

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LippyIppy added 15:16 - Nov 28 Gibbs is ahead of Dobra because he has the right Agent. Maybe Dobra needs to change his if he wants to progress. Sad but true.
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TimmyH added 15:17 - Nov 28 Who would have thought Huws is on the injured list alongside Bishop...no shock there. As others have said sounds like a fingers up to the supporters from PL with the team selection...midfield looks bare to me.
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Karlosfandangal added 15:46 - Nov 28 Norwood off injured........what is going on
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Billericay12 added 16:08 - Nov 28 Final ball lacking in quality, Nsiala an accident waiting to happen as always and we lack cutting edge but given all the injuries we have we played reasonably well first half.
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featherhead added 16:15 - Nov 28 Lambert is clueless. Not a very constructive comment but it would appear true.
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eddiespearitt03 added 17:10 - Nov 28 The big question is what is Evans making of all this mess ? What is he thinking ? We have a youth team bolstered by tired players who are classed as "senior pro,s" The club is rotten from top to bottom now. The injury list growing and a queue for the treatment table. Forget promotion. Expect another bankruptcy.
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