Jack Lankester, Armando Dobra, Idris El Mizouni, Brett McGavin and Liam Gibbs are in a strong Blues U23s side looking to maintain their lead at the top of Professional Development League Two South when they face Colchester United in a behind closed doors game at Playford Road this afternoon (KO 1pm).

Lankester was left out of the first-team 18 which lost 1-0 to Peterborough at the weekend, while Dobra has been left out of the last two senior squads.

The Albanian U21 international may be out to impress any watching scouts ahead of a potential loan move with no switch understood to be currently on the cards, although we understand League Two Bolton Wanderers showed interest earlier in the window.

McGavin is back in action having missed the previous two U23s matches, the 1-0 league win at Millwall and a friendly victory over Crystal Palace at home by the same scoreline, while Gibbs starts having been a sub in the Lions fixture after returning from a groin problem.

The side coached by Kieron Dyer and Terry Butcher is currently top of the division by two points from Bristol City, who are in action away against Swansea this evening, having played a game more, while the U’s are sixth.

Town: White, Crowe, McGavin, Andoh, Smith, Lankester, El Mizouni, Gibbs, Crane, Simpson, Dobra. Subs: Ridd, Healy, K Brown, Z Brown, Oppong.

Photo: Matchday Images

Woolfenthen added 12:31 - Jan 26 McGavin playing centre half?
0

MaySixth added 12:45 - Jan 26 Where is Baggott?
0

Radlett_blue added 12:53 - Jan 26 So "Paul Lambert plays the kids" eh?
0

grow_our_own added 13:44 - Jan 26 Indeed, where is Baggott? LankesterDobra unlucky not to be in the first team squad instead tonight, but Alan Judge is somehow ahead of them. Lankester: six league starts, three goals or assists Judge: fifteen league starts, three goals or assists But Lambert knows best.
2

Kingfisher49 added 13:47 - Jan 26 Perhaps Baggott is in the first team squad tonight. Sunderland have not lost away in the league this season, and Ipswich recent home form is poor. Plus shots on goal are way below what they should be. So should be a 3-0 win for Ipswich tonight. Yes you have to live in hope being an ITFC supporter.
2

Upthetown1970 added 13:54 - Jan 26 Feel sorry for our young players. We bring in loan midfield players and then our own young players get dropped to the u23's. Dobra, ElMiz, McGavin, Gibbs and Lancaster are better players than our so called senior players. Bet Judge starts again tonight he has 1 half decent game in 10 but Lambert loves him. I fear we will lose a lot of our young players if this carries on. I would rather watch our young players play in the first team gain experience and then become legends at our club.

4

tones_cones added 14:07 - Jan 26 Whats happened with Simpson? Looked like he had something to offer when he appeared in a few games at the end of last season but appears totally off the radar of the first XI now.
3

heathen66 added 15:40 - Jan 26 We had no strikers a couple of days ago and Simpson is playing for the u23. Should be on the bench tonight as he offers something completely different to what we have
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls