Town travel to Millwall on Wednesday evening for a live-on-Sky clash at the start of a run of nine games against teams in the bottom half of the Championship table (KO 8pm).

The Blues have been on a tough run of fixtures, including 1-1 draws home and away against leaders Leicester, Saturday’s 2-2 stalemate with fifth-placed West Brom, a 4-0 defeat at third-placed Leeds, as well as a 2-1 win against Sunderland, who are seventh, at Portman Road, and have recorded only one win in their last nine and as a result have dropped from second to fourth in the Championship table.

However, between now and Easter Monday, 1st April when they host second-placed Southampton, they have games against teams in the lower half of the table, as it stood going into Tuesday’s matches.

Following Wednesday’s match against the Lions, who are 18th, the Blues travel to take on 16th-placed Swansea City on Saturday, before rock-bottom Rotherham are in Suffolk next Tuesday, followed by a visit from Tony Mowbray and Mark Venus’s Birmingham City, 19th, on Saturday 24th February.

The week after, Town travel to Plymouth Argyle, 15th, before Bristol City, 13th are at Portman Road.

The Blues return to Wales on Saturday 9th March to take on Cardiff City, who are 14th, then host second-bottom Sheffield Wednesday a week later, prior to making the trip to Ewood Park to face 17th-placed Blackburn Rovers on Good Friday, 29th March after the season’s final international break.

But manager Kieran McKenna won’t be taking those fixtures any more lightly than he has the matches in the - on paper - tougher recent run, including the upcoming two away matches in four days, the second involving a lengthy journey.

“Every game is so tough for any team, but especially for a newly-promoted team,” he said following Saturday’s game against the Baggies.

“So there’s not one fixture there that we’ll look at and think it’ll be a comfortable three points because the Championship proves that every weekend, and more so for us, if we ever thought like that, we’d quickly be punished.

“Especially away from home, going to Millwall, travelling to Swansea, that’s going to be difficult.

“But at the same time, we’re coming out the back of a lot of fixtures against the teams at the top half and top end of the division.

“I think in general we’ve shown that we can compete against anyone, that’s something that everyone at the club should take great pride in; the level that we’re competing at.

“And now we’ll look to go and show that consistency over the next few games and see how many good performances we can get and how many points we can pick up.”

He added: “We’ll have a look at the squad for sure, because we’ve got Millwall away on Wednesday and Swansea away on Saturday. That’s a tough week,

“But that’s the Championship. Millwall away on a Wednesday in February, that’s a proper Championship test, that.

“We have to be ready for it, we’ll look forward to it, it’s a big challenge, the two games next week are going to be a big challenge and we’ll do everything we can to be ready. But it’s going to take a big, big effort from everyone in the squad.”

Millwall are without a win in their last six in all competitions, losing five, including Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Coventry City, but prior to that run they had won three in a row.

At home this season they have won four, drawn four and lost seven. They are without a win at the Den in their last two in the league, a 1-0 victory over Norwich City having been followed up with a 3-1 loss to Middlesbrough and a 1-1 draw with Preston at the end of January.

Only four teams in the Championship have scored fewer than Millwall’s 31 in 31 matches this season, while only eight teams have conceded fewer than their total of 40, the same as Town.

Stoke, 11, are the only team in the division to have scored fewer home goals than Millwall’s 14, while just five teams have conceded more on their own turf than the Lions’ 21, among them Town, 23.

The weekend reverse at Coventry was the 10th time the Lions have led but not won this season, having dropped 24 points from winning positions, more than any side in the division.

When the teams met at Portman Road in November and Town won 3-1, head coach Joe Edwards had only been in charge for two matches following Gary Rowett’s departure and will now have had time to make his mark on the squad.

“I think it’ll be a tough game, no doubt about it,” McKenna reflected. “Millwall away on a Wednesday night in February, February weather, February pitches, that’s not easy.

“They’ve improved. He’s, I’d imagine, got a good feel now for the squad that he’s got. They’ve added a couple of good players, [on-loan defender Japhet] Tanganga I know well from Tottenham, [Michael] Obefemi [who came in on loan from Burnley in January] as well is a really dangerous striker.

“They’ve added to this group, they’ve worked together for a bit now and they’ve shown that in some of the positive results they’ve picked up and we know it’ll be a tough game.”

Town can move a point away from Southampton if they win this evening, the Saints now third having lost 3-1 at Bristol City on Tuesday.

McKenna says he’ll make use of his squad during this week’s two away games, although stresses that more than just those that are in the starting XI are involved in every match.

“I would have thought so, but we’re utilising the squad every week,” he said. “The impact that the substitutes are having can’t be missed out and also the way that we dominated a good chunk of the game before they came on.

“The players who are starting are constantly reminded and are aware they need to operate at a level that isn’t 90-minute football, they need to try and put all that effort into 60/70 minutes and that’s one way that we’ll be able to be competitive.

“And they’ll then know that more often than not they’ll end up swapping out for someone who is going to come on and bring a really big level of intensity to the game as well.

“We’re utilising the squad every single week. The players are fully aware that those who finish the games are as important as those who start the games, and that’s usually where the result is being decided most weeks.

“We’ll continue to do that and that also might mean the need to freshen up the starting XI over the next few weeks as well.”

With McKenna reporting no new injury issues, Vaclav Hladky is likely to continue in goal with Harry Clarke and Leif Davis the full-backs.

At centre-half, McKenna has a number of options with Cameron Burgess having returned from international duty with Australia at the Asian Cup.

But the Socceroos defender will probably miss out again having been in lighter training while in Qatar, so George Edmundson seems set to continue on the left having impressed since coming into the side.

On the right, McKenna could give Axel Tuanzebe a game having regularly rotated the former Manchester United man and Luke Woolfenden in recent months.

In central midfield, skipper Sam Morsy could be joined by Lewis Travis for the first time with Massimo Luongo often having been among those rested when games are coming thick and fast.

Conor Chaplin has still started every league game this season and is likely to be ahead of them in the centre with McKenna having a variety of players he could pick for the wider roles.

Nathan Broadhead could again get the nod on the left having ended an eight-game goal drought on Saturday, while Omari Hutchinson could come in on the right having scored his fourth goal of the season to claim the point against Albion on Saturday.

The likes of Wes Burns, Marcus Harness and Jeremy Sarmiento will be given their chance from the bench if they’re not in the XI. Kieffer Moore will start as the number nine.

Millwall could have forwards Aidomo Emakhu (ankle) and Ryan Longman (shoulder), and right-back Brooke Norton-Cuffy (hamstring), who is on loan from Arsenal, back for the Blues’ visit.

But forwrd Kevin Nisbet (hamstring), the Lions’ scorer against Town at Portman Road, and club captain and centre-half Shaun Hutchinson (calf) remain sidelined.

The sides are very closely matched historically, Town having won 22 games (18 in the league), Millwall 21 (20) and with 14 (14) having ended in draws.

At Portman Road in November, superb first-half goals from Chaplin, Luongo and Broadhead saw Town to a comfortable 3-1 victory over Millwall and to within a point of Championship leaders Leicester City.

Chaplin got the Blues up and running in the fifth minute, Luongo added the second on 12 and Broadhead the third six minutes before the break with Town well worth their half-time lead.

In the second period, the Blues continued to dominate without adding to their lead, while the Lions pulled back a consolation against the run of play in the 78th minute through sub Nisbet.

The sides last met at the Den in October 2018 with Bryan Klug in caretaker charge and incoming boss Paul Lambert watching from the stands having been appointed earlier in the day.

However, Lee Gregory netted twice and Ryan Leonard once as Millwall comfortably beat the Blues 3-0.

Gregory profited from Town’s set-piece frailties on 26 and 51 before Leonard made the most of a mix-up between skipper Luke Chambers and keeper Bartosz Bialkowski with 20 minutes left on the clock.

Bialkowski joined the Lions from the Blues in the summer of 2019 on loan before the move was made permanent for £900,000 the following summer.

While at Portman Road, Bialkowski won the Player of the Year award for a record three seasons in a row. In total, he made 177 starts and one sub appearance, and also won his single full Poland cap during his time at Town and was part of the squad at the 2018 World Cup.

Another former Town number one, Andy Marshall, is Millwall’s goalkeeper-coach. Marshall made 65 appearances for the Blues between 2001 and 2004 having signed on a free transfer from Norwich City.

Wednesday’s referee is Sam Barrott, who has shown 93 yellow cards and three red in 29 games so far this season.

The West Riding-based official’s most recent Town match was the 1-1 Boxing Day draw at home to Leicester in which he booked Marcus Harness and two Foxes.

Barrott was the man in the middle for the 3-2 Carabao Cup victory at home to Wolves in September in which he yellow-carded Elkan Baggott, Lee Evans, Sone Aluko and three of the Premier League side.

He also took charge of the opening Championship fixture at Sunderland, which they won 2-1, in which he dismissed Black Cats right-back Trai Hume for two bookable offences and yellow-carded Morsy, Hladky, Burns and one Wearsider.

Barrott’s last Town game prior to that was as a late replacement for the 6-0 thrashing of Charlton in April last year after it had emerged that the official originally slated for the game, James Bell, was a fan of Sheffield Wednesday, who at the time were vying with the Blues for League One promotion.

He showed yellow cards to Davis and four to Addicks, two to Ryan Inness, who was then issued with a red with two minutes left on the clock, his fourth dismissal of the season and fifth in just over a year.

Barrott previously took charge of the 1-1 draw at Cambridge two months earlier in which he awarded the U’s a penalty after Edmundson had clumsily felled Conor McGrandles, which Christian Walton saved. Barrott also booked Edmundson, Morsy and two home players.

He was also the man in the middle for the opening game of last season, the home game with Bolton Wanderers, which also ended 1-1, and in which he gave the Trotters a penalty, which was converted by Aaron Morley, after debutant Davis had tripped Conor Bradley. Evans, Woolfenden and two visitors were booked.

Barrott was also in charge of McKenna’s first match as Town boss, the 1-0 home victory over Wycombe Wanderers at Portman Road in December 2021 in which he booked Morsy, Joe Pigott, Matt Penney and one Chairboy.

Squad from: Hladky, Walton, Clarke, Davis, Humphreys, Tuanzebe, Woolfenden, Edmundson, Burgess, Morsy (c), Travis, Luongo, Ball, Burns, Chaplin, Broadhead, Harness, Aluko, Hutchinson, Sarmiento, Moore, Al-Hamadi, Jackson.

Photo: TWTD

Linkboy13 added 15:02 - Feb 13 Although the games coming up are against teams in the bottom half of the table they won't be easy remember Rotherham, Birmingham, Huddersfield and Stoke where we failed to get wins every point in this league is hard earned. Our easiest win and best performance was probably Hull City at home The defence was very solid that night can't remember who played at the back.
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Cloddyseedbed added 17:32 - Feb 13 2nd half of the season is often very difficult for teams that have gone up. Teams that hadn't played us before have now had time to reflect since we 1st played them and maybe come up with a different game plan. teams below us most certainly will not be easy points. To win games we need to get back to high intensity for the whole game, that's what we did when we were getting good results. Results have worsened since we think we can just tick over, often go goals behind and play high intensity football to get back into the game in the last 20-30 minutes. Teams are no mugs in this league and can and will score goals against us if we are just mediocre.

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Cloddyseedbed added 17:38 - Feb 13 I'd like to see Woolfie rested, maybe the kick up the backside he needs. He was poor last game, as was Clarke but no alternative atm at right back. The Williams saga continues to mystify. I think the decision to wait for him could prove costly and we should have looked elsewhere for good competition for Clarke, who is also found wanting in defence and often absent in defence or out of position.

5

MK1 added 17:46 - Feb 13 Every game is a tough game in this league. Hope and believe McKenna takes nothing for granted. Luckily, this one is close enough for a rare mid week away game for me.
0

Nomore4 added 20:14 - Feb 13 We’ve lost 4 in 30 Championship games. It’s mid February and we average 2 points a game. Clearly we haven’t found things too difficult thus far…..
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blueboy1981 added 23:00 - Feb 13 Games are getting tougher to Win, our recent returns have been poor, thus Plays Off’s v Norwich looking much more than just a possibility, when it did look an almost dead cert impossibility … !! Now that doesn’t bare thinking about - does it ?
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dirtydingusmagee added 09:32 - Feb 14 agreed Blueboy , we need to shake and wake up again .
3

baxterbasics added 10:14 - Feb 14 Still no Williams in the squad? Shame.
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TimmyH added 12:14 - Feb 14 Never thought there were and 'comfortable' games in this league...maybe earlier in the season the odd game did look easier when we were consistently winning but now things have changed, momentum has gone, one or two injuries and at times a plan B needed. Can't rule out a second wind but it will be difficult some players are now more inconsistent than they were and a few seemingly looking a tad fatigued. Saying that we need to get back to winning ways and it has to start tonight...no excuses.

2

oldelsworthyfan added 12:31 - Feb 14 I I like Woolfie, but agree with Cloddyseedbed - Woolfie needs to be rested. He's become overconfident and vulnerable and needs to work on his speed. That first goal conceded against WBA......oh dear! Woolfie can come back stronger and sharper. In the meantime we do have alternatives.
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ArnieM added 12:32 - Feb 14 Shake up in defence is now urgently required. Id be looking at Burgess/ Axel for the remaining games now. The others have had their chance and they continue to make the same mistakes every game. Enough is enough.... CHANGE IT ! Rt back is a concern and Williams with his head screwed on is much needed right now . STOP gifting soft goals EVERY game. ...and how about a tweek to our tactics? ..everyone and his dog knows how we will set up and approach a game ... Modify/ mix it up a bit.

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Ebantiass added 13:57 - Feb 14 Tighten up the defence and we will have half a chance. Chappers should start on the bench as should Burns imho. Burns never scores away from PR so starting from the bench should shake things up. I would also start the fridge and axel as the back two as this could shore us up a bit against a team that does´nt score a lot. Best of luck tonight lads.
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Marinersnose added 15:38 - Feb 14 Those wanting Williams back might be disappointed. He’ll not be back here anytime soon if you read the press reports. A great player when he’s focused and an awful player when he’s not. Tough game but 3 points is well within our grasp. I’d like to see Edmundson back on the right side was he’s naturally right sided. He’s done a fantastic job on the left but Round pegs in round holes where possible. McKenna is a shrewd tactician and I’m sure he’ll pick a side capable of winning the game

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Mr_Jingles added 17:24 - Feb 14 Another tough game.... was this time last year though, that we came out of a the mid season struggle and put a great run together! Something almost as good would be very welcome !
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 17:40 - Feb 14 Let's go for it (I'm sure we will), Let's not go a goal down in the opening few minutes, Let's get the three points. COYB!
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blueboy1981 added 17:46 - Feb 14 ….. if we do (hopefully not) fall short tonight, and carry on our pretty miserable run - lets have no excuses, they will have been well exhausted !!
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