Ipswich Town
Preview: Town – WBA
By Aston
December 31 2007
Town start 2008 with their unbeaten home run under serious threat at Tony Mowbray brings his table topping West Brom side to Portman Road. Town will be without Tommy Miller who was sent off against Coventry on Saturday, Alex Bruce is out with a groin injury while Alan Lee and Jason De Vos are both doubts after picking up knocks against Coventry. Sito Castro and Sylvain Legwinski are back in the squad after recovering from injuries.
Town Squad: Alexander, Supple, Casement, Sito, Wright, De Vos, Wilnis, Harding, Haynes, Garvan, Legwinski, Walters, Counago, Lee, Clarke, Rhodes, Richards, Trotter, Williams.
Town manager Jim Magilton: "West Brom are the best team we have played this season and I think they will be in the Premiership come May, Tony and Mark Venus have carried on the excellent work they did at Hibs at The Hawthorns, and with good players at their disposal I see them as worthy title contenders this season.
"When Mogga and Veno took over at West Brom last year, there was a lot of weight on their shoulders because of the expectancy at the club. Albion had come down from the Premiership and everyone was expecting them to go straight back up. The team didn't do themselves justice in the Play-Off Final when they fell at the final hurdle but I can't imagine that happening this year.
"West Brom have got some good players and Tony has got them playing in an attractive fashion. His stock is rising all the time and I'm sure he will be managing in the Premiership before too long - either with West Brom, which I think he will, or elsewhere.
"It's going to be real test for us but we are relishing the task of maintaining our home record.
"The players deserve enormous credit for putting together a run of 16 games unbeaten at Portman Road and while we know we have to get it right on our travels, we are where we want to be, on the shoulder of the Play-Off pack and ready to push on."
West Brom, fresh from their 5-0 win against Scunthorpe United on Saturday have no-one out injured, meaning the strongest team in the league will be at its very best. Although Tony Mowbray may make a few changes to his side, Ishmael Miller and Filipe Teixeira could both return to the baggies starting line up.
West Brom manager Tony Mowbray: "I've got a lot of good friends there on the coaching staff and obviously the manager there now, who I played with a lot.
"It's a great club Ipswich Town, a very warm, family club. That said, we've got to try and put that aside when we go there and get the points.
"The last time I was there, I'd been away a few years and I was there really to study the Albion team.
"I sat and watched the team for the first time at Ipswich in the 5-1 win last season," he said.
"I'd spoken to the lads and introduced myself before the game. It was good to see the team and the talent that we had in the ranks.
"It gave me a good insight because I knew what Ipswich were all about. I suppose it was just one of those quirks in football that happens sometimes that the first time I watched my new team was against my old team.
"This year it's a good game for both teams. New Year's Day there will be a big crowd and their fans will be expectant.
"Hopefully we'll still be top of the table when we go there and let's see whether we can put a dent into their very impressive home record."
Match odds:
Town: 17/10
Draw: 12/5
West Brom: 8/5
Got a prediction for the game? Leave it below.
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The Lords My Shepherd.
The future is bright. The future is Stripes.
www.wbabaggies.co.uk
I said 2-0 in predictions thread and that's me with a happy start to '08!
The Lords My Shepherd.
The future is bright. The future is Stripes.
www.wbabaggies.co.uk
The Lords My Shepherd.
The future is bright. The future is Stripes.
www.wbabaggies.co.uk
