Ipswich Town
D-Day Preview
By Aston
September 16 2005
Team news, stats and manager previews ahead of the first East Anglian Derby of the season this Sunday at Portman Road.
Town defender Fabian Wilnis will miss the game with a groin injury which he picked up against Southampton on Tuesday, Nicky Forster is still a couple of weeks away from a return and Ian Westlake is going to be out until around Christmas with an ankle injury, Jim Magilton is a minor doubt with an arthritic toe but Sito Castro is available after missing Tuesday’s game with a suspension.
Town manager Joe Royle: “Form doesn't count for much in derby games but in this division it's hard to know what form is anyway, there are so many sides that we thought would be up at the top of the table but aren't that it's hard to follow.
“Look at Wolves in midweek, losing at home to Millwall. Palace went down at Reading when they looked set to go on a run, then
“Sheffield United are the only team representing form in this division at the moment. It's certainly a strange one.
“There may be more people in the stadiums in Manchester and Liverpool but the passion is just as great down here as it is up north, it's a special occasion and the players will be up for it but then anyone who can't get motivated for a derby has problems.
“There will be a lot of players in our side playing their first derby game of any description so it will be a big occasion for them.”
Town squad: Dean Bowditch, Darren Currie, Jason De Vos, Owen Garvan, Danny Haynes, Kevin Horlock, Jimmy Juan, Jim Magilton, Dean McDonald, Jay McEveley, Richard Naylor, Sam Parkin, Jaime Peters, Lewis Price, Matt Richards, Louis Sito-Castro, Shane Supple.
Nigel Worthington will be with out defender Simon Charlton who has an Achilles injury while strikers Peter Thorne and Leon McKenzie have knee and ankle injuries respectively while Mathieu Louis-Jean and Ryan Jarvis are fit but lacking match fitness. Loan signings Calum Davenport and Kevin Lisbie but look certain to start, Darren Huckerby is back from suspension but my not start.
“We've got to go out and be mentally strong. We've had discussions with the players - strong words have been used and people know where they stand.
“We are not looking for names, we are looking for performances. We're not looking for stars - we want the team to be the star.
“We are all in it together and hopefully we can show as much passion and desire as what the supporters do and have done through the season.”
Norwich’s away form over the past year has been woeful, no away win since May 2004 and in the time between then and now they have picked up just 7 points away from Carrow Road their form this season overall hasn’t been much better, just one win in seven which has left Norwich 21st in the championship, and IF the results go right on Saturday Town could send Norwich bottom, for that to happen Millwall would have to beat Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough and Plymouth would have to beat Burnley at Home Park then Town would have to put more past Norwich then what Millwall put past Wednesday.
Officials:
Referee: Lee Mason (
Assistant Referees: Ian Gosling (
Fourth Official: Kevin Wright (Cambridgeshire)
Match odds from Coral:
Draw: 9/4
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Look at that, i got the end of the preview with out once using the S word or calling them budgies.
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