Ipswich Town vs. Plymouth Argyle

Preview: Ipswich Town vs. Plymouth Argyle



Ipswich Town will be looking to boost their playoff hopes with victory against high-flying Plymouth Argyle in their League One clash at Portman Road on Saturday.

The Tractor Boys are unbeaten in each of their last nine league games on home soil, while the Pilgrims have won four of their last five league games on the road.

While back-to-back draws against Portsmouth and Oxford United are decent results in isolation for Ipswich, Kieran McKenna will feel that his side have missed the opportunity to edge closer towards the playoffs.

The Tractor Boys are unbeaten in their last 10 league games, but five draws during this run means there is still work to be done if they wish to finish in the top six this term. McKenna's men currently sit ninth in the League One standings, six points behind Sunderland in sixth with seven games remaining.

Ipswich still have challenging fixtures ahead, including games against league leaders Rotherham United, second-placed Wigan Athletic and Saturday's opponents Plymouth.

If anyone is to put an end to Plymouth's impressive winning run then it could be Ipswich, who have lost only one of their last 11 meetings with the Pilgrims at Portman Road.

The Suffolk-based outfit have also kept clean sheets in each of their last five home league matches, so McKenna's side will be confident of success in front of their supporters this weekend.

Plymouth, meanwhile, are enjoying an excellent run of form, winning each of their last six games without conceding a goal – no other team in the EFL have accumulated more points (18) than the Green Army during this period.

Steven Schumacher's side have climbed up to fourth in League One and have consolidated their place in the playoffs, as they sit eight points ahead of seventh-placed Sheffield Wednesday.

Plymouth's impressive run should be commended but more plaudits will come flooding their way if they maintain their high standards for the rest of the campaign, considering the final seven challenging fixtures they are soon to face.

Saturday's clash with Ipswich will be followed by games against Oxford, Burton, Wycombe Wanderers, Sunderland and Wigan before facing MK Dons on the final day of the season.

Plymouth have won only two of their last 11 league encounters against Ipswich, but that includes their most recent meeting in October last year, which saw them beat the Tractor Boys 2-1 at Home Park.

pswich defender George Edmundson is set to remain on the sidelines with an ankle injury, while Kayden Jackson could miss the rest of the season with a hamstring problem.

Lee Evans could return to the matchday squad this weekend, after missing the last month due to a knee injury, but the midfielder may be forced to settle for a place on the bench, with Tom Carroll and Tyreeq Bakinson set to retain their places in the first XI.

Joe Pigott, James Norwood, Macauley Bonne and Sone Aluko will all be competing for a place up front, though the former is the most likely to be given the nod on Saturday.

As for Plymouth, they received a boost this week when defender Dan Scarr returned to training after recovering from a hamstring injury.

The 27-year-old could be involved this weekend but he is unlikely to start, so James Bolton is set to keep his place alongside former Ipswich centre-back James Wilson and Macaulay Gillesphey in the back three.

Striker Ryan Hardie – who is the first Plymouth player since Reuben Reid in 2013-14 to score at least 10 away league goals in a single season – is set to lead the line with either Niall Ennis or Jordan Garrick.

Schumacher is unable to call upon striker Luke Jephcott and midfielder Panutche Camara this weekend, as both players are away on international duty with Wales Under-21s and Guinea Bissau respectively.

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:

Walton; Donacien, Woolfenden, Burgess; Burns, Bakinson, Carroll, Thompson; Chaplin, Celina; Pigott

Plymouth Argyle possible starting lineup:

Cooper; Wilson, Bolton, Gillesphey; Edwards, Mayor, Houghton, Broom, Grant; Ennis, Hardie

22,500 tickett sold by Ipswich has of yesterday 1.500 by Plymouth

Referee

David Rock is the man in the middle

So far this season he has issued 109 yellow cards and six reds in 29 games.

He will be assisted  by Paul Yates and Geoffrey Russell

The fourth official is Will Finnie.

Argyle view


Ipswich Town View

1 - 1

I think it will be a draw in predictions I have gone with narrow Argyle win as I'm gambling that Village will slip up one day so can't follow him. Win this and we are sitting pretty, Roar.

6 wins on the bounce with no goals conceded is an amazing run but it has to end sometime.  Back down to earth with a huge bang today as we are well beaten.  

Ipswich Town 3-0 Argo

Quite a test today, but then these are the games that need to be a positive result to gain promotion. A team
good at home against a team good away, so obvious prediction is a draw.
But who knows?
So if we play the same way and well, we are in with a chance of a win.
COYG

Love the picture of Paul McCartney, is it his birthday?

Can only see a heavy beating in this one against a VERY good Ipswich team, fresh from their 0-0 draw against Pompey. Disillusioned Argyle fans start to sing "Spannerrrrs, Spannerrrrs" with 10 minutes to go, humiliation in the East Anglian sun.

Torture by tractor,4-0 to the swich

Earwegoagain wrote:

I think it will be a draw in predictions I have gone with narrow Argyle win as I'm gambling that Village will slip up one day so can't follow him. Win this and we are sitting pretty, Roar.

I could probably afford to slip up on one or two games and still be in with a shout. Plympton has narrowed it down to two points, then yourself not too for behind. Still plenty to play for though !!

VillageGreen wrote:

Earwegoagain wrote:

I think it will be a draw in predictions I have gone with narrow Argyle win as I'm gambling that Village will slip up one day so can't follow him. Win this and we are sitting pretty, Roar.

I could probably afford to slip up on one or two games and still be in with a shout. Plympton has narrowed it down to two points, then yourself not too for behind. Still plenty to play for though !!

im in 6th need a couple of correct scores otherwise that’s my challenge over

I gave up months ago!

Blimey, Ipswich absolutely battering Argo.  Only  a matter of time before we concede.

Schoolboy defending again ffs

Inevitable.  We really can't compete with the better teams in this division.  We're a mid-table side.

Every time Ipswich come forward they look like there gunna score

Time for Schuey to earn his money.

Yep absolutely …it’s massive gonad time schuey need to make changes at ht cos this ain’t working

Still in the game, need Garrick on Mayor has been taken out of the game so far.

Still no shot on target.

Crotchlow looks like he's never played football before.

Hardie looks like a serious injury.  probably out for the rest of the season.   Season well and truly over.  Still top 10 finish not bad.

Les Miserable wrote:

Crotchlow looks like he's never played football before.

probably because he never plays and that was his first appearance in a month or so. Thats the problem with no reserve football where players like him can at least get some game time and take advantage of it when they get called apon over sitting on the bench for a month and get thrown on as an emergency when your stone cold in form.

We loose today disappointing but not a disaster, we just got to ensure we regroup and get focused for Oxford on saturday and get back on track. It was always going to be impossible to go another 7 games without dropping points along the way, this is a blip we can afford it at the moment providing we dont go making more blips in the remaining 6 games.

If Hardie has a hamstring injury thats pretty much it for him this season i hope its not a bad one.

Freathy wrote:

Hardie looks like a serious injury.  probably out for the rest of the season.   Season well and truly over.  Still top 10 finish not bad.

You are obviously wumming.

Disappointing with no shot on target, lost it in the first half really, better second half, Tractor boys had advantage not playing Tuesday.
Onwards and upwards.