Ipswich preview: Can Town new boy ward off Brentford challenge?

Ipswich, the Championship’s longest-serving club, have been one of the division’s least busy sides in the summer transfer window – but one of their few signings made an instant impact last Saturday.

Winger Grant Ward, who spent last season on loan at Rotherham, was brought in from Spurs for an undisclosed fee and paid some of it back straight away with a sparkling second half hat-trick as Town started their Championship campaign with a thumping 4-2 win over promoted Barnsley.

Introduced as a half-time substitute, with the match goalless, Ward needed only 39 seconds to open his account and followed up with further goals in the 61st and 84th minutes to delight his new boss Mick McCarthy, who said: “After last season, I wanted my midfielders to score more and I thought Grant Ward had a goal in him – I didn’t know he had three in 45 minutes!”

The only other new arrivals at Portman Road are Portsmouth defender Adam Webster, who cost a fee believed to be around £750,000 – a record under McCarthy – with defender Matt Clarke going the other way as part of the deal, Barnsley defender/midfielder Paul Digby on a free transfer and, brought in on the eve of the big kick-off, Everton midfielder Conor Grant on a season-long loan.

In addition, Luke Varney and Bees legend Jay Tabb were both among the players released when their contracts ran out in the summer.

UPDATE FRIDAY 13:15 – However Varney has just been re-signed on a short-term contract after David McGoldrick suffered an injury that could keep him out for several weeks.

Tabby did not figure in the Championship for Ipswich for a single second last season and McCarthy paid tribute to him, telling the East Anglian Daily Times: “He’s been fabulous, he’s one who, without playing a game all season, could have won the ‘most selfless player award’ because he comes and trains every day.

“When he’s played in the cup games he’s played well, he trains well, he’s a prime example to any young player. He really is a fantastic character.”

I believe Tabby is still without a club after a trial at Championship new boys Burton did not lead to the offer of a contract.

Ipswich have been in this division since 2002 and have only come close to regaining their Premier League status on three occasions in that time.

They finished fifth and third in 2003/04 and 2004/05 respectively and then sixth behind us two seasons ago – only to lose in the play-off semi-finals on each occasion.

West Ham burst their promotion bubbles in the first two campaigns and it was local rivals Norwich who stopped them reaching the final in 2015.

Check out our Ipswich season preview by Town fan Harry from TWTD blog

A top six finish would please the vast majority of fans.

WHO’S IN CHARGE?

Mick McCarthy is the Championship’s longest-serving manager, and the 11th longest-serving in all four divisions, after replacing Paul Jewell at Portman Road in November 2012.

Previous to that he was at the helm at Wolves for nearly six years and had a similar amount of time as Republic of Ireland manager with three years at Sunderland sandwiched in-between, while his managerial career began at Millwall.

His managerial achievements include leading the Irish to the 2002 World Cup finals and taking them to the second round and leading both Wolves and Sunderland back to the Premier League as champions of the Championship.

As a centre-half, Mick won 57 caps for the Irish while playing his club football with Barnsley, Manchester City, Celtic, Lyon and Millwall.

LAST SEASON’S MEETINGS

Brentford have failed to beat Ipswich at Griffin Park since our paths crossed in league action for the first time in 57 years on Boxing Day 2014. Ipswich won that match 4-2 but we hit back to draw 2-2 on the opening day of last season.

We have been more successful at Portman Road – following a 1-1 draw with last season’s 3-1 win, which was overshadowed by the horrific early injury to Alan Judge.

WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT US

In the first of a new feature in this season’s match previews, BBC Radio Suffolk’s Ipswich commentator Brenner Woolley recalls his memories of previous visits to Griffin Park.

How do you see Ipswich doing this season?

The recent acquisitions of Grant Ward and Conor Grant have undoubtedly increased their chances of reaching the play-offs for the second time in three years.

The 21-year-olds should bring some much needed pace, width and athleticism to the side. If Mick McCarthy can also get full seasons out of Teddy Bishop and David McGoldrick, with a sprinkling of gifted 17-year-old Andre Dozzell thrown into the mix, they’ve definitely got a chance of top six. Given the budgets of many in this division that would be a heck of an achievement.

What memories do you have – good or bad – of previous trips to Brentford to see Ipswich?

An easy one! The opening day of last season will love long in the memory, when Town contrived to snatch a draw from the jaws of victory. Despite it being one of their best performances of the entire campaign, we all trooped back from Griffin Park feeling rather down in the dumps after Brentford fought back from 2-0 down to grab a late, late share of the spoils.

Is there anything you particularly like, or dislike, about visiting TW8?

I love coming to Griffin Park, it’s a good old-fashioned, proper, atmospheric football ground. As nice as it is to go to the likes of Derby, Reading and Cardiff, give me a Brentford, Fulham or QPR any day of the week. It’s just a shame that, being on work duty, I’m unable to experience the many pubs surrounding the ground!

Which Bees players will you be most wary of?

I don’t know if you could ever be “wary” of a right-back, unless it’s Cafu, but I was hugely impressed by Maxime Colin at Portman Road last season.

Instead I’d go with one of your midfielders…Josh McEachran. I’ve kept an eye on his career ever since, as a 17-year-old, he was absolutely phenomenal in an FA Cup game against Town at Stamford Bridge. I can remember having a wry chuckle as I commentated on the first time he gave the ball away. It was in the 83rd minute and it didn’t happen again.

Who should Bees fans look out for on the Ipswich side – any of the new signings or people from last season’s team?

There are a few to choose from but I’ll go with Andre Dozzell. He’s an England youth international who burst on to the first team scene last season with a goal on his debut as a 16-year-old, remarkably following in the footsteps of his father Jason, 32 years earlier.

Although he’s only made one Championship start to date, and will be used sparingly, there’s no doubting he’s a very special talent who’s comfortable on the ball, has an eye for goal and possesses great balance and awareness.

For more pre-match Ipswich views, check out Billy’s Fanstand interview with Harry from TWTD blog

The pattern of the game may well follow Barnsley with a cagey first half played out by two teams incapable of hurting each other. At half-time, I suspect that Mick may try the same trick of unleashing the hounds and the game will open up. If this happened I don’t see either side keeping a clean sheet.

FORM GUIDE

Brentford and Ipswich come into Saturday’s match in differing form.

Taking both sides’ results from the end of last season and the start of this one, the Bees have the better record with six victories in our last 10 matches. Town have only won three of their previous 10 – including last Saturday’s defeat of Barnsley – but both of us lost in the EFL Cup on Tuesday.

The Bees have won our last four competitive home games at Griffin Park – the final one of last season being the 3-0 thumping of Fulham – while Ipswich drew four of their final six away matches in 2015/16.

Looking at home and away league matches only, Brentford are on a run of four wins in six games and Ipswich in a sequence of three straight victories.

Infographics supplied by https://kickoff.co.uk

TEAM NEWS

Mick McCarthy made seven changes for Tuesday’s 1-0 EFL Cup defeat at home to Stevenage – so could well revert to the line-up that faced Barnsley for Saturday’s match.

McCarthy was so angry about the result that he cancelled the players’ day off on Wednesday and brought them in for extra training.

Former Bees Jonathan Douglas and Tommy Smith both figured against the League Two outfit after being on the bench against the Tykes and may find themselves starting their afternoon in the New Road dug-outs.

Smith, who signed a new three-year contract in the summer, is likely to miss out with Christophe Berra and new signing Webster returning to the heart of defence to partner regular full-backs Adam Chambers and Jonas Knudsen, who were two of the four players to retain their places on Tuesday night.

Bartosz Bialkowski should return in goal in place of Dean Gerken while Cole Skuse, in the middle, and Teddy Bishop, on the right, are likely to be back in midfield alongside Kevin Bru, the other central player, and Freddie Sears, on the left.

UPDATE FRIDAY 13:15 David McGoldrick suffered an injury against Stevenage so Daryl Murphy, who played for Republic of Ireland at Euro 2016, could potentially return to partner Ward up front.

That means former Bees captain Douglas, who played nearly 200 games for us in four seasons, 17-year-old Andre Dozzell and Conor Grant are likely to be back among the substitutes, with Varney, after his return to the club.

Definitely out are last season’s top scorer Brett Pitman, with a thigh injury suffered in training this week, and midfielder Luke Hyam, whose tackle led to Alan Judge’s broken leg in April, who is still recovering from a knee problem.

IAN WESTBROOK

@ianwestbrook

PUBS IN BRENTFORD

For Ipswich fans coming down, you are probably aware there plenty of pub options pre-match and all are most welcoming.

There are now only three pubs around the ground, following the closure of the Royal Oak.

The Griffin is closest to the away end (like 30 secs walk) and is very popular with away fans – but also very, very busy. The New Inn is on the other side and is also popular with away fans. The Princess Royal is the other option.

Other pubs slightly further afield for the more creative amongst you include (and this is by no means a definitive list) …. The Globe (Windmill Rd) is the Beesotted pre-match pub. This boozer & The Lord Nelson (Enfield Rd) are both incredibly friendly and cosy away-friendly pubs and about 1 min walk from each other .. frequented by ‘away fans in the know’. The Plough (Northfields Ave) in Northfields is a decent stop-off if you are coming by tube to Northfields (it’s a much better pub crawl route getting off at Northfields than South Ealing) before making your way down to the ground (normally stopping off at The Globe and Lord Nelson en route).

There is also a pub right by Brentford station always referred to as … the Pub by Brentford station.

For ale head to the Magpie and Crown pub on Brentford High Street. The Royal Horseguardsman can probably hold 15 of you at a push. The Brewery Tap is a cosy boozer by the river. And if you are super adventurous, get off at Kew Bridge and visit the brand new boozer One Over the Ait right on the river – beside the bridge. There are loads more too.

A quick Google search and you’ll find them all. There are many many more too if you have a look around.

Parking is pretty easy away from the ground going up towards and over the A4 Great West Rd (ie. North) via Ealing Rd or Windmill Rd.