Cherry Chimes chats to TWTD who fear Norwich play-off showdown

Rival Lines
Match Preview: Ipswich Town v AFCB
Blogger Interview: TWTD

Well while all of you were enjoying break or may be stressing over the lack of Championship football in the last 10 or more days I had the good fortune to be able to grill the opposition on the Cherries next match against Ipswich Town. Blair Ferguson who writes on the excellent TWTD site that follows the Tractor Boys. I not sure who was more nervous - me asking the questions or Blair giving the answers. It's just that time of the season where you hope everything just goes for your team.


CC: How do you feel ahead of the game against AFC Bournemouth?

TWTD: It’s another important game for Ipswich in terms of cementing a place in the top six. We could be out of the play-offs by the time the game starts so there could be an extra bit of pressure going into the game.

CC: How important do you think the three points were that Ipswich won against Watford?

TWTD: Massive! We had a tough time at Middlesbrough but reacted well with a win against Bolton, then continued to build momentum against Watford who are currently second and doing well.

The impact of scoring a late winner is always great for the fans but it shows the team are going to the very end of the game, which is important at this stage in the season.

CC: What do you feel about your remaining fixtures?

TWTD: I’m not sure there are many easy games at this stage of the season, but we do have a few games against teams who are mid-table and don’t have anything to play for. I think that can work against you sometimes, because the pressure is off them and they can just play.

You’d like to think the game against Blackpool shouldn’t be too difficult a task but it does make me lightly nervous! The match against Wolves has the potential to be season defining if the results go the right way going into it.

There are a few teams I’d rather play than Forest and Blackburn going into the last two because I’m fairly sure it will go that far.

CC: Mick McCarthy says that automatic promotion is still a possibility for Ipswich, but I guess a win against AFCB would be pretty much a must for that to happen?

TWTD: If we lose then the gap would be nine points and the chances of closing that would be very unlikely.

Ipswich would need to win all their remaining games and hope most teams above us all dropped points at the same time because we don’t have any of them left to play after Friday. It’s fairly unlikely but not impossible.

CC: Is there any team you would want to avoid if you do end up in the play-offs - Norwich City might be a bit awkward?

TWTD: Our recent record against Norwich has been poor and the thought of trying to change that over two-legs doesn’t excite me. Meeting them in the final would be even worse, but as a one off game you never know how that could end.

Derby haven’t been playing well recently and would probably be my favoured option. It’s always better to be the team that finishes with momentum in the play-offs and Derby have lost all of theirs, so I’d take them.

CC: Tyrone Mings has received 10 yellow cards now so who do you think will fill in for him against AFCB and how much of a miss will he be for Ipswich?

TWTD: Mings is a good player so he will definitely be missed but I think Jonathan Parr will fill in for him provided he’s recovered from his knock. Just remembered, we signed Zeki Fryers on loan before the international break. He could replace Mings if Parr isn't fit.

CC: Mick McCarthy has brought in a few players to Ipswich on loan in recent weeks - who has stood out for you and given you a real boost?

TWTD:: Richard Chaplow provided a boost with his winning goal against Watford but apart from that the loan signings haven’t made a great deal of impact.

Luke Varney and Chris Wood haven’t managed to score for us yet and I think that’s what you have to judge a striker on in terms of the difference he has made.

CC: Did you have any injury concerns following the Watford game and have you got many players on international duty?

TWTD: Christophe Berra featured for Scotland alongside Matt Ritchie – Ritchie set up Berra for his goal against Northern Ireland – and we might see David McGoldrick return after a long spell out, but he didn’t feature in the U21 game against Coventry on Monday night.

CC: Did you feel that things were going against Ipswich after the early part of March when the team lost to Norwich and were beaten by Boro?

TWTD: Not so much going against us. Norwich and Middlesbrough are good teams and you expect hard games against them. I think the most concerning thing was the manor in which we lost and the poor performance in each game. We seem to have put that behind us now and need to keep the momentum going.

CC: Are you ready for glory or despair on the last day of the season?

TWTD: I’d consider a play-off spot glory at this stage and I think we can definitely achieve that. Sitting in sixth now means it is ours to lose with the possibility of nicking second-place still at the back of my mind.

CC: Do you feel that the Ipswich squad can get promoted if it has to do it through the play-offs?

TWTD: As I mentioned earlier, momentum is a big part of winning the play-offs and Ipswich will have to keep winning between now and the end of the season to be in there. We have a very good team spirit just now and that could play a big part in a play-off campaign.

CC: Are you surprised that AFC Bournemouth have hung in at the top of the league despite fall off the top in February?

TWTD: Not overly. AFCB are a good team and everyone around the top has had a wobble at one time or another, at one stage it looked like no one wanted to win it!

CC: What is your score prediction for Ipswich v AFC Bournemouth?

TWTD: 1-0 for Ipswich

Well, I almost thought I was winning Blair over, but he came out very confident with a 1-0 home win prediction in the end. Looking at recent games in the Championship between these two sides the draw is certainly the safe bet although both teams have so much to gain with a win that they are likely to leave nothing on the pitch for this one. It could certainly be a Good Friday for one of these teams and the late kick-off will just add a little more drama to the occasion with the TV cameras looking on. I suppose I also have to give a score prediction and I am going for a 1-2 away win - come on Kenwyne!

Please check out the  TWTD site which has some news on players coming back from injury and lots of views on Ipswich's run-in.

Expect more grumbles from Mick McCarthy

It's probably fair to say that Mick McCarthy has been keen to stress that AFCB's good fortune is more to do with their bank account than any other factor from the comments he has made in previous encounters with the Cherries. Attracting good capital these days though is half the problem for many teams that are finding it difficult to manage their finances. AFCB should not be looked down upon though because they are now doing things right. Perhaps other clubs can learn from how AFCB have secured better funding and have been able to come through the league and to compete against clubs with much bigger fan bases.

AFCB v Ipswich last November.

Ipswich are of course one of those clubs that AFCB fans would consider a big club and they have also been bringing in some loan players ahead of the run-in with Johnny Williams and Zeki Fryers joining from Crystal Palace. The Suffolk side have also kept hold of Luke Varney and Richard Chaplow until the end of the season. Mick McCarthy also brought in Freddie Sears from Colchester who has done well since joining Ipswich. Elliott Hewitt has also been recalled from Colchester as possible cover for Tyrone Mings who will miss the clash with the Cherries. Striker David McGoldrich might also be back for the big match against the Cherries, along with Darren Ambrose perhaps.

Ipswich will know that a win against Bournemouth would draw them just three points behind the Cherries and could give them vital distance points over some of the teams vying for a play-off place. But Mick McCarthy will also know that a defeat would make it very hard for Ipswich to finish in the top two being nine points behind the Cherries. Ipswich need to make up ground and whether that means they come at the Cherries and leave holes in behind we will have to wait and see. Previous encounters in the Championship between the two sides have ended in draws but I don't think either side would be overly pleased with a draw this time around.

Ipswich's home form is pretty strong and with the TV cameras at the game it should be a very lively game, because AFCB never go to any ground and hold back these days. I'll be looking forward to Mick's post-match comments though. It will probably go something like - how can they afford someone like Kenwyne Jones? Only kidding Mick, you were the first to stop calling us "little Bournemouth" - just don't tell him AFCB's players have been training in Dubai. UTCIAD!

Ipswich Town Home Form
WLWDW

AFCB Away Form
WLLWD


Make sure you check out Cherry Chimes tomorrow as we have a Rival Lines interview with Independent Ipswich fan site TWTD.

Cherry Chimes asks Following Millwall FC will you stay up?

Match Preview

Millwall v AFCB
Blogger Interview - Following Millwall FC

I have had many a good chat with OZ (Mark Austin) of the  Following Millwall FC blog in the last few months via emails and it is good to know that he is upbeat ahead of the crucial game in his calendar this weekend - Millwall v AFCB. When we looked at the fixtures at the start of the season we both prayed that both teams would be safe by 3 May, but sadly for OZ and Millwall fans they need at least a good result or for other games to go their way to ensure survival. So how well is OZ keeping his cool this week?

CC: Do you think it has taken Ian Holloway a little while to get his style of play across to the players and do you look more of a team now?

FMB: It can be said that Ian Holloway's style is somewhat different along with his personality. There was questions regarding his state of mind after his stint at Crystal Palace and all sorts of reported reasons why he left. Whatever happened there, Crystal Palace that is, I don't care, it's what he does here and how he helps us stay up and push on next season. It has took us a while to "adjust" Playing five strikers was confusing for us so I can imagine what it was like for the players. I think in the early games he was more on tactics than playing his best team. He didn't know what his best team was but he thought he did and when he got them playing against the B-side and they got done 6-0 the B-side became the A-side and we haven't looked back. Ian Holloway basically started from scratch and his first mission was to find who is best players were and who wanted to play for him. There was a problem with doing this and I think the problem was that his best players wasn't his best team and I think this didn't come to light to the training ground game.His best team is not the fancy Dan's who he has now in the side as he has now let them go he has the grafters who will sweat blood for the team and Millwall FC. The team is enjoying their football once again.

Is it the Holloway factor? I think it is because it's not just the players enjoying their football once again, Ian Holloway is as well. There is no doubt he loves it, managing Millwall that is and he thrives in the fact that he has a blank canvas and he can do what he likes.

CC: Which game do you think was your best game in the last few weeks that gave your players most hope of beating the drop?

FMB: We have had good and very good results in the last undefeated seven games such as, a win at Forest, a win at Wigan, a win at Middlesbrough and draws against QPR, Blackburn, Watford and Doncaster. If I would have to vote I would say that the win at Boro was perhaps the best. This win took us out of the bottom three and the whole club was buzzing that perhaps we can get out of this mess. The recent draw with Doncaster was disappointing but on the day most results went our way and the recent draw at QPR was massive, it felt like a win and it's set us nicely for our last game at home against Bournemouth. Championship for another year? who knows at this moment in time but I think we have "found our self" and right now we have the third best form in the division. The team playing at the moment I would like to see next year in the Championship and Holloway and the team I'm sure would like to see what they can do from scratch.

CC: Stefan Maierhofer is making a name for himself up front as a big forward. Why do you think it has been working for him in recent games and is Martyn Woolford combining well with him?

FMB: Big is correct, 6' 8" and he can play a bit. The "Hof" has got skill and although he compared up against Peter Crouch I think he is a better player and has more control of his body parts. He can play the ball on the floor has decent close control ball skills and I would be happy if we signed him on a permanent contract.

CC: Is your team up to full strength or have you a few key players out at this stage of the season?

FMB: The squad is is not quite up to full strength with Danny Shittu our team captain out to next season with a heel injury and Richard Chaplow just back in training Ian Holloway will have a couple more options for next season. Nicky Bailey who was out for a good few games is now back in the side playing well and he has been a major factor in grinding out results that have hyped us achieve our recent good form.

CC: Our fans will want to know if there is any danger of Millwall going down should they stay away or do you think it is safe now for away fans visiting the Den?

FMB: I'll let you into a little secret; It is perfectly safe for Bournemouth supporters to come and see us and support their team at the Den. You will have your own end completely separate to any other part of the ground and we will even let your smokers go outside for a cigarette at half time. I will admit that you will have to listen to us non-stop roaring on the Lions mixed in with "friendly banter" as we welcome you to the Den in our own special way. You will leave the ground with your ears ringing and it will be a away day that you won't forget. Hopefully you will leaving with your tails between your legs and promising yourself that you will never come back here again. It will be rowdy and that's the Millwall way. Please Bournemouth fans, do come and support your team as we support ours.

If at the very worse the result from this game meant that we are going down the Den this would only be known near the end of the game and gloom would follow but no worries for the Bournemouth fans as we trudged off home feeling miserable and didn't even give you lot a thought. If we go down honestly and are beaten fairly we will take it on the chin, what we don't like is incompetent referee's and cheats.

CC: What do you think the atmosphere will be like for this game?

FMB: I think that my reply regarding Bournemouth supporters and their safety gives a overview of what I know the Den atmosphere can be. Hopefully the Den atmosphere will be rockin and the hairs on your neck will be standing to attention. I can imagine the home section of 16000 will be sold out or thereabouts. There is room for three thousand fans and if you fetch a thousand or more it will add to the atmosphere. We need to be sure of safety and the three points and stake we will be up for this one. Health and Safety would advise ear defenders for those of a delicate nature.

CC: Which three teams do you think will go down with Yeovil and Barnsley?

FMB: Three teams to go down, easy! Barnsley and Yeovil plus Blackpool or Birmingham. It would be nice to add Charlton to that!

CC: Hang on you can't have them all going down and sorry but since I asked the question Charlton are now safe, but Doncaster could still go down to keep Millwall up.

CC: If the unthinkable happened and Millwall did go down is the club in a good enough position to do a Wolves and come straight back up?

FMB: Millwall going down? We are not going down "but if we do" it all depends on the players we retain. Ian Holloway will carry on in League 1 and set abut a mission of getting us out and back in the Championship. We will do alright in League 1 because the back bone of the team have played in league 1 and won promotion from it. These players have been at Millwall for a long time and it will be these that Ian Holloway will need to build around as they as they will be the last the leave if we drop a division and most importantly they know the Millwall way.

CC: Millwall have let in the highest number of goals in the Championship this season so are new defenders a priority over the summer and do you feel that some of your back four are not good enough?

FMB: We have conceded a lot but that all seems a long time ago, We are a lot tighter at the back with a stronger midfield and we can be flexible and fluid in what we do. We don't give up and we will work to the final whistle. One of our big discoveries this year is long serving Alan Dunne moved from a full back position to a centre back and given the captains armband is doing that job really well and for a player who's been with Millwall since he was eight and is now one of senior pro's he has had a new lease of life and is working is "*uts off" He is enjoying the football like a teenager again but with a wise old head. He is Mr Millwall.

CC: The Millwall visit to Dean Court was one of the most memorable games of our season coming back from two down, but do you expect a much tighter game at the Den?

FMB: I don't expect us or you to get hammered so in that respect yes it will be a tighter game, maybe a odd goal. Carry on with our unbeaten run is paramount and I know we can do that, end of.

All the best for next season and I wish you all well down on the south coast and especially those that follow Bournemouth FC. Please enjoy your holidays and please start them now!

My best wishes starting Sunday!!

CC: Well it will be good to hear the Lions roar on Saturday and I am sure the game is going to be a great occasion. It is of course a lot easier for AFCB fans to enjoy with just pride at stake for the Cherries, but I hope that both sets of supporters can have a party at the end of the game. We are all football fans and come in expectation of being entertained. Whatever the result let's hope for plenty of goal mouth action.

Make sure you visit OZ's blog at Following Millwall FC.

Millwall are a much improved side

It's just AFCB's luck that they welcome Millwall to the Goldsands stadium when they have turned around their team and are on the back of a really good run. For Bournemouth this really is an important game following last week's home defeat. The team has shown that it can bounce back and if AFCB believe that they can do that at home they will pick up points.

While Steve Lomas looked a lost manager a few weeks ago his team have now strung three wins together on the bounce. Worryingly, they look like a team that has a new spirit and are enjoying their football. Even  Scott Malone looks more like his old self when he terrorised defences playing in red and black. Woolford in particular looks in fine form and has a keen eye for goal, and against Leeds and Charlton they managed two clean sheets.

Indeed, Millwall have some players that are capable of causing AFCB plenty of problems. Among them is Richard Chaplow who of course many of you will know from his playing days as a Saint. I found it surprising that Southampton terminated his contract in July but they are now spending enormous amounts of money in the Premiership. Millwall will certainly have some solidity with him in their side. Another player who is perhaps underestimated is Danny Shittu, the Nigerian defender who has spent several years at QPR. He was voted Millwall's player of the year least season. Finally, our defence will have to watch out for Jermaine Easter who is an accomplished number 8 that left Crystal Palace in the summer.

Millwall simply didn't turn up in the first half against Birmingham, so they will be looking for a performance against AFCB. Lomas was seething I should think losing 4:0 to Birmingham. AFCB though have a positive mind frame even though they were defeated at Leeds in mid-week. While this will be a tight game, if the Cherries can get ahead I think their confidence will grow. We know Eddie Howe is keen on big results before the international breaks and Millwall are a team that can be inconsistent and our lads have to believe that they are better than them when playing at home.

Millwall last time out: 
Forde, Malone, Robinson, Dunne, Shittu, Trotter, Bailey, Abdo, Waghorn, Morison, Woolford

Subs:
Martin, Chaplow, Osborne, Bywater, Derry, Easter, Lowry

You can now read up on Millwall FC, the next visitors to Dean Court. Our Rival Lines feature offers a chat with Merv Payne who is a regular writer for Sabotage Times. He discusses Millwall's sudden improvement under Steve Lomas.