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.

Ipswich v AFCB showdown with TWTD and Cherry Chimes

Match Preview

Ipswich Town v AFCB

Blogger Interview - TWTD

Cherry Chimes gets ready for the huge Easter Monday showdown with Ipswich Town FC by talking to Blair Ferguson from independent Ipswich Town website TWTD.co.uk. Cherry Chimes welcomes back Blair to the rival Lines hot seat as the Tractor Boys and the Cherries go head to head in what is probably the game of the Easter period in the Championship - winner takes all! HAPPY EASTER!

CC: Ipswich have been in the Championship for many years so do you think getting promoted would do a lot for the town?

TWTD: I think it would lift the Town massively if they were to be back in the Premier League. There are the obvious things of getting more people into the Town but it would also raise the attendances at Portman Road, which is a great place to start.

CC: How have you done against the teams in the play-off positions this season and would you be confident of getting past them?

TWTD: It’s been a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve drawn against and beaten Derby and recently beaten Brighton at the AMEX, which was a result that really kick-started our promotion push. Because we are relatively late to the party we didn’t do well against some of them earlier in the season but we are a lot stronger now.

If we were to get 6th I think we are more than capable of beating whoever we get. At the time of writing it looks like we would get QPR and although we’ve lost to them twice this season I think we are stronger team to the one we were when we last played them in January.

CC: Do you think Mick McCarthy has what it takes to do well in the Premiership after his experience with Wolves?

TWTD: Mick McCarthy has a lot of experience in the Premier League and I think that would serve us well. With a few additions I think he would make us very hard to beat in any division.

CC: If you don't go up do you think you will hold on to the nucleus of the squad for next season - Johnny Williams seems to be one player that has done well for you on loan?

TWTD: I think it would be very important to keep the squad together. The hardest one to keep hold of will probably be Aaron Cresswell as he’s had clubs sniffing around him for a while now.

‘Joniesta’ has been a real catalyst for our season because he’s brought some much needed creativity behind the strikers. He is a very positive, forward thinking player and I think his positive style of play has rubbed off on some of the other lads and given us confidence to be more adventurous going forward.

CC: The TWTD talks about defender Aaron Creswell a lot so what qualities does he bring to the team?

TWTD: Aaron Cresswell is a great modern day full-back who has the engine to get up and down the pitch but he’s also got plenty of pace. He’s also got the ability to swing in a great cross, is strong from free-kicks and when he wants to can hit a powerful shot.

CC: Do you think the team could have won more games in March or were they just difficult fixtures?

TWTD: I think the game against Middlesbrough is one where we could of picked up some points but we came up against Wigan as they were making their surge up the league, so that was always going to be a difficult game.

The draw with Nottingham Forest is a game I thought we could have taken all three points but on the day they had chances as well.

CC: The Ipswich team we saw at Dean Court had been unbeaten away since September but what has the home form been like to watch of late - are Ipswich supporters nervous or excited?

TWTD: Nervous! Luke Chambers' goal in the dying minutes against Doncaster will have had everyone on the edge of their seat. With every game that pass’ with us getting three-points people start to think that maybe we go get sixth place and get into the play-offs for the first time since ???

CC: Has Daryl Murphy gone under the radar a bit in the media with David McGoldrick doing so well? I remember he scored against us!

TWTD: He’s one of those players that works hard and gets some goals along the way. The reason he has been in McGoldrick’s shadow a bit will be because they are different type of players. McGoldrick has a bit more class to him where as Murphy will usually score from inside the six-yard-box, not that that’s a bad thing!

If both of them were on form together they could form a formidable partnership but Murphy stepped up when Town needed someone to fill the void when McGoldrick got injured.

CC: How well did you feel Ipswich played in your last home game against Doncaster Rovers?

TWTD: Not bad at all! It was a bit of a nervous ending given that they scored a penalty in the 83rd minute but maybe you know it might be your year when you score the winner six minutes later!

CC: With the positions as they are and a top six position at stake would you rather be playing Bournemouth now than a team lower in the league at this stage?

TWTD: I don’t think you want to be playing a team who are in a relegation battle at this stage of the season. We all know that anyone can beat anyone in this division but I’d rather be playing Bournemouth.

CC: What can away supporters look forward to when they come and see the Portman Road stadium?

TWTD: First and foremost it’s a nice stadium with a bit of character to it, unlike some of the modern stadiums that feel as if they are all the same!

CC: What do you think the score will be when Ipswich play Bournemouth?

TWTD: I fancy us to take it 2-0, although we do play better when we go behind so maybe 2-1 is the better option! It will be a tough game given we are both after the same thing but I’d fancy us to edge it.

CC: Thank you for your answers Blair. It has been a long hard season at it will be a pleasure to come and visit Portman Road on Monday. While both teams can't get in the play-offs let's hope that at least one of them does and I also hope that it is a cracker of a game, because it is all set up for a must win for both sides.

For more views on Ipswich Town's season have a visit to TWTD.co.uk it's packed full of information and has a report on Town's last outing away at Watford.

Make sure you send in your score predictions for the game tomorrow and I'll post them up on the site as soon as I can.

Cherry Chimes talks to Independent Ipswich Town website TWTD

Match Preview
Blogger Interview

AFCB v Ipswich Town

Cherry Chimes asked Blair Ferguson a contributor to independent Ipswich Town website TWTD a few questions about the Tractor Boys ahead of their clash with the Cherries on Sunday. We'll find out what Ipswich fans think of Mick McCarthy, and do you know who is their Premiership star in the making? 

CC: Ipswich Town have really been picking up momentum of late. How come the sudden turnaround in form?

TWTD: We have been playing fairly well all season but didn't get the odd bit of luck here and there, however, when we started turning draws into wins we really began to push on and we now have a confident bunch of lads who believe in their own ability.

CC: Is Mick McCarthy very popular with you fans and can you see what he is trying to do with the players?

TWTD: Mick McCarthy came in last season and has made a real impact. The main difference is the defence, for a few seasons we have been lightweight at the back, but we now look confident and the addition of Christophe Berra has helped shore up the backline.

McCarthy is popular with the fans because he has done a great job so far. He has made us hard to beat, maybe not the best to watch, but we can get results and go into games not fearing the opposition.

CC: Which players are you worried about losing in January if any?

TWTD: The main worry is Aaron Cresswell, he's been on the radar of a few Premier League clubs for a while. He gives us a great outlet down the left and is as good at attacking as he is defending. His set pieces are also a big part of our overall game and we would miss them greatly if he went.

CC: Ebanks-Blake did really well when he was at Wolves. Do you think he is the kind of striker you really needed?

TWTD: Although we have good strikers in Daryl Murphy, Frank Nouble and David McGoldrick, Ebanks-Blake is a proven goalscorer. We haven't scored too many goals of late but if he is fit and hits the ground running then he could strengthen us a lot going into the second half of the season. It's worth remembering that he has been the Championship’s top goalscorer twice in his career.

CC: Do you think the quality (or let's be honest money) of the teams coming down from the Premiership is making it harder every season for stable teams like Ipswich to get out of the Championship?

TWTD: Ipswich are the Championship’s longest-serving team and I think that now more than ever finance is playing a part. The money that relegated Premier League teams get allows them to build a solid side to go straight back up or keep the players they have to give it a go for a season.

It doesn't always work as Wigan are proving, but the circumstances that led to relegation have a big part to play. If it's a bad team playing poor football then they will struggle in the Championship, but if it's a side like QPR who have a very strong squad then they will likely do well.

CC: What has been the most pleasing match when your teams has played well this season?

TWTD: The most pleasing game was probably the 3-2 win at Blackpool. It was the first away win of the campaign and was won in the final seconds. Town had been a goal behind at the break having been outplayed and Mick McCarthy switched to an usually attacking 4-3-3 formation.

We dominated after that and went 2-1 in front before allowing Blackpool an equaliser in the final minute. However, Daryl Murphy’s injury time header shortly before the whistle sealed a memorable win.

CC: If Ipswich did go up would you expect any players you have currently to do well in the Premiership?

TWTD: I think Cresswell would prove himself at Premier a League level, you can tell that he's a quality player and could play at a higher level.

CC: AFCB have found it a hard league this season. Do you think any of the promoted sides can survive in the Championship?

TWTD: The Championship is a difficult league for all the teams in it. All the teams can beat each other and when you're near the bottom it makes it very difficult to go into a game and think we can definitely win this game.

It is possible for the promoted sides to survive because all it takes is a three or four-game run and you go marching up the table given that it's such a tight league.

CC: Well thank you Blair for sparing some time this Christmas to give Cherry Chimes' readers a good indication of how well Ipswich Town are doing on the pitch. I expect a very difficult game for the Cherries and a packed house for this one, as Ipswich are a team that I am sure a lot of AFCB fans have been looking forward to see as an established Championship team. You can lean more about the Cherries next opponents on the independent Ipswich Town website TWTD, so make sure you have a look.