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Chambers, Skuse and Berra to Miss Out as Young Squad Travels to Pompey
Monday, 18th Jan 2016 13:55

Skipper Luke Chambers, Cole Skuse and Christophe Berra won’t be risked as the Blues travel to Portsmouth for Tuesday’s FA Cup third round replay. Boss Mick McCarthy wouldn’t name his team, as he did the day before the first match, but is likely to name a very young side.

“We’ve got some walking wounded,” McCarthy said. “Skusey’s got a tight hamstring, Christophe’s going for an injection on his shoulder having landed really heavily a couple of times on Saturday.

“Chambo played the last 10 minutes with a calf strain, a tight calf, and just generally there are bumps and bruises.

“It showed in the game that we’d had to work so hard on Tuesday night, the euphoria of winning when we did [perhaps masked that]. I just think it takes its toll on a lot of them. So there’ll be a few changes tomorrow night because of it.”

The Town boss hopes the trio will be fine ahead of Saturday’s crunch Championship game away at Birmingham City, who are eighth, a place behind the Blues.

“I’m hoping so, we’ll see,” he added. “I hope they’ll train Thursday, they more than likely will but there’s no chance of them being risked tomorrow.”

McCarthy opted not to announce his XI, having named his side the day before the Portman Road match, which ended 2-2.

“No, I’m not going to do it this time,” he continued. “There’ll be a number of changes in it.

“I’d say, bearing in mind that they haven’t played since they played us, they certainly are fresh legs, and Birmingham haven’t got a game on Tuesday night.

“It’ll be a younger [team] and I hope an inspirational performance from some of them. Let’s see what they’ve got.

“We’ve got 19 games left and it is taking its toll on one of two of them. When Skusey starts complaining of a tight hamstring and Chambo starts complaining about a tight calf, you know that it’s taking its toll.

“So I’d like to see one or two be ready if I need them to play, and who knows, it could turn out that we need them in the next league game or the one after and I’d like to think they’ve had a game and they could compete for that place.”

He confirmed that U21s skipper Joe Robinson and Kyle Hammond would be amongst those travelling, while Josh Emmanuel, Myles Kenlock and Adam McDonnell also seem set to be amongst the youngsters at least making the 18 with Town fielding a very youthful U21s side against Colchester this afternoon.

Tommy Oar, Piotr Malarczyk, Bartosz Bialkowski, Luke Varney and Luke Hyam all look set to start as they did in the Portman Road match, while Paul Digby, a debutant in the first game, is also likely to be in the squad if not the team. Jay Tabb, Giles Coke and Larsen Touré could also come into the picture for starts or places on the bench.

David McGoldrick and Teddy Bishop both remain sidelined with hamstring injuries, while the Blues are still to receive international clearance for Kevin Foley, who is ineligible for tomorrow’s match in any case having not been at the club for the first game.


Photo: Action Images



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cornishblu added 14:04 - Jan 18
...if MM starts Digby that will tell us all we need to know about how he rates the cup....wouldn't be fair on the lad or the travelling faithful......the supporters want to win this one ..lets hope the gaffer does to.....400 mile round trip from Cornwall so it would be great to at least be singing the right songs in the way home COYbB
8

TR11BLU added 14:12 - Jan 18
Ill take my boots with me....
3

iaintaylorx added 14:13 - Jan 18
Won't be fair on the travelling faithful's who are going all that way to see our manager field a young and/or inexperienced team. We have seen that Pompey are no pushovers! Field a relatively good team please MM purely for the fans' sake!
If we start Coke in the middle, I think that will say a lot...
Shame that most teams have lost the 'love of the FA cup'!
4

hoppy added 14:15 - Jan 18
Hopefully it won't be so young that there's no place for Tabb... He's great is Tabby. Fantastic.
5

homer_123 added 14:15 - Jan 18
Why would it not be fair to play Digby - what a very odd comment.

The lad needs game time, proper game time, if he isn't going to play him Tuesday then when is he? U21 isn't good enough for him to develop.....
1

PJH added 14:17 - Jan 18
I agree that it is not really fair on travelling supporters but surely nobody is going expecting to see anything like a full strength side.
I do not think than anyone expected to be starting on Saturday at Birmingham should be playing at Portsmouth.
1

Westy added 14:22 - Jan 18
Play the strongest team. If a player is 'too tired' to play in the next game then cross that bridge when you come to it, but never increase the likelihood that we will lose a game by intentionally fielding a weakened side. Not fair on the travelling fans and with no game again until Saturday, surely they would have time to recover.
5

RaymondovicBlue added 14:24 - Jan 18
Couldn't get a ticket and am gutted as I live and work in Poole and cannot get to Portman Road often as a result.

But those who HAVE got tickets deserve to see an Ipswich side from our regular squad - 3 are injured and the keeper will change so there will be 4 changes AT LEAST already - but we have a squad for a reason and this is that reason.

I would be disappointed if ANY 11 from our first team squad was not managed and coached well enough to bond and gel together to beat a team 2 leagues below.

I'm GUESSING that with Pitman not having started for a couple of games he will do tonight with Varney up front - not a bad "reserve strike force"



Mick clearly stated that he didn't want to lose the first game ... so why would he want to lose this one before he starts? He'll pick a squad eleven, not rest everyone .... and I am just GUESSING that it will be this ....

BART

EMMANUEL SMITH MILARCZYK KENLOCK

NILES HYAM COKE ORR

PITMAN VARNEY


I would have paid my £18 ticket price to see that 11 - even if I'd prefer to see the normal best side ... but we pay more to see them !!

So - value for money + respect for the fans + love of winning + sensible rest for key players = an away win ??

COYB
3

Stato added 14:32 - Jan 18
I'm not a McCarthy fan but poor bloke is on a hiding to nothing on this one. Tricky fixture on Saturday and in Micks shoes I would be getting game time into the legs or Oar, Hyam and Bart. Strong argument to play Varney in place or Murph. Definitely also rest any of those with knocks.
7

weevil added 14:59 - Jan 18
I think it will be unfair on fans when chambo berra et al miss the next 2 league games due to straining something.

This is proper man management, we know what our priorities are. Don't get foolish guys.
7

Europablue added 15:18 - Jan 18
Fans have the chance to see some potential future first team players, and those on the fringes of the squad get the chance to impress. There seems to almost only be positives there. MM is expecting a win, not putting out a side to fulfill a fixture obligation.
I believe cup tickets are purchased separately so fans should be aware that the strongest team is not likely to be played when they buy them.
3

Smithy added 15:21 - Jan 18
Chambers, Berra & Skuse carrying knocks

Douglas & Murphy carrying knocks before Sat. so unlikely to be risked.

Bru a little fragile, so again unlikely to be risked, Gerken will be rested.

Fraser only just back from injury so again unlikely to be risked?

So only Smith, Knudsen & Sears available from Saturday?
1

mow_the_lawn added 15:30 - Jan 18
Not sure I would've bought my ticket had I known the team we're fielding will be weaker than the one that only just managed a draw against them.
-1

Smithy added 15:40 - Jan 18
My guess:

Bialkowski
Emmanuel Malarczyk Smith (C) Kenlock
Oar Coke Hyam Tabb
Pitman Varney

Subs: Gerken, Robinson, Hammond, McDonnell, AMN, Sears & Digby
0

Cloddyseedbed added 15:59 - Jan 18
Everybody please realise we will take a weakened side to Portsmouth because that's what we do in cup games now. You will see a mixture of fringe team players and young lads getting game time and the club will not expect to progress further in this competition as it distracts from the real goal of ending in the top six. Like it or not that is what happens. Personally I don't like it. With the way Ipswich have to run around these days on the pitch chasing everything, players are going to get more tired. If the ball is not doing the work, the players have to.
12

Dalty added 16:12 - Jan 18
Would be nice to see Hammond get a run out, been on the fringes of the first team squad for ages only to see injury scupper his chances of making an impression for much of the time.
1

oldegold added 16:14 - Jan 18
Well that is us out of the FA Cup and the paying public being short changed by our bone headed manager who simply lacks the bottle for do or die events. Just witness his appalling play off record..what is it ?1 victory in 9...marvellous. I for one don't agree with this crap management of the cups. It's not as if we're the Ipswich cup fighting side of the 70/80s is it.
We'll get the usual ragbag of fringe players and youth hopefuls destined for the scrapheap......sorry guys but don't into it.MM doesn't have the bottle for the cup and the tactical nous.
-3

sidtheswan added 16:39 - Jan 18
Think the reserves owe us a performance after being outplayed at home . If they can't beat Pompey then what use are they to us ? Think the EADT gave Bart MotM in home fixture . Says it all he shouldn't have been troubled against a third division team .
1

jas0999 added 16:56 - Jan 18
For me, this demonstrates the lack of depth and indeed quality in Depth within this squad. Now is a good time to strengthen, let's not make the same mistake as last year and risk injuries ruining the season due to inadequate options being available.
2

warktheline added 16:58 - Jan 18
The lack of appetite for the competition undoubtedly filters from top to bottom of a club. Work the rest out for yourself....I certainly won't be taking on the bookies, even at a generous 9/4!!!
4

StochesStotasBlewe added 18:25 - Jan 18
Cornishblu, I doff my cap to you & all the travelling fans making the trip tomorrow. Can,t be easy knowing that in effect you,ll be watching the ressies. I used to go to every FA cup match "70,s & "80s, home & away, will only do home ones now. Sign of the times with all the bigger clubs nowadays to field weakened teams.
5

olimar added 18:43 - Jan 18
Anyone who bought a ticket and feels let down by not seeing a full strength team obviously didnt pay enough attention to what they were buying. League Two prices against a League Two side.
2

WhoisJimmyJuan added 19:12 - Jan 18
It's a big ask to ask the reserves to suddenly step up and gel together as a team. For reasons which are not entirely clear the reserves are performing abysmally anyway. It is true that it is a chance to shine for one or two but with first team chances limited it is asking an awful lot. And I agree with warktheline; it also sends out a clear message about management attitude to the cup. We are success starved fans and I for one miss cup runs badly. I expect the worst for tomorrow but will hope for the best.
4

braveblue added 19:40 - Jan 18
But we don't need any more players remember!!
2

tractorblue added 19:53 - Jan 18
I know this may not be the place to put this but i see tonight 2 championship sides have bid for Jordan Rhodes,i know its not us,but he will seriously strengthen 1 of our rivals at the top,it maybe Hull as that Henendez could be joining Newcastle this week,and i expect its Middlesbro the other team,just wish we would make 1 signing like that to show us fans Evans really does want to go up,i know im dreaming,sorry guys.
0


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