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Town Continue Search for First Win as High-Flying Brentford Visit Portman Road
Monday, 17th Sep 2018 18:08

Town continue their search for a first win under Paul Hurst when they take on Brentford at Portman Road, where despite being bottom of the Championship they remain unbeaten (Sky Sports Football, red button/iFollow Ipswich).

All three of the Blues’ home matches have ended in draws and manager Hurst has been pleased with his team’s form in those games.

“I think they’ve been pretty good,” he said. “The Norwich game, I think most neutrals, which is probably the fairest way to put it, would have said if anyone deserved to win it was ourselves and we were slightly the better team.

“On the opening day [against Blackburn] there was a good start and then a bit of adversity and then we got that late equaliser.

“And the Villa game, going down to 10 men and still posing a threat was a real positive and almost felt like a win coming off because of the circumstances.

“So it’s been good and the atmosphere at the games has been excellent. Everyone’s spoken about that, so we want to try and keep that going.

“Tomorrow night we’ve spoken about Kevin Beattie, I’d like to think there’ll be a big turnout because of that alone, maybe a different feel initially at the game, but then it’s the first midweek game we’ve had under the lights and often they can be special at football clubs.

“And we’ll need a special performance as I’ve alluded to because of who we’re up against. But at home I think we’ve performed well, if not quite getting over the line to get that victory.”

After the disappointing display at Hull and the long wait for a win, Hurst says he and his side will need the crowd to stay with them during Tuesday’s match.

“I’d go along with that, but I also think they will be,” he said. “If I’ve misunderstood something or not been made aware of something I apologise, but the fans at Hull the weekend, I’m sure there were some disgruntled ones watching it at times, but I have to say so far this is the best set of fans that I’ve managed in front of in terms of how they’ve backed the players and how I haven’t heard that negativity that can quite quickly come.

“And I know that they’ll be frustrated because I am, we want the same things, albeit I’m in the position where you’re seeing it and working on things to try and make it happen.

“As a fan you’re just putting your loyalty out there and turning up and hoping that the team can deliver. We want the same things and I’d be amazed if it’s not that way tomorrow evening.”


Brentford have made an impressive start to the season and are second in the Championship, although they are yet to win away from home having drawn two and lost one so far on their travels, while enjoying a 100 per cent record in four matches at Griffin Park.

“They’ve spent a little bit more than people first think, but without having the biggest budget or anything,” Hurst reflected.

“A lot is made of the foreign market that they’ve used but at the same time if you look they’ve still got quite a few lads that are English-based or homegrown.

“A very well-oiled machine is how they look at the minute. Everyone clearly knows their role in the team and individuals are playing with a lot of confidence.

“And you put all that into a mix and that makes for a good team and a difficult challenge in front of us, but we can’t be scared of that.

“As much as I’ve got a lot of respect for them and have enjoyed watching them in a strange sort of way, we’ve got to try and do something about that.”

Hurst has said there is an injury doubt about an unnamed player ahead of Tuesday’s game, which makes predicting his starting XI difficult.

Dean Gerken is likely to continue in goal with Jonas Knudsen at left-back and skipper Luke Chambers and Matthew Pennington at the centre of the defence with Toto Nsiala serving the final game of his three-match ban.

Hurst could make a change at right-back with Janoi Donacien coming in for Jordan Spence, which would see another of the six loan players have to drop out of the matchday squad with only five permitted.

In central midfield, Cole Skuse and Jon Nolan are likely to keep their places but Flynn Downes could drop out in favour of Trevoh Chalobah.

Gwion Edwards and Jordan Graham will probably continue in the wide roles with Jon Walters the lone striker, although the 34-year-old might well be the injury doubt having come back early from Ireland duty due to an ongoing knee problem just over a week ago.

For Brentford, defender Rico Henry is back in training having been out with a knee injury for almost a year but isn’t likely to be involved. Full-back Moses Odubajo is similarly in the early stages of a recovery from a knee injury.

The sides have only met on 16 previous occasions with the Blues having had the better of the West Londoners overall, although not in league competition where the record is evenly balanced.

Town have won six of the games between the teams (three in the league), the Bees four (four) with five (five) ending in draws.

In April, Neal Maupay’s 72nd minute penalty saw Brentford to a 1-0 victory over the Blues at Griffin Park, Jonas Knudsen having been harshly adjudged to have fouled Bees sub Sergi Canos.

The Blues rarely looked like getting back on terms, although Grant Ward’s powerful shot was stopped by home keeper Daniel Bentley, then Chris Mepham blocked Martyn Waghorn’s effort from the rebound.

In August at Portman Road, Waghorn and Joe Garner were on target as Town took their start to the season to five wins out of five by beating Brentford 2-0.

Home debutant Waghorn opened the scoring in the 35th minute with his one-time Rangers team-mate netting the second with a header six minutes after the restart to take the Blues to second in the Championship.

The currently injured Tom Adeyemi is the only current Blues player to have represented the Bees. The midfielder was at Griffin Park on loan from Norwich in 2012/13 when he made 29 starts and 10 sub appearances, scoring three goals.

Brentford winger Alan Judge, who returned to action in January following the serious leg injury he suffered at Portman Road in April 2016, came close to joining the Blues from Notts County in the summer of 2013 but ended up moving to Blackburn.

Tuesday’s referee is Darren Bond from Lancashire, who has shown 23 yellow cards and two red in seven games so far this season.

His most recent Town match was the 4-2 home victory over Nottingham Forest in December last year in which he booked Callum Connolly, Martyn Waghorn and two visiting players.

Prior to that he was in charge of the 2-1 defeat at Birmingham in December 2016 in which he booked Blues skipper Chambers and Christophe Berra.

Before that he took control of the 2-2 home draw with Rotherham a couple of months earlier in which he kept his cards in his pocket throughout.

He also refereed the 0-0 draw at Middlesbrough in April of the same year in which he cautioned Luke Hyam and former Blues skipper Grant Leadbitter.

He also officiated in the 1-0 win at Huddersfield three months earlier in which he yellow-carded Chambers, Brett Pitman and Ainsley Maitland-Niles as well as one home player.

He also refereed the dramatic last-gasp 1-0 victory at Charlton in November 2014 in which he kept his cards in his pocket throughout.

Two months before that he officiated in the 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday when he booked only two home players, while his only other match involving the Blues was the 2-2 draw at Barnsley in February of the same year in which he again showed no cards.

Squad from: Gerken, Bialkowski, Donacien, Spence, Knudsen, Kenlock, Chambers (c), Pennington, Skuse, Chalobah, Downes, Edun, Rowe, Edwards, Sears, Ward, Graham, Roberts, Nolan, Walters, Harrison, Jackson.


Photo: TWTD



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MVBlue added 19:33 - Sep 17
Do it for Beattie
13

CornardBlue added 19:36 - Sep 17
A Tuesday night under the lights of Portman road we can beat anyone. Lets do it for the Beat.
C-O.Y.B
10

jas0999 added 20:20 - Sep 17
Bordering on a must win game. The Beat would almost certainly want us to attack and look to win. Can't imagine he ever wanted or accepted A draw or loss at home.

Crowd will be on side and it's now the time for Hurst to show us what he's all about.

Good luck all.
15

grinch added 20:27 - Sep 17
Why would we play 1 up front ffs we chastised MM for tjat last season and here we are doing it again we are at home lets be positive and why Graham he is very poor the Beat deserves so much more lets raise it for him ITFC a true legend deserves this lot to put a decent result in we need goals only way is to play more attacking football COYB
1

Michael101 added 21:41 - Sep 17
A bit worried about the ref,he giving more cards than Xmas time
1

ArnieM added 22:53 - Sep 17
Come on Lads, let's do this for The Beat!
6

KiwiBlue2 added 23:45 - Sep 17
Great time to get that ice-breaking win. I hope that he goes 3-5-2 as we desperately need two up top. The 5 man midfield will also help to stifle Brentford. I would start with Harrison and Walters up top and bring Jackson on around the 60 minute mark.
We should also have Ward who has an eye for goal somewhere in the midfield with Edwards, Skuse, Nolan and another more attacking player.
For some reason I have a good feeling about this game but we have to do more than just try to contain Brentford given the occasion........ coyb
3

Sospiri added 01:49 - Sep 18
I like Paul Hurst a lot. I hope we get a win soon to take the pressure off him. Would hate for him to get sacked by Christmas.
7

Vanisleblue2 added 02:13 - Sep 18
Bialkowski, Donacian, Pennington, Chambers, Knudsen, Williams, Chalobah, Skuse, Rowe, Harrison, Walters

Jackson, Graham, Dozzell, Gerken, Kenlock, Spence, Cotter
-2

Cakeman added 06:12 - Sep 18
Well said Sospiri. Paul Hurst is a very likeable chap and I like to see the good guys do well.
3

benknight73 added 07:43 - Sep 18
Will be watching this one on TV tonight.

Fully supporting PH. Apart from Hull on Saturday, all the other matches have been an improvement on MM's playing style and re the seemingly disliked "one up front", the 4-3-3 formation can actually be incredibly attacking minded if played with confidence, but that's obviously lacking atm.

Way too early to panic, but it's hard for PH when the same fans calling for MM's head are now giving him a hard time. Do everyone a favour and bury the negativity, it doesn't help.

COYB!
0

Swn98 added 07:47 - Sep 18
Although fans are still very much divided let's all pull together and get a win over what are going to be difficult opponents in memory of that great player and top man THE BEAT COYB 8
2

oldblue added 07:54 - Sep 18
Williams Vanisblue2..? Have we signed a new player !!!!
1

Barty added 08:00 - Sep 18
Lets do it for the greatest ever Town player [ The Beat ] COYB
1

MickMillsTash added 08:21 - Sep 18
Playing Spence is always mystifying - lets hope Janoi is in - looked decent enough at right back.

Nolan needs to step up.
4

itfckal added 09:05 - Sep 18
Can't see us winning this one unfortunately.
3

itfckal added 09:06 - Sep 18
& Agree with MickMillsTash,

How Spence gets in that side is beyond me, not got the quality or the defensive brain, terrible decision making, 50p head, rubbish on the ball.
1

afcfee added 09:43 - Sep 18
Has to bring Chalobah back in team, yes has made a few errors but only time we have played any sort of football is when he has been in the pitch. Would also like to see Edun play as has great energy please don't start Skuse against the League favourites.
1

dirtydingusmagee added 09:53 - Sep 18
big crowd for The Beat , plenty of supportive noise. It may help to get a result. It would be a huge lift for all if it happens, im fearing it could be a spanking unless there is a big improvement on the Hull performance .COYB LETS FEEL THE BEAT !
0

muccletonjoe added 10:36 - Sep 18
A first win of the season would be what the Beat would want. Really hope it happens
2

Bluearmy_81 added 11:14 - Sep 18
-1

TimmyH added 12:25 - Sep 18
Please no Jordan Graham starting tonight...win it for The Beat and let's get this season going!
-1

BlueandTruesince82 added 13:59 - Sep 18
For Kevin!
0

Henrietta_R_Hippo added 15:02 - Sep 18
Hmmm I too also *like* very much that "The LIKABLE" get his 1st win tonight. :-D :-D

No not because I personally find him all that "LIKABLE" actually

--- after all Paul Hurst isn't exactly a mere potentially *super* "LIKABLE" participant in yet another ultra lame match-making or dating show Ladies & Gents!!, rather he is the freakin' manager of a quote *big & ambitious* football club who under his tenure just happens to not only still be winless in the league this season while also stunningly ousted from the League Cup but much more alarmingly imho: Woefully unable to defend (including having it's just contract-extended Polish "last line" of said defense, which up to Hurst's arrival was a sure bet for perennial POTY & winner of 20+ MOTM a season, suddenly forgetting how to be a goalie??!!) all the while having an anemic front- & strikeforce who on top consists of imho 2 overrated and otherwise completely unproven-at-this-level lower league Hurst acquisitions who nevertheless still cost our notorious supertight owner a combined lofty £ 2.5 mill (and who after a mere handful of games into the season both seems to already having been more or less reduced to a couple of *expensive* benchwarmers/late 2nd half subs??) + Hurst's latest flavor in the "Lone striker" department i.e. an allegedly not 100% fit 35-year old emergency-loanee & former ITFC icon which so far in Hurst's 7-8 man new ragtag team starting XI's current either clueless, overly stubborn or just plain NAIVE setup and formation all 3 thus far looks like they won't be able to score not to speak of scoring frequently enough! Neither "In a Brothel"!, let alone in this rough league if they played to "Next Thursday"! ---

but basically because things could quickly get pretty UNLIKABLE not only on this awesome internet website but much more worrying to me: In and around Suffolk and it's rather large chunk of allegedly renowned *ficklemind susceptible* football fans as a whole. That is if Hurst not only don't start winning very soon but also at the same token fundamentally simply find his footage in this league and seriously start turning his, yes his, thus far often pretty lackluster looking brand new ITFC around.


Ohhh as for the game itself tonight: The games involving Brentford I've watched in the last couple of seasons offensively they are quite capable of looking & playing like a spectacular well-oiled machine. However defensively they either sometimes just overcommit in attack-mode or simply falls apart in the later stages. Hence too many draws (especially after being in front) has & might still this season be their "Achilles Heel". So a score draw against the current no. 2 would be quite acceptable for me and I believe even for the beleaguered Mr. Hurst. But obviously a win --- and it's by no means unrealistic with a little good luck and if first & foremost we really tighten up for 95 min at the back --- particular for The Beat, would be absolutely super smashing.
-2

Surco72 added 16:21 - Sep 18
Dean Smith is a prime example of what a manager with no championship experience can achieve given time on a relatively small budget compared to others , I always think his Brentford side play good attractive football .
Hopefully a win tonight for the Beat can kickstart the season as long as we stick to playing football , the Hull game seemed to be reverting back to a hump ball with one lone target man and the same back 5-6 that have not been good enough last season
0


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