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.
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