STEW'S PREVIEWS
MIDDLESBROUGH v IPSWICH TOWN
Stewart Flaherty, 11 Sep 2009
BORO EYE VIEW
It's been a while, hasn't it?! A weekend without a Boro game always seems strange
and while my girlfriend claimed it was "the best weekend of her life" not having to
listen to me go on about football, I did not enjoy it!
Boro will be happy to see the transfer window closed and we now know which
players will wear the shirt until January.
Not losing any more players was a boost
and our squad is easily in with a chance of being in the fight come January when the
window opens again.
I know we all get wind ups, but I had a friend tell me whilst I was at work that Johnson and Wheater had been sold.
It turned out to be a
joke but just how devastating would that have been to our early season momentum?
We lost Huth (who is missed, see Boro Defence v Ipswich Attack), but Tuncay was lost to
us and we all knew it.
We have kept the players who are amongst the best in the
division without doubt, and in Adam Johnson, I firmly believe we have THE best player in
this division.
Later in the season, I think Ipswich will be good. However, right now, they have had a
bad start.
Keane still seems to be looking for his best 11 and we are at home on the
back of a good start. Boro will look to win this and they should do.
Column Continues Below...
IPSWICH EYE VIEW
Love or hate Roy Keane, he has proven one thing - he can put together a team that can
achieve promotion from this league. And with the Mackems, he did so in outstanding
fashion!
He is working on emulating that success - quite literally, having picked
up Carlos Edwards and Grant Leadbitter, who both starred for him at Sunderland.
They did bring in the outstanding Liam Rosenior on loan and I believe at
some point they will turn things around and have a good run.
Anyone who paid attention to
Keane's promotion campaign will know Edwards was a truly talismanic figure.
But what a bad start they could have. Ipswich were a trendy pre-season dark horse and
how quickly that changed. However, they will be looking to get a result at the Riverside in order to kick-start their season.
OVERVIEW
Going by the early standings, this is a promotion chaser against a team avoiding
relegation. However, this is not strictly true and Ipswich will be a good side this year.
Boro will look to delay their up-swing in form for at least a week.
Boro will look for a home win, and regardless of standings right now, this will be
the best team they have beaten to date, should they do it. Dropping points at home is not
a habit we want to get into if we are to be promoted.
Goalkeepers
Coyne has made a very good start to the season but rumours suggest that a back injury will see Jones play. If so, this will disappoint many Boro fans who have taken to Coyne and rightly so.
Either way, Ipswich have the upper hand in the goalkeeping department with England international
Richard Wright, who brings masses of top level experience with him, between their sticks.
Edge: Ipswich. Wright is a class act.
Boro Defence v Ipswich Attack
There is just no way around the fact that losing Robert Huth was a setback.
We kept Wheater and can build from there, but Jonathan Grounds as a centre-back is not the long term solution.
This game is about decision making and experience. Grounds has minimal
experience as a left-back and none as a centre-back at this level.
I believe this showed against Bristol City and the winning goal we conceded was soft and showed a worrying lack of steel.
It is encouraging that the club appears to be looking for a defender on loan, hopefully one
with experience and quality.
Jonathan Walters has opened his account for the season and ex-Watford
forward Tamas Priskin is up front for the Tractor Boys.
Edge: Even. Ipswich's frontline is nothing spectacular but Boro need to show they
can succeed without the excellent Huth.
Midfield
Boro are looking good in midfield so far and appear to have some depth.
Johnson will become the Ronaldo of the division in my eyes and I cannot help but think he
takes up a lot of time and thought when the opposition are making their plans regarding how to combat Boro. I am glad we do not have to face him!
Yeates is good but Edwards on the Ipswich side is probably
a bigger threat than he is, and we will have to account for that.
Leadbitter is a workman in the middle and Boro's central pair will need to hold strong.
Edge: Boro. There is talent on both sides but Johnson is the gamebreaker here.
Boro Attack v Ipswich Defence
We all know the score with the Boro attack - we have pace to burn and need to keep the ball
on the ground.
Rosenior is excellent out wide and him versus Johnson will be a
fascinating battle.
I remember him doing a really good job marking Downing a couple
of seasons ago in a 1-0 Reading win at the Riverside.
Alex Bruce and David McAuley
lead what otherwise is a very average defence.
Lita shows promise and with Rosenior
having his hands full out wide, I see Boro finding space and getting goals against
this team.
Edge: Boro. Too much pace and Lita regaining sharpness by the game.
Fans
I think overall the Boro fans are pleased with the start to the season.
Whilst getting a forward would have been the icing on the cake, I think many believe a promotion run is on the cards and hopefully a gate of 25,000+ will come and leave in good spirits,
giving Keane plenty of ex-Mackem stick along the way.
Edge: Boro. Big crowd and momentum on their side.
Verdict
WIN. Boro need to win games like this. There is no shame in a defeat at Bristol, but our home games must be regular wins if we are to achieve the goal of promotion.
