ITFC vs Bolton
Today is a home game against Bolton and is a good chance for Town to get a home win.
Bolton have been in a poor run of form recently despite having a squad of potentially good players. It is hard to know why Bolton are struggling and it is important Town do not get complacent. Conversely Town have been showing much promise with hopes of maintaining good form this afternoon.
ITFC and teams news..
Yesterday was the closing day of transfer deadlines. Town have had two changes due to this with new loan signing Frazer Richardson as right back (from Middlesborough) arriving at Town.He was on the bench for the away draw at Leeds last Tuesday and is again on the bench today. Ryan Tunnicliffe has gone on to Fulham (an on loan deal from his parent club Man Utd) and it is a shame he has had to leave. Still the Town squad are growing in confidence and his departure gives all other squad members a chance to impress if given a chance. I have high hopes today for Stephen Hunt and Jay Tabb who start today and I feel if they do well Town will have a good chance for a win in this game.
Here is the Town line up:
22 Gerken
04 Chambers
03 Cresswell
08 Skuse
06 Berra
05 Smith
12 Hunt
18 Tabb
09 Murphy
10 McGoldrick
35 Nouble
Substitutes:
01 Loach 07 Edwards 11 Anderson 14 Wordsworth 15 Mings 24 Richardson 26 Taylor
Bolton have signed Town old boy Liam Trotter (from Millwall) and he is on the bench ready to come on for Bolton.
Again I’m listening to live match commentary from BBC Radio Suffolk with Brenner Woolley and Mick Mills. Bolton have just gone close to scoring after an even first 10 minutes…
COME ON YOU BLUES….COME ON TOWN!
I will post updates of how the game develops…..
Half-time..ITFC 0 Bolton 0
Not a classic match at all. The main problem for Town was Cole Skuse going off injured midway through the first half and Antony Wordsworth replacing him. The difficulty for Town is their midfielders now (Hunt,Tabb and Wordsworth) aren’t really balanced with Hunt and Tabb preferring to drift wide and not dominate in the centre. So with the injury to Skuse and with Higham out injured and Tunnicliffe no longer with Town, the midfield balance is disrupted and these 3 players now need to knuckle down to controlling the midfield area. This means especially keeping the Bolton midfield quiet and linking Town defence and attack.
This is a big ask for these three Town players but if Town are to play as a team today this has to happen. Otherwise Town will have to hope for some individual brilliance from any Town player to change the game to Town’s advantage. The second half has just started….
Town play better than Bolton in the second half and go a goal ahead from a penalty scored by David McGoldrick. When Bolton bring on Liam Trotter manager Mick McCarthy takes of Wordsworth and brings on Frazer Richardson just to mark Trotter and the game finishes as a very important win for Town & 3 points. Well played Town!
Post match comment…
ITFC 1 BOLTON 0
This was a good win today even though Bolton were not very good. Town stay in 7th place, four points behind Reading in 6th place and so are still in with a chance of getting into the play off positions.
The balance of the Town midfield has changed now with the injuries to Skuse and Higham but even so Town should be able to sort this problem area out with an understanding from the whole team and especially the remaining fit midfielders along with good tactical substitutions from manager Mick.
Town have a week to plan and train before their next game away next Saturday against Barnsley. Again this should be a winnable game for the Town so I am optimistic and I’m sure the Town players will be too!