Ipswich v Derby Preview
These two sides sit right beside each other in the table, with Ipswich occupying 11th while Derby are sat one place lower in 12th. However, even though both are in safe mid-table positions, both will want more for this season and will be looking to break into the play offs sometime during the campaign.
Ipswich were edging closer and closer to the top six only to disappointingly lose at Doncaster last Saturday. Live in front of the cameras, the Tractor Boys really didn’t do themselves any favors and were swept aside by a side that hadn’t even scored a goal at home for over two months. However, before that they’d been doing exceptionally well, being unbeaten in six and recording some good wins over the likes of Plymouth, QPR and Blackpool. Still, following a takeover last season, Jim Magilton has had plenty of finance made available to him and fans will probably feel that they should be making a serious play off bid this term. Over the last twelve months players such as David Norris, Gareth McAuley, Kevin Lisbie and Ivan Campo have arrived and with those sort of players at his disposal, Magilton will know he needs to get his side back on track.
As for Derby, their form of late has been relatively encouraging. Other than a 3-0 blip to Reading, the Rams have had a lot of good results and Paul Jewell must be happy with the way things are going. They brushed Sheffield Wednesday aside with a 3-0 win last weekend and even though they’re only in a mid-table position, their form over the last couple of months suggests that it won’t be long before they’re up in the play offs. They hardly collected a point in the opening month of the season but since then the improvement has been evident for all to see and Jewell’s promise to bounce back to the top flight may not be too far away from reality.
Jim Magilton has a couple of problems in defence heading into this one, with centre half Gareth McAuley struggling with a hamstring problem while full back Moritz Volz is suspended. Having joined on loan from Charlton a couple of weeks ago, Darren Ambrose will be hoping for a start while fellow midfielder Veliche Shumulikoski looks set to be rested. As for Derby, Lewin Nyatanga and Claude Davis look set to continue in the heart of the Rams defence with Martin Albrechtsen and Dean Leacock both still injured. Veteran defender Darren Powell is hopeful of a starting place after joining from Southampton earlier in the week.
Derby are in fantastic form at the moment and we firmly believe they’ll reach the play offs in the next month or so. With that, we’ll predict an away win, although it won’t be plain sailing – 2-1 Rams.
