610: Kings of Anglia: Will Town get some Racecourse redemption?

24:24Ross Halls:Yeah, Cedric, you know, big fan of him, but he's been a bit under par in the last few games. You know, I know it was a decision to be made prior to the game, the half-time change for Dara Shea to come in for Cedric, but I was very pleased when he came off. I was like, no, he's not having a good game. But, yeah, for the terms of physicality, he'll, I'm sure, enjoy the battle with Kiefer more. We didn't actually see that, did we, at the reverse game at Porton Road because he was injured. Kiefer didn't play again. No, and he came off the bench in this one, but Cedric was already off the pitch. But Jake Greaves, I think when he has played, I think he's been pretty solid.

25:06Ross Halls:And you know what? I don't mind. I want Jake Greaves starting this one with Darro Shea. They're getting that partnership. So, yeah, I'd like to see... Jake Greaves... What am I saying here? Jake Greaves. I don't know if I said someone else's name there for a second. Yeah, Jake Greaves come in alongside Darro Shea. I think I'd agree with you there, Rossi. As much as I love Cedric, Cedric is my favourite town player, that's no secret, but he's not been at his best. I do think there's an argument for bringing Jacob in for this one, Stu. Where do you stand on this?

25:37Stuart Watson:Yeah, I concur and I've been saying it for a few games now that I think maybe Greaves could come in for his first league start at centre-half. We've seen him at left-back a few times, but since the Blackburn away game, which was early December, We've not seen him at centre-half in a league game. A couple of reasons for that. One being Kipri's slight drop in form without overplaying it. He was the one that was mainly at fault for the winning goal last Friday. And secondly, because Greaves, I think, is maybe more suited to this for all the reasons that we've just discussed, crosses into the box.

26:16Stuart Watson:I thought he was probably the pick of a bad bunch last weekend, Greaves. could be useful at set pieces at both ends of the pitch. So, yeah, agrees for Kipra, Kiprae, and otherwise the same sort of back five that started against Derby and has been starting most matches, I would imagine. Yeah, agreed. And then moving further forward, clearly Azor Matici was going to be coming back in. And I'm starting to think, by the way, I'm starting to think that he might be able to do the impossible and tread that line all the way to the cutoff for the bands, which inevitably means he'll now get booked tomorrow.

26:55But I think he can do it. He's doing an excellent job so far. So it'll be interesting to see him come back in because obviously we know he's someone who likes to play, get the rhythm. But who plays with him, Stu? There are three contenders in Cuyusta, Neil and Jack Taylor. Who would you like to see?

27:16Stuart Watson:Daniel I can see getting in and staying in at some stage been encouraged by the bits that we've seen of him so far the cameo at Derby thought he started well last weekend he's a very neat and tidy player he's an organiser, he's a talker but he did fade a little bit, understandably so and he's not started many games of football for a little while now. So I think he's probably still in the kind of getting up to speed side of things at the moment. So if we take him out of the starting equation, like you say, it leaves Jens and Jack Taylor. For this sort of game, roll your sleeves up, get stuck in game.

28:01Stuart Watson:I think Jack Taylor is better suited. I don't know how I feel about Jens Kuyusta this season. To be honest, he has moments of 10, 20 minutes in matches where he looks at an absolute class above. And then he had other periods where he maybe disappears a little bit and doesn't quite do the off the ball stuff that is required. Jack Taylor came on and threw himself into a slide tackle within seconds last weekend, which is what that performance needed at that time. So Jack Taylor for me. Jens is an odd one isn't he this season because I thought he started the season well clearly you know he was one of town's best players in the Premier League but I'm starting to think he's a bit of a flat track bully if that makes sense he looks great when things are going well but when you need to roll your sleeves up and really get stuck in maybe it's not his maybe it's not his game which is obviously something you do need in the Championship particularly so how about you Ross would you agree with Sui there would you be playing Jack Taylor

29:01Ross Halls:yeah because of what Stu just said there he seconds coming on the pitch went in for a slight tackle, did muck about already dirty from the mud in Wrexham. And yeah, I like Jens because he's from my boys Napoli. But I have been a bit underwhelmed by him in the last few months. I remember we actually had discussion early in the championship season, I think maybe September or something, maybe the first international break, I went, is Jens Kjusse one of the best championship midfielders ever? And I don't know, maybe we jinxed it a little bit because since then, he's been, yeah, a bit disappointing.

29:35Ross Halls:really. As I said, he shows flashes, but he's just, I don't know, he's one of those players where, yeah, if we're not doing well, I wouldn't say he goes hiding, but he just, yeah, he won't be one who will, yeah, pull up his sleeves and really go for it. So, yeah, hopefully he has a good end to the season. But for this game, I want the boy Jack Taylor to come in because I think he'll battle on the midfield alongside us all. I can't remember that conversation Ross I remember saying is he Town's best player I'm not sure we ever said is he the best midfielder ever in the championship I'll have to find it bear with me that seems quite a lot of hyperbole even for someone like me but anyway I would agree with you Jack Taylor seems to be the man to fit best for this game and then the front four soon the age old debate I guess let's assume that Wes Burns is not ready to go because obviously if he's ready to go, you'd imagine he starts on the right.

30:33Clearly, Jack Clark's going to start on the left. Who would you start, though, in the 10? Obviously, there's the Nunes and Mehmeti potentially debate. And the right side, if Wes isn't fit, you've got the Sindra and Casey McIntyre chat again. And then clearly, you know, the striker, George Hurst, Ivan is on. What do you reckon?

30:53Stuart Watson:Don't think there's any point taking unnecessary risks with Wes Burns. What was that? That was me dropping my pen, I'm afraid. Apologies for that poor audio, friends. That was schoolboy. It was rookie. It was Bush League. It's fine. Probably not worth taking any risks with Wes, given the period of time that he's been out. So, right wing. Casey or Sindra? for me again a similar conversation around what's more suited to the game that we've just had with with Taylor and Kuyusta for me McAteer his kind of direct straight line speed his off the ball work ethic and ability to contribute defensively makes him better suited to this than Sindra who is you know at a bit of a nothing game in the number 10 role last weekend.

31:54Stuart Watson:He's been a bit enigmatic this season, hasn't he? We've seen flashes of what he can do, but probably not enough. Still finding his feet in English football and Casey got his match-winning assist at Derby. I thought he was marginally the best of a disjointed front four last weekend. So I think I would go with McAteer for this game. I mean, there's a debate. We come on to the number 10 of Mometi and Nunez. For me, Mometi has been probably Ipswich's best player in most of the games since he's signed. He could have loads more assists. He's played so many brilliant visionary through balls. He's been good on the ball with his dribbling.

32:44Stuart Watson:He has to stay in the team. for me, people might then go, well, can we get them both in? Can we go Nunez in the 10, Mehmeti wide right? Mehmeti's played both wing roles. I think he's more comfortable on the left cutting inside, but that's not impossible. But the fact that he's played so well in the 10 so far, I don't really want to disrupt that. So I'd go McAteer and Mehmeti. I'd agree with you. I think McAteer, I think, as you say, Stu, he was the pick of the front four last week. You can see with him why they brought him in, in terms of the similarity to Wes Burns, that kind of straight line speed, the physicality, the directness.

33:28You can see that's their thinking. You know, there's definitely something in that. And I think even if Nunes is ready to play, I'd still go with Mimetti, given the form. Do you think there might be an argument, you talk there about sticking Nunes in the 10 and playing Mimetti on the wing? Do you think there might be an argument or conversation around at some point having Mimetti as a 10 and Nunes back in midfield?

33:54Stuart Watson:Had they not signed Dan Neal, possibly, but the fact they've got Dan Neal in there as an option, probably not. I think there might then be a conversation, you know, if we're talking about Jadon Filagene, an unclear timeline on him coming back. Mometi is also a left-sided option that's where he was playing for Bristol City quite a lot him and Jack Clark can dovetail a little bit

34:24Stuart Watson:but yeah, you're right Nunez wasn't signed with the number 10 role in mind, they went into the season with Schmodix and Akpom as two former golden boot winners in that position and yet here we are with neither. Obviously, Schmodek's out the building and Atpom probably seen more as a striker option at the moment. So, yeah. In time, Nunez might become part of the midfield chat, but I don't see that in the short term necessarily. Okay. I do think there is going to be a chat, though, around getting them both in the team somehow, given that they're both performing. Rossi, what would you do with the front four?

35:01Particularly, what would you do with the striker? Because you've got Hurst, obviously, who played last week, as we've said a lot going through a tough patch. Azon, who you know what you're going to get. I mean, you know you're going to get from both of them in terms of hard work and effort. Azon knows not hit the back of the net a lot. And also there's Akpom, I suppose, as well. He must throw into that conversation. What would you do?

35:22Ross Halls:I think the Akpom left wing experiment is over, in my opinion. I don't want to see him there again. Unfortunately, sorry, Tuba. Not for me. Yeah, unfortunately we've got no informed striker at the moment so whoever plays up front you just don't know what you're going to get hopefully a good hold up play and hopefully a goal but who would I start who would do you know what start George Hurst again give him a go and then he will actually have players starting who hopefully will give him some service Mimetti definitely in the 10 Jack Clark on the left and on the right, yeah, Casey McIntyre, as just discussed.

36:10Ross Halls:I'd like to see him get another run out and yeah, and maybe, you never know, another winning cross to get, winning cross assist to win the game. So, that is my forward four. Alright, how about you then, Stu? Obviously, strike is going to be a big debate. Azan started at Derby, Hurst started last week. Is there an argument for just sticking with Hurst now and seeing if he can play himself back into form? Is there more of an argument that in terms of getting confidence back, he's best coming off the bench, maybe when Hazan's beating up some defenders for 60 minutes and Hurst can come on?

36:49Stuart Watson:I wouldn't start George Hurst in this game. I think there's just too much noise around him. I think he's talked about overthinking it a bit himself and there's no getting around it for all the debate. The reason we're having this debate around him is because he's out of form. And even Kieran McKenna in his comments yesterday sort of said, you know, goals and other aspects of his game haven't quite been there. It was a very sort of diplomatic, kind way of putting it. But the reason we're having this debate around George Hurst is that, you know, in general, football fans know what they're talking about and they've seen it with their own eyes and he's not been playing well.

37:25Stuart Watson:And it's not just been about the goals, it's been about his touch, it's been about his link play, it's been about his all-round game. last Friday was a continuation of that unfortunately for George rooting for him to turn it around but I wouldn't with everything that's been going on around him be starting him in this game as on started up front against Derby I think it will be as close to that Derby bar one or two conversations like we've said around Greaves and Burns etc I think the rest of the team will be pretty much the same as that Derby game which, lest we not forget, was a really good team performance.

38:05Stuart Watson:So, yeah, Azon to start. He's going to have to put in a real shift against a solid, consistent back three that Wrexham have got. And then maybe that sets it up for George Hurst in the latter stages of the game. I mean, Akpom is very much in the conversation. He started two games in that number nine role before he picked up a little minor injury. One of them was the cup game against Blackpool. I think he started another league game around then as well. But I'm not sure this is the type of game for him. But I would say in some home games going forwards, ACPOM's kind of greater technical ability with ball at feet might be suited.

38:49Stuart Watson:But yeah, the goals haven't been reigning in from strikers. I think ACPOM's the last one to score New Year's Day against Oxford. he would have played as a striker then you're going back to that Coventry game that we've mentioned with Hurst and Azon both scoring in that yeah it's a hard one to call and not for the best reasons I would say up front at the moment It's funny isn't it, as you say to you, that Derby win which was a really good win and we were all buzzing about it and obviously McKenna said it was his favourite win of the season that now seems like a lifetime ago in just a matter of one game it just shows how much momentum can change and narrative can change I think it shows you how fragile the feeling is around this group.

39:30Stuart Watson:And we've been saying it all season that for whatever reason, people have been struggling to kind of fully bond with this group. And it's because of what's gone on in the past and how connected people felt to the previous promotion teams. It's the scars of relegation. It's the fact that Ipswich has spent loads of money.

39:51Stuart Watson:Expectations rise. But that's why that was the thing that disappointed me most about last week. yes, I get it about the schedule, et cetera, et cetera. But Derby, you know, we talked about that being, could this be a real significant moment in the season where McKenna's thumping his chest? And we heard the kind of, we got super Kieran McKenna chant for the first time and even heard the kind of Dara at the back, Hurstian attack. And it felt like, okay, right, this is a real step forwards in terms of kind of everyone coming together. And Wrexham was so damaging to that in the cup last weekend. as we've said, it heaps the pressure on now.

40:30Stuart Watson:What follows? Proof will be in the pudding whether it was the right decision. And, you know, they really do need a bit of racecourse redemption this weekend. Racecourse redemption. I mean, McKenna even said himself, didn't he, after the game, that you make that many changes, you've then got to go and win your next league game. So there's no doubt there's pressure on it. Well, you get paid the big bucks, I guess, isn't it, to make the big decisions. Sometimes you've got to not get drawn into, like he said, around the transfer window. It'd be really easy to get kind of sucked into general consensus and populist view of we have to sign a striker and we have to build upon momentum and go for it in the cup.

41:13Stuart Watson:You've got to think, you know, a game of chess, you've got to be thinking three, four, five, six steps ahead in terms of what's the knock-on effect. if we just get a striker for the sake of it and they don't turn out to be much better than we've got and it creates a bit of a squad harmony perspective and it limits the budget further down the line or if we get through in the cup, you know, it would have been a home game against Chelsea and then the Leicester home game getting moved, would that have been the end of the world? Possibly not. Would it, you know, what were the knock-on effects? We'll never know, will we?

41:47Stuart Watson:But, yeah, hindsight will be sort of coming into play, I guess, with whatever happens from now on in. Just before we get to predictions, Rossi, when you look at the Wrexham side, who are the players that you're thinking, you know, they're going to be trouble for us? Obviously, we talked about Kiefer Moore. There's a Nathan Broadhead narrative as well. I know Olly Rathbone's a big player for them. Are there any kind of players you're looking at thinking he's the main danger?

42:21Ross Halls:Benson may have some answers for me. Yeah, sorry, I don't know who he's barking at. I'm going to mute myself. That's fine. Yeah, Nathan Broadhead is the big one, but I think their defensive line is just, they've got some big boys in their defence. I'm just going through their team now. You know, Cullen Doyle is a big boy. Ben Sheaf is more of a midfielder, but he's, you know, very good at Coventry. a lot of people wanted Town to sign him. I think in that last championship season, they were like, oh, great if we can bring him in. But yeah, I'm just looking for their team. They've got just a solid team.

42:57Ross Halls:Like Dominic High, I'm their captain. He was signed from Blackburn in the summer. Again, just a big lad who will just win every header. And even Josh Windass, another big signing for them, you know, signing for Shuffle Wednesday. He, of course, scored the winning goal in the end. He's someone who's just so lively. He just runs about. You just need to look after him because if he gets some space, he'll punish you. So just all over the pitch, they've just got a solid team. And they've got some big – I think, who was that guy on the wings, Stu, who was really lively? I think he was on loan from Man City.

43:36Ross Halls:He was really, really lively. He's a wingback. I remember him just really causing us a lot of problems. Last weekend or the Portland Road game?

43:45Stuart Watson:the last weekend Issa Kaboré he was very lively he came on in that game didn't he did he come on Longman on the right and Thomason on the left last weekend Kaboré did start at Bristol on Tuesday night was one of the three changes Kiefer Moore we've mentioned him a few times he's not started in the last two games didn't start Tuesday didn't start in the cup game I'm just seeing. Yeah, he started in the previous one a 2-0 home defeat to Millwall. But Sam Smith has been the man starting up front for them. More recently, Rathbone, as you mentioned, Mark, is the man in form. He's scoring some really good goals.

44:29Stuart Watson:We saw his kind of shooting ability. You know, someone who likes to take on a shot from outside the box scored a really good one on Tuesday. But, yeah, solid, experienced. I think really, you know, Parkinson has been really clever with the way they've spent the money. I think many managers would have gone in there and, you know, splashed the cash on trying to sign foreign players and trying to do certain things. But he's always signed good players for the level along the way. And they're in the mix, aren't they? They're just outside the playoffs and they got a chance. Did Parkinson cross over with you covering the Hughes, Stewie?

45:09Stuart Watson:no just slightly before my my time when park he was taking them to best team in east anglia weren't they at one stage finished above it was a year that ipswich colchester norwich and south end all in the championship at the same time and colchester finished top of the lot and almost sneaked into the playoffs and a bit of a sliding doors moment that they kind of that they moved into the new stadium just as things were starting to to go wrong really but um But no, Parkey's done a great job. I'm sure if you'd have told him back then that he'd have gone on to be part of this Hollywood story at Wrexham, he maybe didn't foresee that in his career, but he's doing a great job.

45:48Yeah, and great profile for him. And I think I've seen some quotes basically saying he's got a job for life at Wrexham, if he wants it, given the stuff that he's done there. Right then, predictions. I know he's top of the league, so I'm going to reverse the order so he can't just park the bus. Rossi, you're bottom of the table, I think, still.

46:05Ross Halls:yeah it's not looking good what are you saying for this one yeah it's probably not a surprise to listeners thinking yeah Ross Gay he's definitely bottom because of yeah but yeah I am 23 points in total you've got 31 you're actually joint second with AJ by the way and Stu is top of the table with 33 so I'm 10 points away so you're getting cut a drift mate I am I am even with you guys I'm eight points away from you, so I need to find something out of nowhere here. We need a win, really. But then it's funny, we need a win when we just beat Derby in the last league game. It's just that one game in the FA Cup against Wrexham, we lost, and it's all just like doom and gloom again.

46:53Ross Halls:But I think we need redemption, as you've always said, race course redemption. Will Town do it? you know what grind out one nil win i'll take that and um just to keep that going george hurst if he doesn't start come off the bench score the winning goal come on george prove that was wrong get the goal one nil me town win uh he would be a very popular goal scorer i think all towns fans would be happy to see george hurst on the goal sheet um i'm gonna say uh i'm gonna say one one I think it might be a bit of a knock-of-down, grind-em-out draw at the race course. And I'm going to say, who else can I say but Jack Clark, the score.

47:36So I'm saying 1-1. Stewie, I know already what your prediction is because I've read your preview, but you think there might be a key factor for town in this game which decides it.

47:50Stuart Watson:What did I? I can't remember what I wrote now. I think I'd talk about set pieces being, I think this will be a bit of a set-piece battle. and if Ipswich can win that sort of game within a game or at least sort of be level on that front, then I think they can edge this one. It's time for some positivity. We haven't had a lot of that in the last couple of pods. Ipswich were pretty good at Derby a fortnight ago and we were talking about it being one of their most sort of well-rounded performances of the season. They went away from home. They got a win against an in-form side. That was their last league match.

48:27Stuart Watson:points per game since the summer transfer window shut ipswich have the best record in the championship and that's quite a prolonged period of time since this squad properly came together i think that's easy to forget um what are they second top goal scorers in the league joint meanest defense in the division as having played a couple of games less than most um i think a lot of that's kind of got lost along the way a little bit really so um i'm going to try and bring a few positive vibes going into this game and going into this run um it's around this time mid-february onwards the ipswich tend to come alive it's happened in in the last two promotion seasons they went on that ridiculous tear up in league one to storm their way to promotion and um didn't know but we're going to park the Premier League yeah yeah fair enough a big sort of caveat that goes with that but in in the championship um I remember looking at little runner games and thinking I I think I've got a feeling they could go on a little run here and they duly did um did they win six in a row would have been seven apart from that Cardiff heartbreak at Cardiff and they got back on it again and won some more games off off the back of that.

49:46Stuart Watson:I've written a piece about predictions for this next run of games, seven in 22 days. I think there's some opponents in there that will suit Ipswich. They've struggled against deep blocks and anti-football and Saturday, tomorrow might be one of those days. But looking beyond that, I think there are some games in there that might suit Ipswich. I've just got a feeling this could be a good little run coming up. Did you give us the direction prediction there? 2-1, absolutely. Wow. 2-1, and who's going to score? Who is going to score?

50:28Stuart Watson:Talked about the set-piece battle, so I'll go with a set-piece goal.

50:35He's going with it.

50:37Stuart Watson:No, this would be a ridiculous shout. I want to say Jacob Greaves, but I can't hang my hat on him starting the game. And I've got to play this sensibly because my lead isn't massive. I'm going to go, if you've gone Jack Clark, I'm going to go Anis Mometi. Fair. Because I think that's a more sensible shout. But I've got a feeling, a little feeling about Jacob Greaves. But I'll say Mometi is my official pick for first goal scorer. Good. Just to be clear, if Jacob Greaves does score, that wasn't your pick. You can't go Ross and go, well, I've mentioned him as well. No, no, no. Yeah, because I thought you were going to go Dara O'Shea.

51:12You've mentioned Dara O'Shea quite a lot this season.

51:16Stuart Watson:I'll go Mometi and I think it will be a tight game. And I think substitutes might make the difference for Ipswich in the latter stages to win it. Excellent. So we've got me going for draw 1-1. We've got Rossi saying 1-0, Hurst. Shui saying 2-1. Mometi, I obviously said Jack Clark. We'll find out from AJ when he gets back from his adventures what he thinks. and yeah, obviously a big game for town. Friends, anything else to mention before we take our leave? I've got to do a little bit of spiel around various bits before we exit. Got anything else you want to raise at this juncture? No other business.

51:52Stuart Watson:I look forward to this slice of carrot cake tomorrow, Ross.

51:57Ross Halls:No promises, just in case. You never know, it might run out. Get the excuses in. Yeah, yeah. Ross, being as you're going to Wales, we need to get you on the Welsh cakes. i love welsh cakes you'd like that excellent yeah yeah cockles have you ever had cockles no i think we should get ross trying some cockles a little uh little uh tiny little pops of basically like you can see uh like sea essentially um you eat them get a little jar i think they are crustaceans technically um eat them with a little uh what you call it cocktail stick it's very fishy very very um very very sea based have you ever had an oyster you had oysters before i've not no no so oysters are very much an acquired taste i'm a big fan you knock them back and it's like drinking seawater that someone's gossed in basically it's like i'm really selling it here they're lovely cooked but um not for me raw as it were but cockles are slightly nicer, I would say.

52:59Get yourself some cockles, Rossi. It'd be lovely to see you trying those. That would make a great video, actually. Anyway, friends, I'm digressing. A reminder, friends, to support our sponsor. We now only have one sponsor for reasons I'm about to talk about. Molecular UK are our sponsor for the rest of the season. Obviously, there are space on board for more if you want to come on board. But just a reminder to use the code KOA10 at molecular-uk.com for 10 % off all their excellent car cleaning and other cleaning products. banana dine i've sung the praises of a lot i'm going to give my car another clean with that before i head off on my holidays this weekend um and we have to say goodbye to stardust spirits who've come to the end of their sponsorship with us i have double checked this time they actually have ended the sponsorship that wasn't fake news like last time but um to say thank you for the support from koa uh gary and the team at stardust are going to let the the koa code run for the rest of the year so 20 off for the rest of the year using the code koa at stardust spirits.co.uk I think that speaks a lot to the sort of company they are and the sort of guy that Gary is, they're doing that.

54:01And thank you, Gary, for your support of the pod. Look forward to catching up with you at KOA Live, which is the other thing I need to plug. Saturday, April the 18th, hopefully on the same day as the Middlesbrough game. Fingers crossed. £10 a ticket. They're available now. Get yourself a ticket. Great to see you. All the usual staff talking about the game. Ross will don his golden jacket for a strike. Plenty of audience participation. We'll have games, lots of fun, drinks, hopefully. Celebrating a big win for town as well. And the other thing to mention, friends, is leave us a five-star review on iTunes, because that just helps us visibility-wise in the charts and helps more people find us.

54:36We haven't had one of those for a while. I am now off. This is my last pod for some time. So you get AJ back. I depart for Mejejo, tacos and tequila. And Ross, it's your time to shine. The man who wants to take my crown anyway, as the number one pod host. How are you feeling, Ross? Are you ready to step up?

54:59Ross Halls:I am indeed. I will keep it warm for you, Gaffer. And we shall see if, well, the audience may go and all me, Roscoe's the man to take the crown. But no, enjoy Mexico. Enjoy margaritas and tacos and all that jazz. Yeah, for you as well. They do that in Mexico, don't they? um yeah enjoy peaters enchiladas quesadillas all the ears um good stuff in mexico i've never been so i'm looking forward to it um hopefully it's going to be a tremendous experience for me from a food point of view friends that brings the end of this podcast the boys are off to wrexham i'm off to mexico i know which i'd rather be doing um if you're if you're going enjoy it safe journeys if you're not follow it all with them i will see you in a couple of weeks have a great time until we next speak sayonara

55:54Thank you.

56:25Thank you.

56:51Thank you.

57:21Thank you.