Ipswich Town are on the road taking on West Brom. The game takes place at The Hawthorns this afternoon.
The Challenge of Fatigue for Ipswich
This is a busy time for Ipswich, and fatigue will start to creep in. Town haven’t had a full week to prepare for a game since the March international break and won’t have another this season. The last week or two have been particularly draining, from the highs of the derby win against Norwich City to the lows of the defeat at Portsmouth, followed by a 2-2 draw against Middlesbrough.
The Blues had to dig deep in midweek to take three points at Charlton Athletic, coming from behind after conceding inside the opening minute of the match. There are still concerns around performances, despite suffering one defeat in 12. An improvement will be needed going into the final three games. The next two look particularly tough.
West Brom’s Unbeaten Run
West Brom are unbeaten in nine games ahead of hosting Town. The Baggies have pulled away from the bottom three after a disastrous spell under Eric Ramsay, who replaced Ryan Mason earlier this year. Interim boss James Morrison has overseen a nine-match unbeaten run, which includes four wins and five draws. Southampton, Wrexham and Millwall have all dropped points at The Hawthorns in that time. Hull City were convincingly beaten last month. West Brom come into this game off the back of consecutive wins, having kept clean sheets in each of their last four games.
Morrison looks a strong candidate to get the job on a permanent basis and the players are working hard to impress him ahead of next season. The 39-year-old has switched to a 4-4-2 formation, boasting a strong back line playing behind four natural midfielders. The physical front two have been chopped and changed but always remain a threat. Keep an eye out for Isaac Price, who seems likely to start on the left wing. In the absence of the injured Michael Johnston, the Northern Ireland international has taken the spotlight after a dip in form, now with nine goals and two assists to his name.
- Possible West Brom XI: 4-4-2: O’Leary; Imray, Phillips, Campbell, Styles; Molumby, Diakite, Mowatt, Price; Heggebo, Maja
Elsewhere in the League
All eyes are on Ipswich, but it’s impossible to ignore what’s going on elsewhere. Millwall played out a 1-1 draw away at relegated Leicester City last night.
Promotion rivals Southampton play their FA Cup semi-final tie against Manchester City this afternoon.
Ipswich cannot look past today’s game. It’s far from an easy three points, despite the fact that West Brom sit 20th in the Championship following a two-point deduction. They rank seventh in the xG table and comfortably pass the eye test.