MATCH PREVIEW: Ipswich Town vs Charlton Athletic - Tuesday 21st October 2025 - 7:45pm Kick-Off

swords_alive said:

wolfgang said:

Unless we up our performance from the last two outings, we will be in for a thrashing. I think the NJ stardust has worn off now, just in time for a run of tough opponents. Tackling, blocking, harassing, and chasing 40% advantage passes is extremely tiring, and that is beginning to show in their performances now that we have two games a week. The teams we will meet over the next six games have better players, man for man, and that will begin to tell when our players can no longer give over and above against more skillful players playing proper football, not Jones's "kick and chase".

We have done brilliantly so far, but must now face the reckoning. I reckon our next chance of three points is at home to Portsmouth, Dec 6th, by when we will be close to, if not in, the bottom three.

Agree with most of this. Relegation starts now and the sooner the better so we can rebuild for next season.

Thanks for agreeing with me, but I was not suggesting that we will get relegated. Just that from December to the end of the season we will be on the fringes of the relegation struggle. This is what most were forecasting before the season started, and, if anything, we have done better than expected so far.

Defensive set up for 70 minutes then ‘finishers’ on to guide us to a 1-0 win so 
Ramsay jones Bell
Breen. Carey Coventry Docherty  Costello
olaphe Hernandez 

We are doing well but can only see an Ipswich win here. Be delighted if we nicked a win but would happily take a draw right now. 

Surely the first 11 needs a slight refreshment but we will see. 

Tractor boys 2 - CAFC 0

What's with all this "I'd take a draw right now" stuff, talk about capitulation, we go there as an equal, and a very good chance of three points, it may end as a draw, or defeat, but at least go and fight for the club...🤷‍♂️

wolfgang said:

swords_alive said:

wolfgang said:

Unless we up our performance from the last two outings, we will be in for a thrashing. I think the NJ stardust has worn off now, just in time for a run of tough opponents. Tackling, blocking, harassing, and chasing 40% advantage passes is extremely tiring, and that is beginning to show in their performances now that we have two games a week. The teams we will meet over the next six games have better players, man for man, and that will begin to tell when our players can no longer give over and above against more skillful players playing proper football, not Jones's "kick and chase".

We have done brilliantly so far, but must now face the reckoning. I reckon our next chance of three points is at home to Portsmouth, Dec 6th, by when we will be close to, if not in, the bottom three.

Agree with most of this. Relegation starts now and the sooner the better so we can rebuild for next season.

Thanks for agreeing with me, but I was not suggesting that we will get relegated. Just that from December to the end of the season we will be on the fringes of the relegation struggle. This is what most were forecasting before the season started, and, if anything, we have done better than expected so far.

We have done better than expected, but not better than we have deserved. Big difference. NJ has us set up for close call games,not dominating possession but making it hard for opponents to play. In most of the games this season it is the second half when we come under most pressure, usually when we replace the Kelman TC duo with players who cannot play the same way.

Tough game which I expect a loss in but wouldn't be surprised if we got something. Would swap Ramsay for Burke and then potentially Tanto for TC just to freshen it up a bit (am defo not on the side of the argument TC should be dropped entirely though). The substitutions during the game will also be interesting with another tough away trip Saturday.

Got to avoid a battering which can happen at places like Ipswich. I'll go for a narrow 1-0 loss

If he does freshen it up, I think he will a little bit. The players coming in really need to take the chance with both hands, ok doing it from the bench against tired defences but the need to show up from the start, otherwise they can’t complain if they are benched again. No doubt Jones will let them know anyway.

2-0 to the Addicks. We basically rested half team for most of the second half on Saturday, got match minutes into the legs of half the bench and still won whereas they had a shit away game Friday night, lost, would have lost a usual routine collective day maintaining fitness on Saturday and have had to wait an extra day before tomorrow night’s game, training in the pouring rain. We will have the edge.

Expecting 2-1, hoping for 2-2.
Either way we’ve made a solid return to the division 

This will be tough.  I know they haven’t had the best of starts given the expectations their end, but I caught some of the Boro game and they do look very good going forward.  It will certainly give our resolute defensive approach a stern test.  If we can get 3pts out the next two, that will be a great return.  I wouldn’t be disappointed with 1 pt out the next 2 games to be honest 

I think its a good game to start Tanto/Apter etc, we will already be the underdogs so why not give a player or 2 the chance to go out there and really get stuck in and prove themselves (again) to NJ, could be the sort of spark we need for a game like this.

Tough fixture but no reason for undue fear.  We’re two points and three places better off than them and although I’d admit they probably start favourites for this I think we’re capable of getting something. Whether we do or not is quite a different matter.

Kaminski 
Bree 
Ramsay 
Jones 
Mac 
Bell 
Cov 
Doc 
Leaburn 
Oloafe

Subs 
Burke for Bree 
Costello for doc or Ramsay
Hernandez for Tanto 
Campbell for Leaburn 
Anderson for Carey 

I am going for a hard fought 0-0 and a few subs after 60 mins to stave off Ipswich pressure. Important we don't concede early .Also trying to find a place for Apter with a view to being more expansive at Hull 

When it comes to managing the 'rotation' of the squad, Nathan & Co now face a difficult conundrum, do they select their perceived strongest players for games against the top teams or for games against the weaker teams in the expectation of picking up more points ?

Tuesday's game is a case in point. Our last 2 visits to 'Swich have resulted in 5 and 6 nil massacres when they were in their pomp climbing up from L1 to the Prem. They are a lot weaker now, we're a lot stronger, so do we go or a moral boosting result or put in some squad members and save a few stars for possibly more winnable games ?

Me ?, I'd always go for the win, but of course, my job is not at risk.

Ipswich have defensive issues, who to play in central defence ?, who up front ?
Jaden Philogene is very dangerous playing on either flank. I'd say more of a danger on the left. He will need VERY careful marking
Elsewhere, their attack and midfield are not rubbish, but neither are they working very well

Can our so far feeble 'strike force' take advantage of an unsettled defence and can our defence and midfield deliver another premium performance?
I'm hopeful of a point

Lincsaddick said:

When it comes to managing the 'rotation' of the squad, Nathan & Co now face a difficult conundrum, do they select their perceived strongest players for games against the top teams or for games against the weaker teams in the expectation of picking up more points ?

Tuesday's game is a case in point. Our last 2 visits to 'Swich have resulted in 5 and 6 nil massacres when they were in their pomp climbing up from L1 to the Prem. They are a lot weaker now, we're a lot stronger, so do we go or a moral boosting result or put in some squad members and save a few stars for possibly more winnable games ?

Me ?, I'd always go for the win, but of course, my job is not at risk.

Ipswich have defensive issues, who to play in central defence ?, who up front ?
Jaden Philogene is very dangerous playing on either flank. I'd say more of a danger on the left. He will need VERY careful marking
Elsewhere, their attack and midfield are not rubbish, but neither are they working very well

Can our so far feeble 'strike force' take advantage of an unsettled defence and can our defence and midfield deliver another premium performance?
I'm hopeful of a point

With the knackering nature of the Championship, especially with 2 consecutive away games, I don't think it's realistic for the same players to keep playing every game, and to their maximum. Especially as a hard working, battling and pressing team, that doesn't have the ball for much of the time.

We saw that where the team looked tired in the last 30 minutes at Derby, and then looked leggy at Preston. The strikers are fine, as they can be rotated, and only seem to play 60 minutes max anyway, it's midfield where we are asking Doc and Coventry to do a LOT of work, and NJ doesn't seem to trust anyone else.