The View from. . . Ipswich Town

[peaty]

Four wins on the trot, and some of the Tractor Boys seem a bit nervous about tomorrow. Are they really a different proposition from last year? Are Fulham the same as, or better than, we were for our 3-1 victory at the Cottage in April?

. . . Here are some comments from the Ipswich fan forums.

Friendly tip: if all you need is a sharp boost to your blood pressure, just scroll straight to the final comment, where it mentions Chris Martin. It should do the job nicely.  :58:

We look to make it 5 / 5 in front of a likely improved gate with such a promising start. For what it's worth, I think we've been incredibly lucky to win our past three games but clearly I won't complain:
•   Millwall sounded good value for a point.
•   Barnsley absolutely battered us first half, should have been 2-0 after wasting an absolute sitter and we scored our only 2.
•   Brentford again absolutely pulled our pants down first half, and we score with our first shot of the game.

We cannot continue to get such luck in the league, and really I feel need to up our performance here vs a side who will be desperate to get their stuttering start of a season back on track. That said, looking on wiki their squad looks paper-thin and they have four loanees. Hmmmm. They did just lose 1-0 at home to Bristol Rovers in the cup too. I think this may be a draw, perhaps narrow defeat. Not feeling too upbeat for this one. Think the lack of CB could be an issue. Apparently Skuse is ill, hopefully he's fit for Saturday apparently been a different player this season.

I think this is a banker defeat. . . Fulham are a good team, and they won't be near the bottom for too long. They are also a good footballing team, who like to attack quickly (not like Brentford's tippy tappy tactics)

We need to be 100% on our game for this one, and hope that our forwards continue their rich vein of form, because if they don't, we will lose this easily. I'll predict a 1-2 loss, with McG getting a penalty for us (I can also see a sending off for someone too).

Fulham are a really good side but like Brentford they don't have much of a cutting edge and at the moment we seem to be finding a way to win so I am predicting an edgy 1-0 win for the Town.

I would expect a change across the midfield if Ryan Sessignon is a still a Fulham player and playing on Saturday. For all the good Waggy has done down the right, I think Mick will want to have a bit more cover against a marauding left back of his quality. Hyam, Downes or McDonnell to come into the middle (though likely to be Downes) Also wouldn't be surprised to see McGoldrick miss out if missus is still expecting. . . Fancy another win for no reason other than we are still riding a wave of optimism and even a midweek defeat feels like a positive outcome. A narrow and scrappy 2-1 win.

Ipswich to win 3-1. Fulham don't worry me at all.

I'm not overly optimistic about a draw. I saw Fulham play us last season on Boxing Day and they were hands down one of the best footballing sides I've seen us play. Completely played us off the park, although a central midfield of Skuse and Douglas probably aided their game.

I know they have indifferent form so far, but we can't win five consecutive league games can we? We've rode our luck in a few of those matches and I'd argue Fulham are technically superior to all the clubs we've played so far this season, with the possible exception of Crystal Palace. Maybe we can take a 2-2 draw? I'd be happy with that.

I'm not sure we can keep soaking up pressure every game. Some day soon a team is going to take their chances. 2-2 draw.

I think a 1 - 2 win for Fulham this week.

ITFC 2: FULHAM 3. Can't keep this up forever, can we? I'll go for an entertaining defeat with the ficklish chorus of "Super Mick McCarthy" resounding round PR.

I had a long chat about the game with my Fulham fan mate yesterday. He said our strength is in not depending on one player, like they do with Tom Cairney, who hasn't looked good this year (but was outstanding last season). They have had a tough start but we have momentum. I can't see us winning but I thought Brentford would beat the team we put out. . .

I have to say that Fulham was the best team we played both home and away last season. I am amazed they are not in the Prem now. They really are struggling at the moment and a great time to play them.

Fulham are going to be a wounded animal for sure. For me they were the best footballing side I saw last season bar none and gave us a lesson at Portman Road. BUT we are a different team these days and win, lose or draw I just know they won't find us such a walk over this time around. They will have to play well to take the points back to London.

They absolutely rinsed us at Craven Cottage last season. I couldn't believe my eyes when I came on here afterwards and people were saying we were unlucky not to get a result. Must've been watching a different game as it was men against boys from where I was standing. We're a completely different proposition today to what we were then though. Naive for any Fulham fan to think away to us will be a cakewalk.

I'm still not entirely convinced that we're a different proposition. Better strikers most certainly but defence is missing key players. 

This is a bigger test for us and I can't wait to see how we get on. I do think we're a much different proposition though, not just in terms of personnel but also confidence and approach. [At CC last season], Lawrence wasn't fit to start and Diagouraga got absolutely owned in a 5-3-2. The quality of Alite, Ayuko, Martin and Cairney was far too strong. We were on the beach already in April while Fulham we en route to the playoffs and it was a massive game for them. We didn't look like we wanted to be there. The atmosphere in the stands was toxic and our play was uninventive and predictable. We have so much more pace, energy and belief now. 

Leeds and the Wendies disrupted their midfield and their flow in the last two league games by getting in amongst them in a Flynn Downes kind of way. I'm not suggesting that we play him but his brand of tigerish midfield work could stifle Cairney and have a knock-on effect on their wingers.

It's amazing how adding or losing two players can transform the balance of a team. Our two strikers will be up against a decent Fulham defence but will give them far more to handle than last year, especially if Waghorn plays on the right where they have no Scott Malone. Chris Martin was in and out of their team last year but played an important role in their run-in and balanced their attack. Without him they look like another version of Brentford (possibly more potent), but I reckon that Tom Cairney not being 100 per cent is a bigger problem for them. 

[SuffolkWhite]

Can't be feel negative or positive about this game, just have to see how we play. Anything could happen.

Just want to see the team gelling and maybe play with quicker passing and movement that other teams struggle with.

[Slaphead in Qatar]

They seem surprisingly negative

[Mince n Tatties]

They have been a tad lucky,know quite a few in Suffolk who have same opinion, they ain't getting carried away.
I be disappointed if we don't turn them over,0-3 or 0-4.

[hovewhite]

A scrappy win will do for me as theyve started well and wont lye down.

[Woolly Mammoth]

They have been a tad lucky,know quite a few in Suffolk who have same opinion, they ain't getting carried away.
I be disappointed if we don't turn them over,0-3 or 0-4.

I agree Mince, especially with our away record, it's almost set up for a win for Fulham, is the way we are, and Ipswich flying 100%, they have to surrender their record at some stage, now is the time, all very Fulhamish.
But I shall go for a conservative 2 0 away win, but I hope your score is nearer.