Inside track on Lambert's side as scrutiny intensifies
A former Premier League club, a huge fanbase, promotion expectations and a manager ‘under scrutiny’. Sound familiar?
The comparisons between Sunderland and Ipswich Town are as obvious as the fact that their meeting today at the Stadium of Light is a genuine six-pointer. The 4-1 home hammering by Peterborough left Ipswich fourth and with the mood towards manager Paul Lambert hardening, and a key player missing, Ipswich reporter Andy Warren says “concern is in the air”.
“It’ s the manner of the losses which cause concern more than anything,” said Warren, of the East Anglian Daily Times. “Ipswich were firmly second best in both games and the results mean they are still yet to beat any member of League One’ s top eight in their 10 attempts this season.”
Warren says back-to-back to defeats to Accrington Stanley and Rotherham changed the outlook of the season, saying the defeats “ended a hugely promising start for Ipswich and they’ ve not managed to get back at it since really”.
However, any calls for Lambert to be sacked maybe premature.
“I’d probably describe it as ‘scrutiny’ rather than pressure at this stage,” adds Warren.
“There’s little to suggest there is any kind of threat to his position as manager, particularly given the fact he signed a new five-year contract on New Year’s Day, but the levels of scrutiny are growing.
IPSWICH’S KEY STRENGTHS :“Form ethereal strength is in mid field ,” says
Warren .“The start of 2020 has seen Emyr Huws and Flynn Downes paired together and, on their day, both are too good for this division.
“If Huws and Downes can get on top of their men and wide centre-backs Luke Woolfenden and Luke Chambers are able to get forward to support the wide men, they can cause real problems .” IPSWICH’S KEY WEAKNESSES: Town may be missing more than just a left-back in Luke Garbutt - the on-loan man is also their main creative force and set piece expert. And the Ever ton man’ s threat from open play and free-kicks could be much missed. He’s at high injury ahead of the game and is ruled out,’ says Warren .“That’ s a real loss given his ability at set-pieces.
“The main weakness of late has been their goal threat, though. In the last two games, Ipswich have had very little to worry their opponents and, aside from a late penalty when the game was up against Peterborough and a very late flurry at Rotherham, they didn’ t look like scoring.”