Match Preview: Bolton Wanderers v Ipswich Town

Following a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Sheffield Wednesday we’ve had a week to lick our metaphorical wounds and prepare to bounce back. Ipswich have undergone a mini-revival over the past 12 months, going from relegation favourites to a solid mid table side. At the start of the season some pundits even tipped them to be the Championship’s dark horses and surprise the pack with a play-off finish. This may be due to their managerial swap last year, when they  replaced former Latics boss Paul Jewel with no-nonsense Yorkshire man Mick McCarthy.

Ipswich have made a very solid start to the campaign and currently lie in 12^th place with 15 points.  They have an impressive home record and will arrive on Saturday with confidence. The Tractor Boys got the better of us both home and away last season.  When the two sides met at the Reebok Michael Chopra won the game in the 90^th minute; this was Dougie Freedman’s first defeat as Bolton manager, a feeling that we’ve all become more accustom to.

Be sure to keep an eye out for Ipswitch striker David McGoldrick who is in fine form and increasingly dangerous. The 25 year old is looking sharp and will probably give stand in keeper Andy Lonnergan something to think about. Speaking this morning at the club’s Euxton training facilities Freedman sounded like he is  relishing the test,

"Mick McCarthy is a very good manager – Ipswich mugged us last year on two occasions where we performed very well,"

"We just didn’t quite kill them off, so they took advantage of our lack of killer instinct. It will be a difficult match because they’re well organised, but something needs to change because we’re performing well.’’

"This division is very strange and close – as with us last season, if you go on a winning streak and get four or five results, it can take you from mid-table to top six.’’

"We’ve not started well, but with a few results like Ipswich we could find ourselves up at the top."

With 3 draws and 2 defeats on home soil so far the Whites are still in search of that illusive home win. Saturday’s game is a perfect opportunity to achieve this, although it won’t be easy. If any of you are thinking this will be an easy game you are very wrong.  As always they’ll be defensive, limit our chances and probably snatch a goal on the counter attack as we’ve already seen happen numerous times this season.

After failing to beat Leeds and Yeovil at home if this one ends in the same fashion panic bells will loudly echo through my head. This has got to be the game that fully kick-starts our season otherwise looking at the table will become even more unbearable.