Ahead of tomorrow's game at Portman Road, Craig Finbow from the Blue Monday Pod team has given us Ipswich's five most important players to keep an eye on...
LEIF DAVIS
Having seen Aaron Cresswell and Tyrone Mings make the leap from Portman Road to the Premier League, Leif Davis is also very likely to be a Town left-back playing in the top division, one way or the other, very soon. A very attacking left-sided defender / wingback / midfielder / winger (take your pick), he was bought for £1m from Leeds when Bielsa was in charge and is now probably our most valuable asset given the sheer volume of assists and how integral he is to our style of play. He will probably spend most of the match high-up the left wing and will let others do the main bulk of his defending, should he be passed fit. Another product of the Wallsend Boys Club (which shouldn’t be held against him!), he’ll be one of our main attacking threats from open-play and set-pieces. The only issue is that he is yet to be seen since Boxing Day due to injury and there will be a gaping hole if his injured calf hasn’t healed.
VACLAV HLADKY
Made some crucial saves in his Championship debut at the Stadium of Light in the first game of the season and hasn’t looked back since. Instrumental in how Kieran McKenna likes his team to play; as a ball-playing goalkeeper, he’s almost an additional outfield player at times and will look to entice the opposition’s press before releasing the ball. Calm in possession and more than happy to take risks with the ball at his feet, the (majority of the) Portman Road crowd are at peace with how we look to play out from the back now! Keeping last year’s ever-present glovesman, Christian Walton, out of the team after the former first-choice was injured in pre-season, Vaz is looking as safe with his hands as he is with his feet.
LUKE WOOLFENDEN
Homegrown product and central defender Woolfenden has gone from strength to strength under McKenna. Another member of the defensive unit who’ll look to put his foot on the ball and assess how play is panning out before making his pass, he's another who’s very comfortable in possession. Luke was, unbelievably, on his way out the door under previous manager Paul Cook, but a change of manager has seen Luke’s stock rise considerably. Also another player who’s potentially on the radar of clubs in the league above given his comfort on the ball, dependable defending and, possibly most importantly, being a homegrown English player. Young-ish ball-playing centre halves are always in demand, but local lad Woolfenden looks well-suited to “McKenna Ball” and Suffolk life, so we’re hopeful he’ll be here for the long-haul.
CONOR CHAPLIN
Just the 26 league goals for Chaplin last season, along with umpteen assists in his No.10 role, saw him more than double any of his previous years’ tallies. A jump up to the Championship has resulted in another eight goals so far in the first half of this term. He’ll look to link with the other attackers in the final third as well as dropping deep to create. He may now be suffering from not having his mate George Hirst playing up front in the central striker role, which allowed Chaplin to buzz around in the spaces behind. Irritatingly, Hirst is now injured for the majority of the remainder of the season and we’re still waiting to see what transfer rabbit can be pulled from the hat as a replacement. Expectancy is on Chaplin and the other forwards to fill the goal void in the meantime, however two blanks in the two league matches since Hirst was injured against Leicester may suggest that there’s still work to be done.
NATHAN BROADHEAD
Obviously a name and player that won’t be unknown to Sunderland fans, Broadhead was bought from Everton in January last year and saw us across the line in League One with some crucial goals. I'm sure you'll agree he was too good for that division, and he’s now deservedly receiving regular call-ups to the Wales squad as he continues to progress in the Championship. Regularly used alongside Chaplin in one of two No.10s behind the central striker, Nathan’s clever movement and top-level technique has seen him create and score regularly; he’s level with Chaplin on eight goals so far in the league. He’ll drift wide left, look to cut-in and, should Davis be fit, will link up with the defender/wingback/midfielder/winger (take your pick) bombing-on outside him and, when in the box, his quick feet can create some great opportunities. Crucially, we've managed his body really well and he's rarely missed a match for us, which was one of the (minor) concerns when he signed.
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