There are plenty of reasons to be positive heading into Ipswich Town’s clash with Hull City.
The international break is over
Aside from a couple of decent World Cup play-off second legs, the international break once again proved to be a snoozefest of the highest order.
Littered with scoreless draws, the two weeks away from league action again failed to deliver, with England’s matches in particular being hugely uninspiring.
Still, the break is over and the rough and tumble of the Championship returns with five matches in just 15 days.
Ipswich are playing Hull at the right time
The Blues don’t have a particularly good record at Hull. In fact, their one and only win at the KCOM Stadium came back in 2007 when Francis Jeffers and Jaime Peters both found the net in a 5-2 victory.
The Tigers are struggling following relegation last season and, it can be argued, are there for the taking given their lack of experience at full-back and the absence of central striker Fraizer Campbell.
Manager Leonid Slutsky said before the international break that he would not be surprised if the club’s owners were looking to fire him. Never a good sign.
Town are the comeback kings
Even if Ipswich do slip a goal behind at Hull, there is no reason to panic.
The nine points the Blues have secured from losing positions so far this season is the highest number a side has managed across the entire EFL this season.
McCarthy’s side have turned losing positions at Barnsley, Millwall, and Burton into victories already this season. Phoenix from the flames stuff.
The cavalry is coming
Emyr Huws is expected to ease the Blues’ midfield injury woes this weekend as he returns to the matchday squad.
The Welshman has not kicked a ball for the first team since making his move to Suffolk permanent in the summer, but he’s come through three Under 23 games and is now firmly in contention to play a part this weekend.
While Tom Adeyemi is still out, there is also the prospect of Teddy Bishop’s return in the coming weeks as well as the continued presence of youngsters Flynn Downes and Tristan Nydam.
McCarthy’s men are top of the shots
When it comes to shooting, the Blues have the edge over Hull.
They average a shot more per game, concede a shot less and concede a goal with the lower percentage of the shots on Bartosz Bialkowski’s goal than their opponents.
Hull do, however, find the net with 21 per cent of their efforts on goal, compared to Ipswich’s 20 per cent. Fine margins.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here