TONY Mowbray is confident that he knows the way to beat Ipswich Town.The former Blues skipper, coach and caretaker-manager was in the Portman Road directors' box when his new team West Brom thrashed Ipswich 5-1, just months after choosing not to even be interviewed for the vacant managerial post at his old club.

By Derek Davis

TONY Mowbray is confident that he knows the way to beat Ipswich Town.

The former Blues skipper, coach and caretaker-manager was in the Portman Road directors' box when his new team West Brom thrashed Ipswich 5-1, just months after choosing not to even be interviewed for the vacant managerial post at his old club.

Mowbray knows Ipswich inside out and decided going there as boss was not for him but will use all that inside knowledge to help Albion to pull off a double over the Blues.

Mowbray said: “I'm well aware of the proud tradition they have at Ipswich.

“They certainly play an open, expansive game which gives you the chance to play. Not many teams play that way in this division.

“A lot play it very tight, try to condense space and base their game on winning the ball back rather than being creative when they have it. Ipswich come into the other category.”

The Baggies see Town as the beginning of a four-game spell where maximum points are a real possibility.

After Ipswich at home, where they have banged in nine goals in two games, West Brom have Southend, Hull and Leeds away.

Mowbray said: “We're aware of the fixtures coming up and there are clearly opportunities there for us.

“There are no easy games but there are games coming up which, if we are right and play to our strengths, are winnable.

“We've had some tough away games, we've lost against teams who have been doing well but I still expect us to be more competitive away from home.”

It explains why Mowbray will still go into the January sales looking for more steel to accompany the array of talent he already has at his disposal.

Much depends on whether he can off-load one or two of his more marketable assets who are not currently in the starting line-up.

Zoltan Gera tops that bill and the latest speculation linking him with Bolton Wanderers, against whom he scored in both home and away games two seasons ago, is no surprise.

Yet Mowbray insists that any New Year reshuffles are simply a question of fine-tuning.

He said: “I'm happy with the players we've got here. It's just the balance of the team that's not quite right.

“We don't necessarily have the players to dig out results on a tough day when we've got to fight our corner.

“That doesn't mean I'm going to rush out and buy several lads who are 6ft 4ins as I also want good footballers but we need some players who can win the scruffy games without losing the openness and flair to over run teams.”

With Paul Robinson suspended Stephen Clements is expected to slot in at left back after one-match ban.