Ipswich Town will be without star man Besant Celina as they take on Shrewsbury Town at Portman Road on Saturday. The Kosovan has already racked up 3 assists in 4 matches since his return to the Suffolk side on his 2nd loan spell.
However, Paul Cook was quick to reassure Ipswich fans of the “really good options” he has at his disposal to replace the 25-year-old for their bottom of the table clash this weekend, with the likes of Conor Chaplin and Kyle Edwards both back from injury.
As for Shrewsbury, they are making the long trip down to East Anglia with a fully fit squad, off the back of an impressive 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanders U21s during the week. They will be hoping to climb up the table as they currently sit 23rd in the table, only a point off last place Doncaster.
The Tractor Boys on the other hand, find themselves 19th in the table. somewhere no Ipswich supporter expected coming into the season. After a complete overhaul in the summer, which saw 22 players leave Portman Road and 19 players come through the door, the squad have found it difficult to gel right away. They have shown glimpses of why they’re favourites for promotion, with a 6-0 romping over Doncaster, and scoring 19 goals already this season (4th in league), but they must start doing it on a consistent basis before its too late.
Ones to Watch
Ipswich – Macauley Bonne
With 8 goals in 10 matches, Macauley Bonne has had a dream start to life back playing for his hometown club, on loan from QPR. He also has scored in each of his last 3 league matches, which has seen him rise to joint 2nd in the golden boot race. He has also captained the side already this season, which shows his impact and desire to take his club back to the championship. It is clear to see his passion for the club in every match he plays, and he has been proving that with his contributions so far this season.
Shrewsbury – Luke Leahy
After his move to the Salops from Bristol City in the summer, many Shrewsbury supporters expected the flying wing-back to replicate his double figure scoring campaign for the robins last time out, and he has done just that. He’s contributed 2 goals, one of them being a sensational free kick against Bolton Wanders as well as finding the net and supplying the winner in their 2-1 win over AFC Wimbledon. He and his side will be aiming to capitalise on an Ipswich town side who are still aiming to find their form.