Football pundit Phil Hay has provided insights into Ipswich Town’s strategy of “damage limitation” as they face a challenging run of fixtures, including a crucial match against Leeds United on December 23.
Currently occupying the second spot, Ipswich Town maintain a 10-point lead over Leeds United as they approach the Elland Road encounter. This challenging period for Ipswich follows a 2-2 draw in the East Anglian derby against Norwich City and precedes a top-of-the-table Boxing Day clash at home against Leicester City.
For Leeds, this game is pivotal as they strive to remain in contention for automatic promotion. Speaking on the Square Ball Podcast, Hay acknowledged the difficulty of Ipswich’s fixture list and suggested that they would likely be content with a draw against Leeds and Leicester.
Hay stated, “This seems to me to be for them a kind of damage limitation stage. If it works out brilliantly for them and they beat Leeds, beat Leicester, had they beaten Norwich, then happy days.”
The assessment by Hay is deemed fair, recognizing Ipswich’s challenging sequence of matches, particularly given their rivalry with Norwich. Despite the preference for positive outcomes, Hay suggests that Ipswich would find a draw against Leeds and Leicester acceptable in the grand scheme of their promotion ambitions.
While Hay’s evaluation is accurate, there is a concern that Ipswich, with a history of maintaining consistency, may not drop off easily. Last season, under Kieran McKenna, Ipswich engaged in a fierce competition with Plymouth Argyle and Sheffield Wednesday for the top two spots in League One, eventually achieving promotion.
Leeds United, despite performing admirably in the Championship, faces stiff competition from relentless teams like Leicester and Ipswich. Securing a victory against Ipswich becomes crucial for Leeds, offering an opportunity to reignite their pursuit of a top-two finish in the league, especially considering the challenging festive period ahead.
In the reverse fixture at Portman Road, Leeds emerged victorious in a seven-goal thriller with a 4-3 scoreline. Any form of victory in the upcoming clash, whether a gutsy 1-0 or a goal-fest, is essential for Leeds to boost their chances during this demanding phase of the season.
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