Kieran McKenna has confirmed that Sam Szmodics will be part of the matchday squad for the Blues’ Emirates FA Cup fourth round tie against Coventry City.
The forward, who has missed the last five games due to an ankle injury sustained in the Premier League draw at Fulham last month, will make his return.
“Sam will be in the squad,” Kieran said.
“He has trained and will travel with the team. It’s great to have him back as he’s been a key player for us with his goals. He also brings a different style of forward play compared to what we’ve had recently.” Meanwhile, Conor Chaplin, who has been out for six games with a knee problem, is making progress but will not be available for the match against Frank Lampard’s Sky Blues. Wes Burns, who injured his knee in the match at Liverpool, has undergone surgery.
“Conor isn’t back training yet and Wes has had surgery to repair his ACL,” Kieran added.
“Fortunately, it went well. There wasn’t too much damage to the other parts of the knee, so it was as positive as it could be.”
Christian Walton also picked up an injury at Anfield and is expected to be out for around eight weeks.
“Christian is looking at around eight weeks out with a groin strain,” Kieran continued.
“We’ll monitor him as we go. Sometimes it can take longer, sometimes shorter. We’ll aim to get him back as soon as possible.”
Sammie Szmodics’ return from injury did not go to plan on Saturday, with the Irish forward forced off just half an hour into his first game back.
Ipswich travelled to Coventry in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday, hoping to preserve their chances of a deep cup run as they continue to struggle in the Premier League.
The Tractor Boys have struggled with an injury crisis in recent months, with Ireland’s Chiedozie Ogbene among those consigned to a lengthy spell on the sidelines
His national teammate Szmodics had not played for over a month before Saturday’s tie, with an ankle injury preventing him from featuring in the last four Premier League games and their third round win over Bristol Rovers.
Surprisingly, he was named to start in Saturday’s tie in Coventry, in a move that now seems to have backfired for manager Kieran McKenna.
Sammie Szmodics made an immediate impact on his return from injury, winning a penalty in the very first minute of Saturday’s FA Cup tie.
George Hirst would convert that spot-kick but things would take a worrying turn for Ireland’s Szmodics shortly thereafter.
There were warning signs early on at the Coventry Building Society Arena, with Szmodics down in the opening stages with a knock.
The Irishman persisted but, when he went down again just after the half-hour mark, Ipswich were forced into a change, bringing on Nathan Broadhead in his place.
Questions will be asked of whether starting Szmodics from the off after a month-long injury layoff was the wisest move, with an anxious wait for Ipswich and Ireland fans on the severity of the 29-year-old’s injury
Ipswich Town defender Cameron Burgess is expecting a tough challenge as the Blues travel to Coventry City in the FA Cup fourth round but says there is no reason why they can’t emulate the hosts’ run to the latter stages of the competition last season.
The Sky Blues reached the semi-finals of the world famous competition in the previous campaign, only losing out on penalties to eventual winners Manchester United after a thrilling 3-3 draw at Wembley Stadium last April.
Town return to the Coventry Building Society Arena today (3pm) looking to avoid a third straight exit at the fourth round stage, having been beaten by Maidstone United, who Coventry beat in the following round, last season.
Cameron Burgess is look to create some more magic for the Town fans at Coventry City, having memorably scored in the penultimate game of last season in a victory that put the side on the cusp of the Premier League Picture: Ady Kerry
Burgess referenced Town’s quieter match schedule in the Premier League this season as one of the key reasons why he feels it is important for the Blues to enjoy the extra games that an FA Cup run would bring.
“We’ve gone from last season having a lot of games to this season having not as many so we want to go as far as we possibly can in this tournament and we feel like we can with the squad we’ve got and that’s what we’re going to try and do,” he said.
“Coventry would be the exact same, they did it last year and deservedly so, they were a great team then and are a great team now and are showing that in recent weeks in the league.
Ipswich Town’s Cameron Burgess looks to turn Dango Ouattara in the Premier League home defeat to AFC Bournemouth Picture: Barry Goodwin
“I think it will be a really good game and definitely not one to take lightly. It will be a tough game and we’re expecting that for sure.”
Town will look to avoid a fifth straight defeat having lost their last four matches in the Premier League, seeing them fall into the relegation zone and three points adrift from safety.
Asked whether a result at Coventry could carry some momentum into next weekend’s league trip to Aston Villa, Burgess said: “Performance-wise we’ve shown that we can carry a few good performances it leads to a bit of momentum.
“Results-wise it’s a bit difficult to say because we’ve proven this season that you don’t know where your wins or points are going to come from – it could be against the so-called form teams in the league or bigger teams in the league, or it could be against teams that are at the other end of the table not in great form.
Cameron Burgess gets up for a header against Manchester United Picture: Barry Goodwin
“So results-wise it’s a bit difficult to say, but performances is where our focus is and if we can build momentum in performances that will stand us in good stead for Aston Villa.”
He added: “It’s a new group, we’ve made some changes this season both in the summer and in January. To come into a tough league and make changes is not always going to be easy.
“At the same time, the quality we have in the dressing room leaves us with no excuses on that front.
“It’s up to us to perform, we know enough of what we’re doing now and the players we have in the building are going to be enough to win games no matter who it is against.
“It’s up to us to put in the performance and implement the game plan on the day and that’s what we’ll try and do.”
A trip to Coventry does bring back lots of happy memories for Burgess and the Blues, Kieran McKenna’s side having won 2-1 there in April last year to move onto the brink of promotion to the Premier League.
Burgess, who struck the winning goal on that famous Tuesday evening, recalled the build-up to the clash which took Town to the cusp of the top flight.
The 29-year-old said: “It was a busy time for me personally as it was around the time that my second son was born so it was special times for that. It was also a busy period for football, it was a busy end to the season and there was a lot of build up towards the game and an exciting end to the season.
“I was nervous for the right reasons but more excited as well. Going into the game we knew we could do something special, obviously it turned out that way which is nice to look back on. It was excitement to get into the game and get stuck in.
“The approach was the same as it had been all season – stick to the process and stick to what we do. We didn’t change anything all season in terms of our mindset going into the game, so it was a case
of doing what we know we can and taking the game on 100 per cent and going at it to try and get the win.”
On his fifth and most famous Blues goal, Burgess added: “At the time it was a special moment. In the emotions of the game we felt like we were in control for the first half of the game and for it to go 1-1
was a bit of a sickener.
“To keep pushing showed the spirit we’ve got in the group, luckily it fell to one of us and I was thankful it was me and be able to squeeze the ball in the back of the net. It was a great win in the
end.
“Not my best goal in terms of quality, but probably in terms of importance. It was a massive moment and a huge step in the right direction. It was one of the many moments across the season that helped us to get to where we are today.”
The scenes at the full-time whistle were ones of jubilation among the 2,500 away supporters in the West Midlands, where the Blues squad achieved a result similar in scale to the victory at Barnsley
during the League One promotion season a year earlier.
Reflecting on the support and the celebrations inside the dressing room, Burgess said: “Going back to the Barnsley one and the Coventry one, it’s probably from the fans’ point of view a bit of a sigh of relief that we’d got that big step closer and everything played out to be in our hands going into the last game of the season.
“It was hugely important but they all were over the course of the season, it’s just a nice part of the journey and one to look back on with fond memories.
“It was a good moment to celebrate with the fans and enjoy that, they obviously travelled in their numbers and were in great voice all night.
“To enjoy it in the changing room and celebrate for what only felt like a few minutes before attention turned to the Huddersfield game and the job’s not finished, we knuckled down as soon as we left the changing room.”
It would be fair to say that the last few weeks have been rough for Ipswich Town.
Kieran McKenna’s side have played arguably the best football of the three promoted sides in the Premier League this season, but following their 2-1 loss to Southampton last Saturday, their fourth on the bounce, they find themselves down in 19th and three points off safety.
Nevertheless, this afternoon’s FA Cup Fourth Round tie away to Championship side Coventry City offers the Tractor Boys the chance to forget about their lacklustre league form and pick up a much-needed win.
However, McKenna must make one key change to the starting lineup and drop one of the worst performers against the Saints to ensure that happens.
It will likely come as no surprise to many of you that the player we are talking about is goalkeeper Arijanet Muric, who joined the club from Burnley in the summer for a fee of £10m that could reach £15m.
Unfortunately for all parties, if that higher fee is based on how the 26-year-old performs, it doesn’t look like it’ll be hit, as the Kosovan shot-stopper has been poor for some time now.
That was certainly the case last weekend, as his attempt to stop the Saints’ opener was laughable at best and while the second wasn’t quite as bad, he still should have parried the ball into a safer area.
It might sound harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by the East Anglian Daily Times’ Alex Jones, who awarded him just a 4/10 at full-time, and even that rating looks kind when you look at his statistics.
In 98 minutes, he made just two saves, prevented negative 1.55 goals, which means the shots he faced amounted to an expected goals figure of just 0.45, maintained a passing accuracy of just 76% and was accurate in just one of his ten attempted long balls.
In short, it was a shambolic showing from Muric, and while club captain Sam Morsy is probably fair to claim that he’s becoming something of a “scapegoat,” that is in large part down to his dire form, and therefore, he must be dropped.
The Ipswich ace who must replace Muric
The player McKenna should be turning to in place of Muric this afternoon is the club’s latest signing, Alex Palmer.
The 6 foot 3 shot-stopper joined the club on transfer deadline day for around £2m, and while you’d often want to give new arrivals time to settle into the club, he should be more than ready to come right into the starting lineup.
For example, before making the move to Suffolk, the Kidderminster-born keeper had already made 30 appearances for West Bromwich Albion this season, in which he had kept 11 clean sheets.
He was just as impressive last season, keeping 19 clean sheets in 48 games, and there’s no need to worry about his temperament either, as former manager Carlos Corberán described him as someone who plays “with a lot of maturity.”
Moreover, in that same article, The Athletic described him as a ‘calming influence’ on his teammates, which sounds like the sort of number one a team in a relegation scrap needs.
Ultimately, there is always a slight risk in signing a goalkeeper from a lower league, but given how poor Muric has been of late, it’s a risk the club had to take, and in turn, McKenna has to start him this afternoon.
A couple of unfortunate injuries held his career back somewhat, but there’s no denying that a fully fit Dack was among the best players in the division for a number of years.
Dack certainly had a tumultuous time at the start of his career, bouncing around academies in the youth of his career, before catching his break when he was handed a scholarship at Gillingham.
It was in Kent where his career really took off, with Dack making a name for himself there, establishing himself as one of the leading creators in the third tier, although he was never able to help Gills over the line in their promotion push.
It was that kind of form which caught the eye of Blackburn after their relegation from the Championship, with Rovers beating off competition from Ipswich Town and Bristol City to land League One’s hottest prospect.
The most unusual thing about Rovers signing Dack was probably the fee they signed him for.
Gillingham reportedly turned down a bid of £2m for Dack from Bristol City at the end of the January 2016 transfer window, so it was something of a surprise when Rovers landed him 18 months later, after yet another good season, for a cut-price £750,000 deal.
Such was the disparity between the two clubs that Blackburn were also a League One club then and able to spend the kind of fees Gills could only dream of, but his first season in Lancashire proved he was worth every single penny of that fee.
Dack spearheaded Rovers‘ push for an instant return to the Championship, and his 27 goal contributions certainly helped that quest, which was ultimately a successful one as they finished in the top two.
But he had the strikers instinct and just perfectly knew how to play his position under Tony Mowbray, who at that point was the perfect manager for Dack to play under.
It was one thing Dack performing in League One, but there was a huge question surrounding how he would fare in the Championship considering he’d never played at that level in his career.
He answered those doubters emphatically in his first Championship campaign though, racking up an impressive 22 goal contributions, including 15 goals, as he helped Rovers consolidate their place in the second tier.
Ipswich and Bristol City would certainly have been looking on with envy at that point, knowing they’d missed out on a player who had gone on to prove he was among the best in the Championship when isolating his attacking output.
Unfortunately for Dack and Rovers, the season after brought around the beginning of the end as far as his Ewood Park career was concerned, as despite picking up where he left off at the start of the 2019/20 campaign, his season was cut short with a cruciate ligament injury in December.
He battled back to return over a year later, before two months later he suffered a repeat of the injury, and when he came back he lacked the edge he had before the injuries.
An unsuccessful move to Sunderland followed, before Dack re-joined Gillingham to signal his career going full circle, and although his career is now firmly fizzling out, Ipswich and Bristol City will surely wonder how their fortunes would have differed had they signed Dack.
Frank Lampard admits that he needs to manage his Coventry City squad as they prepare for their second game in the space of seven days when they take on Premier League Ipswich Town in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
The Sky Blues boss had the luxury of being able to field near his strongest available team in the third round, when they saw off Sheffield Wednesday after extra-time and penalties, but concedes some of his players who haven’t been getting so many minutes of late may get their chance against the Tractor Boys.
Kieran McKenna’s men travel to the CBS Arena on the back of four straight defeats, having only won three top flight games all season to leave them battling relegation at second from bottom of the table. And although McKenna made ten changes against Bristol Rovers in the third round, which they won 3-0 at Portman Road, Lampard admits he doesn’t know what his team will face on Saturday afternoon.
“And there are big differences; we played on Wednesday, they didn’t. We play on Tuesday, they don’t, so what they’ll do, we don’t know. There could be some more rotations or it could be fewer. We don’t know that so we just have to approach the game expecting their strongest team, expecting whatever changes they make keeps them pretty much as strong.”
Asked, bearing in mind City’s schedule of three games in the space of seven days whether he will be making use of his whole squad, Lampard admitted: “Yeah, and we’re not got the biggest squad so some players that haven’t been getting so many minutes may get opportunities, individually, to show themselves. And we’ll need the freshness, definitely, with that quick turnaround. It’s a busy part in what is already a pretty long season, so we’ll have to use it as well as we can.”
Players who could come in include the likes of defenders Luis Binks and Jay Dasilva, midfielder Josh Eccles, wingers Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and Raphael Borges Rodrigues and striker Norman Bassette. Meanwhile, right wing-back Jack Burroughs could provide a rest for Milan van Ewijk.
City came up short against the Championship leaders Leeds United on Wednesday night’s 2-0 home defeat. Asked if there’s likely to be much of a gulf between Leeds and their FA Cup opponents, Ipswich, the City boss said: “I don’t know, it’s not for me to decide, I suppose, as such.
“Ipswich were a fantastic side in the Championship last year. They’ve also gone and added to their squad and are competing in the Premier League, playing at that level week in and week out, so it feels like they’ll be the strongest team we have played against, pound for pound.
“But maybe that’s where the Leeds game can provide some valuable little pointers for us in terms of that step up in quality and what it means for us with and without the ball, because we could be better than we were against Leeds on both fronts. So we’ll see.”
Lampard clearly wants a cup run but asked if he fears it could be a distraction from the league, bearing in mind how last season’s FA Cup success affected the team’s play-off form, he said: “Well, I wasn’t here so it’s difficult to absolutely talk about that. I’ve heard it mentioned but for me, Cup runs are generally always good for confidence. You want to manage the squad, you want to have as many games and FA Cup games deep into the competition are great things.
“So you know, we like to think we want to win every game that we play. You approach every game as it comes and I’m not going with any other thought than trying to win the game to get to the next round.”
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Tony Mowbray has indicated Alex Palmer’s sale to Ipswich Town was key to ensuring the club could afford to bring in Adam Armstrong.
On a surprisingly busy final day, Albion fans were unhappy to see that number one Palmer had moved to the Premier League strugglers in a transfer that could be worth up to £5m.
However, there was good news to follow for the Baggies, as they sealed a deal for exciting attacking talent Tammer Bany from Randers, before they finalised a loan switch for Armstrong from Southampton in what was a real coup.
It has been reported that West Brom have paid a loan fee to Saints for the striker, whilst they are also contributing a ‘significant’ percentage of his salary.
So, it’s a hefty outlay for someone who may only play 16 times in the blue-and-white stripes, and Mowbray explained to Birmingham Live that they had to free up space in the budget with Palmer’s exit to make these moves happen.
“Was it the right thing for the club (Palmer to Ipswich)? When you take everything into consideration, all the financial things – yes. If it did help bring in Tammer [Bany] for instance, or [Adam] Armstrong’s salary, then it makes sense to me. Sometimes you have to let one go to add in other areas.
Most clubs now have to take risks when trading players, and that’s what Albion have done here.
Clearly, Palmer was a quality keeper at this level, but the club clearly feel in Joe Wildsmith and Josh Griffiths that they have capable options to choose from.
So, they sanctioned Palmer’s move to free up funds, and they now have arguably the standout attacker in the entire division. Armstrong has scored 28 and 24 times in his last two years at this level, so he should guarantee goals over the next few months.
Whilst Josh Maja has been prolific, he has suffered injury issues, and there was a reliance on the ex-Sunderland man to find the net.
Now, Armstrong is ready to contribute, and he has shown that he can stand up in high pressure moments in the Championship – as Albion and Leeds found out in the play-offs last season.
Ultimately, this signing will be judged over the next few months, but if Armstrong scores the goals that take West Brom back to the Premier League, it will be seen as a brilliant Deadline Day by the club.
Manchester United will consider turning their attentions towards attempting to lure Ipswich Town star Liam Delap to Old Trafford if it becomes clear that deals for Sporting marksman Viktor Gyokeres and Galatasaray loanee Victor Osimhen will be impossible in the summer, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.
The Red Devils made adjustments to their squad during the final days of the winter transfer window, with head coach Ruben Amorim completing the £30million acquisition of Patrick Dorgu from Serie A strugglers Lecce and teenage defender swapping Premier League rivals Arsenal for a fresh challenge.
But Manchester United were unable to bring in a new first-choice centre forward ahead of the February 3 deadline, despite allowing Marcus Rashford to join Aston Villa on an initial loan deal which includes a £40million option to buy, resulting in plans already being put in place to dive into the market ahead of next season.
Manchester United could make a summer move for Delap, according to GMS sources, as he has been identified as an alternative target after the decision was made to explore other options amid fears that Amorim will be unable to secure a reunion with Gyokeres and Osimhen will not join at the end of his season-long loan spell with Galatasaray.
The striker, who has been described as ‘lethal’, only sealed a switch to Ipswich in July after seeing his route into the first-team picture at Manchester City blocked by Erling Haaland, and the Red Devils are excited by his potential thanks to his prolific performances for a side struggling to claw their way out of the Premier League’s relegation zone.
GMS sources have been informed that Gyokeres and Osimhen are at the top of Manchester United’s wishlist as they prepare to go in search of additional firepower, but contract demands and price tags mean they will have to overcome significant hurdles to get either deal over the line and that has resulted in Delap being earmarked as a potential recruit.
Manchester United’s ability to land Delap could depend on what happens to their current frontmen when the transfer window reopens, GMS sources have learned, but Hojlund or Joshua Zirkzee are likely to head through the exit door unless their form drastically improves in the final months of the campaign.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Liam Delap registered four shots and made two key passes during a goalscoring performance for Ipswich Town against Southampton last weekend
GMS sources have been told that Manchester United are in danger of facing stiff competition from Chelsea for Delap’s signature as the west Londoners began pushing for a deal last month and made tentative contact through agents before it became clear that he was not prepared to put pressure on Ipswich to sanction a mid-season move.
The Blues are expected to permanently part ways with Joao Felix in the summer, having allowed him to join AC Milan for a £5million loan fee on deadline day and the Italian giants are keen to keep him if he shines at the San Siro, while boss Enzo Maresca is also likely to allow Christopher Nkunku to leave Stamford Bridge.
Delap would have cost in the region of £50million during the winter transfer window, GMS sources understand, and Chelsea are confident they can win the race for his services despite Manchester United circling and reigning Premier League champions Manchester City being able to take advantage of a buyback clause.
capital club and Red Devils, GMS sources recently revealed that Sky Blues chief Pep Guardiola has no interest in luring the 21-year-old back to the Etihad Stadium, and the decision to tie Haaland down to a long-term contract and sign Omar Marmoush could open the door to head elsewhere in the coming months.
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December 14, Wolverhampton, England (Reuters) – Jack Taylor, a substitute for Ipswich Town, scored in the 94th minute to give the struggling team a 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
This was only their second Premier League victory of the year. With 12 points from 16 games, promoted Ipswich is still in 18th place after their unexpected 2-1 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur in November marked their first league victory of the season.
Coach Gary O’Neil is under more strain as Wolves are currently in 19th place with nine points and have lost four straight league games.
After a scuffle in the area, forward Liam Delap’s cross set up Omari Hutchinson, whose shot was blocked before Conor Chaplin’s follow-up bounced off Wolves’ Matt Doherty, giving Ipswich the lead by an own goal in the fifteenth minute.
After a nervous start, the home team wasted a great opportunity to tie the score ten minutes later when Frenchman Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, who had been beautifully set up by defensive midfielder Mario Lemina, shot the ball over the bar from close range.
After losing, though, they played a much better game, and their efforts were rewarded when Brazilian striker Matheus Cunha beat goalkeeper Arijanet Muric with a left-footed drive with help from Goncalo Guedes.
After O’Neil’s team continued to try for a winner of their own, midfielder Taylor, who entered the game in the 75th minute, scored with a spectacular header from a Jack Clarke corner that sailed past goalkeeper Sam Johnstone in extra time to secure all three points.
After we had a great first half, they re-entered the game. Having the winning touch makes me very delighted,” Taylor remarked. “Because the game was a little frantic, I was instructed to attempt to influence it and try to quiet it down.
I am happy to have that one today because I have a slight flair for objectives.We usually play each game as it comes, but after today’s victory, I’d like to build on it for the next one.”
Delap, Ipswich’s top scorer with six goals this season, looked vivacious and gave the home defense a lot of trouble.
Minutes after the half, the 21-year-old came close to doubling the lead as he attempted to connect with winger Wes Burns’ cross but missed it.
Wolves gave up their 40th goal of the season, the most in the league, as their defensive problems persisted.
Tommy Doyle, a midfielder for Wolves, stated, “I can stand here and say we deserved more but we have some issues we have got to sort out.” “We will put up our best effort, but it must be better than that.
The main conclusion is that we are losing football games. I can’t seem to put my finger on it while standing here. I’m hoping the fans will notice the effort tonight.Right now, the dressing room is a challenging place to be.
We must be truthful with one another and determine the reason why we aren’t receiving three points. Sincere discussions must take place.
Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna believes his squad has good depth following the closure of the January transfer window.
Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna believes his squad has good depth following the closure of the January transfer window.
Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has explained why the club weren’t able to make more signings in the January transfer window.
The Blues brought in right-back Ben Godfrey, winger Jaden Philogene, attacker Julio Enciso and goalkeeper Alex Palmer.
They were, however, unable to add to a striker unit that consists of just Liam Delap and George Hirst and have limited right-wing options following Wes Burns’ recent season-ending knee injury.
“We worked really, really hard,” said McKenna. “It gets more difficult the higher you go up the pyramid because you’re only talking about a very, very small percentile of players who can come in and improve your squad or your team.
“We feel like the four we’ve brought in make us stronger as a squad and can impact the team.
“I think the squad’s in a stronger position than it was at the start of January. We’ve got pretty good depth across the positions and, most, importantly we’ve got a really motivated group who are all fighting for the cause. That’s a really powerful thing. I think the group’s in a good place.”
Asked whether he feels he’s got enough depth up front and on the right wing, the Blues boss replied: “We feel we have. Of course we need the players to stay fit now.
“On the right wing, losing both Wes and Chieo (Ogbene) to season-ending injuries is difficult. Losing Wes so late in the window meant he was really hard to replace in the space of a week because players who were going to move were pretty much lined up.
“We know we can’t replace like-for-like in terms of Wes’ profile of a real penetrative straight-line sprinter who can attack the back line, attack the box, but also defend the box, defend as a wing-back and defend the back post.
“So we have to use other qualities. Ben (Johnson) has played there and provides different qualities in the role, Omari (Hutchinson) can play there and brings completely different qualities and we feel like Jaden (Philogene) has experience there. That’s one reason why we wanted to bring him to the club. So we have players who can fill the position.
“The centre forward position… Yeah, I made it known that, ideally, we would like to have three senior strikers in building, as I think pretty much every club would do.
“But the market for that type of striker is really, really small, to bring in a striker who could improve us where we’re at with Liam (Delap). Even to bring in a striker that’s ahead of a fully fit George Hirst, with the understanding he has of his team mates, his work ethic and his profile, is really hard to find. George has been very valuable for us and in his one start in the Premier League he did an excellent job against Brentford. He’s now feeling really good and is fully fit.
“So we didn’t want to bring in a body for a sake of a body. We only wanted to add if it was really strengthening the group. We weren’t able to find that in the striker position, so that’s left us with two strong strikers, two young strikers, but both who have really good qualities, plus other players who can play the position in different ways.
“That’s what we’re going to be until the end of the season. Hopefully we’re going to have a good bill of health.”
