Sunderland vs Ipswich Town preview with Ross Halls from the East Anglian Daily Times
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00:35 Hello and welcome to the Raw podcast brought to you by the Sunderland Echo.
00:40 We're back for another season, another preview podcast.
00:43 And today we're going to be looking ahead to Sunderland's Championship opener
00:47 against Ipswich Town at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.
00:51 So to preview the game, joining myself, Joe Nicholson.
00:55 We are joined by Ross Halls from the East Anglian Daily Times.
00:59 Ross, how's things?
01:00 Looking forward to football coming back?
01:02 >> I'm very well, my friend.
01:04 Appreciate your time.
01:05 It's great to be here.
01:07 And yeah, looking forward to, of course, town back in the championship after four
01:11 long years in League One.
01:12 I'm sure Sunderland fans will know all about that, being stuck in League One for
01:17 a while.
01:17 But yeah, both now championship sides.
01:19 So yeah, bring it on.
01:19 >> Well, the big first game on Sunday, five o'clock kickoff at the Stadium of
01:26 Light, as you said, Ipswich, four years in League One now,
01:28 coming back up to the championship.
01:30 And just having a look at a few of the kind of predictions that are coming out
01:34 kind of preseason, a lot of people are kind of tipping Ipswich to have a good season.
01:39 I was listening to the Not Top 20 podcast the other day.
01:41 They had them third in the table.
01:43 Had a look at 442's prediction.
01:45 They had Ipswich up in fifth.
01:47 So what is the kind of mood like coming back into the championship at Ipswich?
01:52 How do you think they're going to get on this season?
01:54 >> It's a lot of excitement, of course, being back in the championship.
01:58 And last time we were there, it was not great.
02:01 And we were your typical championship side.
02:03 We were just basically mid-table under Mick McCarthy, of course,
02:08 connection to Sunderland.
02:09 And we were just that normal championship side.
02:12 But then, of course, he left and then, of course, relegation followed.
02:16 But a lot of excitement with McKenna, with the players we've got.
02:20 Fans are very 50/50, though, I think.
02:21 There's some fans who are being very positive and going, yeah,
02:25 back-to-back promotions, why not?
02:26 Or do a Sunderland, try to get into the playoffs after getting promoted.
02:30 There's some are going, you know what?
02:32 It's not going to be easy.
02:33 It's going to be difficult.
02:34 Some are predicting maybe a mid-table finish, top-half finish of Gonne for
02:38 Tenth, because I think that's a solid start.
02:41 Maybe we can sneak into the playoffs, we have a good run at the end.
02:44 But I think it's got to be a bit realistic.
02:47 And I think Tenth is, I think that's where I think to have a finish anyway.
02:51 >> You mentioned, obviously, Kieran McKenna, the impact that he's had since he came in.
02:56 I think he's been there about a year and a half now, hasn't he?
02:58 He's had one full season where he got them up.
03:01 And we won 13 of his last 15 games last season to get Ibswich up and
03:06 they drew the other two.
03:07 So pretty incredible record to then finish on 98 points and
03:12 win promotion from League One.
03:14 But how have they fared in preseason?
03:16 We were just talking about how they've been away to Austria.
03:18 They've played Luton, who have just been promoted to the Premier League.
03:21 So how have they kind of been getting on since that promotion from League One?
03:24 >> Yeah, the preseason schedule has been very hectic.
03:29 I've been to every game, of course, covering it for our paper.
03:33 And it's been busy.
03:35 It's been busy.
03:35 A lot of football has been played, a lot of traveling involved.
03:38 They're pretty much one and all, except from the Luton game.
03:42 And we actually lost against two League One teams in Cambridge and
03:46 Stevenage, which was a weird day.
03:48 It was a doubleheader where we had to play Cambridge first of all.
03:51 Of course, both squads were split up, so two different 11s.
03:54 And yeah, we had to rush off to go to Stevenage.
03:58 But I think the Austrian camp was a success in terms, in McKenna's eyes,
04:03 I think that's what he wanted to do.
04:05 Go to a camp in Austria, sort of be in the middle of nowhere, nice scenery, and
04:09 just work the players really hard.
04:11 And of course, their second trip to Austria, because they've had two trips to
04:14 Austria. So they went to Austria once, came back, played Preston,
04:18 which you'd think, why are we playing a Championship team?
04:21 We're on a Championship side, but McKenna wanted to do that.
04:25 So he played them, played Stevenage and Cambridge, played Luton, as you said.
04:29 And we went back to Austria and played in this Innsbruck Cup,
04:31 which Town won against two Bundesliga sides.
04:35 RB Leipzig, who of course, third last year in the Bundesliga,
04:39 Champions League side, and Werder Bremen as well.
04:42 So two really good games to play.
04:45 We beat Leipzig 1-0.
04:47 We drew against Werder Bremen and that went on to win the Innsbruck Cup.
04:50 But overall, I think it's been a good preseason for McKenna and
04:54 the team in terms of a lot of games.
04:55 But I've got a few injuries, which I'm sure we'll get on to.
04:58 But overall, I think McKenna will be happy with how it went in terms of minutes
05:02 and just the fitness and the legs and all that.
05:06 Well, come on to injuries now then.
05:07 I was just reading before that Ipswich's first choice goalkeeper from last season,
05:12 Christian Wolton, he's a doubt.
05:13 And also we were talking about Nathan Broadhead, the player that some of the fans
05:17 will know well from his loan spell at the Stadium of Lights.
05:20 I think he went off in one of the games in preseason, possibly the Luton game.
05:24 And he's potentially a doubt as well.
05:25 So how are Ipswich shaping up with injuries?
05:29 Yeah, there are concerns.
05:31 Definitely Wolton, our first choice keeper.
05:33 He was superb last year.
05:35 He's been, well, since he's signed, he's been fantastic.
05:38 For him to drop down to League One, first of all, was a cue really for town.
05:43 And the last two years, he's been getting clean sheets galore, pretty much.
05:47 That's another reason why we got promoted, was just the clean sheets.
05:50 And yeah, he's got a bit of a foot injury.
05:53 So he's one of the major doubts going into the Sunderland game.
05:56 McKenna hasn't got his press conference until tomorrow, Friday.
05:59 So we'll find out a bit more on that.
06:01 And then, yeah, Nathan Broadhead came off injured in the first half against Luton.
06:04 And I got a picture of him on the photographer as well.
06:07 And I got a picture of him sort of sitting down.
06:09 He had a bit of an ice pack and we put it out on social media and people were panicking.
06:13 Like, no, no, not Broadhead, because he's been a fantastic signing since he signed in January.
06:18 And of course, Sunderland fans will know that.
06:21 But yeah, he's another doubt.
06:22 And fingers crossed, it's nothing too bad.
06:25 He was at the Ipswich Town Open day, which we have, where fans can of course see the players,
06:29 get signatures, get selfies and stuff.
06:31 And he was there.
06:32 So hopefully that's a good sign, but we shall see.
06:36 Where has Broadhead kind of been playing?
06:38 Because at Sunderland, we saw him playing off the wing at some stages.
06:41 Sometimes he led the line.
06:43 He obviously looked like a good signing when he came into Ipswich, because he had that proven record in League One with Sunderland.
06:48 But he obviously looks like he's been a very good signing for Ipswich, looking at his goal-scoring record last season.
06:53 But where has he kind of fitted in to the side?
06:56 Yeah, he's mainly played...
06:59 Our formation is very weird.
07:01 It changes all the time, but it's more of a left-sided, inside-forward, if you know what I mean.
07:06 So it can be, of course, on the wing, but sometimes inside-forward.
07:10 Actually, in the preseason game against Stevenage, he actually played up front.
07:14 He was leading the line, which he did OK in, but it wasn't a great game, I have to admit.
07:20 It was not good at all.
07:22 It was raining. We lost the game.
07:24 It wasn't great, but he has been just a fantastic signing, my friend.
07:28 He's one of my favourite players to watch because he can score goals.
07:32 He creates things.
07:34 Scored a very good free kick in the last stages of League One last year.
07:39 But he's going to be, hopefully, a player that can really step up to the championship.
07:42 Because, of course, he was on loan last year with Wigan, before he came to us.
07:46 We're sort of in and out of their squad.
07:48 But a player that is just going to, hopefully, score us some goals.
07:51 But yeah, left-sided, inside-forward, if you can call it that.
07:56 But he's definitely a player that will be attacking for us.
08:00 He's certainly a very important player.
08:02 Forsyth have scored some crucial goals to get them promoted from League One.
08:07 But it looks like he's joined the Nips, which are very attacking.
08:11 Looking at their goals scored last season, 101 goals in League One last season.
08:15 So they went for games and it looks like, as you said, they've been playing a 4-2-3-1 system.
08:20 So how do you think they will approach the game at the Stadium of Light?
08:24 Coming to Sunderland on the first game of the season.
08:26 Some sides we've seen in the past have come to the Stadium of Light and sat back and kind of tried to hit someone on the counter-attack.
08:32 It doesn't look like or doesn't sound like Ipswich will do that.
08:36 Yeah, I think they'll play without fear.
08:38 I think they'll just go for it.
08:39 I think, you know, maybe there'll be moments in the games where they'll be thinking, OK, let's not go too crazy here because they're going to need to find out what Sunderland is all about.
08:47 I know McKenna and Co, like all teams, all managers these days, they do all the research they can on clubs.
08:52 But I think they will because, yeah, we haven't mentioned him yet, but Connor Chaplin, he's a player that scored us the goals last year.
08:59 He'll be well up for this one as well.
09:01 But yeah, I think they'll just go for it and, you know, try to get maybe an early goal.
09:06 You know, you've got George Hurst, who's re-signed on a permanent deal, signed a loan from Leicester last year, and was another reason why we got promoted, really.
09:14 Those signings in January, Nathan Broadhead, George Hurst, Harry Clarke as well.
09:18 Harry Clarke's going to miss the game, actually, because he's suspended slash he's actually injured as well.
09:22 So he'll be a player that will be missing, another injury player.
09:27 But yeah, we've got attacking players coming out of our ears because that is what McKenna likes.
09:32 He wants goals.
09:33 But of course, defensively, we are solid as well.
09:35 So it's going to be interesting what McKenna will approach this game.
09:39 But I have a feeling they're just going to go all out attack and try to get an early goal.
09:44 You mentioned Connor Chaplin there as well.
09:46 He was a top scorer last season at Ipswich, 29 goals in all competitions.
09:51 Just how important is he and who are the kind of other key players to watch out for on Sunday?
09:57 Yeah, Connor Chaplin, he's a fan's favourite, especially.
10:00 I think Sunderland fans would love him because he can score goals.
10:04 He's just here, there and everywhere.
10:05 He's a little whippet.
10:06 You know, he's just he's not the biggest, but he's we call him the muscle hamster because
10:12 he's just even though he's only like five foot, whatever, he is just here, then everywhere.
10:16 He can battle it through.
10:18 I mean, just find space out of nowhere and he just he scores.
10:21 He is a clinical finisher.
10:23 Any rebounds, he's there and bang.
10:26 So he's definitely a player to watch out for.
10:28 Other players, of course, got to mention Sam Mawsey, our skipper.
10:33 You know, he's got championship experience, but he is that midfielder general who just
10:38 doesn't want to lose.
10:39 He's even in preseason.
10:41 He doesn't know what the word friendly is called because he was going into tackles.
10:44 There was one bad tackle, actually.
10:46 I was like, oh, God, if that was a championship game, that could have been a red.
10:50 But he's another player that will be well up for this, you know, leading the town side
10:54 last year, some promotion.
10:55 He'll want to do well in the championship.
10:58 He's been linked to actually some Saudi Arabia teams.
11:01 So of course, town fans are a bit worried about that.
11:04 But he's a player that town fans are looking forward to see how he does in the championship.
11:10 But we've got a team full of players of unknowns in terms they haven't got much championship
11:15 experience like the back two, back, you know, centre arse, Luke Wolford and Cameron Burgess.
11:20 They both played a few times in the championship, but not many.
11:24 So it'll be interesting to see how they will do.
11:26 And then the final player, pretty much name every player here.
11:29 Sorry, Joe.
11:30 Keith Davis is another player that has been, he's been amazing.
11:34 He's signed from Leeds last summer.
11:36 It took him a while to sort of adapt and get into the team.
11:40 But he, his assist numbers was incredible.
11:44 And he's a player that I'm looking forward to see how he does.
11:46 I'll put him as down as my MVP.
11:48 If you are into American sports on our podcast, I put him down as our MVP because I just think
11:54 he's going to be so important and a key factor in this team doing well in the championship.
12:00 You mentioned a few of the signings they've brought in as well.
12:03 George Hurst from Leicester, Jack Taylor from Peterborough.
12:07 Do you think the squad looks pretty set now or are there still a couple of key areas that
12:12 you think Kip's need to strengthen before the end of the transfer window?
12:16 Yeah, I think they've done a good thing in terms of trying to get, you know, signings
12:20 in the door before the season starts.
12:22 And they've got them done actually early in pre-season because George Hurst, you know,
12:26 we got him in, I think, three games into the pre-season, which is good.
12:30 Jack Taylor came early to us as well.
12:32 But McKenna and the club, I think they want to make some more signings.
12:35 I think there's three or four potential ones hopefully coming through before the transfer
12:40 window closes.
12:41 And I think they do need that because I think they need maybe a more experienced centre
12:45 half, maybe another winger potentially.
12:48 And, you know, midfield is competitive.
12:51 But I think that's what the club needs as well.
12:53 Have players in every different position, have that competition.
12:56 And so, yeah, maybe three or four more signings.
12:59 So, yeah, the team against Sunderland, what goes up to the Stadium of Light could be different
13:04 for the next few weeks because, yeah, there could be some more marquee signings.
13:07 I don't think they've made a marquee signing just yet.
13:09 George Hurst, you can call that.
13:11 But I think there'll be one big marquee signing coming.
13:14 Yeah, I think Sunderland are probably hoping for the same, and particularly towards the
13:18 end of the transfer window when a few of the Premier League clubs are letting their players
13:21 go out on loan.
13:22 That's maybe when a couple of the Championship clubs can pounce and take one of their kind
13:26 of fringe players on loan and perhaps get a boost.
13:29 Sunderland certainly did that last season with Ahmad.
13:31 But how are Ipswich, how do you kind of feel in the head of this game against Sunderland?
13:36 What do you think about Sunderland as a team who finished in the playoffs last season,
13:40 obviously coming up from League One?
13:41 And how are Ipswich kind of viewing this opening day fixture?
13:46 It's a tough one.
13:47 A tough one to start because, yeah, I think I mentioned earlier, we'll probably want to
13:52 do what Sunderland did, have that momentum of getting promoted back to the Championship
13:57 and then try to compete at the top half.
13:59 And I think looking at the fixtures, probably Sunderland's probably the toughest one we
14:04 can get because how well he did last year.
14:08 Of course, Tony Mowbray factor as well, former town player.
14:11 A lot of people call him legend because of what he did with the team and his final ever
14:16 game as a player, scoring at Wembley and getting promoted to the Premier League.
14:20 But yes, it's going to be a tough one.
14:21 You know, Standing My Light as well, a long way to go.
14:23 Of course, our first game back in the Championship had to be Sky, live on Sky on a Sunday at
14:28 5pm. Thanks for that.
14:30 But yeah, I think it's probably the hardest one we could get because, yeah, a team that
14:34 got to the playoffs, a long way to go.
14:37 Standing My Light, a great atmosphere.
14:40 But it's an exciting one as well because you've got to get straight right into it.
14:44 You won't have to muck about.
14:46 You're going to have to battle against a very good Championship side.
14:49 So yeah, I think that fans are looking forward to it.
14:51 The players are looking forward to it.
14:52 Yeah, it should be a good day.
14:55 So second time in two seasons that Sunderland have started on a Sunday.
14:58 They started against Coventry on a Sunday last season.
15:01 I think that was a 12 o'clock kickoff this time, a little bit later at five o'clock.
15:05 So yeah, I'm sure it'll be a sold out Stadium of Light and great atmosphere there, like last season.
15:11 But Ross, we usually just finish by asking our guests just for a quick score prediction.
15:16 How do you think the game is going to go on Sunday?
15:20 Yeah, so I think Town, if they really want to do well in this game, have to have a good start, score an early goal.
15:27 I haven't really thought this through as much just yet in terms of prediction wise, because I try my best not to do the predictions because you just, I don't know, I don't want to jinx it sometimes.
15:37 I'm going to go for a draw and I want goals to start off.
15:42 So I'm going to go for a nice Desmond.
15:43 So I'm going to go 2-2, maybe a late equaliser for maybe Town.
15:48 You know, Sunderland go 2-1 up, then not if minute someone scores a late winner.
15:54 If Broadhead's fit, there you go.
15:56 Maybe he has to come off the bench and he goes and scores the equaliser.
15:59 So yeah, 2-2, I think a point will be a good start.
16:03 Well, he scored four Sunderland against Ipswich, didn't he? I think that was the last time the sides played. Broadhead scored at Portman Road.
16:09 Four Sunderland against Ipswich in League One.
16:11 Sunderland's away form last season was very good.
16:14 Their home form could have been better.
16:16 So I think that's something they'll definitely be looking to improve this season.
16:22 They were beaten 5-2 at Hartlepool on Tuesday, but it was really kind of a second choice team.
16:27 Mowbray made a lot of changes, so he'll probably recall a lot of the players that played against Real Mallorca on last weekend.
16:33 So I think Sunderland will go in as slight favourites, although Ipswich, clearly a lot of people fancy them to do well this season.
16:39 But I think I'll go for a 2-0 Sunderland win on the opening day.
16:43 So, yeah, Ipswich obviously fancied by a lot of people.
16:47 And as you said, they've had a very good season last season and come into the game in good form.
16:52 But Ross, thanks a lot for joining us on our first preview podcast of the season.
16:57 If you like what we do here at the Sunderland Echo, you can consider subscribing to the Raw podcast on YouTube
17:03 or wherever you listen to your podcasts and leaving a review.
17:08 And for the latest SAFC news, you can head over to the SAFC section of the Sunderland Echo website.
17:15 Head coach Tony Mowbray is going to be speaking to the media on Friday ahead of Sunday's match against Ipswich.
17:22 We'll also have live updates from the Stadium of Light on Sunday, as well as post-match reaction and analysis.
17:28 So once again, thanks a lot for listening to the Raw podcast.
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