Is promotion on the cards for Paul Lambert and the Tractor Boys?

After 17 games Ipswich Town sit sixth in League One, but can the Blues really challenge for promotion this season or is another mid table finish on the horizon for Lambert’s men?

Ipswich have had a mixed start to the campaign, going seven games unbeaten at the start of the season with the Tractor Boys happily sitting on top of the league in October.

The side have struggled to find any consistent form of late and have only dropped down the table since. Having played more games than the majority of teams below them, Ipswich sit in a flattering playoff position going into matchday 18.

The Blues poor recent form has been reflected in their points as they’ve only managed to pick up four points in their last five league games. Their latest troubles came at home to Portsmouth on Saturday as a disappointing performance saw the Blue’s lose 2-0 in front of 2,000 fans who returned to Portman Road for the first time this year.

One factor of the recent poor performances is the injury issues that Paul Lambert has had to deal with. With recent injuries to this season’s top goalscorer Gwion Edwards as well as Kane Vincent-Young, James Wilson, Teddy Bishop and Jon Nolan to contend with, Lambert has struggled to field a consistent starting 11 as the team sheet sees different faces each week.

Image: itfc.co.uk
Teddy Bishop hobbles off injured against Shrewsbury

Another player that Lambert has had issues with this season is last year’s top goalscorer James Norwood. The star striker has struggled with a hamstring injury that he picked up in training during September as well as facing drink driving charges in October. The manager doesn’t seem to be able to catch a break this season and has found it difficult to manage the forward’s attitude problems.

If Ipswich hope to achieve promotion this season, they will need to sharpen up and fast. The Blue’s face Burton next week, a fixture they will hope to use to build momentum ahead of their top six clash with Peterborough. The Posh are a side who have showed their serious intent for promotion or even winning the league early on this season and Lambert’s men will look for drastic improvements before they face the in-form side.

The side have struggled in far too many departments at the beginning of the season and with an injury list seemingly only getting longer, the frustration looks set to continue.

Nonetheless The Ipswich faithful however will remain hopeful that they have a chance at promotion this season, with fans backing their manager to weather the storm they are struggling through at the minute.

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