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Ipswich Vs Crewe Alexandra - The Opposition View

Last updated : 16 January 2004 By Site Editor
How do you feel Crewe's season is going?
Excellent. Most, if not all, fans would have been happy to stay 21st for 46 games but after a indifferent start we started to get going and now we're 9th - just four points off the play-offs. Probably the first time ever we can realistically talk about being in contention for top flight football.

How do you feel Ipswich are doing this season?
Not sure. You crept up the table very quietly, one week you were in the bottom 4 and the next time I saw the table you were in the top 4. Good turn around by Joe Royle.

Who do you think are your most on form and dangerous players at the moment?
Most on form has to be Dean Ashton. Broke onto the scene in 2001 as a 17 year old and looked awsesome but never lived up to his expectations and soon put on weight and got injured frequently. In 2003 he's worked very hard to get the weight off and looks his old self again. Neat foot work, impossible to get the ball off once he gets it and the keeper will soon know about any shots heading his way.

Then Steve Jones, Ashton's strike partner. Was playing for Leigh RMI 3 seasons ago and now has scored 14 this season, breaking the Crewe record for the most Div 1 goals from one player.

Are there any youngsters or unsung talents in the squad we may not have heard of?
We've got 16 year old Billy Jones who is simply amazing, can play anywhere accross the back 4 or midfield 4 and just wins tackle after tackle and makes amazing passes after amazing passes. One for the future. The best teenage player I've ever seen... trying not to praise him too much.

How do you think both clubs will fair this season?
I can see Ipswich getting into the play-offs, not sure if you've got the same strength as others. I would like to think we can finish in the top 10, hopefully a good distance ahead of Stoke and within touching distance of the play-offs.

What Ipswich players do you feel could cause your side problems?
Georges Santos usually likes to add to our injury list, which is currently 7. So he'll probably cause us problems in his own way.... again. Jermaine Wright usually likes to score against us. Tommy Miller probably, as he turned down a move to us for you. And I've heard good things about Dean Bowditch.

What sort of line-up can we expect from you?
A very young one. With about 7 injuries to our main 16 man squad we are delving into the deepdepths of the academy. Billy Jones and Gary Roberts are two 16 year olds who will be in the first 16.

In all we'll have 11 players all 23 years and under, with 12 of the 16 from our academy. The starting 11 will almost certainly be: Clayton Ince, Billy Jones, Steve Foster, David Wright, Anthony Tonkin, Kenny Lunt, Neil Sorvel, Michael Higdon, Ben Rix, Dean Ashton, Steve Jones.

Predicted score?
Got a feeling Im wasting a journey as we'll lose... but hope for a 1-1 draw.

Thanks to Alexander from CreweAlex.com for the answers.