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Ipswich 0 - 2 Liverpool: Town show promise in season opener

Opinion

Professional sports trader Rob Hogger shares his thoughts on Town's loss to Liverpool on the opening day of the season, along with a betting tip from League One.

With the sun shining over Portman Road and the world watching, Ipswich did not disappoint. It's not often you come home from a 2-0 defeat with so much pride and optimism, but that was the case here.

Sam Morsy sliding tackle
Ipswich Town's Sam Morsy with Liverpool's Ryan GravenberchAlamy

An outstanding first-half

The first half was a very even game of football, and even John Wark said we were the better side at halftime. During the break, I checked the stats and social media, and it had been quite some time since Liverpool had managed only two shots in a half.

Hutchinson, Greaves, Davis, and Delap looked like ready-made Premier League players, with nice patterns of play throughout the team, just like in League One and the Championship.

We broke the lines several times and could have scored with a little more composure. No one could have argued that Ipswich could've gone in 1-0 up at half-time, all while keeping some of the best players in world football at bay. Impressive stuff.

Followed by a reality check in the second

Unfortunately, this trend didn't continue, and it ended up being the proverbial game of two halves. Liverpool switched it up at halftime and quickly got into their stride. The second half was a stark reminder of the huge quality that awaits us in this league.

However, not many teams will pose the threat Liverpool do, and if Ipswich play as they did in the first half, I'm sure they will pick up plenty of points. Liverpool were carving through us at one stage and deservedly won.

On the goalkeeper situation

The loss of Muric was unexpected, and Walton did well enough. McKenna thinks it's only a knock and Muric will soon return. It would be interesting to know if Ipswich were going long on occasion against the Reds because Walton was in goal or whether the plan would have been to hit Delap with some long balls anyway.

I think it's probable that whoever the goalkeeper is, we won't be playing out from the back as often as in the last two seasons.

New signings and future prospects

We now have Kalvin Phillips and Sammy Szmodics on board, with much to prove this season. Phillips' qualities are well-known, and let's hope McKenna can get the best out of him. This could be a great fit for both parties.

Szmodics has been a late bloomer, but his finishing last season was lethal from an attacking midfield role. He's also tenacious and will work hard for the team. For the reported £9 million, despite the lack of resale value, it looks like good business.

Phillips will be ineligible against his parent club on Saturday, but Szmodics could start. By the time Fulham rolls around on August 31st, we'll have signed one or two more players, and Phillips will be starting.

Looking ahead

Next, we have Man City, and let's hope we can give a good account of ourselves as we did on Saturday. If we do that, all Ipswich fans can remain positive.

A betting tip

Starting today, I will be sharing occasional betting tips in my column for Ipswich.co.uk.

Today, we're going to League One for the match between Leyton Orient and Birmingham. Birmingham is the bookies' favourite for the league and has started well. At the time of writing, Birmingham to win is evens at Bet365, which seems too big a price to me. Expect it to come in.

As always, please gamble responsibly.

Police reveal Billy McNicholl died from head injuries and a single stab wound in an 'isolated' attack

News

A post-mortem has revealed that William "Billy" McNicholl, 63, died from head injuries and a single stab wound at his Ipswich home. Police continue to appeal for witnesses as the murder investigation enters its second week.

The details: Officers discovered McNicholl's body at his home on Hawthorn Drive shortly before 18:00 on New Years Day:

  • Suffolk Constabulary's Major Investigation Team is leading the inquiry

  • A police cordon remains in place near the junction with Marigold Avenue

  • Investigators are particularly interested in any suspicious activity between 24 December and 1 January

William "Billy" McNicholl and his dog
William "Billy" McNicholl, 63, died from head injuries and a single stab wound at his Ipswich homeAmy Clarke

What they're saying: Detective Superintendent Mike Brown of the Joint Major Investigations Team said: “We continue to appeal for anyone with any information to come forward while the murder inquiry into the death of Billy continues.

“Billy’s family are being supported by specially trained officers through what is an extremely distressing time for them.

“A large number of officers and staff have already been involved in the investigation, with searches, house-to-house and CCTV enquiries taking place. Residents should expect to see a continued increased police presence over the coming days.

“We are exploring all and any lines of enquiry and currently believe this to be an isolated incident and I would urge anyone with any information, no matter how small you think it may be, to get in touch with police.”

How to help:

  • Contact police on 101 quoting reference 37/162/25

  • Submit information via the Major Incident Public Reporting Portal at mipp.police.uk/operation/363719P01-PO1

  • Call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

  • Use Crimestoppers' online form at crimestoppers-uk.org

The bottom line: While police believe this is an isolated incident, they are conducting extensive searches, house-to-house inquiries and CCTV analysis. Residents should expect to see an increased police presence in the area over the coming days.

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