Belle Vue -V- Ipswich POSF leg 1

[mikebv]

Ipswich must have a bit of a concern that the engine room no longer has Dan T to cover them, like he has done several times this season...

Adam Ellis at reserve will be key, and "should" be a difference maker over two legs...

[gjcone44]

I'm not that confident, dont think we will get a big enough lead at home,

[89buttons]

4 hours ago, Gavan said:

Putting Brennan at 5 is huge risk 

Is this Ipswich trying to nullify Lidsey a bit? 
 

Comes up against Doyle twice and Emil once so maybe Ipswich hoping that they can restrict his impact a bit …. But it leaves us vulnerable in other heats 

It’s pairings, had Dan T remained at 6 Doyle would’ve been at 5 and Tom/adam 3&4

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

3 hours ago, bellevueace said:

I still wouldnt be confident at your place even with that, and the big ifs are Blodorn, Cook especially away and the reserves, i know weve done well in previous play offs after not shining during regular season matches but i think this season we have too much baggage in the engine room and at reserve. I think Witches will be a different proposition next week than they were last night.

Certainly woukdnt be all over even with that sort of lead

Equally if it's 10 or less it's still game on too

I think these plays offs are the most open for a while both in the semis and the final regardless of the combination of qualifiers

[Gavan]

This will be won or lost at Belle Vue depending on how week Ipswich do against Lidsey and Cook

Kurtz and Bewley I’d expect 27 points from 

Blodorn and the reserves 11 between them maybe 

That’s 38

Keep Lidseys and Cooks combined scores to 12 and it’s game on 

[Teromaafan]

8 hours ago, ShanoXtra said:

The only person who said Ipswich would win every meeting was Tatum, nobody else. And he isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.

Kelvin is a likeable muppet, but there are several (some arrogant) posts on Ipswich related threads, going back several months, implying that the Witches were untouchable if they stayed injury free (not necessarily saying they would win every meeting). Well, they now have their full strength team for the business end of the season but there are quite a few recent twitchy posts on this forum. I obviously would love the Lions to take the honours, but anything can happen. If Ipswich conquer all, I will have no problem with that, but I think that with all the hype over the Witches team, they will be be under serious pressure to deliver. Like some posters have said, if they don't win the league with this year's septet, when will they win it?

[szkocjasid]

8 hours ago, Gavan said:

Putting Brennan at 5 is huge risk 

Is this Ipswich trying to nullify Lidsey a bit? 
 

Comes up against Doyle twice and Emil once so maybe Ipswich hoping that they can restrict his impact a bit …. But it leaves us vulnerable in other heats 

Maybe they feel both Doyle & Brennan wouldn't beat an opponent in heat 13, with Doyle more likely to win heat 12?

Personally I'd have the top 2 at 1&5.

[szkocjasid]

11 hours ago, LisaColette said:

Kind of crazy to think about when in the first month of the season everyone was saying Ipswich were going to win every meeting! 

I don't know if I thought they'd win every meeting, but I did think Ipswich were massive favourites.

I guess that was partly based on them having 2 x near 10 point riders. That hasn't happened this year.

[mikebv]

3 hours ago, szkocjasid said:

I don't know if I thought they'd win every meeting, but I did think Ipswich were massive favourites.

I guess that was partly based on them having 2 x near 10 point riders. That hasn't happened this year.

Not many teams ever get put together where you have quite probably one of the best two riders for that position in the league...

The top two are both genuinely World Class...

Brennan is a perfect third HL level rider, not quite good enough to be a one or five yet consistently, but ideal at Number Three...

Both King and Ellis can be very inconsistent as a 3rd HL, but, again, perfect top level second strings when matched against all the other twos and fours...

And, in Dan T, they almost had a cheat code at reserve given his development this season...

Add in the RS was the best available, (shouldn't he have gone to Brum under the rules?), and you had a team well above the team limit by brilliantly using UK talent in the main...

A huge advantage in team building versus the other three in the play offs, (especially when Woffy got injured), so it means all the pressure is on them to deliver now over the next few matches...

If they all click then, statistically, they win comfortably., however, they won't possibly ever get a chance to put such a team together again, so, that in itself, will bring some added pressure to deliver the trophy.