Ipswich Town v Sheffield Wednesday at Portman Road, last one before Christmas, and it already feels a bit strange walking up to the place.
People are half in football mode, half thinking about wrapping paper and whether they forgot something from the shops.
The cold hits you early, the lights look a bit too bright for the time of day, and there’s this sort of restless “let’s just get this done before the break” mood floating around.
It’s not dramatic or anything, just that December feeling where everyone wants a result to carry into the holiday week, something to talk about over dinner instead of the usual family chaos.
Manager v Manager: Kieran McKenna v Henrik Pedersen
It’s a funny matchup, this one. McKenna’s got that calm, almost stubborn way of sticking to what he believes in, ball on the deck, keep it moving, don’t get dragged into the scrappy stuff unless you absolutely have to.
You can usually tell what he’s trying to do even when the game goes a bit sideways. He doesn’t really flinch.
Pedersen’s a different sort altogether. A bit more edge, a bit more “let’s see if we can rattle them early.”
Wednesday under him don’t mind if the match gets messy for a spell; in fact, they sort of lean into it. Quick breaks, second balls, the odd hopeful one into the channel just to see what happens.
It’s not chaos for the sake of it, but it’s definitely not the tidy, patient stuff McKenna prefers.
Put the two together, and you get this weird push‑and‑pull. One is trying to calm everything down, the others are trying to shake it up. It never really settles, and that’s why these games feel so twitchy.
Head-to-Head Record
If you look at the recent meetings, you can basically see Ipswich growing in real time. It’s almost like watching a graph go up slowly at first, then suddenly shoot up.
- – 29 Jan 2022 — Sheffield Wednesday 1–0 Ipswich (L)
- – 17 Sep 2022 — Sheffield Wednesday 2–2 Ipswich (D)
- – 11 Feb 2023 — Ipswich 2–2 Sheffield Wednesday (D)
- – 16 Sep 2023 — Sheffield Wednesday 0–1 Ipswich (W)
- – 16 Mar 2024 — Ipswich 6–0 Sheffield Wednesday (W)
You don’t need a long explanation. It’s right there. First, they lose, then they hang on, then they match them, then they edge them, and then they absolutely tear them apart.
That 6–0 wasn’t a fluke; it was the endpoint of a team that had been building something for a while.
Wednesday will have all of that in the back of their minds. They’ll know they’re not facing the same Ipswich they used to bully a couple of years ago. And that alone adds a bit of tension to this one.
Tactical Outlook
This one’s going to look like two completely different sports at times.
Ipswich sticking with the usual 4‑2‑3‑1, the shape McKenna trusts even when the wind’s blowing sideways. You know the drill by now: two sitting midfielders trying to keep things steady, the three ahead drifting around looking for pockets, and Hirst doing the usual job of running into places most strikers don’t fancy. It’s not complicated, but it works when the rhythm’s right.
Wednesday, meanwhile, are rolling with a 3‑5‑2, which can look solid or completely stretched depending on how the game starts. Three centre‑backs, wing‑backs who have to run about 14 miles each, and a midfield that tries to crowd the middle so Ipswich can’t get comfortable. It’s the kind of shape that can frustrate teams but also the kind that falls apart if the wing‑backs get pinned too deep.
And with Ipswich at home, that can happen quickly.
Form Guide
Form-wise, Ipswich are sitting 5th with 34 points (P21, W9, D7, L5), which is about right for how they’ve played well in spells, a bit flat in others, but still very much in the mix. The last five results tell the same story:
- – L 2–1 Oxford
- – D 1–1 Blackburn
- – W 3–0 Coventry
- – W 1–0 Stoke
- – L 3–1 Leicester
Up and down, but not falling apart.
Wednesday… well, they’re 24th on -9 points (P20, W1, D6, L12), and the table doesn’t lie. Their last five:
- – L 0–3 v Sheff Utd
- – L 1–0 Millwall
- – L 2–3 Preston
- – D 1–1 Watford
- – L 0–3 Derby
It’s tough reading. You can almost feel the strain in every scoreline.
Ipswich should dominate the ball here. Wednesday will sit in, try to clog the middle, and hope Cadamarteri or someone can nick something on the break.
But if Ipswich move it quickly enough, those gaps between the Wednesday midfield and back line will open up. They always do with a 3‑5‑2 under pressure.
Predicted Lineups
Ipswich Town (4‑2‑3‑1):
Walton; Furlong, O’Shea, Kipré, Davis; Matusiwa, Taylor; Walle‑Egeli, Núñez, Philogene; Hirst.
The only real miss is Conor Townsend, which isn’t ideal but not season-breaking.
Sheffield Wednesday (3‑5‑2):
Charles; Iorfa, Cooper, Lowe; Fusire, McNeil, Bannan, Ingelsson, Amass; Cadamarteri, Lowe.
They’re without Olaf Kobacki, Guilherme Siqueria, Ernie Weaver, and Di’Shon Bernard, which is a lot. Especially for a team already stretched thin.
Prediction
It’s one of those games where you try not to overthink it. Ipswich Town at home, Wednesday struggling, the crowd wanting a lift before Christmas — it all points one way. But football has a habit of making you look stupid when you say things like that out loud.
Still, if Ipswich get the first goal, this could tilt quickly. Wednesday doesn’t have the legs or the confidence to chase games for long stretches, and Ipswich Town usually smell blood when they’re on top at Portman Road.
Feels like a day where Ipswich just need to be sensible, keep the ball moving, and not gift Wednesday anything cheap. Do that, and the rest should take care of itself.
My Prediction: Ipswich 3–0 Sheffield Wednesday
Nothing wild. Just a solid, get‑it‑done performance before everyone disappears into Christmas.
