“So it’s two good teams, I think, and two teams who play football in the right way. We are going to go toe-to-toe and slug it out, and may the best team win.”
In a rematch of their League One title battle from last season, Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher anticipates a competitive showdown with Ipswich Town in the Championship today. Despite Plymouth narrowly securing the title in the previous season and both teams earning promotion, Ipswich has had a stronger start in the Championship, currently sitting in second place behind relegated Leicester City. Schumacher and Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna, who share a sense of mutual respect and even friendship following their battles last season, are gearing up for a challenging clash at Portman Road.
Schumacher acknowledges the improvements Ipswich has made, describing them as a different and top-performing team, praising their entertaining style of play over the past two seasons. He also highlights the difficulty of last year’s game at Portman Road, where Plymouth managed to secure a draw but had to perform exceptionally well. Schumacher expects a similarly tough match this time, despite Plymouth’s recent improved results.
Despite the competitive nature of their encounters, Schumacher emphasizes his positive relationship with Ipswich boss McKenna, citing a shared respect for each other’s managerial abilities and their shared experience as young managers entering the Championship. They recently had a conversation after a referees’ meeting over Zoom, expressing their excitement and apprehension about their teams’ adaptation to the Championship.
Both Ipswich and Plymouth have demonstrated their attacking prowess this season, with Ipswich scoring the second-most goals in the Championship (26), and Plymouth not far behind with 21 goals, only trailing Leicester, Ipswich, and Norwich in terms of goals in the second tier.
Schumacher anticipates an exciting match between two skilled teams that play football in the right way, setting the stage for a competitive encounter where the best team will emerge victorious.
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