Chopra linked to Ipswich

Ipswich Town are being linked with Cardiff City striker Michael Chopra in some of the press today. Ipswich boss Paul Jewell is in the market to increase his striker force and has already seen a £1.75m bid for Doncaster hotshot Billy Sharp rejected.

It the first time Ipswich have chased the Cardiff striker the previous Ipswich boss Roy Keane was scared off when he tried to sign Chopra. Cardiff at the time placed a £4 million pound price on his head. Last season Chopra scored 11 goals after is season was bleated with a mixture of injuries and had to settle for a spot on the bench behind Craig Bellamy and Jay Bothroyd during the season.

Ipswich think Cardiff could be happy to see him go just to release him from the club hefty wage bill which has been reduced or about to be with players leaving the club. Cardiff would be looking for at least the same amount that was offered to Doncaster for Sharp if not more. If he was to leave that would leave Cardiff with only two strikers, Jon Parking and Nathaniel Jarvis who has just received his first professional contract by Cardiff. He had a short loan with Southend last season.

Soon as the issue of the manager is finalized Cardiff will also be in the market to strengthen their front line. Will Bellamy be back yesterday it was reported he would play for free to stay with the Bluebirds.

Cardiff drop to third

Cardiff City dropped down to third tonight after Norwich City beat local rivals Ipswich Town 5-1 and disappointed thousand and thousand of Cardiff City fans. Norwich jump above Cardiff and are how two points clear of third placed Bluebirds, but it will mean nothing if Cardiff win their last four games.

It's another wait game tomorrow has Cardiff fans have to sit back and wait on the outcome of another game this time Reading who face a trip to Leeds. A win for Reading will see them go third and Cardiff drop too fourth. Reading have a better goal difference, but if they win all their remaining game they will be level on points with Cardiff and it would then to goal difference.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would say this, Come on Leeds

Fingers crossed for the right result at Ipswich

There's no game for tonight Cardiff City only one Championship game is being played, but it is important to Cardiff and their fans. A fixture between Ipswich Town and Norwich City might be the big East Anglian derby, but it of major is importance's to Welsh team season re automatic promotion. To everyone surrounding the Welsh club the destination of the points up for grabs is on the mind of Cardiff fans.

The best outcome for Bluebirds would be an Ipswich victory or at best a draw. If Norwich pick-up a point at least they will go above Cardiff into second place on goal difference. Ipswich hasn't lost in the last five and an outside chance of making a play-off spot depending on results.

They will want revenge on a 4-1 defeat from earlier in the season and the fans wouldn't love to put a dent into their rival's promotion aspirations. The visitors have not win at Portman Road since the beginning of the 2005 season.

Three pointer on Tuesday

Silent is golden some times but not when you are a football manager but not when you loose. A bit unprofessional of Cardiff City boss Dave Jones to swerve the after match interview with Sky last night. He sent assistant manager Terry Burton out to do the interviews while he was I hope reading the riot act back in the dressing room.

Burton had a pop at the ref has expected about the disallowed goal from defender Dekel Keinan, looked a goal to me but watching on TV the pundits reckoned the ref got it right. To Cardiff it was a goal – to Ipswich it was off-side, and then at the end of the game Cardiff is up in arms while Ipswich don't care they won. The big winner and always the win in this is the ref ‘right or wrong’ crap, are the pundits with their cameras and slow-motion. However, even after all the slow-motion and studio chat some fans will put their hands on a Bible and swear it was a goal.

Time to back off the officials yesturday the officals will not change their minds and can't, everyone makes mistake's. I believe in the staying -swings and roundabouts.

After game Burton told the gathering media,

“We are gutted.

“We don’t like to loose any game but when you look at the performance it did not warrant a 2-0 defeat.

“I don’t think anyone will say we deserved to loose that 2-0.

“They got their goal and it gave them something to hold on to, we had to try and break them down then.

“We would have liked to kick on with more chances after they scored, but we had enough in the first half and we should have put one of them away.”

On the penalty decision he said,

“Sometimes you have to wonder if there is some sort of conspiracy going on. We do not seem to get many decisions.

“We have had a legitimate goal disallowed for offside when most other sides will get it because there was only a pair of shorts between the players.”

On the Ipswich keeper

“Their goalkeeper got a bit lucky.

“Shots were coming off his legs and bouncing over the bar instead of going in.

“But his job is to keep the ball out of the net and, in fairness, he did it well.”

There are still 33 points up for grabs, 11 games to be play the same has all our rivals. We should have won yesterday but we didn't, every eyes should now look forward and to Crystal Place on Tuesday night.

Cardiff City team v Ipswich

Bywater,

Quinn, Hudson, Keinan, McNaughton

Whittingham, Emmanuel-Thomas, McPhail, Bellamy (c),

Bothroyd, Chopra.

Subs: Brown, Naylor, Gyepes, Rae, Burke, Blake, Parkin.

Cardiff boss Dave Jones had to make changes from the team that beat Hull City 2-0 last weekend after injuries. New loan signing goalkeeper Stephen Bywater has the nod to start with Jones other loan signing keeper Jason Brown on the bench. The defence is picking it’s self these days with no change for the Hull game.

Seyi Olofinjana still in out injured and doubt for Tuesday night and with Aaron Ramsay back at Aresnal Jay Emmanuel-Thomas is back in the starting line-up.

Jay Bothroyd and Michael Chopra lead the attack.