Bristol Rovers looking to cause cup upset at Ipswich

Daniel Wales and Charles Hague-Jones preview Ipswich Town vs. Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup.

Transcript

00:00Dan, looking at Bristol Rovers now, obviously, in terms of the FA Cup, it's a bit of a break

00:06from the league. They do face an Ipswich side away from home. I mean, not actually too dissimilar

00:13in terms of when the last time they met was the 2022-23 season when Ipswich were in League

00:171, which is quite incredible to say, you know, under Ed Sheeran and that sort of build they've

00:23had. They've gone straight up a couple of times and they are a Premier League outfit.

00:27I mean, it is sort of a bit of a similar situation where they are both, you know, on the brink

00:32of relegation so far this season and they're both, you know, it's quite a strange one when

00:37you do get two sides who are clearly going to be focusing more on the league this season

00:41than the cup competitions. But, I mean, it's a great day out for Bristol Rovers fans and,

00:46you know, to be at a Premier League outfit, albeit one that they have met a couple of

00:50seasons ago. I mean, firstly, what do you look at going into this game for Bristol Rovers?

00:56You never know, it's another chance for a big upset in the FA Cup. And also, should

01:01Ipswich sort of be a bit of an example for a club like Bristol Rovers? You know, obviously,

01:06you do need the spending power, you do need the money, but it does show that a rise through

01:12the divisions to the very top is certainly doable and, you know, doable as much as the

01:17last couple of seasons as well.

01:19It is doable, you're right. Yes, obviously, Ipswich, they have spent a lot of money and

01:23I'm not sure Bristol Rovers have that spending power, despite the new ownership structure

01:27that they have at the club. But if anyone's sort of an example of a cup upset, it is Ipswich

01:33Town because, of course, you know, even last season they had a huge one at home being knocked

01:38out by a lower league club. So, there's every chance for Bristol Rovers because, let's be

01:44honest, Ipswich will say Premier League survival is much more important for them. Of course,

01:48Bristol Rovers will also say League One survival is important, but given their relative money

01:52that you can gain from a cup run for a lower league side, Bristol Rovers will probably

01:57come into this seeing it as more of a priority than Ipswich will, to be honest, because Ipswich,

02:02as much as a cup run would be nice for them, they'd probably rather do that when they're

02:06secure and stable as a Premier League club. And I think even it showed last season, to

02:11be honest, as well, when Ipswich were fighting to get up from the championship, they didn't

02:14really take the FA Cup too seriously and, of course, went out in very dramatic fashion.

02:20So, I think Bristol Rovers will see this as a big opportunity, whether it comes to fruition

02:25is another matter because Ipswich, of course, whether you like it or not, and no matter

02:28how up and down they've been in the Premier League this season, they do have quality.

02:31Liam De Laat, for example, Sammy Smonex, these are good players, there's no denying it. They've

02:36got the quality to win this game quite comfortably, but they may well rotate. Kieran McKenna will

02:42probably see this game himself as less of a priority and so he might rotate as well,

02:46but regardless of that, they do have the options, I'm sure, from the bench as well. So, it will

02:51be tough for Bristol Rovers, no doubt about it, but definitely an opportunity for the

02:57Gas.