Why John Marquis can be let off the leash a bit more when Portsmouth face Ipswich
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The forward can be let off the leash a bit more heading into Pompey’s crunch League One clash against Ipswich on Saturday.
Marquis avoided a yellow card in last weekend’s lacklustre 4-1 defeat at Accrington Stanley.
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Hide AdIt was the Blues’ 19th league game of the season, which is the cut-off point to avoid being punished for five bookings.
Marquis went into the Crown Ground encounter having been cautioned four times already this season – against Coventry, AFC Wimbledon, Oxford and Southend.
Now the cut-off point has been activated, the big-money summer signing from Doncaster is no longer in danger of serving a suspension any time soon.
The next punishment is now 10 bookings, with the threshold set after 37 games.
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Hide AdKenny Jackett’s side were without Christian Burgess – who was serving a one-match ban following the accumulation of five bookings – against Accy, however, causing the Pompey boss to completely change his defence from the 2-2 draw with Peterborough.
Brandon Haunstrup was out with the knee injury he sustained against the Posh, Lee Brown suffered an Achilles problem and Oli Hawkins missed the trip after his partner gave birth to their first child.
It meant that James Bolton, Sean Raggett and Anton Walkes were all handed starts, while Tom Naylor dropped to centre-back.
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