Ipswich Town Football Fan Chat » Players

One swallow does not make a summer

Ian Wade — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:20:31 +0000

The passion and commitment was there in the snow as it was in the opening games of the season in the win over Leicester. Why don’t we see that every game ? We all know the team can be awful in the next game so lets not get too excited until we see what they do against Watford on Boxing Day and the games after that. Consistency is something we lack, but then the team personnel is constantly changing. I would imagine the players do not know if they are coming or going. Roy Keane has tried more players than any other Championship side so far this season.

Reality check for Blues

Ian Wade — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:08:29 +0000

After the excellent start to the new season Tuesday nights game against QPR was a big disappointment. QPR were better than us in all areas of the field. The game was very similar to the one against Newcastle last season. Men versus Boys. For a home game it was strange to only play one up front (Jason Scotland) and then proceed to play high balls up to him which he had little chance of winning.

If he did win a header there was never another Ipswich player near enough to collect or challenge for the ball. The Ipswich midfield was non existent. David Norris was never in the game and the wide men Carlos Edwards and Andros Townsend did not get forward to support Jason Scotland or track back to help the full backs. It was as though we were in awe of QPR , standing back and giving them far too much room.

I had to keep counting that they didn’t have more players on the pitch! Their movement from midfield was excellent. Changes had to be made at half time when we were already 2-0 down and it was good to see Connor Wickham come on and try and inspire his team mates.

Tamas Priskin also came on and was asked to play on the left side of midfield. He does not look comfortable there. In my opinion Connor Wickham is the main man with either Priskin or Scotland alongside him. Priskin looked sharp and eager against Bristol City, but not on Tuesday. Perhaps he had the ache because he did start against QPR. Luke Hyam was probably unlucky in being one of the players to make way at half time, he does look to be a useful player in the making.

I wonder what changes Roy Keane will make for the next game against Cardiff City. Some of the players will have to pull their fingers out and show the bite we saw in the opening two home games. I am sure Connor Wickham will start and I would not be surprised if Jamie Peters was moved forward to the right of midfield and Troy Brown introduced at right back. Who would be a Manager? Lets hope it is an entertaining game, Ipswich keep it on the ground and get back to winning ways.

Liam Trotter at Wembley again.

Ian Wade — Mon, 24 May 2010 17:45:37 +0000

It must be every footballers dream to play at Wembley however bad the pitch is. Liam Trotter played there last year when on loan to Scunthorpe and helped them secure a place in the Championship by beating Millwall in the League One play-off final. This year he will be turning out for Millwall and hoping he can help them overcome Swindon and take Millwall into the Championship. If he does I am sure he will become a Millwall player next season. Why play second fiddle at Ipswich when you can play on a regular basis elsewhere. Good luck to him on Saturday.

Local derbies again next season

Ian Wade — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:17:03 +0000

Well done Norwich in securing promotion back to the Championship. At least next season we should have one home game with a virtually full house and a bit of atmosphere! The last home game against Doncaster was an absolute bore, a typical end of season mid table nothing to play for game. The only bright points to come out of the game was the continued promise shown by youngsters Connor Wickham and Shane O’Connor, plus Gareth McCauley has finanally got his act together and he put in another sound shift in defence. Loanee Jack Colback has been our best player this season, as confirmed by his fellow professionals, and he will undoubtedly be back with Sunderland next season. I do not know why Roy Keane played him on Saturday, I would have thought it better to give someone else a chance as it was a nothing game. Daryl Murphy does not look that interested any more. He did not play close enough to Connor Wickham who had to lead the front line virtually on his own. I certainly hope we do not buy Murphy and Healy from Sunderland with Connor Wickham going in the opposite direction. Roy Keane has been big enough to admit he has made mistakes this season and lets hope he has learnt from them. He will certainly need to do some wheeling and dealing in readiness for next season but that is one deal I hope he does not make. Letting Jordan Rhodes go at the beginning of this season was his first big mistake. Jon Walters (pictured) by his own admission has not had a good season. When Jim Magilton bought him from Chester he was a striker, but in order for him to fit in the team Jim Magilton decided to play him on the right of midfield. His strike force at that time of Alan Lee and Pablo Counago were performing well and did not warrant change. That certainly worked for the first season. He is not a skillful player but does have a “presence” and it might be best to play him alongside Connor Wickham. That would allow somebody like Jamie Peters to play right side of midfield. There is not enough width in the side and we need someone with real pace to bomb down the wing and get behind defenders. Our midfield on Saturday lacked composure as usual. No imagination. They are very good at getting from box to box but there it ends. If I were Marcus Evans I would not pump any more money into the squad. Roy Keane has enough players to sell and wheel and deal with before the start of next season. If he is not able to do this then it will be time to bring in a more experienced manager. Jim Magilton had no managerial experience before being appointed and it was right to change him when he had lost his way. If Ipswich start next season with a similar run to this season then Roy Keane will be under immense pressure. Another inexperienced manager under pressure is Gianfranco Zola at West Ham. They could easily come through the trap door and join Ipswich in the Championship. That would make another interesting home fixture, better than having to watch Scunthorpe again!

Safe from relegation at last !

Ian Wade — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 17:48:35 +0000

The six points won over Easter now makes Ipswich safe from relegation this season. This, together with Connor Wickham’s performance when coming on for the second half against Reading and his man of the match performance at Derby has spurred me into renewing my season tickets for another season. I hope Ipswich will have his services for the length of his two year contract and not be forced into selling him on in order to balance the books as has happened in the past. It is a shame that Jordan Rhodes was not given an opportunity to shine in the first team and a bigger shame that he was sold before the season started. He could have been the ideal partner for Connor Wickham up front next season.