The sense of relief when Michael Chopra signed was palpable and not only have we signed a top player, but because Paul Jewell has proved he can get top players to play for him, and that the club is on the up again. His signing is a watershed – other players of a similar calibre will see the ambition.

So, what will our starting XI look like next year? I shall try not to be too presumptuous here, but I’ll have to make a few guesstimates.

Goalkeeper: Márton Fülöp seems set to go, and if the Scott Loach story is anything to go by then we’ll have a good, young, English player to replace him. Happy days.

Even if it isn’t Loach, the reports linking us with Keiren Westwood imply that Jewell is looking for a relative youngster who is in the process of making a name for himself – the sort of player that every fan wants to see the club buying, surely? Arran Lee-Barrett is a great back up.

Right-Back: We haven’t been linked with any right-backs, although how much we can read into that is debatable. Carlos Edwards grew into a decent full-back by the end of the season, and as he slows down (which he’s in the process of doing) it would seem that he will become more of a full-back than a winger.

However, his positioning still leaves a little to be desired and whether he’s strong enough to tuck in and bring down the barricades away from home as we need to do at times is unlikely.

But, on balance, he brings composure to the side when passing out from the back, weighs in with a few banging goals and gets up and down. Where Jaime Peters fits in is mysterious, but most of his appearances under Jewell have come in midfield, although as a back-up right back he brings different qualities to Edwards and to us fans does just as good a job.

Centre-Back: Damien Delaney, Tommy Smith and Ivar Ingimarsson are the three senior players we have in the squad who can play there, backed up by completely untried youngsters.

Clearly, one more senior player is needed and if that is to be Sean St Ledger, I don’t think many people will grumble. Even if it isn’t St Ledger, the new arrival looks likely to go straight into the first XI, although alongside whom is tough to predict.

Delaney is a good player, but Smith is presumably getting better all the time, whilst Ingimarsson comes in with good reports, but his age and recent injury record are against him somewhat.

Left-Back: For me, Mark Kennedy is too slow to play there. Yes, he is a class act on the ball and does a lot of good talking, but when he gets beaten by a tricky winger, that’s it, he’s out of the game for a few seconds as he jogs back.

Shane O’Connor is perhaps a little to raw to play there regularly and may well head off on loan anyway, but rather like right-back, we haven’t been linked with a new signing and there has been no talk of it being a position Jewell wants to improve upon.

I’d like to see Luciano Civelli given a pre-season there, but whether or not he’d want to play there we don’t know, or if Jewell sees him as a viable option.

Wingers: Josh Carson and Lee Martin seem likely to be the first choice at the moment, presumably interchanging wings throughout the game. Jewell’s apparent pursuit of Keith Treacy implies that he’s not happy with this area of the side and I would agree – Carson is too young to be expected to put in a full season, whilst Martin, although impressive in the closing stages of the season, doesn’t score enough goals to be a top winger in this division.

I am interested to see how Martin gets on with a full pre-season under his belt though, and a manager who has faith him in giving him guaranteed game time - he could well be the player we thought we’d signed two years ago.

O’Connor and Peters are back-ups, the former far more dangerous than the latter if we’re being brutal. Peters is quick, but not a great deal else and is more of a right-back in my opinion, than a winger. He’s a good defensive substitute, because he’ll get up and back, but he doesn’t rip past players or ever score goals. A good squad player though, and will be even more important if O’Connor does go out on loan.

Civelli will hopefully make more of an impact this term, after effectively a full season of just recovery.

Centre midfield: Jimmy Bullard is not going to happen. Forget it. That leaves us with Grant Leadbitter, whose second season in Town colours was a disappointment, Colin Healy, whose second season in Town colours was a huge improvement on his first, Luke Hyam, who looks likely to go out on loan, and Andy Drury, who after a decent start, didn’t make much of an impact in his remaining games, although when played centrally he looked a better player than out on the wing.

Obviously, we need investment here, but who we’re going to get is anybody’s guess. Jewell said he’s still after James Coppinger, who is a decent enough Championship player, but is 30 and won’t really do a job should we go up. But let’s cross that bridge when we come to it.

The Kieron Dyer rumours won’t die until he goes elsewhere or retires, but I’d like to see a player in his prime brought in, someone who’s going to cost a few bob. We need it if we’re going to move out of this league.

Strikers: The one place where we’ve got too many players. Thankfully, Connor Wickham isn’t playing in the U21 Championships, so the speculation has dimmed a bit, and we’d all like to see him stay, of course we would. If he does, then it seems certain we’ll go 4-4-2, with him partnering Chopra.

Tamas Priskin and Jason Scotland have both done it in a Town shirt, but far too intermittently, and if Sheffield Wednesday do swoop for Scotland, I don’t think many people would grumble, although if we’re going to keep one, I’d rather it was Scotland – I’d back him to score more than Priskin.

Hopefully Ronan Murray will be given more chances as an impact sub, whilst again there is the potential for a new signing – just hopefully it’s not Nathan Ellington.

Potential Realistic (ish) XI: Loach Edwards St Ledger Delaney Kennedy NEW SIGNING Leadbitter NEW SIGNING Martin Chopra Wickham

pazelle added 20:27 - Jun 16 Good blog, did a detailed reply but internet broke - basically said: Civelli left back yes, Peters midfield yes, Scotland over Priskin no on account of Priskin in a 442 is a better player and he's been feeding on pathetic scraps for 2 years and Scotland getting worse and older. Also, we should sign Freddy Adu.
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IpsRich added 20:42 - Jun 16 I'm sorry, you simply cannot read anything into the Twitter chatter surrounding Scott Loach! Even if the player was actually up for the move, we'd have to pay a big fee (up to £3m?) to make Watford part with him. I can only see a free or cheap GK signing 'if' Fulop is being let go; fantastic if its Westwood but I doubt we'll see off the rumoured Prem interest for him. I would have Delaney at left back, a position he's played competently throughout his career, before the fragile Luciano Civelli. Otherwise, a fair summary.

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Ipswich24 added 21:54 - Jun 16 IpsRich do you have any idea? Delaney is the worst left back I have ever seen! Did you not see him play there few times in Keane's first season? Shocking too slow, rubbish on ball and can't get forward so no to that idea! With regards to blog Westwood would be fantastic but think it may be Mike Pollitt. Another cenre half and Cresswell from Tranmere at left back he got great left foot. We need a wide player Green from Dagenham or Coppinger and a centre mid Neil Danns would be quality and on a free. And another striker someone strong and quick Out can go Civeli and Scotland, Murray, Hyam and Smith on loan

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DanLyles added 22:13 - Jun 16 really good blog, the prospect of wickham and chopra up front is mouth watering, but as u say the midfield needs to be revamped to supply them with the ammunition. I would like Danny Green from Dagenham and Redbridge (13 goals and 12 assists in a relegated league one side), maybe leadbitter will improve if given greater license to roam by a holding man (somebody like Derry from QPR or Whitehead from Stoke: a no nonsense anchor to shield the back four). Then Carson and Martin fighting it out for the other interchangable wing role. At the back, maybe Nosworthy could be used at right back if we get him, too risky at centre back imo. St Ledger, Ingimarsson and Delaney to fight it out for the cb spots, then i like the idea of Cresswell from Tranmere, apparently his delivery from wide areas is excellent and he is also pretty solid defensively for a young lad. as for goal keeper, Loach and Westwood seem unlikely imo.

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pazelle added 22:39 - Jun 16 Brad Guzan in goal, Keiron Dyer and Faris Haroun in midfield with Dyer club captain and maybe Koumas for the squad/when Dyer's injured.
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AlfieNoakes added 23:28 - Jun 16 most of Jamie Peters' appearances under Jewell have come in midfield? How many games has he played under Jewell?
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el_nino added 00:23 - Jun 17 Ingimarsson will start and be a regular in the side (injuries permitting). He may even have a decent shout as captain. I think he will play alongside St Ledger if he signs, and Delaney will be sub.
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naa added 10:24 - Jun 17 Jewell has played Peters for a total of about 10 mins. He hasn't played O'Connor at all and Civelli's appearances disappeared later into the season. I can't see any of them getting a look in this season. An OK blog, but think that trying to predict a starting 11 when we've signed one player and the manager has said he's after several more, is a bit pointless really. Sorry.

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JimmyJazz added 11:03 - Jun 17 No mention of Joe Wight? Reckon he'll be first choice left back by the end of the season. The goalkeeper comments were pure fantasy though, almost stopped reading at that point.
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CambridgeBlue added 11:12 - Jun 17 All a little bit optimistic if you ask me.. We *may* end up with a half decent young keeper, but more likely is a similar one to Fulop, if he goes - someone like Pollitt, indeed. Need a right back, definitely. Need a left back also, Delaney and Kennedy too slow, Civelli not a left back. Need a CB to go with Ingimarsson, who needs to stay fit. None of what we have in the midfield or defence makes us serious contenders. Need at least one central midfielder, and Leadbitter needs to improve significantly. Probably also need a right wing and a left wing because Martin's not been good enough and Carson's a bit young to play a season. Up front Wickham and Chopra form what is potentially a top-class Championship pairing, but they'll need the service. Ultimately our squad for the 1st XI is currently made up of 2 high class Championship players, with another few who were in that category but are now a bit old, a few youngsters who may develop in to good players, and about 6 to 8 very average players indeed. Jewell needs to buy heavily and then somehow get them all to gel. Next season is going to be nothing but (another) consolidation season, hopefully with 4-5 decent signings, and then next season a real push for promotion.

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Lightningboy added 16:01 - Jun 17 Detailed blog but pointless. Loach will be too expensive. Edwards is not a defender/St.ledger can play at right back if signed. We need a brand new creative central midfielder. We need to get rid of Scotland (past it) & Priskin (generally useless).
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TractorRoyNo1 added 00:43 - Jun 18 previous job - shuffling deckchairs on the titanic?
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ericgates added 08:58 - Jun 19 Good blog. Now you've analysed it this way, we are really really short on quality at the moment. I believe in PJ and I hope we make some more signings this week.
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Sindre94 added 03:01 - Jun 20 naa: Oconnor got a few minutes at the emirates ;)
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simplesuffolkfarmer1 added 11:39 - Jun 20 two good full backs is key i reckon
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dan_itfc added 23:41 - Jun 21 'just hopefully it's not Nathen Ellington' Well he was always likely to sign after you wrote that! Personally I think it's a good bit of business and were not expecting him to start every game and score 20+ goals (that's for Chops!). Have to say that on the whole I agree with the blog and the longer Hull keep Bullard the more eager he will be to get out so a last minute loan deal maybe possible.

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theblueginger added 20:44 - Jun 22 Not far off IMO: st ledger, cresswell, neil danns/kilkenny all bought in. It would be good to see civelli in the team, but i think martin will come good. Peters i think is a very underrated player. i can still see us going in for nugent/sharp if wickham goes. As for fulop, i think hes a very good gk, but loach will do very nicely if he goes too.
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