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Marcus Evans XI
Written by Solly on Sunday, 7th Oct 2012 22:14

The headline stat of my most recent blog on here was a scary one - we’d signed 67 players since Marcus Evans had taken over the club. Now, a summer transfer and loan window later, the club have added eleven more to that total. That’s 78 players.

I could of course proceed to write all about Paul Jewell’s failed promises, about his diversion from his longer-term plan, and about the embarrassingly high number of loan players in our squad. But where would be the fun in that?

Instead, I’m going to look at the players the club has had at its disposal since Evans took over and pick a best XI. The Marcus Evans XI, if you will.

Goalkeeper:

I’ve far, far too many options to choose from here, another sad indicator of the turmoil the club has been in. No keeper that was given a long and solid run in the side did enough to keep the shirt, clearly, so for that reason I’ve gone for Amir Begovic. Had some great games in a Town shirt and has gone on to bigger and better things.

Right-back:

One of the tougher spots to pick. The heart said David Wright, the head may have let Liam Rosenior slide into the equation, but in the end, current skipper Carlos Edwards got the nod. Has done a solid job for Town since he joined and his reinvention as a right-back and subsequent dignified stint as captain sealed his spot.

Centre-back:

Despite his slow start in a Town shirt, after Jim Magilton’s public pursuit and high price tag led to lofty expectations, Gareth McAuley eventually matched them, only to be let down by the club badly when it came to offering him a new deal. Brave, dignified and a relatively reliable goal-getter, McAuley is not only centre back in this side, but perhaps the best long-term signing of the Evans era too.

When you stop and consider who best to partner McAuley, it’s actually much trickier than you might have imagined. The partnership that he and Damien Delaney formed was very impressive, and I am a fan of Delaney’s attitude and commitment to the Town shirt, but broadly speaking, he was something of a failure after coming in as a potential left-back for a pretty large fee.

I’ve decided to go a little left field and pick loanee Danny Collins, despite the fact he wasn’t here for long. He came in at a terrible time and settled the ship, scored a few goals and showed undeniable class. But, the fact he’s included shows just how poor our centre-back options have been.

Left-back:

It’s perhaps a little premature to give this position to Aaron Cresswell, seeing as he remains a young player, but his instant impression last season and remarkable consistency solved a problem. I’m sure we’re all looking forward to seeing Cressy in a Town shirt for many years to come.

Right midfield:

Jon Walters may have left under something of a Roy Keane influenced cloud, but was one of the hardest working players to grace the Portman Road pitch over the past decade and wasn’t a fans' favourite for nothing. An easy pick and a fine player.

Centre midfield:

Rather like centre-back, it’s only when you sit down and look at the centre midfielders we’ve had play for Town recently and then narrow that list down to those who could be deemed ‘successful,’ you realise it’s been another area which all three managers have failed to address.

David Norris led from the front as captain and although his hustle and bustle style of play may not have been very ‘Ipswich’ his attitude and way he held himself was Matt-Holland-esque. High praise indeed.

I considered Owen Garvan as a partner for Norris, but purely for selfish reasons, and gave Jack Colback consideration too - he was Players’ Player of the Year after all. Keith Andrews did well and was captain too for a short time, but in the end I plumped for Jimmy Bullard. He was so good in that first loan spell that he merits inclusion. The subsequent permanent spell of course sullies his reputation hugely, but that’s not the point of this.

Left midfield:

The easiest of the lot. Gio.

Striker:

Perhaps the fact that not one of our strikers from the Evans era jumps out at you to fill these two berths here is the key reason why we’ve never really come close to promotion. To go up, you need someone to grab the bull by the horns and score you 20 goals. None of our lot have even come close.

Connor Wickham sneaks in, primarily for being a major part of Ipswich history. The youngest-ever player, the highest-ever transfer fee received, and the odd wonder goal too. The spell he had when Jewell took over playing out on the left of a front three was great and if we ever get the option to have him back on loan, I’d jump at it. Still got the potential to be an England player.

Michael Chopra came in and after scoring twice on his league debut, was seen as the answer to our problems. Well, he quite simply hasn’t been. He gives us very little off the ball and didn’t score enough goals last year. Jon Stead did a decent enough job, but again, his goalscoring record just wasn’t quite good enough. Jason Scotland therefore gets the nod. A classy player and a relatively consistent goal scorer - but in truth, nobody really deserves this second striker role.

Begovic

Edwards McAuley Collins Cresswell

Walters Norris Bullard Dos Santos

Wickham Scotland

I’m sure you all disagree, so pick away...




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Ole_Pablo_Ole added 22:48 - Oct 7
Great blog, really interesting way to go with it.

I'd struggled to disagree with most of those picks, might have gone with someone other than Bullard but it is slim pickings.

It would be interesting to see someone make a similar 11 but exclude loan players. That would be even harder!
2

Sindre94 added 22:49 - Oct 7
I would include Colback, always admired him
-2

IamSpartacus added 22:54 - Oct 7
I love the idea.. but would disagree with a two spots.

I could just never go for Carlos as the RB. He played really well last night but as a general rule is, at this level, a moment behind in his 'defensive' thoughts- no one could argue he doesn't put the work in but defensively he isn't natural.... so David Wright for me.

Scotland... I just couldn't. As a striker he doesn't score enough. Again, you can't question his work ethic, but 21 goals in 95 games. Just not a goalscorer enough. That said, who else? I'd actually consider Walters up front and Edwards as the RM. Two birds, one stone.

Solid arguments the rest, and disagreements are just minor squabbles imo.
2

Jon_456 added 23:02 - Oct 7
You could pick a great team just from the players we've got rid of since hes been here.
Alexander
Wright, McAuley, Delaney, Harding
Walters, Trotter, Norris, Ambrose
Rhodes, Wickham

With many more available
2

TownOnTheUp added 23:02 - Oct 7
Stockdale
Wright, McAuley, Collins, Cresswell
Edwards, Andrews, Colback, Dos Santos
Wickham Walters
2

ITFC_Essex added 23:03 - Oct 7
Wright

Wright
Bruce
McAuley
Edwards

Walters
Miller
Garvan
Gio

Counago
Stead

Would be my choice, most left under Keane but we were pushing with most of this side before all the naff buys came in which brought them much joy to see, clear out the deadwood they screamed... signings.... more signings... we must have more signings! Thats what they said and they got what they wanted.
-1

TheBlueStig added 23:40 - Oct 7
Alexander
Edwards, McAuley, Collins, Cresswell
Walters, Andrews, Leadbitter, Gio
Wickham, Chopra

Great blog!
1

mike_holmes1990 added 00:04 - Oct 8
Only just sneaks into the time frame but for keeper i would go Alexander

RB As impressive as Edwards has been at filling in at RB, i think Wright deserves the spot for his consistant all round performances

CB - This really does have to be looked at as a partner ship, and i dont think we've had a partnership we've all been happy with since Delany and Mcauley held the spots. Chambers and Higginbotham have made an impressive start but thats it.

LB - Thatcher vs Kennedy vs Cresswell, on the assumption i havnt missed any then Cresswell takes it no questions asked

RM - Walters, not much more explanation needed you cover that

CM - Trying to avoid loans and its really hard, im going to make what seem an odd decision, but based on the turn around second half of last season apparntly inspired by this partnership im going Drury and Hyam

LM- again avoiding loans i cant say Gio. and then you suddenly realise the lack of a LM. Civelli was a promising signing but injury hampered his progress. Keane either had Martin on the left or played a CM there. it was one of Peters' many deployments. But im going Martin, ok his resuragnce was from being played in the middle but on his current form i think he can be played effectivly on the wing

ST - Stead, much maligned but scored on a relativly regular basis especially in comparison to what we have now

ST - easy to say Wickham and i think thats what im going to do

I would have a bench of
Fulop
Smith (struggling to think of any better (permanant) CB and he could cover as LB)
Edwards
Kennedy in his holding midfield role
Counago


Leadbitter
JET
to make up the seven



2

PortmanTerrorist added 09:53 - Oct 8
Thought this was a bit of a pointless Blog but stand corrected if only as it highlights how poor we have been. Even picking a "Best of" the Evans era, and even allowing for some contentious modifications the reality is that even the pick of the players of recent seasons somehow spliced together would not make a side capable of a promotion push.

Question: with exception of Begovic (short term loan), Gio (short term loan) and Mcauley (we/Keane nearly ruined him) who would get into the current Blackpool, Cardiff, etc teams. Possibly Cresswell but he has suffered from the general malaise around the club this season.

My big question is about the fabric of our club. Why is it players fail to improve when they join us and invariably go backward ? Manager's response please !
2

fifeblue added 10:46 - Oct 8
What is obviously apparent about anybody's team choice of the Marcus Evans era is that, even with each player in each team playing at his absolute best, none of the teams are anywhere near promotion quality. In 50 years of supporting Ipswich Town, in terms of playing / team quality, I can only now see the club definitely sliding downwards. I hope I'm wrong but this season is already a relegation battle. We have NO players of premiership quality with the possible exception of Luke Hyam. We have a team that is struggling to keep pace at Championship level, mainly on account of there being no strikers of any note. As a club, Ipswich Town is now firmly in a new era where the possibility of it competing in the Premiership is all but over. And there is no quick answer to realising its ambition to do so.
2

gainsboroughblue added 14:51 - Oct 8
Good blog but Walters was here pre-Evans wasn't he?
0

eaii added 17:15 - Oct 8
Norris and Bullard in the middle? good god the scorelines this team would suffer would even make Paul Jewell look good!
0
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