It has been a very good start for Town, picking up 13 points from a possible 27, and they currently sit handsomely in ninth position. We are currently only five points from a play-off position, and are comfortably nine above the relegation zone.

We are nine games into the season and I feel it's time to assess the players. Commenting on all the players who have played this season would be too lengthy, so I'll stick to just the XI that started against Brighton today.

Dean Gerken: After fortunately coming into the team so early courtesy of a poor Scott Loach performance against Leeds, I personally think Gerken has been brilliant. He may of had a very poor game against Wigan on Sunday, but apart from that he has thoroughly deserved to keep the number one spot.

Luke Chambers: For me Chambo has been faultless. Evidently Elliott Hewitt does not yet have the capability of playing in and out for a high-aiming Championship club, so the right-back slot could only be filled by Luke Chambers. He may lack raw pace down that right hand side, but defensively he has done the basics brilliantly. His passion for the club is on another level, and I feel he will be a fan favourite for years to come.

Christophe Berra: Berra was one of many new faces to arrive at Portman Road this summer on a free transfer, but for me he has been the best of them all. Like Chambers he also lacks pace, but there is not anything else you can criticise about the former Wolves man. He is a threat in the air, and has formed a very good partnership with Tommy Smith even though they have only played along side each other for only a few games.

Tommy Smith: The current Player of the Season has had a very good start to the season. His pass did lead to Leeds' win at Portman Road a few weeks back, but apart from that he has been superb. I personally have never seen him out of position, and is a commander in the air, a trait which is vital for most defenders.

Aaron Cresswell: There was a lot of speculation whether we could keep Cresswell this summer, and luckily we did. He is undoubtedly one of the best left-backs in the League, and is not only a solid defender, but a very good attacking player. Many times this season he has delivered some very dangerous balls into the opposition's box, most recently the cross which lead to Chambers's goal against MIddlesbrough. Overall a very tidy start to the season from him.

Paul Anderson: Not many fans knew what we would get out of Anderson, but I feel opinion is divided amongst fans. I think he is a very good player. He his very energetic and has the pace to beat defenders, something which Carlos Edwards is starting to lack. A very good start from him and I hope he can push on and keep his spot.

Cole Skuse: Skuse has been a revelation this season! Earlier on in the summer when Town were linked with him, a Bristol City fan mentioned that "he had heard more in a library" and that he was very poor. For me though he is the opposite. He is the Pirlo/Gerrard of our team, whatever you want to call him. He is talented on both feet and has been an absolute steal.

Luke Hyam: Luke hasn't had the best of starts I think to most people's disappointment. As him and Tommy are academy products we only want the best for them, but he has lacked composure on the ball this season. I don't know whether this was because he understood Guirane N'Daw's game, but for me you have to adapt, and he simply hasn't. I have no doubt he can up his game for the next few matches though.

Ryan Tunnicliffe: The Manchester United loanee has had a very good start to his Ipswich days, and has already forged a brilliant partnership with Aaron Cresswell. Just watching him you can see he has got so much passion for the game, and Town fans have picked this up, and rightfully so gave him a standing ovation over the previous few games. A very tidy acquisition from Mick McCarthy, and hopefully he can stay with us until the end of the campaign.

Daryl Murphy: Murphy is another who divides fans' opinion, but like with Anderson I like Murph. He is a big strong player, and offers us a different option. He may not always have the best game, but stories from the summer revealed that he loves the club, and was willing to take a pay cut. If the Sylvan Ebanks-Blake rumours are true, and if there was a chance that we could get him in, then unfortunately I think he is three times the player Murphy will ever be.

David McGoldrick: Last but no means least is the number 10. Two stunning goals today truly showed what undoubted class he has. Although he lacks that extra yard of pace, he is such a talented player. To get such a player on a free transfer and not a mega wage is hard to find these days, and I credit Mick for finding him. After scoring five goals in nine games this season, he is sitting high up in joint seventh in this season's Championship top scorers. If he keeps up this excellent form than he may prove to be the 15-20-a-season man we have been missing for so long. By far our best players so far this season.

All of your opinions would be very welcomed as I would like to see what other fans think of these players performances.

MitchtheITFCman added 22:10 - Sep 28 I think we did very well in the transfer market to spend so little and get such quality. I mean McGoldrick, skuse, Berra are all brilliant players but I am not too sure on Anderson, I think I would much rather have Taylor out wide. I understand why mick sent him out on loan but I think it was the wrong desision, we need to give him 30 mins a game until he is fit enough. Loach is a supporter of the club and I actually feel sorry for him because he is a good player.

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Dissboyitfc added 08:15 - Sep 29 Well written and i agree with most of what you say, however i dont feel you can describe towns start to the season as a " a very good start " we only have 1 point from a possible 12 on our travels. Its a healthy start and i truly believe that there is better, much better to come ! I am not being negative just realistic, 3 of our next 4 are away, lets see where we are after those four games, because if our away games continue to produce zilch we will be looking at a very different table in a couple of weeks! Oh and i dont agree with your comparison of SEB to murphy , 2 very different players and not a fair comparison, like comparing Hyam to Edwards... But in the main very well written, well done ! ......COYB

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Cakeman added 08:24 - Sep 29 Good summary and I too agree with most of what you say. Also not sure about Anderson just yet. Certainly agree with you about Hyam. Sad to say but a very average start for him. If we could bring in a creative midfielder to play alongside Skuse then we could really take off. I actually believe we already have that man in Wordsworth, who can play well in centre or wide midfield. It was good to see him get on the field for a time yesterday. Not much to chose between our keepers and would probably like to see another one come in to add further competition.

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hogster1970 added 09:54 - Sep 29 yep agree on most of that, but as said away performances are there just not results but remember they were all against prem relegated teams and apart from wigan all lost buy the odd goal, last year we would have been slaughted so thats a big improvement, but these next 3 away games will see were we are on away performances against some teams in poor form, and also burnley will be a tough test as they are on a roll. i think hyam over all has put in some average but also good performances , some of his passing is a bit wayward at times but he is like a little jack russel scamping around closing the players and ball down sometimes winning it or forcing the opostion into a rubbish pass , which helps in the midfield battle. and berra i thought he was a bit slow but yesturday did any one see him run back to intercept buckly ( i think it was him) and get the ball out for a corner he had to gain a yard or so to do that and buckly was on full chat so that was impressive. tunni is a class act would love it if we got him full time but i doubt it but him and cressy are getting a great partnership, how ever one bit of play annoyed me, in the first half we had a great chance to put a first time cross in to didsy and murph but they stoped and played you have a cross no its your turn then hyam joined in then it came to nothing, if thats against a better team that was a good potential goal scoring chance gone begging, but thats just a minor point. didsy is on a roll he is class act and we havnt had a striker like that since stewart and benty, just hoped murph could be a kugi but he wont be unforchantly, i think anderson is ok but needs to up his game a bit with some pacey runs and a few more dangerous crosses as this is just left to the left hand side atm and teams will soon suss that out, but edwards can be a re super sub for the last 20 mins as he can run flat out for the last bit of the game as the other teams will start to have tired legs down the left. in the keeper front think we doing ok with out being spectacular but lets hope both will prove to be good keepers but the likes of begovic they aint and dont think they will be.

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prebbs007 added 14:34 - Sep 29 Very good start?? Not sure about that. It is in my opinion an ok start, I would put it just above average. We still need someone to shoulder the goal scoring duties. Dids can't be relied on yo do it all. Murphy & Nouble are not the answer. Taylor maybe. SEB if offered a contract may be suitable with proven record at this level. Hyam has had an awful start to the season. Every pass he makes is backwards. Yes he runs around loads and breaks up play but we need creativity from our midfield and at the moment we have very little. They work hard but that will not be enough for a top 6 finish. Someone to play alongside Skuse is required. I think we have that with Tunnicliffe but then we need a winger. The midfield is narrow and lacks pace so when we play away we struggle to get behind teams. They will soon work out that our attacks tend to come very centrally. As for the keeper situation thee is not a lot to choose between them do form and injury will determine selection as it does for most areas of the team. Basically from our just above average start we need to kick on and I'm still concerned this particular 11 or 18 if you want is not good enough to make top 6. Hope I'm wrong but think were probably 3 or 4 short.

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luke_38 added 16:08 - Sep 29 prebbs007 Your right it isn't a very good start from a neutrals prospective but considering the starts we've had recently 9th seems very good IMO. I agree we need someone alongside Skuse if we want to be serious contenders though. But as someone said yesterday on BBC Radio Suffolk out of all the teams above us, most have spent a bit, as where we've spent next to nothing

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commuterblue added 09:02 - Sep 30 I agree with your player analysis (i'm in the pro murphy, anderson camp). I think the eleven is strong enough for top 6 but not so sure about the 18. I share the views of others - this can not be described as a very good start. It is a reasonable start. The encouraging signs are that we played well against good sides away (albeit without points) and we are beating the mediocre sides. But our away results have been disappointing. Two away wins before the break, however, and we can describe it as a very good start.

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HALLSJ added 13:24 - Sep 30 When people mention our poor away form I think some are forgetting 3 of the 4 have been against the prem teams who came down. All we only lost by 1 goal and at Wigan we should have had something and I believe we were unlucky at Reading. Birmingham away was a 76th minute brum equaliser. Would be delighted with 4 points from Derby and Sheffield. Overall I am pleased.
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Lesta_Tractor added 14:50 - Sep 30 I wouldn't say its been a very good start, its been decent and an improvement on recent seasons.
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