The goalless draw today was disappointing, I won't argue with that. We were organised in an overly-cautious manner, much more so than usual, and our style of play was fairly defensive.

Yes, this was a Wigan team that should not be taken for granted, as no team should in this division, yet the last time they won a match was on Boxing Day.

Unfortunately for us, three defeats in the last four games will always have some sort of negative effect on a team previously used to winning, so we're not in great form ourselves at the moment.

I can understand the need for caution and patience in the wake of the three goals we conceded against Brighton where, in my opinion, we showed a lot of complacency and fatigue. We're a small squad, it's going to have drawbacks. But then, when you're complying with FFP and the money isn't there, what can you do?

In that respect, at least we didn't concede. Nonetheless, Mick got his tactics wrong today. It happens! Evidently, we missed Daryl Murphy, the division's top goalscorer today. David McGoldrick, once again, put in a sub-standard performance and, to me at least, he doesn't look particularly bothered in contrast to his earlier performances.

Why did we not start Freddie Sears? That was my first thought when looking at the teamsheet. Then, where is Teddy Bishop? Now, I know we've ground out results without those players before, which some people will no doubt overlook, but I thought Sears, with a goal and an assist in his last two games, would be a surefire starter.

Once again, we lacked creativity in the centre of midfield and on the wings. But with a small squad and a non-existent budget, what can the manager do?

You can't win them all, which brings me to my main concern today. After the game finished, and upon leaving the ground, I was disappointed to hear the reaction from some of our supporters. Is it just me, or do people come to Portman Road with a massive sense of entitlement lately? People need to realise this is a tight, extremely competitive division. We're three points off the top of the table. I mean, come on!

At this stage of the season, that's impressive, particularly in the context of what we've had to endure over the past several years. We cannot afford to write off, underestimate or become ignorant of other teams in this division. I know it's a cliche, but there are no easy games. Every club is capable of taking points off each other, I thought our lot would understand this a bit more. But no, it's all "we're so s***", "I'm getting fed up of McCarthy", etc..

We picked up a point at home. It's disappointing, yes, but it happens. This is the same management, coaching and playing staff that has got us so far in the space of a couple of years that, we can't really begrudge them when things don't happen.

Yes, we all have theories on what McCarthy should have done differently, and they should be criticised where criticism is due. But some of the comments I've heard have been ridiculous.

Let's drop the sense of entitlement, keep behind the team, and be appreciative of the fact that, for once in the past several years, we're in a serious shout for promotion and are keeping our eyes out on results at the top of the table, rather than the bottom.

prebbs007 added 20:23 - Jan 31 Being disappointed with today does not mean people are not happy with our current position. But that's papers over the facts. Very average players have massively over achieved to get us where we are but today was totally shocking and for MM to say he was delighted with a point against the worst team we have played this season by a long way is a shame. Bad team selection. Horrible refereeing. Very poor performance. More like that and we an miss goodbye to top 6 let alone top 2 !!!

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Nuggets added 20:32 - Jan 31 I agree that we are a side punching above our weight, so for some 'supporters' to stand up and boo at full time was not only petulant, but I thought very disrespectful considering these players have got us to where we are in the table. Mick didn't get his tactics right today, unfortunately it happens. As for the post-match comments, I'd always take media comments from managers and players with a pinch of salt. I'll expect he's very upset about the result, but he's hardly going to go on a massive rant and deconstruct our weaknesses in public, is he? This side, his style of play, and his tactics are what have got us currently standing three points off the top. While I don't believe he, and the team, should be impervious to criticism, I find some of the comments today to be incredibly fickle and over the top. We should be supporting our players, especially when it's coming to a critical part of the season, not jeering and booing them every time we don't get three points. Today, I was slightly ashamed to be an Ipswich fan and I felt embarrassed for the players to hear the boos today. God knows what they were thinking at full time.

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bluefeast added 20:57 - Jan 31 In part i agree with this very good blog ,however fans pay to watch ,players are paid to play. If you under perform in front of paying public as an actor ,you dont win any more parts ,if you under perform in a Mick Mcarthy side you still get picked. Its very annoying , Anderson who appoligised for his performance vs Brighton gets picked to start today and was terrible , chambers at right back ,not his fault as he IS NOT a right back. Our bench was better than our starting 11 and how do they feel having performed well when they have started , dumped to the bench. Parr scored gets dumped ,Ambrose scored gets dumped ,where is the logic......

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JewellintheTown added 22:10 - Jan 31 Agree with most of this blog. Well though points and agree we're not entitled to a win. I do think however we are entitled to be entertained by players giving their all - win, lose or draw. This is my fifth home game I've been able to attend this season. My son and I have a 270 mile, 5hr round trip so it's not easy to be a home game regular. However, considering between fuel, tickets & snacks I've paid over £100 each time, I do feel like the two teams & management staff (which probably get paid around half a million quid between them a week), should put in an entertaining shift. Disappointing to say the least. No excuse for booing though.

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Luka added 08:21 - Feb 1 I agree with this wholely, and have myself been picked up by some when I have said this. It is annoying that some still seem to think that we are like how we once were, and should be winning every game with pretty football. I hate it when people, even after a very good result, still moan about McCarthy's style, or that we didn't win by more. I also agree that we shouldn't arrive each time at Portman Road with a sense of entitlement. As well as this, some moan that we have a small squad. While it would be nicer to have a bigger one, some do not understand that we simply do not have the budget to have a squad as big as Derby or Middlesbrough

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Hiltzkooler added 09:18 - Feb 1 Perhaps some are missing the point regarding the source of the frustrations...there are elements that are within the gift of the club and management to change...and then those elements that are not...quite simply, some of those elements that are in Micks gift to change he hasn't, or he won't or isn't capable of.....and therein is a source of frustration to some. That does not mean I agree with booing the team, slating Mick (because it negates the achievements of MM and TC at ITFC) or ascribing nonsensical blame which some want to do. But recent results do indicate towards, and highlight some of Micks short comings as a manager...tactical diversity,/resolutely keeping with one "plan"...and as a paying fan, one gets an opinion to voice. I don't see it as a sense of entitlement but one of having the tools in the shed to do the job...select the right ones....and deploy accordingly.... A good read thanks Nuggets.

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BergholtBru added 09:28 - Feb 1 I agree entirely with this mate. Some people seem to think we have a divine right to win. I suspect those that boo have absolutely no experience of playing any sort of organised sport. Morons.
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paulthebluealien added 12:01 - Feb 1 I actually totally agree. I myself vented my frustration last night (from good ol' Yorkshire) before thinking that we are, if you take 75 points as enough for the play-off's which it should be, 8 wins out of 17 from that spot. I think we can safely assume we'll be OK in that regards. Can we make top 2? Perhaps as people have seem to totally forgotten we're 4th and only 3 points off top - we also still have Middlesbrough and Bournemouth to play. Disappointing as a result but there we go. For people who think, "well he didn't pay so he can't judge." I'm off to the game next weekend, so let's hope they perform better for me, ai?

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oldelsworthyfan added 12:19 - Feb 1 At the end of January 1962 we were also 4th, 4 points behind the leaders, just having lost to Norwich at home in the Cup so I wouldn't be too disheartened at where we are now. We haven't had a good run recently, but we haven't suddenly become a poor side. A change of fortune is due, particularly on some poor refereeing. Leave the management to MM.
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mattraisin added 15:51 - Feb 1 I thought the booing was disgraceful, unless it was aimed at the ref. It is not an excuse, we did not play well, but the refs recently have been abject. The Derby ref is by the far the worst I have ever seen. He made clearly wrong decisions that all benefited Derby. He should never referee at this level again, but he will probably be marshaling PL games in a couple of weeks. The Wigan ref was nowhere near the level of Derby, but he made some baffling decisions. Smith's yellow for an innocuous first challenge...but a final warning for Noel Hunt and nothing but a foul for a terrible Wigan challenge just before the yellow. And then, a brilliant tackle by a Wigan player, sliding in hard and getting the ball, is seen as a foul and they get a yellow card (was he just balancing it out?). Also, the linesman today gave offside on Sears for what was clearly a bad pass from a Wigan player. To give the line-o the benefit of the doubt, he may not have seen it, but the ref had a view clear as day and still got it wrong. The negativity from fans though is strange, I always take TWTD comments with a pinch of salt, we have a lot of trolls in the midst, but the booing and the end of the world style "we probably won't even make the playoffs" comments are just bonkers. Our record this season has been fantastic, through a heavily injury laden period we held on and got the wins, until eventually an FA Cup match plus replay took its toll and more injuries came our way and we lost, and lost again. Just look at where we are! Top six, three points off top, championship top scorer...

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brittaniaman added 17:20 - Feb 1 Lula: why is our budget less than Derby and Middlesboro there crowds are similar to ours unless of coarse they have another source of income not known to us???? also it seems as though we have a few players who have burnt themselves out in the first half of the season,, there definitely needs some changes for the next game to freshen things up !!!!
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warktheline added 18:10 - Feb 1 Very good blog Nuggets, I like you, felt very uncomfortable and ashamed at booing, Mick has had little digs at fans in past about this kind of negativity....bonkers. I think when he writes his autobiography, he'll state our fans were not the best to work with. Style of play, or whatever some fans use against him, there is most certainly a lack of bounding between them and Mick.

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bluedude added 18:25 - Feb 1 I agree the booing is disrespectful to all at the club .......... But what worries me is the lack of direction if you take out certain players 1. Murphy not playing or not playing well we lack an outlet if we are playing target man direct play to big centre forward we need to have more than one (loan market ) 2. System what is our best system home and away if its direct to big striker gotta be 4-3-3 the midfield can hold and contain and get some pace in and around the big man up top (Sears , mcgoldrick Stewart ) 3. Playing players out of position - I know we have three centre halfs but at the moment they need to know that they play well or get dropped ....... Play the full backs in the positions as it will naturally balance the team I understand MM is doomed if he does change and we lose or keep grinding out points and at the end of the day and damned if he doesn't I still believe we can stay in playoffs but just need to nip it in the bud this rut and keep supporting the club players and staff

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rickw added 19:16 - Feb 1 Before Christmas other teams fans were labelling us as long ball, and I was laughing at them, thinking they obviously hadn't seen us play recently. The 433 system we played for 2-3 months was really impressive and entertaining - and had us doing well! Yesterday with Murphy being out I hoped we'd go back to it as a direct 442 didn't seem likely to impress, however we didn't. Then Mick's substitutions baffled me too - bring Bishop on to play right wing and then when he brought Parr on I assumed we were going 352 with wingbacks, but he stuck to 442 with a centre mid and a full back on the wings!!! We even had 2 capable wingers on the bench in S. Hunt + Ambrose. Wigan looked to be only interested in defending and holding out for a draw, so I would have liked to have seen more ambition from MM yesterday in trying to change the system or style and go for the win - that's why I think people booed, because we didn't try to go for it!

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Pessimistic added 10:10 - Feb 2 Oh dear we are doomed.
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SouperJim added 12:44 - Feb 2 A dissapointing result, a poor performance from us, a poor performance from the ref and a frustrating afternoon watching Wigan spoil, time waste, kill the game and influence the officials very successfully. We appeared clueless as to how to put a stop to any of it and played right into Wigan's hands. There was also a horrible atmosphere in the North Stand, a minority of fans singing stupid songs like "football in a library" and thinking it funny when other fans got upset with them, and just a general air of frustration. Yes, in these circumstances you will hear a few boos at the end of the game. People are unhappy and frustrated. I don't do it myself, as I'd rather be one of the people who as Mick says are on the inside p*ssing out, but I can understand why some people do. It's no big deal and it's not worth getting excited about. I also expect that Mick would be very pragmatic about it if you asked him, as he seems to understand the crowd better than most managers, not to mention most keyboard warriors. Roll on Saturday and hopefully a start for Feddie Sears.

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UhlenbeekDownTheWing added 14:19 - Feb 2 We are what we are - an industrious team that plays percentage football. Whilst that doesn't make for spectacular viewing at times, it is so much better than what we have seen for the past 10 years - we should be (and I think most of us are) hugely thankful to MM and TC for the amazing work they have done. That said, having had a fantastic preNY run (including one of my favourite goals in many a year - Tabb against 'boro) things haven't been great from a performance perspective. Whilst I missed the BHA game, which may have been different, we have become ever more direct in our approach over the past month - which we can get away with when Murphy plays, but otherwise leads to opposition CBs having a very easy time. Sears starting wouldn't have made a jot of difference on Saturday as the only way the ball got in the vicinity of our forwards was high and long from Bart, Tommy and Christophe. He wasn't going to win any more headers or cause any particular problems from that service. We haven't had a midfielder demand the ball off the CBs since Jim Magilton - however, this is by far the best season we have had since he retired as well. I shall remain hugely thankful.

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