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Our Team, Manager, Owner and What We Need to Do to Finish in the Top Six
Written by prebsa on Sunday, 8th Mar 2015 18:54

[b]Goalkeepers: Bartosz Bialkowski v Dean Gerken[/b]

Bart has been between the sticks for a big part of the season now and I think he has done a very good job. I don’t think there is much between him and Dean Gerken besides the fact that he dominates his area a bit more, apart from that they are both very similar and I don’t mind seeing either of them in goal.

However, in the past few games against Leeds and Birmingham Bart has made some noticeable errors that most people would have expected him to save. Gerken is now fully fit again and perhaps this is a reason for him to have been given his chance. But whoever MM picks in goal for me is fine because I think they are both on par.

[b]Defence[/b]

Now at the start of the season many people felt we had a solid back four, me included, however over the past few months this has not been the case and it is time to mix it up at the back.

Tommy Smith has been under a lot of pressure recently, making too many passes back to the goalkeeper or smashing it up the pitch to Daryl Murphy.

Smith has also made a few silly mistakes, one against Fulham stands out, and also gets beaten for pace quite frequently. He also gets pushed onto his right foot far too often because of his position as a right centre-back in which he is not comfortable, although this is down to Mick McCarthy and not Smith directly. I do feel it is time that Smith is given a rest so that he can get his confidence back.

Luke Chambers I feel is a very solid centre-back, however I am not very happy with him at right-back. He is not fast enough and other teams have figured this out now. Chambers needs to be pushed into the middle with Christophe Berra so that we have a balanced centre.

Tyrone Mings has filled the void of Aaron Cresswell brilliantly and I don’t have much to say about him. He attacks the flank and makes sure he gets back to do his defensive duties too. I think he is a very solid left-back and has done very very well so far.

Jonny Parr is a defender. Yes, he can play in the midfield and he has done very well at it but he should be our main right-back. That is it! Mick doesn't seem to give him a starting role all the time and I have no reason why but if we want to balance our defence then Parr has to be at right-back that is it. Now people may not agree with me on that but that is my honest opinion.

[b]Midfield[/b]

The midfield has caused a lot of debate among the fans. We have a lot of options yet we still seem to need a Jonny Williams. The first player I want to talk about is Jay Tabb, he is loved by some hated by others, me? I’m on the fence. Tabb works harder than anyone and somehow seems to win as many headers as Murphy but I don’t feel he has the passing creative quality to be a main man in our midfield.

Last summer Mick said Tabb could leave to find another club and now he is his favourite player and wouldn't find himself out of the team if he didn't ever touch the ball. Paul Anderson is like Tabb in that he gives 110% effort every week and I think he is slightly better than Tabb but still not the best we could do.

Cole Skuse and Luke Hyam. Yes, Hyam has been injured for a while now but him and Skuse are very similar in their play and they both do the same job for us. I would be happy to have either of them playing but not at the same time, neither of them are going to be our creative midfielder that cuts open the defence with a beautiful pass, they are our nitty-gritty, get-stuck-in midfielders who break up the play. So it can only be one or the other playing in the starting XI not both of them.

Along with Skuse or Hyam the our creative midfielders that Town are crying out for. Kevin Bru has come in and done exceptional, better than anyone expected! And Teddy Bishop has come from the academy and is now one of our main men. These two together with Skuse or Hyam have freedom to attack and pick up the ball and cut open other teams and pass the ball around and create the chances for our strikers.

As for our other midfield options, why Cameron Stewart can’t get in the 18 is a mystery. I don’t know what he has done to Mick to not get put in but he in my eyes is better than Tabb and Anderson and should be allowed to get at least a chance.

The same goes for Alex Henshall. I can’t really say much more about them both because none of us get the opportunity to see what they can do but I don’t see the reason why they don’t get the chance.

I personally think that we should play with three midfielders: Bru, Skuse and Bishop. And I think that Anderson, Stewart and Hyam should be given the places on our bench. Richard Chaplow has been signed by Mick because he is a man that gives 110% but he is not better than what we have and is just another hard-working player that leaves it all on the pitch. For me I would much rather see the likes of Hyam in the squad (when he is fit obviously!).

[b]Strikers[/b]

We have to start with Daryl Murphy here because not only is he our top scorer but he is the top scorer in the league. Sorry for pointing out the obvious. Murphy hasn't been on top form recently, he has had his rest out the team against Leeds but he should be starting because he will pop up with a goal when you least expect it. Who said at the start of the season that Murphy who had never hit above 13 would be the league’s top scorer?

Who to play along with Murphy? It has to be Freddie Sears. Why he got dropped against Leeds I don’t know but he should be starting up front, he has come in for David McGoldrick and done very well. He scored two very good goals against Birmingham and somehow he got one under the keeper against Leeds but at the end of the day a goal's a goal. He is scoring and he should be in the starting team.

When McGoldrick is back he should also be up there and we should be playing 4-3-1-2. I think McGoldrick has one of the smartest minds in our team, but before getting injured he was becoming slightly lazy. Now don’t hate me for that because I personally think he is our best player but I feel he should sit just behind the two forwards but ahead of the midfielders. From here he can pick up the ball take it around players get shots off and offload it to the other strikers.

Luke Varney is a bit like Chaplow in that he was signed because he puts in 110% but he doesn't have the quality our other strikers have. And I don’t personally think he should be in the 18.

Chris Wood, however, I do like and I feel he has a lot more quality that Varney. He hasn't really been given the chance at Leicester in the Premier League. I think Wood can do a lot of good things for Ipswich and I think whilst McGoldrick is out injured he should be starting up top with Murphy and Sears.

Our goal difference is not as good as the others in the top six and I feel with three up front instead of two is going to give us the chance to improve that goal difference because at the end of the season it can be the difference between being second or third or sixth or seventh.

[b]Manager[/b]

Mick has done wonders since taking over from Paul Jewell, and he is much admired in the football world. I am a fan of Mick and I am proud of where has brought us as a team and as a club. He has a very smart mind and he knows how to get the best out of the team and the funds he has.

But he does not have a Plan B and is very stubborn. Now this is where people may start to disagree but I’m going to put it anyway. Every game Mick will make subs at 70 minutes, and not a minute before unless there is an injury. He unfortunately doesn't have a Plan B he just makes his usual subs on 70 minutes and hopes it works.

He is also very stubborn and will very rarely move away from his favourite players. Tabb, Anderson, Smith, Stephen Hunt and a few more. Mick needs to see that these players are not working for us and we need to change to what all the fans are shouting for. And until Mick realises that he is stubborn and needs to change the way he feels about players fans are always going to be angered at the way he picks the team and makes his changes.

[b]Tactics[/b]

We need to change this and now. Our current tactics are hoof the ball at Murphy and let him head it down to any player near him. We have Bru and Bishop in the midfield who love the ball at their feet so why not give them the ball and let them move it about and give it to the forwards rather than just kicking it up the field to Murphy? I can’t really say much more because that’s basically what happens and what I think we should do.

[b]Marcus Evans[/b]

I think he has passed up a great opportunity in January to give Mick some money to add to our thin squad to make sure we can finish in the top six.

It was a real shame to see the likes of Derby bring in Darren Bent and others bring in players and MIck not be given any money to spend. Yes, I know he brought in Sears but I feel it was slightly unfair on Mick to not be given money to spend to make sure that we can return to the Premier League.

[b]Overall[/b]

To finalise I think we don’t have the chance to get in the top two, I’m sorry but there are better teams in this league who should be in the top two positions.

However, I do think we have a chance of just finishing in the play-offs. I think the top six spots are open to the top eight teams, us being one of them. I would love to see us return to the top flight as would the rest of you, I just think we need to make a few changes to make sure this happens.




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Crackersjackers added 20:24 - Mar 8
I must say this blog is absolutely 100% correct.I agree that Smith has to be dropped and Jonny Parr should be played at right back, however I would love to see Elliot Hewitt filling in the right back slot if he is offered a new contract which is unlikely.
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toxtethblue added 20:46 - Mar 8
Totally agree with the back 4. Also agree with 4-3-1-2
3

DurhamTownFan added 21:14 - Mar 8
I posted this in comments on the previous blog by another author, but it deserves another post here however unpopular:

I agree with the basic sentiments of this blog, but I'd prefer a little more depth. Just rating our players from back to front doesn't for me constitute a good blog. We can all do that, and indeed everyone does do that in posts underneath every single TWTD story.

How about thinking about why we're in this position? Is it lack of January funds? Is it ME's attempt to keep us within financial fair play? Are the players not good enough, or not brave enough for the challenge? Does MM have limitations by trying to keep us tight at the expense of creativity? I think all of these are true to an extent, and so I really believe that our recent slump is nobody's fault, but rather a perfect storm of lots of factors.

I still think we can finish top six, and then anything is possible!
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DurhamTownFan added 21:15 - Mar 8
The end of this blog had more to offer, but I'm tired of people on this site saying the same things: play chambers at CB, drop Smith, play 433 etc. it's getting boring now!
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Ipswichlove added 21:22 - Mar 8
Great blog

Ignore the Durham fan
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MedwayTractor added 21:30 - Mar 8
GK: Agree, but in the long term I think a better keeper should be the aim.

Back four: Agree again, as, I think, do most fans on here, with all you say about the back four. Another option would be to have a back 5 of Parr, Chambers, Berra, Smith, Mings, using Parr & Mings as auxiliary attackers, so we can switch to 3-5-2.

Midfield: Don't agree. You have not mentioned Dareen Ambrose. Assuming that you are talking about a fully fit squad ie MM can pick the best line-up, Ambrose must be in the starting 11. He has the most experience at this level or higher, is attack-minded and a proven midfield goalscorer. For a 3 man midfield, I propose Skuse or Hyam, Bru or Bishop plus Ambrose and for a 4 man midfield, Skuse or Hyam, Bru, Bishop and Ambrose. Either of these selections would provide creativity, passing ability and a merkedly better goal threat.

Striker: Agree, again. We must start with Murphy. If you pause to think about it, his goals are of all types, tap-ins, close range shots, long range shots, headers close in and from distance, one-on-ones, chips over the keeper - the whole range. Must be a nnightmare for any manager trying to plot how to stop him. If you like, put it the other way - which player would the opposition mosty like us to omit? Then add Freddie with his pace.

Job done!
1

BondiBlue added 04:02 - Mar 9
Can I just make one edit? I'd take out the bit in brackets.

"(And until Mick realises that he is stubborn and needs to change the way he feels about players) fans are always going to be angered at the way he picks the team and makes his changes."

There isn't a set of fans on this planet who don't think they know better than the manager. Good blog, although it does feel a bit like a summary of the past 6 months on the message board.
1

prebbs007 added 06:32 - Mar 9
Bondiblue I agree but think you contradict yourself a touch. Yes it is reflective of the past few weeks/months on TWTD boards. BUT that is exactly why the "stubborn" comments ring true. And to top it off our manager (who I applaud for what he has done) is now swearing at the fans who dare to question him. Dangerous tactic Mick. Once you lose the supporters you may aswell walk as there is only one winner of that fight !!!

Great blog, spot on, our failings are exactly our successes. Hard work, solidity, teamwork. Opposition teams have worked that out and we (MM) have no plan B. While he sticks with his favourites out of position we won't be in top 6.
1

naa added 12:31 - Mar 9
Reagrding spending in January. Whilst I agree with you, using Derby as an example wasn't a great way of proving your point, considering their current form isn't a lot better than ours. Nor is Boro's. The only people showing form are those who had good squads already but weren't getting the best out of them (Norwich and Watford).
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tractorboybig added 14:54 - Mar 9
The blog is a good precis of why and where we are,the conclusions are wrong. The fact is Mcarthy is stubborn and will not change from his only plan.What we have is how it is going to be for the rest of the season.
I dont think things have gone wrong recently,the opposition has worked us out, and mick picks a team not to lose, rather than look to win. I know murphy has come in for critisim recently paticularly v Brentford but the fact remains without him we would b e 10 positions lower, even if he does not score again.
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Bergholtblue added 16:23 - Mar 9
I agree about the keepers they are both on a par, but for me they are not good enough. Its time we started looking for something better.
1

jocasaja added 16:29 - Mar 9
I agree with almost all of this, but I tend to trust MM on his team selections...that is why he is the manager ...I would love to get a glimpse of the likes of Stewart, Connolly and Henshall though. I would also like to see us have a bit more confidence to play the ball more on the deck. We have the likes of Bishop, Bru and Ambrose who are capable players and comfortable to play the ball
0

StowTractorBoy added 17:57 - Mar 9
A very good summary and agree with most of it. The only thing I take issue with is the clamour for Henhsall and Stewart. I would ask have you seen them play ? I have and they are nowhere near up to the standards that MM requires. We had the same with Jack Marriott and look where he is now, playing in the under 21s at Colchester. I have no doubt Stewart has the ability but does he have the work rate - I think not. My biggest moan is the Smith/Chambers scenario and I'll say no more except round pegs round holes.
1

dav86 added 20:50 - Mar 9
How do you know Evans never offered mick any money in January?
-1

H1960 added 16:45 - Mar 10
I have to agree with everything said, its like reading exactly what i have been saying for weeks, i could not have put it better.
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dirtydingusmagee added 08:33 - Mar 17
agree with most points,however as much as i'd like to see ME do more,saying he should have given Mick the money to put us in the Prem,is way off the mark, no amount of money can guarantee that im afraid .
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