After a bittersweet ending to last season, it's time to consider what may lie ahead for the Superblues.

The hurt has gone, and the normal pre-season optimism, that has been held by many even through the darkest of times over the last decade, has returned and we're all looking forward to what should be a very competitive season.

Three strong teams have come down from the Premier League, clubs have splashed the cash on high quality signings, but a repeat of the tight season that we saw last year can't be possible, can it?

With the money and the players we got in from the Tyrone Mings deal, if we invest in the right players, we should be on course for a solid season with yet more improvement.

However, manager Mick McCarthy has expressed his frustrations as to deals being hard to come by, and that makes me wonder, what could it be that is holding players back?

It could be location, as we all know, Ipswich is in the middle of nowhere. There could be financial reasons, as Mick has said, the club has to keep on top of the financial structure and comply with the FFP restraints.

Alongside this, after a promising start to pre-season, the results against Peterborough and Colchester are slightly concerning, however, it is still very early and we don't have a settled side, which is what pre-season is about.

The players we have bought in have impressed so far. Brett Pitman appears to be another of the clinical finishers we have been craving for year upon year, and his addition has given us what is surely one of the strongest strike forces in depth in the Championship for the upcoming season.

Ryan Fraser and Ainsley Maitland-Niles will add width and pace to our game, and offer plenty of support to whoever Mick and Terry Connor decide are the best combination up front.

Josh Yorwerth is a promising, young defender that Mick has given praise to, stating he was excited to work with him on and off the field, which fills us all with the same excitement.

Pre-season has also helped us to see the unbelievable potential that some of our younger players have, for example Adam McDonnell and Dylan Connolly have shown us exactly what the scouts saw in them, and Josh Emmanuel has shown that he, potentially, could have the same sort of impact that Ted Bishop had in the 2014/15 campaign.

As to strengthening the team, I feel that we need cover in both midfield and defence, after the sale of Mings, and the unfortunate extension of Luke Hyam's injury setback, with a first team quality right-back coming in, allowing Luke Chambers to play in his natural central defensive position.

We also need more goals from midfield. You can't fault the performances of Teddy Bishop, Kevin Bru and Cole Skuse last season, but the defence shouldn't have outscored the midfield so comfortably, if at all, so a player who can create and score from midfield, Peter Whittingham of Cardiff, for example, might be a target. But perhaps Maitland-Niles and Fraser can help to add to the midfield tally.

Once again, I have no concerns over the attacking players in the squad, as Pitman has completed what was already a fantastic strike force last season, and I have no doubts that the service from the wings will be better than that of last season.

So, looking ahead to the always unpredictable Championship season that lies ahead of us. We know the lads are capable of performing again to the standard that they did last season, and with some strengthening in the next week or so, who's to say that we can't do even better than that.

The past is behind us, now lets focus on what happens in the future. Up the Football League we go?

bluefeast added 17:18 - Jul 30 Mid table , simply due to the square peg round hole mentality. To have two players on trial at the open day that in effect weaken our squad in terms of pure quality is a sign that all is not well on the recruitment front.
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ipswichtillidie added 17:35 - Jul 30 Suspec the glass is half empty types such as yourself may be eating their words in the very near future
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MB26 added 19:11 - Jul 30 Play-offs again would be a fantastic achievement. Top half would be my bet considering the quality in the league with the likes of Derby, Middlesborough, Fulham getting stronger. Hull, QPR and Burnley coming down and Bristol City, Preston and MK Dons coming up. A lot of strong teams in the division this year, will be tough to repeat last years efforts, not impossible though.

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dusth added 20:03 - Jul 30 Sound post but, Ipswich in the middle of nowhere? On the Edge of Nowhere more like. And hopefully going somewhere!
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bluelodgeblue added 14:21 - Jul 31 Interesting comments ..... I don't agree with Ipswich being in the middle of nowhere! Sir Bobby and George Burley never had a problem in attracting players? Within an hour of London? I think this was an excuse the dark lord used but actually it was him that was the reason nobody wanted to come here and unfortunately even some of the locals believe it.
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karls_dad added 15:42 - Jul 31 I can see once again the most copetitive league probab anywhee in the world, itsgoing to e as tough as last year if no more so, so many possible teams to make the top ten, yes we have stengtened, and we needed to, if we are honest we over achieved last year by a huge margin, the squad was paper thin! a £110k squad!! performing like did, that was unreal, i,m just soo excited of the prospect of the new seaon,what it will bring? my bet is that we will be right in the mix! topsix finish butexactly where wll depend on Bart i feel! Gerks not good enough and the amount of stupid soft goals we give away like last season! that is what cost us last time!

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radiogaga added 13:58 - Aug 3 Bluefeast - Giles Cokes will be a very good squad player. You ever seen Toure play?
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