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A Regrettable Week – Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff 22:44 - Mar 18 with 4664 viewsHarryfromBath

Ian Milne is a bit of a soft target these days. His comment this week that is was ‘regrettable’ that we had to increase season ticket prices was as amusing as it was unnecessary. We weren’t quite sure what was being regretted but my sense was that it was the tidal wave of anger which the move invited, an anger which has understandably now spread to the traditionally patient fan base.

Still, today’s game would hopefully be a distraction. Heading from Bath up to the M4 you drive across a plateau for a couple of miles. It is often shrouded in fog or low cloud in wet weather and today was no exception, a nasty squally interlude on our journey after a nasty, squally week at the club. Today’s game was not going to be a stroll in the spring sunshine and navigating needed care.

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Cardiff is a friendly club to visit. When I arrived on the concourse and realised there were no programmes on sale inside the stadium, I was directed by a fellow Blue to another steward who nipped out and purchased two for me. The stadium was half-full and the mood among Town fans was one of end-of-season reflection, the football a welcome distraction from our wider problems.

One the game kicked-off, Cardiff the more purposeful side. We had our usual three centre-backs with Knudsen and Spence out wide. It was apparent that City were going to test our right side, mainly due to having three natural left-footers in Junior Hoilett and Kadeem Harris backed up at left-back by the creative Joe Bennett.

Their first foray gave an indication as to how the game would play out when hesitant covering by Spence and McGoldrick allowed a cross which Kenneth Zohore flicked over the bar. We broke cover with a superb early counter-attack which Grant Ward was not able to finish, although it looked like a Bart-quality save from Cardiff’s Allan McGregor.

The regular formation of 20 outfield players in a postage stamp awaiting a goal-kick in the wind and rain should tell you much about the game. The fact that one long-range Aron Gunnarsson throw went behind the goal-line and Bart’s subsequent goal-kick went straight into touch will also tell you much about the quality of the football. It was quite imperfect but nonetheless quite entertaining.

Cardiff also set about getting into our faces, spoiling our play and working free kicks and set pieces out of the referee. Bristol City fans were indignant about it earlier in the season but you have to admire the hutzpah of Neil Warnock’s game management. There’s no point getting cross about it as his teams will never change their nature.

We started to grow into the game after 15 minutes although our attacking moves lacked the energy, tempo and conviction of the Bluebirds’ forays. Our opening goal owed as much to Tom Lawrence’s excellent set-piece delivery as it did to the accuracy of Chambers’s header. “We’ve got our equaliser in nice an early”, quipped a fellow Blue. If only. That was to be the high point.

“Swing low, sweet chariot.” A little hubris was allowed but the Bluebirds were now roused and Bart did well to keep out Harris and Zohore efforts. When City’s equaliser fell, it came from a free cross by the tidy Jazz Richards, a towering header by set-piece danger Sean Morrison and a lightning reflex finish by Zohore. Three Cardiff players were doing what they do best and we had simply let them.

City now had their tails up as the first half reached its conclusion. Zohore nearly added a second moments after they levelled and shortly after this Gunnarsson fed Hoilett whose shot hit the post with Bart beaten. Cardiff’s growing alertness contrasted with our lethargy and we were relieved to hear the half-time whistle.

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The consensus at the interval was that it was an entertaining albeit poor quality first half. The awful conditions didn’t help with the blustery rain refusing to let up. The shape of the team was good and the Cardiff goal came from the habit of switching off which had blighted so many games this season.

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“Pitman for Smith.” Resuming our seats after the break, it was apparent that Mick had come up with a different diagnosis and changed our shape to 4-4-2. This was to prove a catastrophic alteration and one which went a long way to handing Cardiff victory.

Two of our three creative players, Ward and Lawrence were now forced wide and Lawrence became a peripheral figure having been at the heart of our creative play before the break. We were now left with two central holding midfielders and no central midfield threat.

Toumani had been able to break forward to good effect to link with the creative players in a three-man midfield with Skuse sitting, but he became more withdrawn and this allowed Gunnarsson and Whittingham time and space to create in the centre with Ward also no longer there to disrupt them.

Things were worse at the back. Two of Berra, Chambers and Smith had been able to double up on Zohore in the first half when he was receiving clearances to hold up, but now he was able to isolate a centre-back. Whoever was covering at right back was also isolated and would have a tough job being one-on-one with Harris. Each of these consequences specifically cost us a second half goal.

Things were little better up front. With the supply chain fragmented to the wings and the long ball, Pitman and McGoldrick had little to work with. The sight of the giant Sol Bamba effortlessly shielding the ball out of play behind the goal line from a ball into the channels became a recurring second half theme.

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You could instantly anticipate the problems the formation-switch would create, but the second Cardiff goal was still a surprise given the speed and ease with which it came. Five minutes into the second half, a City goal-kick, a clever flick-on and Zohore was through to score unmarked. If your defenders are habitually switching off it’s probably not a great idea to remove one of them.

The hosts were now looking to kill us off and their inevitable third goal came soon after. The spiky and combative Harris worked his way down our right side to the by-line and slid the ball back to Joe Bennett who had time pick his spot. Bennett is a classy left-back and needed no second invitation although by now we were becoming ragged.

With an hour gone the game was effectively over and lost but a fellow Blue spotted a telling contrast in the behaviour of both sets of players in an injury break shortly after the Bluebirds’ third goal. The Cardiff men were all over with Warnock, getting fluids and instructions whereas our lot were all standing around, isolated, hands on hips and with hardly a word being spoken among them.

“The early leavers are on their way.” The final quarter of the game passed with little incident. Any lingering excitement or interest ebbed away as Cardiff were happy to play out the game. We were now as faltering in our attacks as we had been hesitant in our defending. McGoldrick’s weary trudge on being subbed off was not the urgent sprint of a losing player whose team were chasing a goal.

“Another Ipswich long ball into the channels.” The nippiness and alertness of Cardiff’s players was a sharp contrast with our play. City were more likely to add a fourth goal as yet more catastrophic defending allowed Hoilett an absolute gift of a free shot with seven minutes left. We had a late tepid penalty appeal for a handball but the game drifted to a soporific conclusion.

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“Oh dear, oh dear”, “It was all half-hearted.” The mood was a flat as you could imagine heading out of the stadium after the full-time whistle. There was a nervous check on how other results went on mobile phones, something I never thought we would return to under Mick. The damage could have been a lot worse but our display was so poor in that second half that relegation cannot be excluded.

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It was unfair to reference Ian Milne at the start of this report as it wasn’t him who allowed Zohore off the leash to score today. Nevertheless, it was abundantly clear even to an untrained eye who was watching today that events off the field are having an effect on it. This was a very distracted Town performance and the contrast with Cardiff’s industry, energy and enthusiasm was palpable.

Any neutral watching our display would place money on Mick leaving this summer no matter what the official line might be. A professional football dressing room is a work environment with people looking out for themselves and Cardiff showed us up as a group of players with their collective minds elsewhere. That this happened after the post-Derby heart-to-heart is all the more alarming.

“Ipswich fans need to be ‘realistic’ about Marcus Evans’s budget.” This was my other favourite Ian Milne sidewinder this week and it all drives back to what Steve M described as a “sense of drift” a few months ago. Milne’s was quite an insulting remark as it implied that we had ideas above our station. If an owner is not ambitious for his club, it’s hardly a surprise if it rubs off on the pitch.

We are not militant supporters. We are a patient lot and one of our number said before the game that many of us would be happy with a few 3-0 or 4-0 wins between now and the end of May. We are sick of being taken for granted, of paying sky-high prices to support an under-funded squad and being fobbed off with gimmicks and a five-point plan more suited to Colchester or Southend.

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Heading across the Severn Bridge this morning I hoped that today would offer a welcome diversion from the weeks’ events but if anything, it brought them to the surface even more. I always go back to Mr John and his comment about the key relationship at any club being between the owner and the manager and at the moment there are glaring issues with both.

Mick needs to go back to the drawing board and not just look at formations. He needs to look at our style of play and above all else the calibre and motivation of individual players. The time has also come for him to be ruthless.

As for Marcus? Well, he will do what he wants and I’m not sure our all being up in arms will change anything. All we can do is point out what is going wrong and hope we’re not blamed too much for doing so. We are also becoming accustomed to the meanings of ‘realistic’ and ‘regrettable’ as the club sees them. If today’s display is anything to go by they will increasingly become all too familiar.


That's a fair pile of assumptions you've jumped to there.....
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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 23:11 - Mar 18 with 4479 viewsjeera

You have a way Harry.

Cheers for the read.

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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 00:37 - Mar 19 with 4338 viewsstringy

wonderfully written; clear, engaging and in the nicest possible way utterly damning

I feel a lot more affinity to TWTD and characters such as your good self nowadays than the official club... sigh
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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 01:57 - Mar 19 with 4236 viewsRyorry

A truly superb report that gets right to the heart of our problems and beyond.

"...our attacking moves lacked the energy, tempo and conviction of the Bluebirds’ forays."

"..a fellow Blue spotted a telling contrast in the behaviour of both sets of players in an injury break shortly after the Bluebirds’ third goal. The Cardiff men were all over with Warnock, getting fluids and instructions whereas our lot were all standing around, isolated, hands on hips and with hardly a word being spoken among them."

" ...it was abundantly clear even to an untrained eye who was watching today that events off the field are having an effect on it. This was a very distracted Town performance and the contrast with Cardiff’s industry, energy and enthusiasm was palpable."

There are times when I seriously think that a consortium of ITFC fans/TWTD posters (incl yourself Harry) would manage & run the club far more effectively and successfully than MM and ME.

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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 04:59 - Mar 19 with 4138 viewspowinswitch

A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 01:57 - Mar 19 by Ryorry

A truly superb report that gets right to the heart of our problems and beyond.

"...our attacking moves lacked the energy, tempo and conviction of the Bluebirds’ forays."

"..a fellow Blue spotted a telling contrast in the behaviour of both sets of players in an injury break shortly after the Bluebirds’ third goal. The Cardiff men were all over with Warnock, getting fluids and instructions whereas our lot were all standing around, isolated, hands on hips and with hardly a word being spoken among them."

" ...it was abundantly clear even to an untrained eye who was watching today that events off the field are having an effect on it. This was a very distracted Town performance and the contrast with Cardiff’s industry, energy and enthusiasm was palpable."

There are times when I seriously think that a consortium of ITFC fans/TWTD posters (incl yourself Harry) would manage & run the club far more effectively and successfully than MM and ME.


I am with you there Ryorry. But we cannot do it with the debt we would inherit.

Like us all, I love the fact that this club represents me and my community. I will maintain it is not owned by ME, but by us. If we stop going, all he owns are the players and their contracts. He needs us more than we need him. But he can destroy our club. And his management of the club is destroying it. His and McCarthy's style of football. Relegation itself is not the issue, it is the manner of it. The abject football, the general malaise of the club, the lack of direction or a strategic plan, plus the lack of any bond between the club and fans. It's been gone for a long time, but now the bond between the fans and the club is finally being eroded as well.

I believe we should prepare ourselves for starting again very soon, in non-league football. As a Phoenix club. I also believe we will be one of many, possibly including clubs currently in the premier. Look at Bolton, Blackburn, Blackpool, Pompey and Coventry City. Sky, premier football, the FA all have played a part in an utter shambles over the last quarter century.
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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 09:18 - Mar 19 with 3781 viewsnshearman1

A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 04:59 - Mar 19 by powinswitch

I am with you there Ryorry. But we cannot do it with the debt we would inherit.

Like us all, I love the fact that this club represents me and my community. I will maintain it is not owned by ME, but by us. If we stop going, all he owns are the players and their contracts. He needs us more than we need him. But he can destroy our club. And his management of the club is destroying it. His and McCarthy's style of football. Relegation itself is not the issue, it is the manner of it. The abject football, the general malaise of the club, the lack of direction or a strategic plan, plus the lack of any bond between the club and fans. It's been gone for a long time, but now the bond between the fans and the club is finally being eroded as well.

I believe we should prepare ourselves for starting again very soon, in non-league football. As a Phoenix club. I also believe we will be one of many, possibly including clubs currently in the premier. Look at Bolton, Blackburn, Blackpool, Pompey and Coventry City. Sky, premier football, the FA all have played a part in an utter shambles over the last quarter century.


Superb analysis, Harry, and while I think we're sleep-walking to oblivion under Evans, Milne and Mick, I don't think we've reached the point of non-league football yet. We have some very decent players here, but yesterday's match failings were 110% down to Mick's management. He turned a situation where we could compete and could have got something out of the game into a hopeless mess.

As for Evans, the disconnect is appalling. You are totally spot-on.

Still, nice to see you yesterday.
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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 09:41 - Mar 19 with 3685 viewsRyorry

A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 04:59 - Mar 19 by powinswitch

I am with you there Ryorry. But we cannot do it with the debt we would inherit.

Like us all, I love the fact that this club represents me and my community. I will maintain it is not owned by ME, but by us. If we stop going, all he owns are the players and their contracts. He needs us more than we need him. But he can destroy our club. And his management of the club is destroying it. His and McCarthy's style of football. Relegation itself is not the issue, it is the manner of it. The abject football, the general malaise of the club, the lack of direction or a strategic plan, plus the lack of any bond between the club and fans. It's been gone for a long time, but now the bond between the fans and the club is finally being eroded as well.

I believe we should prepare ourselves for starting again very soon, in non-league football. As a Phoenix club. I also believe we will be one of many, possibly including clubs currently in the premier. Look at Bolton, Blackburn, Blackpool, Pompey and Coventry City. Sky, premier football, the FA all have played a part in an utter shambles over the last quarter century.


Ah yes, the debt - for a couple of glorious miutes I actually forgot about that!! I'd just been reading a new follower on twitter whose main thing is the possibilities that crowd-funding offers, but it probably wouldn't stretch to c£80mill! (is that roughly what it is?)

Not sure about your last para, but who knows? the way football is going these days ...

Great post anyway, +1

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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 09:51 - Mar 19 with 3636 viewsnshearman1

My abiding image of that match will be Luke Chambers walking through the murky drizzle to applaud our fans: no fist-pump, just a sad sad shake of the head.
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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 10:00 - Mar 19 with 3587 viewsunstableblue

A lovely report Harry, but I fail,to see this connection between Ian Milne, season ticket pricing, and Micks continued system/shape/selection failings?

"Mick needs to go back to the drawing board and not just look at formations. He needs to look at our style of play and above all else the calibre and motivation of individual players. The time has also come for him to be ruthless."

Isn't this sentence the issue? What has Milne got to do with managerial failing?

Skuse needs dropping. Bru needs a go. If we're playing a back five it needs spence, Emmanuel and kenlock, plus 2 from the more experienced players. Pitman needs to be played in the right role. We need to do more of the breaks we had in the first half.

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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 10:02 - Mar 19 with 3574 viewsstrikalite

A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 09:51 - Mar 19 by nshearman1

My abiding image of that match will be Luke Chambers walking through the murky drizzle to applaud our fans: no fist-pump, just a sad sad shake of the head.


I loved his response to their third goal, a proper leader of men than man is, I wish we had a few more like him right now...
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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 10:04 - Mar 19 with 3559 viewsBorisOrTrevor

Paragraph 25 sums it up. No ambition. It also explains Berras similar comments, obviously a theme through club. Without ambition we might as well all give up and do something else.

BOT

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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 10:13 - Mar 19 with 3487 viewsHarryfromBath

A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 10:00 - Mar 19 by unstableblue

A lovely report Harry, but I fail,to see this connection between Ian Milne, season ticket pricing, and Micks continued system/shape/selection failings?

"Mick needs to go back to the drawing board and not just look at formations. He needs to look at our style of play and above all else the calibre and motivation of individual players. The time has also come for him to be ruthless."

Isn't this sentence the issue? What has Milne got to do with managerial failing?

Skuse needs dropping. Bru needs a go. If we're playing a back five it needs spence, Emmanuel and kenlock, plus 2 from the more experienced players. Pitman needs to be played in the right role. We need to do more of the breaks we had in the first half.


I reckon you are spot on with your tactical analysis. The 3-5-2 worked at Villa because we have the right players on the pitch in the second half and I would make the changes you referenced in your last paragraph in a heartbeat.

True, there is no direct connection between Mick's tactical screw-up yesterday and events off the pitch. However, it seemed clear to me yesterday that the more fundamental problem was the mentality of many of the players and for me this is on the club.

That's a fair pile of assumptions you've jumped to there.....
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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 10:48 - Mar 19 with 3344 viewshadleighboyblue

As always Harry an excellent read and very fair comment on the various problems at the club .

Your very telling comment about the changes made by MM just go to show that things have to change . He has lost the plot and the players are not performing .

The club is sleepwalking into relegation , if not this year , then next .

Changes have to be made , loyal fans are becoming disenchanted with the club in their 100's .

ME needs to connect with the fans

MM has to go , his boring style is stifling whatever talent we have in the squad and fans have had enough of it

Milne just makes things worse every time he opens his mouth - he needs to go too .

ITFC used to be known as a friendly club with a good football style - all of that has totally gone , we are now a club in decline
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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 10:53 - Mar 19 with 3320 viewsWarkystache

Bang on Harry. The bit about paying through the nose to support an underfunded team is the saddest part.

I sometimes wonder if we'd be better off relegated to clear the decks? Then I think "No, that'll just mean death"

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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 13:31 - Mar 19 with 2986 viewsSonOfSpock

A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 10:53 - Mar 19 by Warkystache

Bang on Harry. The bit about paying through the nose to support an underfunded team is the saddest part.

I sometimes wonder if we'd be better off relegated to clear the decks? Then I think "No, that'll just mean death"


Sometimes it's best to let the patient slip away and then​ everybody can grieve and move on.
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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 13:46 - Mar 19 with 2927 viewsThe_Romford_Blue

Well said Harry

Great read

It was a sad performance rather than anything else

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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 18:29 - Mar 19 with 2557 viewswarkthisway

Fair enough, but its this type of acceptance of our lot that is unhelpful.

bentnkuqi

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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 18:50 - Mar 19 with 2485 viewsnbsiyag

A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 10:13 - Mar 19 by HarryfromBath

I reckon you are spot on with your tactical analysis. The 3-5-2 worked at Villa because we have the right players on the pitch in the second half and I would make the changes you referenced in your last paragraph in a heartbeat.

True, there is no direct connection between Mick's tactical screw-up yesterday and events off the pitch. However, it seemed clear to me yesterday that the more fundamental problem was the mentality of many of the players and for me this is on the club.


Great perspective Harry. The second half at Villa gave us hope that we were moving in the right direction....


then Skuse got back in the team.
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A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 22:58 - Mar 19 with 2225 viewsEireannach_gorm

A Regrettable Week — Reflections on Today’s Defeat at Cardiff on 09:18 - Mar 19 by nshearman1

Superb analysis, Harry, and while I think we're sleep-walking to oblivion under Evans, Milne and Mick, I don't think we've reached the point of non-league football yet. We have some very decent players here, but yesterday's match failings were 110% down to Mick's management. He turned a situation where we could compete and could have got something out of the game into a hopeless mess.

As for Evans, the disconnect is appalling. You are totally spot-on.

Still, nice to see you yesterday.


Harry's analysis of the game and the current situation is as usual spot on and I agree that Mick badly managed this game however he has consistently over achieved before now. The lack of investment is beginning to show now and the players are for various reasons not up to scratch. We have a bad mixture of loan players who are our main hope of scores, injury prone owned and loaned players, players who are past their sell by date and unsuccessful 'punts'. We have got by with spirit and a very effective long ball game which we maximised with Murphy. The cracks are now appearing now that we can no longer use the Murphy card. Mick cannot change his style because it would cost too much and Evans is not prepared to pay. It is being economical with the truth that there is money there but Mick wont spend it. I am certain if there was sufficient funds made available Mick would be more than happy to spend. Mick's greatest asset to Evans is that he is prepared to accept a pathetic transfer fund. I really think Mick gets a raw deal here and he does not help himself by his obstinacy. The really worrying thing is the players attitude, if that does not improve relegation is a very likely outcome. I believe this would be a disaster for the club because nothing would change , we would just have even less funds. Even with Mick gone we would be fuked. These really are depressing times for the club.
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