Town manager Roy Keane says his side aren’t playing much better than they were last season, but feels that this time around they are taking their chances. The unbeaten Blues have won three of their first four league games during this campaign after failing to record a win in their first 14 last season.

Keane said: “There was doom and gloom amongst the supporters, but amongst the staff and players there was a good spirit and that kept us going. I’ll be honest with you, I can watch DVDs and I don’t think we’re playing that much better than we did last year, believe it or not.

“Anyone who watched us every week last year will tell you we just couldn’t take those chances, we couldn’t get our noses in front and when we did we couldn’t keep the lead. This year we’ve managed to bounce back like at Middlesbrough.”

The Town manager says last year’s game against Saturday’s opponents illustrates his point: “A prime example was Bristol City last year. We had 20 very good opportunities to score goals, just like against Watford at home.

“Some teams don’t get that in a month and we had that in games. The Bristol City keeper went off as the man of the match and the following week they got beaten by five by somebody at home.

“What we’re doing is taking those one or two chances. That gives the players a bit of confidence and a feelgood factor.”

Keane is pleased with his side so far but sayls strengthening is still required: “I reckon we came back for pre-season and there was no expectation from anybody, from inside the club or from our supporters.

“I’ve said to our players that we seem to be surprising people, but there’s a long few months ahead and I still don’t think we’re strong enough as a club.”

The Blues boss says the return of injured players will help, although they won’t need to be thrown straight into the side: “If we’ve got the likes of Kennedy, Connor and Damien on our bench in the next few weeks, we’ll be doing OK.”

Keane says he never lost confidence in his own abilities during last season’s struggles and at the same time never got carried away during the good times in his previous job: “I got lucky a bit with Sunderland with the players and the staff. We had a little bit of luck, but I never felt for one minute I had it cracked. Last year with all the doom and gloom I never felt for one minute I was finished as a manager.

“Because we’ve had a decent start I don’t all of a sudden think I’m the new Capello, Ancelotti, Ferguson or one of those brilliant managers who has won trophies.

“The players deserve all the credit. It’s about the players and the supporters, that’s what a football club’s about, not managers.”

Keane said over the weekend that he didn't expect any movement in or out before the transfer window closes at 6pm today.

Photo: Action Images

ChambersM added 09:21 - Aug 31 Can he really say we were better last year? I'm not having that.
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dan_itfc added 09:22 - Aug 31 To be fair our form since the back end of last season was arguably play off form so to say were not playing much better is a fair comment but it rather buts a negative spin on what has been a fantastic month for the club! I really want us to kick on now and be that team that does well every week, like wolves two years ago and newcastle last year because were not far off that standard. You've got to remember this start has been without 3 first team certs; wickham, delaney and kennedy so i am extreamly pleased and looking forward to the rest of the season which i so hope is a successful one! COYB!!!

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Wallingford_Boy added 09:23 - Aug 31 He didn't say that you fool, he says we are not playing much better this season.
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promotionparty added 09:25 - Aug 31 it's true, we are playing the same, albeit because we're taking our chances and because we're holding the ball more, results are better, but the overall game remains the same, now walters has gone, it does eliminate the hoof ball and we're playing it on the ground
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Superfrans added 09:34 - Aug 31 Keano's a smart boy. Not cranking up the pressure, highlighting our weaknesses, emphasising that we are playing above ourselves - and yet we're third in the table. 10 points after four matches. How long did it take us to accumulate that total last season?
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FenboyBlue added 09:44 - Aug 31 Bit early to say, but Roy's thoughts make sense. We seem to have better finishing now. Priskin & Scotland's goals weren't easy but they went in: skill or luck ? Too early to say. But it will interesting to keep looking at the Telegraph's Statistics (as I kept doing last season) to find us top in the 'Shots on Target' as before regardless of being top vs bottom of the league. Killing off games & conceding late goals is the skill we need to attain, then we've cracked it.

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corshamblue added 09:45 - Aug 31 Foundations for a good season, but we do need some reinforcements asap to cover RB, Def Mid and CB (Macca's back worries me, not sure Delaney & Smith would hold up as well, Eastman & Co seem to be a season off where we need them) COYB.
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legoman added 09:46 - Aug 31 What utter rubbish. We are playing loads better and each individual player is playing loads better. Its called improvement, why not just say it like it is Keano?
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tractorboynathan added 09:49 - Aug 31 What! From what I have seen this season we are nothing like that season! Last season we had no formation, had players that didn't want to pay for us, we played the long ball! We were awful and it showed! This season we have a spirit that I haven't seen in an Ipswich team before! Players like peters, smith, leadbitter, prisken and Norris are playing great for us! And we have added quaility players and still have wickim, Kennedy and delaney to come back for us! We have a quality team! Promotion here we come! COYB!

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bluelady added 09:51 - Aug 31 i think Keane is playing with the likes of Clegg etc to make him see we need reinforcements and that without we wont make the top flight. he is also making sure his players do not get complacent too. i personally think we are playing lots better - no hoofball which was so ugly to see and resulted in nothing, at the end of games keeping the ball up our end in the corner rather than loosing it like we did last term and also most importantly there are not one or two players performing its a team effort. Agreed we need reinforcements and we are still have a long way to go but the signs are all good!

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tractorboynathan added 09:53 - Aug 31 * also on Saturday the game was quality! The team were playing well, and we all got between the players and was a great atmosphere! That game was better than than the whole of last season!
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bluelady added 09:54 - Aug 31 tractorboynathan - and the season before!!! how long have we 'carried' poor performers? didnt see that saturday!
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Back_The_Boss added 10:10 - Aug 31 More confidence within the side this year. Tamas looks like he is going to have a good season. Decent signings/loans, sitting pretty in 3rd! COYB!
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tractorboynathan added 10:18 - Aug 31 Yes blue lady! Players like lisbie are happy enough picking up there 15k a week wage but yet says he doesn't want to play for us!
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Bergholtblue added 10:25 - Aug 31 The main difference to last year was that Gerkin or whatever his name was had a blinder in goal for City last year. He has been dropped for James who had a howler. I do take on board Keano's comments about strength in the squad. If Priskin and Scotland had not taken those chances and it was still 0 0 with ten minutes to go, we did not have that 'impact' player ont he bench who you would feel could turn it around. It does feel so good to walk out of PR with 3 points in the bag though, so much better than last year.

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bluelady added 10:34 - Aug 31 Bergholt Blue you summed my view up totally - if we are winning great, if we need a lift we dont have that impact player... mind you O'connor can bring a bit of pace and i guess with Connor coming back what a great impact player that would be. still think we need a creative midfielder that can come on and make a differance. Im glad that Pablo has moved on, but boy did he come on and make a differance when on form...

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cromwellblue added 11:21 - Aug 31 Once again an honest assessment from Keane. Last season Ipswich topped the stats fro shots on target (yes it's true!) but we just did not convert enough. 11 points lost after the 85th minute. Take all that into account and we would not have been far from the play off. The comments on here show the supporters often blinkered view. If we win we must have palyed well, if we lose we are rubbish. The truth lies somewhere in between. Still much improvement to come I think from the team and I agree with Keane the performace level is not much different but the results will breed confidence.

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tom_the_blue added 11:30 - Aug 31 I have got to disaree wih Keano on this, we are actually plaing football this time, and I believe we look more creative.
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denhamblue added 12:33 - Aug 31 from what ive seen,we stil tend to dither with the ball,but overall i think were playing better(so far!)
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ITFCKeano added 13:54 - Aug 31 OK, I'm ready for the flames but I'm going to ask the question in an honest way, no offence or wind-up intended. Are we playing better because (a) the current players we have are better suited to our formation/ play, (b) because players have better belief, or maybe (dare I say it) (c) are the three players mentioned (Wickham, Delaney, Kennedy) not quite right for the formation we're playing at the moment. Will they Improve the squad when they come back in or unsettle it again? Looking for non-agressive responses please.

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WadzillaBhoy added 14:10 - Aug 31 Ronan Murray is our impact player, albeit he is very young but he is the best finisher in the club.
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bluelady added 14:48 - Aug 31 WadzillaBhoy agree he is a teriffic prospect just not sure he it totally ready to step yet? have watched him grow the last couple of seasons into a very tidy finisher indeed and hope he can prove to step up to this level as the others have. a goal will help his confidence - look at Wickham once he started to find the net he gained so much confidence
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zippyrainbow added 15:04 - Aug 31 Is it only me that thinks king Keano has lost the plot or maybe it's the Keane lovers that are mentally unbalanced ??
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