Boss Roy Keane said he was delighted for his players, his staff and Town’s beleaguered supporters after the Blues defeated West Brom 1-0 at Portman Road to set up a Carling Cup semi-final with Arsenal. Grant Leadbitter’s 69th minute penalty was enough to see Town through to the last four of the competition for the first time in 10 years.

Keane said: “I’m delighted for the players, delighted for the staff, pleased for the supporters. It was important that we put on a performance tonight. You can put on a performance but that doesn’t guarantee a result, especially with the chances we were missing.

“I was pleased with the workrate, the character, the composure, the way some of the younger boys played and the lads who came back into the team. To get out of the hole we’re in at the moment is about characters and digging deep

“I’m pleased for everyone, particularly the supporters. I’ve said before, it’s been a frustrating time for them but it’s something to smile about. Now we need to focus for our league game on Saturday.”

The Blues boss was pleased with his side’s tempo from the off: “We started the game well, we didn’t want to get sucked into a game where we dropped back too much, we know the qualities West Brom have got, we saw them on Saturday [when they beat Everton 4-1]. We wanted to be high tempo, our widemen putting pressure on their full-backs.

“Tamás and Jason started well, Reggie did well, Andros. I thought all the players did well. Troy, Jaime Peters.

“There was a clean sheet, we kept 11 players on the pitch and we didn’t really make any basic errors tonight. Darren, Jaime, Troy and Tommy, when they had to clear it, they cleared it. We did the basics well and that gives you a chance.”

In his programme notes Keane echoed this week’s earlier comments regarding managers reaching a position where it is best for their club if they move on, but he says he’s not yet there with the Blues: “My point in the programme, don’t overanalyse it, is that sometimes it does come to a point where as a manager you say ‘it’s not quite happening’, but we’re not there yet.”

Keane learnt of Town’s next opponents during his post-match press conference, a note having been passed to him: “Good news, it’s Arsenal! There’s always a downside, isn’t there? We’ve got Chelsea around that time as well.”

Referring back to his comments about managers coming to the end of their time at clubs, he added: ”Hopefully, I’ll be here in January. I might be gone at the end of January though!

“You have to look forward to it but in terms of the draw it’s the hardest game we could have got. But it will be great for the players, great for the young players.”

Albion assistant head coach Eddie Newton pulled no punches with his post-match comments: “It was a poor performance without a shadow of a doubt. You don’t have to be an expert in football to know that it was a poor performance.

“Individually and collectively we were poor, we didn’t turn up, didn’t show enough desire and therefore paid the big price.”

The ex-Chelsea man said he and boss Roberto Di Matteo had no regrets at making nine changes from Saturday’s game: “We’ve been doing that from the beginning of the competition and we stuck by it and we showed faith in our players. They’d been doing very well until tonight.”

Newton felt the penalty which won the game might have come as a result of Town’s earlier strong claims: “Graham Dorrans hasn’t touched him, I think Edwards was on his way down outside the box, so the action started outside the box. For me it was a soft penalty.

“But the fact remains that we didn’t deserve anything out of the game anyway. Simple as that.”

Photo: Action Images

Dorsetblue added 10:20 - Dec 2 A good performance played nice attacking football... Hopefully we will go forward doing this. The bench after we scored were hugging each other and it looked like they had just saved there jobs.. But 10k for a home game is shocking, WBA brought 1000+ and with the weather forecast they may have had doubts of getting home. Up the A14 with snow.... not fun at all. Nice to see we have loyal support, see you at Arsenal and Chelsea I'm sure.

0

del1boy added 10:42 - Dec 2 The attendance was low for many reasons not just because the people that didnt attend are less commitmented that all these people that appear to believe they are better fans than the rest of us. Where all you lot at the dismal display at Norwich which cost £50, plus another £30 for last nights game. We are near christmas, the weather is terrible and the team has been woeful. Get of your high horses and start thinking in the real world you jumped up idiots!

0

del1boy added 10:43 - Dec 2 commited****
0

opinionscount4nothin added 10:51 - Dec 2 Dont get too carried away by one win against a weak WBA side. On Saturday the short term loanees will be available again which means that JC will again be on the left of midfield and we will be unbalanced once again. The side that played last night was due to the fact that he had no one else available. One win in every 5 or six games is not good enough, we need a steady side that is a little more consistant. The next few games will show if RK has actually learnt anything or if this was a lucky team selection forced on him by his regular cock up side being unavailable!!

0

NorthblueBen added 10:53 - Dec 2 I wonder how many will be at portman road for this one then, dare i say all the moaners and non supporters will turn up for this and pretend they have been there through thick and thin.
0

nitroblue1970 added 11:04 - Dec 2 a weakened WBA side? They are a prem side afterall and you can only beat the team thats on the pitch with you! I would imagine that DeMatteo has played these same weak players in this competition from the early rounds...they got to the quarters tho..so not so weak after all! And remember Roy had to field a different (obviously not weaker) side than he normally would, again as he has all season in the fizzy beer cup! The result was great and we deserved to win, dominated from start to finish and made WBA looked ordinary! I hope this is a turning point for our beloved team and for Roy too and he has seen that playing players in the right positions works well and gives balance to the team..Priskin was MOM for me closely followed by Peters. priskin will score a hatful this season if him and Scotland conitue to link up like they did last night...yes he missed a few chances but it will come right im sure...Wickham is off to Spurs next month sop we wont see him again!..COYB!...and TMLIRK!!!

0

osborne1nil added 11:09 - Dec 2 Credit where credit is due, the Team played very well and could have won by several goals, shame this couldn't have happened against Norwich. Alot of these changes have been forced on Keane and was glad to see Jamie Peters back. I felt he was very unlucky to be dropped from the team and can only guess he was 30 seconds late for training 1 day? Hasn't changed my opinion of RK but reinforced that the team if put in the right positions and allowed to pass the ball are more than capable of being in the top 6 not 16th in the league. Would like to see Town go on a long run now and hope RK does not go and change a winning side. Leave it as it was, they deserve to be in the team for Saturdays tough game where a win is badly needed. Maybe if the team is left to gel together (especially up front) then the performances will become better still. If posters do not know why so many people stayed away from PR last night then I feel sorry for you, but here are a few clues. People can make a protest in many ways, some boo, some bring banners, some stay away and others take no notice of the quality of football being played through their rose tinted glasses and will continue to back a poor manager irrespective of the performances and decisions made. Bear in mind that it was not a cheap gate price and the weather conditions and you have the reasons why the turnout was so low. Perhaps if Town continue to perform as they did last night then they will deserve to see the gates increase again. I shall be there again, as usual on Saturday supporting the players and hoping RK doesn't p1$$ around with the side too much. COYB

0

whymarksmyhero added 11:30 - Dec 2 All these acronyms !!! Saw "POMS" the other day, and now "FOAM" !! Can anybody enlighten me as to what these are acronyms for ??!! Gonna be warmer, but very wet Saturday, so gloves away, but brolly's out !!
0

Bluroo added 11:36 - Dec 2 What a shame that the club I support is also supported by such a fickle bunch of fans. Keane out, nobody turns up, we get to the semi finals of a cup with 2 legs against Arsenal that everyone is reved up again. Short memories. In an ideal world anyone who has been booing and shouting Keane out for 3 weeks should be banned from PR for the Arsenal game.
0

bluelady added 11:38 - Dec 2 agree with a majority on here, one win does not make a season! However for me it confirmed we do have the players with the right skills to do well in the Championship and definately challange for a play off place. The question is will Keane be the man to get the best out of them? Hopefully he will learn something from last nights tactics, go at the opposition, dont sit back and look afraid of them and we will start to score more goals - we may let a few in that way but hey id much rather a 4-3 win than a sneaky 1-0 if your lucky. I felt i got good value for money last night from the kick off to last whistle and would have gone away happy even if we hadnt won (although clearly not as happy!). We showed what we can do and Mr Keane if you bring that to the Championship, everything willl go up, us in the league, the number coming to Portman Road, the voices at Portman Road and everyones oppinion of you - so over to you! (oh and only two loanees, to me that says a lot. O Dea (personally think he will be given a contract with us so he has reason to play well) also Townsend, he is on a season long not short term loan so has it all to play for........ Colback should NOT be played saturday but on the bench to replace Norris or Leadbitter if they become tired. I would stick with JP at right back, did you see that guy jump last night??!!!! Also two CB's for me showed their true potential, for me no place for Delanny im afraid! Playing two left footed CB;s does not work. Great to see Civelli on the bench, be good to see him get a game soon, perhaps when we are 3-0 up saturday????!!!!!!

0

sonian_blue added 11:39 - Dec 2 What a January we have to look forward to, 4 league games, guaranteed 3 cup ties against 2 of the top 3 sides in the country. WOW doesnt get any better than this. Thanks Roy COYB Boys
0

JimBaxter added 11:42 - Dec 2 Nice to see a relatively negative free board and no mickey mouse comments about Keane destroying a passing team etc... Good result well done and that's why football is such a great sport - you just never know on the night - let's hope we continue on Saturday
0

TOWNNNNNN added 11:50 - Dec 2 Great performance great win great support!! ---- more of the same please FOAM!!!! Dobbie I agree we have missed the 'Ipswich kop' wat can be done about this?????? Maybe a ban on all non alcoholic drinks in the lower sir bobby stand?? Lol free beer for each seat etc etc lol
0

BlooooCD added 11:53 - Dec 2 NEVER have I gone to a game expecting so little and got so much.. This was a great performance and well worth the freezing conditions. Thats what being a fan is all about eah.. Highs/Lows and all the crap that comes with it! I was talking to a few fans after the game that don't have season tickets and I think the club should allow all those that attended last night first refusal on tickets for the next round... You just know that people will be queing around the stadium for tickets with Arsenal on offer!!! What a January to look forward to... bow locks to the diet! ha ha! Well done Blooooo Army! Keano keep with these players, their desire and conviction was brilliant, completely different to the dross on Sunday! COYB's!!! I'll keep my FORK in the draw for now... Onward and Upward please!

0

Thetruth added 11:54 - Dec 2 Watch the ticket sales fly for Arsenal home and away....... I hope the 10,000 town fans who made a great atmosphere last night and braved the cold are first served, because we deserve it. We were in the Carling Cup quarter final, that place should have been full, I guarantee when the gunners come there wont be a seat in the ground, FACT. Roll on Saturday, hope the same 10000 turn up again so we can enjoy atmosphere

0

Lightningboy added 11:56 - Dec 2 I'm not knocking the performance last night,it was a good result but for God's sake get it into perspective.. ..it's all very well saying where have all the moaners gone this morning after 1 win?..well I haven't seen many of you lot who've mysteriously re-appeared on here today backing Keane up over the last few weeks either.
0

BoredWithThisNow added 11:56 - Dec 2 False dawn cretins.
0

Lightningboy added 11:58 - Dec 2 Btw...any chance that Marcus could use the money from the semis/chelsea game to pay keane off now and bring someone capable in?..just a thought.
0

La_Paz added 12:02 - Dec 2 Also noticed there was no goal music last night. Much better in my opinion. Everyone went mental, then the chant went up. So nice to be able to enjoy the celebrations without being earbashed by some jingle. Well done to the club for at least giving it a go.
0

bobble added 12:15 - Dec 2 great idea sack mr keane while we have a few bob
0

poringlandblue added 12:16 - Dec 2 excellent performance lads just goes to show what you can do if you ATTACK the opposition now about to go into norwich with a smile after the abuse ive received since sunday, same again saturday same team as few loannies as poss in future they dont give a damn about the club and will be off like a rat down a drain pipe remember norwich when they were relegated full of loan players coyb

0

stinkiusminkius added 12:26 - Dec 2 Too many high horse fans who seem to think they are better fans for going last night. Too many fans who seem to think keane is suddenly a genius after one good result. Let's get this right - it shows we DO have the players to play well, and that should be doing MUCH better than we are. It's all down to team balance and round pegs/round holes. I think keane fluked it cos of lack of choice last night, but let's see if he learns from this. I'm still a long way from thinking that he is ever going to be a good manager.

0

Walk_the_Wark added 12:28 - Dec 2 Keaneish I agree completely!! JP was awesome. Same team with Fulop on Sat pls!
0

bobble added 12:33 - Dec 2 stinky your on the mark there boy mr keane cant keep to up he s a soft manager
0

Legend added 12:34 - Dec 2 So what happened to all the so called fans 'Keane out' chants?? yep thought so! Fake, fickle and full of the brown stuff! Stay away, we dont need negative, moaning two faced fans like you. G.I.T.S only, great atmosphere last night. I would rather have 11,000 genuine fans than another 7000 fickle fans who wine and moan every five minutes instead of getting behind the club!

0

Blogs 296 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls