Boss Paul Jewell slammed his big name players for talking the talk but not walking the walk after their disastrous 4-0 hammering at Burnley, but conceded that ultimately he carries the can for the Blues' run of six successive defeats which has seen them drop to 21st in the Championship.

Jewell says his players simply aren’t performing to the required standard: “I feel physically sick. For 35 minutes there was nothing in the game but then there’s the old Achilles’ heel — we concede from a set play.

“There are a lot of people with big reputations in that team and people keep on talking about what an experienced team we have and what good players we have, but they’re not putting out, that’s for sure.

“I don’t see anyone making a tackle, they can all talk the talk but at the minute they’re not doing it and it’s unbelievable from a team which not so long ago was looking like a decent side. Now we look like we can’t win a 50/50 tackle or even 60/40 in our favour.

“Their third goal the kid runs from midfield right through the heart of our defence. The first goal was a set play.”

The Blues manager says his team capitulated after the first goal went in: “I think in the Forest and Reading games, we were in those matches without playing well, but tonight the white flag came out.

“I think Mark Kennedy and Lee Bowyer were unlucky to come off because it could have been anybody.

“I understand that confidence at a low ebb but there’s no excuse for not making it difficult for the opponents and we aren’t making it difficult.

“We just want to play on the ball and look pretty, but we don’t want to do the ugly things in football that make teams winning teams.

“I know what it’s like to have a good team. At 2-0 down I’ve had teams where I’m thinking that we can still get something out of games.

“I’m looking round the dressing room tonight and thinking it’s a case of damage limitation, I can see it in their eyes. We’ve got to change that very, very quickly.”

Jewell felt for the 319 Town supporters who made the trip to Turf Moor, accepting that the buck ultimately stops with him whether the players do what they're told to or otherwise: “At the end of the day I’m the manager, I carry the can, but some of the stuff that I’m seeing going on on the pitch, I don’t know where it’s coming from. I expect tons better, it’s just not good enough.

“We use all these words - unacceptable, not good enough, this, that and the other, but I’m embarrassed coming to see you guys [in the media]. I’m embarrassed walking past those supporters of ours who have travelled all that way to watch absolute garbage.

“Ultimately, it’s my responsibility, but some of the stuff that’s going on out there is not what we’re preaching, in fact none of it is.”

He feels some of his players are taking matches too lightly: “It isn’t just another game, it’s people’s livelihoods. People have been on a 500-mile round trip tonight, probably have had a day off work, and then have to put up with something like that.

“Supporters will put up with anything, so will managers by the way, but they can’t put up with gutless, spineless efforts like that.”

Jewell knows that as the defeats mount up the pressure on him grows: “I’m not stupid. I know that if you lose six games on the bounce you’re not going to be flavour of the month, I understand that.

“I want what’s best for Ipswich. As I said when I first came, it’s a long-term job. It’s a massive job, a huge job and we’re nowhere near moving forward at this moment in time.

“But I’ll keep going, I’ll keep fighting and I think that’s all you can you can do. You can only ever do your best but ultimately I want what’s best for Ipswich.”

He believes that club owner Marcus Evans is still backing him: “I think so, but if he thinks it’s best to make a change, that’s entirely up to him. I want what’s best for Ipswich and that isn’t good enough for Ipswich Town. That ain’t good enough for anybody, never mind a team of this great tradition.

“Ultimately I have to lead the team out on to the pitch and it reflects on me and that doesn’t reflect me.”

Jewell now has to lift his players for Saturday’s visit by Watford, the Blues’ bogey side: “That’s the difficult thing. There’s always another game of football and the longer you go without winning, the harder it becomes.

“I said before the game that we need men at this moment in time and there are a lot of people with big careers, international players out there and they’re not doing enough.”

Conversely Burnley boss Eddie Howe had an excellent 34th birthday: “It was a good night, a really good night. The second half was enjoyable, I don’t think I’ve had many second halves in my short reign at Turf Moor which have been as enjoyable as that. I thought we were excellent.

“I think it was a strange game in that we created so many chances that we could have scored double the four that we did.

“Jay Rodriguez had chance after chance and to be fair to him kept going and got his reward in the end for an excellent individual performance. But what pleases me more was the team effort, I thought we were very good in the second half.”

Howe was also delighted that his side didn’t concede against a Blues team he feels is better than their current performances: “It wasn’t just the clean sheet for me, it was the manner of it.

“Although they’re on a disappointing run, they are a good side, they’ve got a lot of quality in their team. We kept them very quiet and I don’t think Lee Grant had a save to make.”

Photo: Action Images

floridaboy added 07:07 - Nov 30 First thing to do this morning is send ALL the loan players back to their clubs. Lets give the kids a game on Saturday, at least you are going to get a fight and might even get a few of them get a booking for getting stuck in - something new at PR or any away ground come to think of it!! If I was ME I would give PJ 2 more games. To me is seems to have gone pear shaped since Chopras gambling problems were front page news. Maybe he is the problem! But they have not gone was being a pretty decent side to being totally crap since he grabbed all the headlines.

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SomershamBlue added 07:15 - Nov 30 Well done ALB. Only able to follow the game on text, but it seems that Burnley had many attempts on goal, unlike 'Town. Not sure that I actually want to be at PR this Saturday... ...but I will be there. COYB!
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potter84 added 07:18 - Nov 30 You say all you got to say now do us all a favour and walk away walk away walk away!! Look peeps he did it at derby Bradford and Wigan fingers crossed it happens b4 January! I think mr evans should listen to the supporters like the qpr boss askin for ideas on which players to sign " by this he's listening to the fans" decent boss iny eyes! Jewell nothin personal but I don't like u nvr have nvr will I got behinde u n have supported u but las nite was enuf, I'm turning my bk on u but not my club as the club is bigger than u ur ego and ur old mates who don't look interested! I want a manager to inspire my team not one who jus cant get it tactically right ur team selection= awful formation= awful. People we got lucky with cresswell it's a fluke we carry on with pj we will end up the strongest team in the lg by propping up the table! Get out do the right thing!!

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Radlett_blue added 07:23 - Nov 30 Perhaps you shouldn't have signed so many ageing players looking for one last contract? We need leadership so we need a captain committed to the club. Why was Leadbitter not sold in the summer if he wouldn't sign a new contract? If he refused to move or sign, leave him in the reserves for a year.
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tractorboybig added 07:46 - Nov 30 I think the time has come for M>E. to do the only thing. I will run the team till you find a replacement marcus, I cant do ant worse and I won t charge you a penny.
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IvorFeeling added 08:17 - Nov 30 Saturday will be interesting on the crowd front. Do we all turn up to wave goodbye to PJ or do we stay away due to the dross. I am not for one to easily fire a manager but dressing room lost. The worst part of this though is that I have little faith that ME and SC can either attract the right manager and sort out the structure and youth policy of club. Bobble - know it's early but need some of your cider

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Blue041273 added 08:24 - Nov 30 No doubt the ITFC PR Dept will wheel out a player or two over the next couple of days to tell us that this is all the players fault and that they have to take responsibility to get things right and that the Manager is definitely not to blame. As PJ has said you can only do your best. When will he tell us what you do when, as now, your best ain't good enough.
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DurhamTownFan added 08:28 - Nov 30 This is obviously becoming a rather serious issue in games. The team lacks confidence, and because we have to pure Ipswich boys who can preach the ethics of the club, morale and commitment are both low (for example, Look at all the boro old boys working under Mowbray). Changing the team, bringing all these players undermines confidence of the existing players, but also confuses the direction of the team (like under keane). Because of that we DO need stability, but I also think we need more 'Ipswich heads' in the club (sorry ME and Cleggie). Perhaps get some old boys in on the coaching team, and rebuild with young lads. There's got to be another butcher, Beattie, bent or dyer out there somewhere!

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bluelady added 08:39 - Nov 30 Time for performance related pay......... if I turned up half heartidly and didnt do my job properly i would be on a personal improvement plan, if my manager had a whole team of people underperforming he would be at risk of losing his job........... I do feel for Jewell i think the players have seriously let him down, but as many have said they are his players. Bowyer last year was arguably Birminghams player of the year, why would he suddenly lose all passion from the game unless it due to what goes on off pitch? maybe the players have tried telling Jewell the formation isnt working and he as carried on regardless so playing so cack is there way of protesting? Honestly i dont know, i do knw that i am really dreading going to watch my team play saturday, as a season ticket holder i feel i have to go but for the first time ever i am tempted to stay at home instead!

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jas0999 added 09:08 - Nov 30 Not a single shot on goal. Says it all. Worst run of results since 1994. Thanks to Garv for pointing out that RK lost 6 consecutive LEAGUE games - but sandwiched inbetween was an excellent League Cup 1/4 final win which softened the blow. We have not lost 6 on the trot (in all competitions) since 1994 (Source: BBC Radio Suffolk). I am not surprised because PJ is delivering as I expected - utter rubbish. Even if he goes, he will leave a squad of players who are has been and injury prone on massive contracts. It is his team! Ironically the so called best players on the pitch last night was ALB and Scotland - neither signed by PJ He must go before he ruins us further. Please please please - look what he did to Derby and he is doing it here. Inept. JEWELL OUT!

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buryblue77 added 09:12 - Nov 30 Credit to ALB, seems like he kept the score line respectable. I really thought we'd turn it around last night but wasn't to be. If footballers have no desire to win matches then they quite simply wouldn't be professionals!!! I'm not one for constantly changing managers, but if I were Evans I'd say to him, you need 6 points out of next 3 games or that is your lot. But then who comes in to replace him? Knowing our owners passion for the big names and the publicity it brings the company we will end up with Sven.......

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tractorboy2434 added 09:14 - Nov 30 There really are some daft comments on here, eg we want magiltonback, the plain truth is that he was an ordinary manager and a change was needed, however unfortunately the club is rotten to the core and a series of poor appointments from CE right down to the coaching staff has brought us to where we are, many, many poor signings just like Gunn did at Norwich, they went down and realised what a mistake they had made and did something about it, we now need to do the same, a complete clear out from CE down is required.

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naa added 09:37 - Nov 30 If the last few seasons have told usnanything it is that changing the manager is no guarantee of anything. After all, Jewell improved things a lot on his arrival but now it's gone sour already. Changing manager just means loads more players to try to gel and we just can't afford that at the moment. Obviously, things need to change quickly but of the 6 defeats tonight's qas the only one you'd really be worried about as we wee never in it. So I think we need to stick with Jewell, but I have to admit that his days must be numbered, we just can't afford to get relegatd. Meanwhile, ME must be wonering what he's doing wrong. We were doing much much better on a shoestring budget. Magilton's tenure only really started going wrong when ME starrted giving him money and Keane wasted loads of it and dven Jewell's signings are beginning to look suspdct at the moment.

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bluelady added 09:44 - Nov 30 Keane back Jas?
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Reuser31 added 10:16 - Nov 30 Beginning to see why we got some of these players so cheap. No desire, no heart, no pride. PJ said from day one that this was a long term project so why sign so many OAPs? Changing the manager every 5 minutes doesn't work for anyone, but Jewell needs to sort out his bloody transfer policy asap or he's out.
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nitroblue1970 added 10:25 - Nov 30 a shocking shower of sh*te...that is all!
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nitroblue1970 added 10:33 - Nov 30 so do we change the manager now and try to save our season, or wait for the new year and sack him which may be too late by then? We did that with keane and we were staving off the threat of relegation as a result which was seen as a success at the time! ....If we brought in someone who can MANAGE the team, motivate the players be tactically aware NOW then i beleive we may have a chance of success this season we need an experienced manager who can work with players to get the best out of them, someone they will respect as i believe Jewell doesnt have that respect from quite a few players, his constant blaming of the players is affecting them, yes it is their fault when they are on the pitch but they are following his tactics and instructions.....i wonder what the hell he is doing with them all week in training? The club is weak from top to bottom, lacks leadership and vision....

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CharlieITFC added 10:33 - Nov 30 its obvious to me that our defense is weak without sonko,, but also are midfielders are obviously dont like the switching and changing. My team for saturday, providing sonks and stockdale/wright are back: GK Stockdale/Wright RWB Edwards CB Collins CB Kennedy CB Sonko LWB Cresswell CM Bullard (c) CM Andrews CM Bowyer ST Chopra ST Scotland Lets get the wingbacks bombing forward, with extra cover at the back, good service and Chops and Scotland will bang in the goals. The extra defender gives the midfield three the chance to get forward and support. Lets go 5 at the back, keep a clean sheet and start supporting our strikers.

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CharlieITFC added 10:35 - Nov 30 * our
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jas0999 added 10:54 - Nov 30 bluelady - why? I have made it clear time and time again that Roy was RIGHTLY sacked - how many more times do you need me to say it? The mistake was appointing PJ - who is worse. Sorry, but it's a fact. Worst run since 1994. Worse off points wise then the same point last season. being hammered week in week out. It's shocking.
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CraigEdwards added 10:54 - Nov 30 You PAUL Brought in the dads army of so called overpaid experienced players and pushed aside the hungry youngters at the club. Live by the sword die by your sword PJ.
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bobble added 11:06 - Nov 30 you know the worst thing about all this ? when i am unhappy i hate drinking, so i ask the wimpy ipswich players and management how long before i can smile again and enjoy a few ciders ?
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bluelady added 11:13 - Nov 30 Jas you finally admitted it after 18 months but leading up to it you almost single handedly lead the Keane is a god campaign, good grief what a short memory you have! i dont disagree about Jewell failing i am not happy but it makes me chuckle how you said from day one you didnt want him in and have never supported him yet you supported Keane through thick and thin with others getting at you week after week.... thats my point!

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jas0999 added 11:19 - Nov 30 Bluelady - I have continued to support the club by spending thousands of pounds (as have many others) travelling to games. Regardless of who the manager is I have suported the players and the club. Moreover we are 11 months on - so what has this to do with Roy? The thing which makes me laugh is people wanted Roy out from day one ... yet after the tripe PJ has been delivering people think PJ deserves more time and you accuse me of double standards. The point is PJ is nowhere near as good as you or several others thought. His Derby record should have told you that ... on the occasions that we have played well - I have also passed my congratulations to the manager (on this board).

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fourth added 11:24 - Nov 30 I suggest taking a 100% salary cut until he gets it right. Or gives way to a better man.
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