Town boss Paul Jewell was again left ruing his side’s failure to defend set pieces and crosses into the box after losing 2-1 to Southend in a friendly at Roots Hall. The Blues were two goals behind after 11 minutes via Kane Ferdinand and a Luke Chambers own goal. Town’s reply was an own goal from Shrimpers’ defender Mark Phillips.

Jewell felt the game was much like the match at Luton on Saturday: “We had all the ball in the second half again.

“But the goals we concede are just beyond belief really, not even for a Championship team. But that’s been the case for a while.

“Once again Massimo was excellent,” he added, turning to the positives to be taken from the match, “Chops worked hard, he looked sharp, especially in the second half. We got better as the game went on and were in total control of the game but you always feel we’re susceptible to the counter-attack.”

He says there’s still much to do between now and the start of the season: “We’ve played Luton, who are a Conference team and Southend, not easy games, but we’ve conceded goals from three set plays and a cross, so that tells where we need to improve, certainly one area and other areas of the pitch as well.

“You can see we need to stop goals going in the back of our net. That means to say we need to work harder to stop crosses, we need to work harder not to give silly freekicks away, we need to be more professional in the right areas and stronger, mentally and physically in one-to-one challenges.”

Midfielder Lee Martin missed out again due to injury but Jewell says the problem’s not too serious: “He did his thigh over in Holland. He came in against Cambridge last week and felt it again unfortunately. He’s OK, but we don’t want to risk him breaking down.”

The Blues boss made only two changes as he looked to give his more senior players a full game, although one of the substitutions was enforced by a niggle: “Andy Drury had a calf injury and Luke Hyam was just a little bit tired.”

Photo: Action Images

jas0999 added 22:22 - Jul 31 ... 18 months in charge and still posters on here can't see it ... PJ IS A POOR MANAGER. HIS TEAM. HIS FAILURE TO ADDRESS THE DEFENCE. PJ OUT
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bluearmy4life added 22:24 - Jul 31 Well PJ.... Simple sort it out. Fitness levels should be getting better each game obviously your not doing your job well enough. Sorry Paul you need to help the team improve and fast.
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jert16 added 22:25 - Jul 31 jas0999 OUT
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fussysnake added 22:28 - Jul 31 jas0999 may be the most missurable guy on here, but sometimes he does actually speak some sense. Pj is failing. prove me wrong please town!
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john_itfc added 22:28 - Jul 31 jas0999 OUT
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Mark added 22:29 - Jul 31 Someone calling for the manager to be sacked after a pre-season friendly...give me strength! Loach and Chambers are new, Smith is away with the Olympics, and while it is obviously disappointing the only way to improve the defence is to work and it and build understanding (in the absence of money to buy better defenders).
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Nunn_the_Wiser added 22:30 - Jul 31 Luongo appreciation society.
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ian_marshall added 22:30 - Jul 31 Hi jas0999 You are my hero and I'd like to meet up with you one town game and have a picture taken with you. <3
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fussysnake added 22:33 - Jul 31 Was at the Luton game, but not toight. from what I can gather, the defence is not that bad other than set peices, it seems to be that our forwards cant finish chances and the midfielders loose the ball too easily. More signings please PJ; need another CB, a CF and maybe another attacking midfielder
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clive_baker added 22:37 - Jul 31 The defence have no protection and haven't done for years. Hyam isn't up to Championship standard i'm afraid and while Bullard and Drury are technically good, they don't have the legs to protect the back 4 from their midfield pressing. No successful side at this level is so without that protection and legs in front of the back 4. Derry remains the one that got away and we haven't come close to replacing him with the quality required since.

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pazelle added 22:39 - Jul 31 Why no 4231? I really don't understand? And stop kissing Luongo's bubble butt, leave that to AVB! Mark McGhee's Bristol Rovers are no mugs...
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TractorBoy666 added 22:39 - Jul 31 Jas0999, you said on your other comment, that was your last post. So why have you posted again?!
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gibbo added 22:42 - Jul 31 I know it's only a run out, but it does show we don't have a team to change things around.
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Suffolk_n_Good added 22:46 - Jul 31 "Luton & Southend not easy games!!!" Am I missing something?!? We're a Championship team for crying out loud! You'd better hope for a good start to the season Jewelly-baby or you can kiss Suffolk goodbye.....
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BROTHERBLUE1974 added 22:48 - Jul 31 Only pre-season, not to worry. The results don't mean any thing. I was told all this when I had my opinion the other day. Well all I can say is looks like its gonna be a long season under PJ...
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Edmunds5 added 22:48 - Jul 31 We're lacking in certain areas, that's obvious. we need 3 players in my opinion if we are to compete with the top sides in this league, a pacey centre half, a left sides player and a striker, possibly even another cm. our midfield has no balance in my opinion, when i see the team line up i always wonder where each midfielder will play, i know its pre season but we need players comfortable with there roles, its anyones guess where Stevensson will end up playing. so we need to get players comfortable will their jobs and ME needs to try and support PJ, and we dont have to go and spend millions to do that, just be clever with the finances.

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casanovacrow added 22:48 - Jul 31 we need to be "stronger, mentally and physically in one-to-one challenges.” you cant expect to play the players he does and expect them to out muscle teams twice the size of ours. "you always feel we're susceptible to the counter-attack.” because you play with two full backs who like to get forward and wingers who have very little defensive qualities. sorry Paul but don't blame this on the players, its you who picks the teams and buys the players who all have those weaknesses.

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TownOnTheUp added 22:49 - Jul 31 I genuinely don't want you to stop posting Jas. These forums would be boring without you to balance out the optimists. On topic - holy cow. I've just posted a long comment on the actual match story so go read that for my feelings. However, after reading this I'll add that Paul Jewell is a terrible manager. If something is wrong at a club then you fix it. You have been complaining about our failings since you came in. You have almost had 3 full transfer windows and a full season. Sort it out or get out. This kind of thing actually makes me angry. Things can be fixed, so don't think I'm just overly negative. It was a pre-season friendly, it means little, but it demonstrates a lack of progress if nothing else. Please Jewell, Clegg, Evans, anyone, fix this football club so that I'm not inclined to post negative comments on twtd and can start being positive.

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ArnieM added 22:51 - Jul 31 Can someone please explain to me why this Club STILL hasn't sorted out the dire need for four decent CB's. Delaney is a bloody joke - always has been. Chambers is new and finding his feet here ( I hope that's the reason) Smith is off playing at being a bloody olympian when he should be at this Club establish a partnership with Chambers, and we have no other credable CB. Just when hell IS Jewell going to sort this bloody defence out. Furhermore , have also just bought ourselevs a GK that is no better than the inadequate ALB ? If nothing else it demonstrates we have actually sod all quality in depth and in some positions, not even in the first 11. Any chance of decent signings before the start of the season or are to be left once again rueing the "ones that got away" ?

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Blueknight85 added 22:51 - Jul 31 i feel tommy smith probably deals with set pieces and crosses beter than delaney as he has a good head on him so might be interesting between those two this year
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Pique added 22:52 - Jul 31 jas0999: I've tried to give you the benefit of the doubt at times, I really have, but your attitude tonight is just ludicrous. THEY'RE FRIENDLIES!!! For God's sake, Newcastle got stuffed by Leyton Orient in preseason the year they walked the Championship. If we lose our first two league games in similarly disappointing circumstances, with the kind of failings that you have every right to point out still visible, then that's one thing. But this is just silly. It's cheap, and all you're doing ultimately is undermining your own argument.

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TownOnTheUp added 22:53 - Jul 31 I genuinely don't want you to stop posting Jas. These forums would be boring without you to balance out the optimists. On topic - holy cow. I've just posted a long comment on the actual match story so go read that for my feelings. However, after reading this I'll add that Paul Jewell is a terrible manager. If something is wrong at a club then you fix it. You have been complaining about our failings since you came in. You have almost had 3 full transfer windows and a full season. Sort it out or get out. This kind of thing actually makes me angry. Things can be fixed, so don't think I'm just overly negative. It was a pre-season friendly, it means little, but it demonstrates a lack of progress if nothing else. Please Jewell, Clegg, Evans, anyone, fix this football club so that I'm not inclined to post negative comments on twtd and can start being positive.

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jollyroger added 22:54 - Jul 31 come on guys its not all pjs fault he is trying to bring in better players but m e is not helping if he wants p league football at portman road he must give our manager a bigger transfer kitty
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Pique added 22:55 - Jul 31 Oh, and for the record, I don't want jas0999 to stop posting either. Life would be pretty dull if we all agreed about everything, and we're all ITFC at the end of the day.
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omuircheartaigh added 22:57 - Jul 31 It is a bit worrying if these headlines remain so frequent. Earlier this week, JET took it upon himself to ask us to chill out and get behind the team. Hopefully, he will start doing his talking on the pitch - and soon. Ditto his colleagues. Unforutnately, Jewell doesn't seem to be getting things right tactically, or else the players just aren't performing for him. Maybe it will change dramatically when season begins, but I must admit to having my doubts. Unless we get the basics right, we won't make the progress we all want to make, and unfortunately, Jewell is not the first manager to express frustrations as he has done again this evening.

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