By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions. We in turn value your personal details in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Town 2-2 AFC Bournemouth Monday, 21st Apr 2014 17:35
Paul Anderson and Paul Green were on target as Town and Bournemouth drew 2-2 at Portman Road. Anderson put the home side in front on 36 but the Cherries hit back via Steve Cook's overhead kick just before the break. Green's first Blues goal restored the lead on 56 but Matt Ritchie's deflected freekick gained a point for the Dorset club.
Christophe Berra and Luke Hyam missed out due to injury with on-loan Middlesbrough man Frazer Richardson handed his first Blues start at right-back. Skipper Luke Chambers moved to his preferred position of centre-half alongside Tommy Smith.
Anthony Wordsworth continued in central midfield in Hyam’s absence with Anderson returning on the right and Stephen Hunt on the left, with Frank Nouble dropping to the bench.
Neither side was able to carve out an opening in a scruffy first 15 minutes of over-hit passes at both ends of the field.
There was a scare for the Blues on 14 when Chambers lost his footing but the ball ran through to Gerken before Lewis Grabban was able to get onto it. Two minutes later, the former Millwall striker hit a low effort wide from distance.
On 25 Yann Kermorgant headed well over with chances still rare but with Bournemouth having most of the ball.
Two minutes later, the Frenchman went closer when he nodded Marc Pugh’s cross from the left just over. Soon after, Eunan O’Kane lashed wildly into the upper tier of the Sir Bobby Robson Stand when he should have done better after Ritchie’s mis-hit effort fell to him inside the box.
Hunt switched to the right and Anderson to the left as the Blues looked to get more into the game. On 34 Jonny Williams sent Aaron Cresswell away down the left but the full-back shot wide.
Despite the visitors having been the better of the two teams, the Blues went ahead in the 36th minute. Cole Skuse was found in unfamiliar territory on the right and sent in a low cross. Daryl Murphy couldn’t reach it, but Anderson smashed his fifth goal of the season into the roof of the net from a few feet out at the far post.
Town were close to adding a second two minutes later after Pugh had fouled Williams not far outside the area. Cresswell curled a goalbound freekick but Cherries keeper Lee Camp did superbly to tip it onto his right post.
Richardson did well to divert Ritchie’s low cross away from Pugh at the far post as the visitors looked to get back on terms.
On 41 Grabban shot wide after a blocked Ritchie shot had deflected to him in a good position in the area.
And it wasn’t long before Bournemouth were back on terms. A Charlie Daniels freekick from deep on the left was headed into the air by Cook at the far post and Cherries the defender acrobatically overhead kicked into the roof of the net.
Just before the whistle Wordsworth hit a shot into Camp’s arms when he might well have tested the one-time Town target more.
It would have been harsh on the visitors to have found themselves behind at the break as they had shaded what hadn’t been a great half, creating most of the better opportunities with Town having gone in front from their only clear-cut chance.
However, the Blues could easily have found themselves two in front before the equaliser but for Camp’s excellent save from Cresswell’s freekick.
Ahead of the restart, Town switched Wordsworth for Green and Anderson and Hunt swapped back to the right and left respectively.
The Cherries started the second half on top and on 50 Grabban almost latched onto a ball over the top having got beyond the Town backline. On 53 Nouble replaced Anderson, who had suffered a knock soon after the break.
Town went back in front with their first chance of the second half. After Williams was fouled by Simon Francis on the left, Cresswell sent over a freekick, Smith flicked it on and sub Green stooped to nod home his first goal for the Blues.
Murphy thought he was away and in the clear from Williams’s pass on the hour only for the linesman to raise his flag, wrongly according to the Town players.
The Cherries should have been on terms in the 65th minute when Francis crossed from the right and the ball deflected to Pugh who really ought to have scored but lashed wildly over. That was the former Hereford man’s last involvement as Bournemouth boss swapped him and Daniels for Tokelo Rantie and Adam Smith.
Having gone in front Town were largely content to sit back, soak up everything Bournemouth could throw at them and catch them on the break. On 77 Tyrone Mings replaced Williams with Cresswell moving to an unfamiliar right midfield role.
The sub was quickly into the action, heading the ball away from goal after Rantie had nodded it beyond the advancing Gerken who was outside the area as the Cherries broke following a Town freekick.
Ten minutes from time, the visitors equalised for the second time. After Smith had fouled Rantie five yards outside the area, Andrew Surman played a freekick short to Ritchie, who hit a low shot which took a huge deflection off Skuse at the end of the Town wall and beat the wrong-footed Gerken.
On 84 Mings flicked Cresswell’s freekick from the left just beyond the far post as the Blues looked to restore their lead once again.
The game was now an end to end, very open affair. Richardson dispossessed Grabban in a dangerous position inside the Town area, then almost immediately at the other end Murphy and Hunt were just unable to get on a Nouble cross from the left.
Bournemouth continued to take the game to tiring Town as the match moved into its final minutes. On 88 Gerken saved Kermogant’s shot from the edge of the box, then as the fourth official announced four additional minutes the Blues keeper did well to get down to his right to push Grabban’s low shot wide.
The visitors presented the greater threat during injury time, a mis-hit Skuse shot after a corner had been cleared to him 25 yards out the nearest the Blues came to a winner.
There was almost a moment of controversy right at the end when referee D’Urso blew the final whistle as Kermogant headed a cross narrowly wide.
A draw was probably a fair result. Bournemouth were the better side before the break, while Town presented a greater threat in the second half before going in front for the second time.
After that the Blues - who had had a day fewer to recover from their first Easter weekend game - defended in depth and were unfortunate with the Cherries’ second equaliser. But overall it would have been harsh on the visitors had they taken nothing from the game, particularly given some of the chances they created but spurned.
With Brighton drawing 1-1 at home to Blackpool and Nottingham Forest winning 2-0 at Leeds, Town are eighth a point from Brighton in sixth, while Reading, a point and a place behind the Blues, are in action at home to Middlesbrough on Tuesday.
football has definatly moved on from the long ball game being played at the top level hardly any prem teams play that way anymore and its better off for it. even if JWM feels the ipswich way never existed it certainly a reasonable idea to have passing attacking football as the ipswich way is it not. i detest the long ball game so much that mick would have to get us promoted for me to feel that it is a reasonable compensation for having to watch it all year long. if he dosent take us up all the long balls defensive tactics etc will have been for nothing and we may have well has just gone for it finished a few places lower possibly and risked a few tonkings-on the other hand we may have done a swansea who knows
JWM .............. Question: How long have you been following / watching Ipswich Town ??
In terms of 'watching' I mean actually being there week after week - NOT from the Armchair.
Had you been watching / following as long as some of us have - you would undoubtebly know what 'the iPSWICH WAY' really is. It certainly isn't what we are seeing now.
The likes of Muhren and Thyssen would not have stayed a month at this Club - playing the way we do now. It would digust both of them.
Has the game really 'moved on' to what we are currently seeing - I think NOT. Start talking sense - Please.
It was a decent game of football yesterday and a fair result played in front of a decent crowd, good too see some of you moaners getting out of you arm chairs! were have you been all season?
ridiculous comments seem to be the norm on here, stop moaning and support the best manager we have had for years, try changing the record, Town are 1 point off the play offs not 1 point off relegation short memories!
blue moon09 ............... asking too much obviously for you to understand the difference between 'moaning' and 'constructive comment'. No point in pursuing further debate.
I'm waiting for the comment to come from one of you 'forever happy chappies' - that we should be satisfied that we are actually in 'The Football League' - such is the obvious extent of your ambition.
YES - we have had a much better season - but that was the objective - wasn't it ?
YES - some of us want more for / from 'our Club' - it's called AMBITION - What's wrong with that ??
I don't give a damn about where we finished last season. M M is a boring man who plays boring football. Were Bournmouth better towatch yesterday? They have a manager wno plays the game the right way and they are nust behindus in the table. So can anyone answer the question as to why we have such a small squad with several sub standard players when we have mega multi millionaire owner. The sooner Evans sells up to an owner who genuinely cares about the club the better. Then perhaps we will be rid of Boring Billy. I bet this will not go down too well in the playground
Very disappointed but realistically if Town are going to cough and hiccup our way to the playoffs we are not really ready for Premier, most of the real fans do have ambition but real life, imagine Gerken in goal for the final, he isn't good enough so many mistakes, and seems to get away from MM s eye sorry and why wasn't Taylor used second half ! Surely we are paying a lot for someone on the bench . Also those bloggers who want MM out TC and half the squad will go with them, so c'mon some of you on this sight ! P,s you girls are very much entitled to an opinion
I imagine JWM wasn't even born to realize that that there is ( was) an Ipswich Way of playing soccer and it existed up until the George Burley era who was clearly a disciple of the Great Sir Bobby. Maybe if he were to spend more time on analyzing the Town supporters comments and less time on insulting them then he might just begin to understand the ire of the Blues fans with this monotonous, hoofing, up and under style of soccer we play under MM. It is the right of every supporter to voice his or her opinion on the TWTD site and also to not have to put up with anal insults by someone who seems to delight in offending fellow supporters. If JWM can't stand it then maybe he should switch to Norwich or Bradford Park Avenue. Put up or shut up JWM !
I think it would be a complete embarrassment if we were to go up this season. The squad we have have struggled all season against some poor opposition, those of you who have said what an entertaining game it was yesterday are being lulled into a state where you think a draw is a good result. Lets face facts the way we play is at this point of time is "the Ipswich way". We don't have a squad that can play a passing game, and compete in the way we did a few years ago. I am sure our manager realises this and has used the only tactics that are capable of making this side a competative Championship club. We can all sit back and judge the tactics, substitutions and so on used, but having a small and not too talented squad does not give the manager many options. This season has seen a great improvement, but it's not nearly enough to take us to a promotion spot. Free transfers and out of contract players are going to be the norm untill we do clinch that promotion place and only then will there be cash available to truly improve the team. So promotion and a cash windfall, together with a season of potentionly being played off the park is a plan forward, but not one for me to be looking forward to. Sorry if this sounds downbeat when mathematically we still have a chance of a play off place, buts thats how I see it.
My verdict weldone lads for getting thus far in the league.Disappointing easter but 2 wins 2 games to go not without a shout so lets roar them home. forest and brighton nailbiter for us !!! Friday 25th April 2014 Close SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP Show last 5 matches and coverage Fixture Kick-off Status Show Brighton v Yeovil 19:45 Saturday 26th April 2014 Close SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP Show last 5 matches and coverage Fixture Kick-off Status Show Burnley v Ipswich 12:15 Show Birmingham v Leeds 15:00 Show Bournemouth v Nottm Forest 15:00 Show Charlton v Blackburn 15:00 Show Derby v Watford 15:00 Show Doncaster v Reading 15:00 Show Huddersfield v Leicester 15:00 Show Middlesbrough v Barnsley 15:00 Show QPR v Millwall 15:00 Show Sheff Wed v Bolton 15:00 Show Wigan v Blackpool 15:00 Tuesday 29th April 2014 Close SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP Show last 5 matches and coverage Fixture Kick-off Status Show Birmingham v Wigan 19:45 Show Charlton v Watford 19:45 Saturday 3rd May 2014 Close SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP Show last 5 matches and coverage Fixture Kick-off Status Show Barnsley v QPR 12:15 Show Blackburn v Wigan 12:15 Show Blackpool v Charlton 12:15 Show Bolton v Birmingham 12:15 Show Ipswich v Sheff Wed 12:15 Show Leeds v Derby 12:15 Show Leicester v Doncaster 12:15 Show Millwall v Bournemouth 12:15 Show Nottm Forest v Brighton 12:15 Show Reading v Burnley 12:15 Show Watford v Huddersfield 12:15 Show Yeovil v Middlesbrough 12:15
Clearly JWM has some personal issues. I find it hard to believe that you have been following Town for 35 years when I see the offensive comments you make about fellow supporters. Please remember the TWTD site is an open forum, meaning frank exchange of views but without insulting people. And by the way, I do remember Town under John Duncan ( Mick McGiven lasted too short a time to consider ) and I also remember the Blues under Bill McGarry so put that in your pipe. What I'm saying JWM is state your case but rid yourself of having to offend people all the time. Be eloquent and candid but cut the crap in so many words.
I understand that Mick has brought some structure to the club and restored the morale within the players and yes we do have a chance of the playoffs..and fully understand there are many ways to succeed in football..just look at how Chelsea approached the game against Atletico Madrid however I do not understand what we are trying to achieve by playing the way we did on Monday. Players giving their all to win the ball and then presumably under instruction to hit the ball aimlessly forward to a lone striker or often to no one at all. Playing the ball to the lone striker and hoping he wins it and then playing from there I understand but it is ancient .all it achieved was to give possession to Bournemouth who continually attacked our defence. Sooner or later they will score. After all when you have the ball the opposition cant score..not difficult to understand is it .I do wonder what our players work on in training..not passing to the same coloured shirts as us is clearly not one of them. Great pitch for this stage of the season..not surprising when the ball is in the air all the time ..and as for going defensive after 73 mins ...well!
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
