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Berra: League's So Tight You're Never Safe
Friday, 25th Nov 2016 12:40

Town are not blind to the fact that a form dip has seen them slide down the Championship table to within just five points of the relegation zone, according to defender Christophe Berra.

At the same time, Mick McCarthy’s men find themselves just six points off the play-offs after a run of 10 games that has brought two wins, four draws and four defeats — 10 points from the 30 on offer.

Berra said: “This league’s so tight that you’re never safe. We’re just focusing on the game on Saturday against QPR, when we’ll be trying to get the three points, and worrying about ourselves.”

Town have been booed off at the end of their two most recent home games — the 2-2 draw with bottom club Rotherham and last week’s 2-0 defeat by a Nottingham Forest side who recorded their first away win of the season.

“That’s just normal,” added Berra. “I’ve been at clubs in the past where even when things were going well the fans were not always happy.

“They have a right to voice their opinions and as players we have to be big enough and wise enough to blank it out and concentrate on the football.

“That’s the nature of all team sports — you can’t please everyone. They all have their own views and you’ve got to respect that.


“They might not always be right but that’s football and that’s why millions of people throughout the world watch it.

“They’ve all got opinions, that’s down to them and there’s nothing we can do about it. All we can do about it is try to do our best to win games.”

Berra has appeared three different defensive partners this season — new signing Adam Webster started there, long-serving Tommy Smith regained his place and skipper Luke Chambers has also switched from right-back when required since Smith was sidelined with a back injury.

The former Wolves defender was asked if it made any difference whether Webster or Smith lined up alongside him and he replied: “No, they are both good players. Adam’s come in and done a great job. He’s a good player with a bright future and Tommy’s done it year in, year out.

“They’ve both got their attributes and whenever they have played neither has done himself any harm. They’ve always done well.”

When Chambers has had to move across to the centre of the defence the gap at right-back has been filled by 19-year-old Josh Emmanuel and Berra added: “It’s a learning experience for him. He’s not played many first team games and it’s always difficult, especially at home, when the team is not doing as well as it has done in the past.

“Fans have been booing and for a young boy it’s a learning curve. But he’s got a wise head on him and he’ll have to learn quickly. You just have to get on with it because it’s part and parcel of football and you’ve got to be thick skinned and move on.

“When I was at Hearts we went through a sticky spell one season. Football’s not plain sailing and unless you’re playing for one of the top five clubs in the world it’s full of ups and downs. To be honest we’re Ipswich Town, we’re not world beaters and we’ve got to realise that.

“We’ve got to make sure that when we do play games we’re operating at 90, 95 or even 100 per cent to get the results. This league is so competitive and all the other teams are the same, apart from Newcastle obviously — they’re a good team.

“Even in the past when we’ve done well there have been so many games that have been so close. We might have been 2-1 down and come back to 2-2 or even won 3-2 but this season it’s just not happening for us at the moment.

“But we’re not losing confidence, we’re going into every game thinking we can win it and no one will like coming to Portman Road.”

Meanwhile, Berra is keen to add to his 100 per cent appearance record with his first goal of the current campaign.

In each of the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons he and Smith contributed 11 goals between them, although they only shared three last season, but they and Webster are still waiting to break their ducks this time around.

Berra said: “I haven’t scored but I’ll take our winner at Hillsborough as an assist, although winning the game is all that really matters.

“Obviously we’d love to score more goals and we’re trying our best. Maybe we’re marked a bit more these days and things are not falling for us.

“We go out to score as many goals as we can but this season I don’t think I’ve had that many chances. I’ve been in and around things but I’ve not really managed to get any clear-cut chances to be honest.”


Photo: Action Images



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TractorCam added 13:07 - Nov 25
It isn't a form dip if it's been going on all season!
4

Smithy added 13:14 - Nov 25
if we had a dip in form that would be really alarming considering our form is poor as it is, or does the dip in form relate to 2014?
1

Ferguson added 13:30 - Nov 25
I'm finding that these interviews are increasingly pessimstic. There's an admission in this one of a gap in class, of us not being as good, other teams playing better than we are, luck not being with us.

I think too there's a gap opening up between us supporters and the players, and in this case Berra's looking for things in the past, when he was younger, at another club, to explain what's happening here and now and to predict what's to come.

A bit like Mick.

Such a shame.

7

martin587 added 13:39 - Nov 25
We could be safe if you all pulled your socks up.!!
1

prebsa added 16:08 - Nov 25
The other day it was Chambers turn this week it's berras turn. Wonder who gets the duties next week. Mick just picks out a hat. These interviews are really starting to wind me up!
6

therein61 added 18:24 - Nov 25
Unless the current selection of favourites and the pee poor effort shown when on the park changes pdq we are heading for the trap door, not that Mick appears to give a toss about that, the supporters, and the club in general he has a nice big fat contract for failing in his duties, and has in 4 years(agreed a very promising start keeping us up!) only succeeded in messing up our great club, an honest Yorkshire man don't make me laugh you are just taking the p1ss kindly go away but leave your company tractor behind we need to cut the grass
2

MicksZzzTactics added 04:09 - Nov 26
"We're going into every game thinking we can win it"???!!!

Hmmm maybe I'm really due for a visit to the optometrist after all :-) lol but this is definitely NOT what I'm remotely seeing when I look at anything ITFC related taking place on the field and from the 1st whistle this year: From your mere facial expressions to your overall body language and disenchanted gesticulating, to the nearly always ultra sissy & hedgehoglike way you wind up playing and performing in the opening half (2nd half MIGHT turn out at little different story at times incl. actually tallying more than the symptomatic 1 or 2 'shots on target'!!!) to the 'bottom falling out' of each and every single one of you players in visible utter resignation & cluelessness if the team concedes a very early goal (as you have done on 2 occasions recently!) with this obviously being partly due to the team having been given NO viable Plan B or C in case of such an early negative event by the tactical inept fossil acting as your manager!!!......... so ehhhh alas as the big ballZzz frightless person and longtime fan I'm it's thus more than tempting to think this here particular question out real loud: How much did The Dinosaur or more likely Ebenezer Evans's public relation pet for ITFC matters Ian "I lie convincingly don't I?" Milne pay you -- you Mr. Berra the poor fellow who apparently drew the shortest straw this here week lol -- to tell such apparent porkies??? :-)
0

BrettenhamBlue added 11:04 - Nov 26
Dip in form? You mean we could play worse? I honestly thought Forest was as poor as it could get!

I have to agree with Mickszzztactics again. I have never seen us play with so much extreme negativity. We aim for 0-0 from the start whistle in some games. There is no plan B. If the other team scores we have no idea what to do and sometimes even time-waste! When we are 1-0 down! Bart saves us game after game and then One of the players is picked to come up with excuses.
2

Steelmonkey added 12:00 - Nov 26
So Christophe, I read in the paper that you say we are are not Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, well at least you've got that right. We fans don't turn up expecting us to win by two or three clear goals, but what we do expect to see is a team that doesn't stand about static, rooted to the spot, watching the opposition. Both Forest goals came from that sort of play. Watching the game is our job, yours is to track the opposition and stop them from scoring.
What this team has at the moment is pathetic defence, an inadequate midfield and talentless front line.
I hold this down to be the managers fault, we keep hearing that funds are available from hierarchy at PR, although no one expects it to be a bottomless pot, and it's not always about buying yourself out of a hole. His tactics border on stupidity, and we don't look like a championship side.
I really believe that any talent is continually being coached out of these players.
Just hoping that we are able do something against QPR today. COYB'S
1


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