Blues boss Paul Jewell says he will look to sign a holding midfielder over the summer to try to take the pressure off his defenders next season. The Town manager feels his backline is often left exposed when opposition sides break, particularly at Portman Road as was the case in last night’s 3-3 draw with Middlesbrough.

Jewell said: “It’s about being in the right areas at the right time. We’ve not really got that holding midfielder, that defensive midfielder.

“The team’s done smashing, I’m not here to rip them apart because we’ve had a bad night defensively, but we need a big, strong holding midfield player who is going to make it easier for our back four lads.

“If we’re going to play that system we’ve got to have someone who is going to sit in there and stop the flow of attacks. Certainly at home, it doesn’t seem to happen away from home.

“When we’re at home, we’re quite open, we want to attack, we want to get forward and that system at times leaves us vulnerable to counter-attack with the personnel we’ve got, as well as they’ve done."

Up until Boro netted twice in a minute just before half-time, the Town boss was happy with how the game was progressing: “At 1-0 I thought we were comfortable, we’d played some good stuff. Young Carson again looked quite lively but we needed the second goal. Then, defensively for 15 minutes just before half-time we went to pieces.

“I think we panicked a little bit. For the first goal we didn’t close their throw-in down, Damo slashes at it, it hits the bar and all of a sudden the whole atmosphere of the game changed.

“I thought we’d been quite comfortable. But let’s be fair to their two front players. The lad who came on, Andy Halliday, and Scott McDonald caused us problems all night. Give them a bit of credit.”

Meanwhile, left-back Mark Kennedy looks to be a doubt ahead of Saturday’s game at Bristol City after coming off with a tight hamstring towards the end. The veteran Irishman is likely to be replaced by Darren O’Dea, who took over from him last night.

Photo: Action Images

Blue_badge added 13:28 - Apr 13 Not going to give Hyam a run out then ?
0

svendust added 13:29 - Apr 13 Not suprising after last night, hope he has more luck than Keane did getting a player of that mould.
0

Doctor_Albran added 13:32 - Apr 13 Jewell used the term big and strong - they obviously think that at 5ft 8in Hyam is a little lightweight for that role - maybe they'll get him to bulk up in the summer.
0

Shaneo added 13:34 - Apr 13 Time to bring back Campo?? Is Makélélé available?
0

Bobby_Petta added 13:37 - Apr 13 How giving Shane O'Connor a chance? whats the point of playing O'Dea when his going back to Celtic. As for holding midfielder what Luke Hyam? If Norris and Co are not going to sigin, then we should be trying out these players and planning for next season, we are not going down or up, so have nothing to lose. Give Smith,Brown,Civelli and Peters a chance. What ever happens I do trust Jewell, next season top six finish!

0

casanovacrow added 13:39 - Apr 13 Hyam didn't put a foot wrong in that role earlier in the season. Why waste money when we got him? He may not be built like a tank but you don't have to be if you go about the job the right way which he does
0

Zippy_is_a_blue added 13:43 - Apr 13 Yes I agree Nothing wrong with Hyam
0

hampstead_blue added 13:45 - Apr 13 I agree that we need a strong holding CM, but surely the problem is Delaney! Why get a player in to cover someone who is clearly not good enough for our needs. A great CB alongside GMac would be perfect.
0

austractor added 13:51 - Apr 13 Yeah I would feel abit hard done by if I was Hyam. Also, as he is one of the lads whose contract is up surely he could get himself a contract with a lower league club. I imagine he would rather play than run around in the rubbishy reserve league.
0

clive_baker added 13:54 - Apr 13 Hyam is nowhere near the level required to hold down a place in a Championship side. Jewel is right though we need a ball winner, and to be fair to Keane he knew it too. He threw Hyam in when we had little options after failing to get Derry and to be fair he did OK but nothing more. He's a battler but on the ball he is a million miles from being good enough. To say he didnt put a foot wrong is ridiculous. He got stuck in, i'll give him that but when it came to anything more advanced he was lacking. Keane saw it, Jewel is seeing it, i dont understand why our fans cant see it. He isn't the answer. Question is, who is out there that would want to come here?

0

TractorMan added 13:56 - Apr 13 I think Jewell is thinking of a player in the mould of Bouba Diop or Olofinjana (Wolves now Cardiff I think). We never seem to get those type of players and hence get bullied in the midfield. Now someone like that who will just sit and when we attack not venture too far beyond the half way line would be perfect. Jewell is spot on again, although I guess this was what Keane was trying to do with Derry?

0

Hungry_Badger added 13:57 - Apr 13 Hyam is for the long term but at the moment he is still relatively inexperienced, I remember against Qpr at home he got ripped apart. You need someone who has been playing in that role for a while and knows how to deal with players that are better 'footballers' than them.
0

bluelady added 14:07 - Apr 13 Love hyam but think we need experience and someone he can learn from.... if looking for holding player assume we will remain one up front? Hope hyam gets deal def one for future
0

OldClactonBlue added 14:12 - Apr 13 Liam Trotter continues to grow in stature at Millwall. He was made a scapegoat rather too quickly.
0

itfc1981 added 14:20 - Apr 13 for God sake dont take a risk with Kennedy, he has to play against Norwich. We cant have O'dea playing against them again.
0

DiamondGezzer added 14:21 - Apr 13 I Like Hyam's ' young man's passion ' when he plays, Connor has it and so does Carson. A thought occurs, I wonder if Hyams gone off the boil in training ? As posted ^, definately got a good future - hope he gets a contract !
0

fourth added 14:24 - Apr 13 Of course our under-rated New Zealander held Italy at bay for 90 minutes. Remember? He was a tower of strength.
0

sonian_blue added 14:30 - Apr 13 I was thinking ahead to that one when he came on last night itfc1981. Also believe Hyam is a star for the future and he should be getting a run in the team now. Safe from the drop with no chance of going up, lets give the likes of him, O'connor, Eastman, Murray (call him back) etc a run. It can only benefit the man and the team.
0

blue_em_away added 14:46 - Apr 13 fourth We are not playing Italy every week. Most players play there heart out against the best and in view of the whole world. The best players do it against all teams and infront of 2 billion or 2,000. OldClactonBlue Trotter has nothing to add to ITFC. He is an average player in an average team.
0

dreblue added 15:06 - Apr 13 As someone has already said this has DERRY DERRY DERRY DERRY DERRY all over it. They guy was at Portman Road ready to sign and we couldnt agree terms. Those sort of players don't come around very often and goes to show the importance of such players. Let's hope Jewell can get his targets. I agree that this is a great shame for the likes of Hyam but if we realistically want to get promoted we need quality and experience, which this has clearly showed with the introduction of Bullard into the team. COYB!!

0

dan_itfc55 added 15:11 - Apr 13 hamstead_blue - why do u think delaney is not good enough? I think our defence would be much worse off without him there!
0

fallyblue added 15:19 - Apr 13 when he was at Wigan i think he got Palasios to do that job. they then sold him to Spurs for a lot of money. maybe he still has some contacts in south America.
0

Ohiotractorboy added 15:24 - Apr 13 Funny, quite a few people's immediate reaction (as was mine) was what about Hyam??
0

phumph added 15:38 - Apr 13 Agree that Hyam needs to be given another chance, but didnt Colin Healy play the holding role in a five man midfield against Arsenal. Seem to recall we didnt do to bad against them.
0

Scuzzer added 15:48 - Apr 13 Kennedy was used in the hlding role against Arsenal...and did a fine job.
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls