D'oh...

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A lovely late winters day turned into a crisp winters night and everything was geared up for a home win for Ipswich. The grass was trimmed and the lines nice and white. The stewards huddled in a florescent cloud. The fans sat in expectation of a home victory to lead us a few points further away from danger. The referee held his whistle tight between his lips. The lineman scratched his leg and pulled up his socks. Managers exchanged handshakes, assistants paced around in an excited manner. The subs tried to look interested. Here we go...

What followed was indicative of what has happened all season. We had a chance to pull clear and get a run flowing finally yet we failed to grasp at the chance. We barely even turned up again on a frustrating display that lacked any sort of passion. Wheres a Gavin Johnson a Marcus Stewart someone with a bit of a spark in there bonce. If only Mick Stockwell would stop fitting kitchens and come back and show them how to play.


oh well.. keep ya chin up

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So a foggy evening at Portman Road; with mist streaming off the top of the North Stand down onto the pitch. A surface that is just about holding its own. The numerous (over 900) Watford fans were barely visible, but could be heard, full of joy as their team rides a wave that will no doubt see them get promoted.

I think Mick put out the best team on paper that was available, Murphy has begun to be less effective, and an improving Chopra cannot be ignored. It was pleasing to see Martin return to get some pace and work rate. It is disappointing that JET cannot win a seat on the bench - despite his flaws at least there is pace and an eye for a ball. Whether the team that started were drilled in an effective system and shape would be the question of the night - for a 15min spell it did 'click' when Edwards, Chopra and McGoldrick started to form a natural triangle and there was hope and a dissallowed goal. But oh so often a lack of creative ability, passing options and a tendency to go long hamstrung any progress. Football is not rocket science - if you have 2 strikers who need ball to feet, don't go long to them, if you go long all the time (Sterman, NDaw chief culprits) the ball comes straight back and you bring pressure on yourself.

I went with a number of Town fans who've given up season tickets over the preceding years. Great to get them back to a game, they enjoyed being there, the draft Adnams well received and just the occasion of a flood lit game. They are great to have along - they've left because of cost (over £30 last night) and the lack of quality passing. Simple as that. I don't blame them, I feel a bit stupid that I'm still going. But I just love the club and going to games. Some got very focused on 'Mick's long ball', some on the rise of Watford and the sad state that we are seen as the 'hoof' team, some just couldnt get over the price of the ticket for the poor quality on display. But it was still good fun. And at least we all rose to celebrate a well worked but disallowed goal.

So to the game, Watford lived up to their billing for the first 20mins, and you felt we were going to be 'elegantly bulldozed'. Some excellent passing and fast movement off the ball, moving the ball quickly into areas where town were not covering. Our center backs were just about coping, but then a loss of possession from NDaw or Hyam would ultimately result in balls behind Chambers and Smith and the pacey skilled Watford attack would threaten, hitting the bar after a sublime move. Stearman who has been very solid defensively (woeful in attack, but that is not his style) was struggling. Then Watford scored too easily, and it was a moment the hard gritty work failed, as we clumped around in a group, Watford worked it to the edge of box, and with a bit of luck, they found the net. They then pressed again, but interestingly Watford then took their foot off the gas, and this is why it became frustrating as Ipswich with just a little bit more quality could have grasped the game. Having said that Martin was getting some joy and the earlier penalty shout (for me it was a penalty) was a nice piece of play and movement. But then Martin was closed down, and the best play started to go through Martin, Edwards and McGoldrick - an excellent Chopra overhead kick and a golden chance where Chopra failed to find Edwards, who was breaking unmarked into the box. But what had blighted the first half was that inability to seize the game when Watford had relaxed their grip and the appalling distribution from NDaw and Stearman. I thought Hyam was doing well because he really was breaking up play, he was more let down by a lack of passing options, forcing him to go back or sideways. McGoldrick had to come deep and then hes trying to find a lone chopra up against 3 watford defenders.

So half time there was some positivity as we kept it to only 1 goal, and in reality Watford although threatening intermittently on the break were not in control and we had some chances. The half time video showed the lovely passing of Watford, then a couple of nice chances for Town and ultimately a penalty that should have been given.

The second half was frustrating; we continued to go long and give the ball away cheaply. Only Edwards, Chopra and McGoldrick and to a lesser extent Cresswell were passing and finding players, and thats when we prospered. However, Stearman, NDaw, and now Hyam in possession ultimately led to Watford getting ball due to us going long. McClean came on for Martin, who looked unfit by then, and again McClean frustrated because he failed to beat the man or had poor control. But in some ways he was being given all the wrong service.

We rallied again with the disallowed goal and for a short spell were on top, but seemingly because Watford were not pressing or we were managing to close them down quickly. Then Nouble was brought on for McGoldrick, and the game was lost. Nouble came on at 64, so he had over 25mins. In that entire spell he must have miscontrolled 4 times, missed 3 one on ones where it was very easy for the defender and won next to nothing in the air. When one of your few better players in McGoldrick is subbed and the more experienced Murphy stays on the bench, it is very frustrating for the fans. I dont have anything against Nouble, but I think I surveyed the Wolves board on his arrival and 9 feedbacks said he was poor. I've seen him play live a number of times now and barring a nice run and shot at Cardiff he has failed, and certainly looks to have half the ability of JET.

So Watford got their goal, and at that point Ipswich had gone back into their shell of long ball and very little possession. I did like through the game how our keeper was throwing, and how we managed to pass around the defence but this forced the play to get squeezed and very few options became available, and sadly Hyam, NDaw or Stearman when they picked up the ball did not have the finesse to run forward with it or to bring players onto them and free space, nor the vision for a good long pass. It would ultimately be lumped forward or an on the floor ball would be intercepted.

So all in all we did show some grit to grab the game, we didn't let Watford run away with it. And in some ways 2-0 was harsh. But the system just ain't working from an attacking perspective - you need to score to win games - and its terrible to watch. None of my friends will return this term. I'm planning to go to many more and cheer the boys on. But I can't be the only one that questions whether Mick after so many games in charge and a number of new players is not finding a rhythm and shape to threaten teams, and despite all the protestations of 'grin and bare it' - I don't want to see my Ipswich playing with so little quality.

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Once again our midfield was poor. Martin and Edwards offered little and N'Daw just kept giving the ball away.
I really don't know what has happened to N'Daw because he is a shadow of the player he was earlier in the season.

Having said that I thought part of the problem last night was that we showed Watford too much respect in the first half. Yes they are a very good side but at times we just stood back and watched them play!

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