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Jewell Already Working on Summer Targets - Ipswich Town News

Boss Paul Jewell says he’s already working on his targets for next season with the priority adding one or perhaps two strikers. The Town manager says other clubs in the Championship — including Norwich City — have the type of predatory frontmen he is looking for.

Jewell said: "It’s fair to say that we’ve started the process of improving the squad for next season now. We’re putting some feelers out and getting lists together of players that we would like to bring in. It isn’t like it’s a bottomless pit but everyone knows that we need to improve.

"We desperately need a goalscorer and we will improve that situation in the coming months. We’re actively trying to do that now for next season.

"So, without trying it make too many empty promises, once we’ve made sure we stay in this league, which I’m sure we will, we’ve got to get at least one goalscorer, if not two.”

The Blues boss knows the type of player he wants, citing a Canary and a Doncaster frontman he recently watched in action as examples: "There’s one down the road, Grant Holt, who gets on the end of things. There’s Billy Sharp, there’s Danny Graham at Watford. If we had someone who could get 20 goals, we’d be somewhere close to the play-offs.

"We need some players for next season to help what we’ve got. Goalscorers make a lot of difference. Look at Leeds, they’ve scored 68 goals, they’ve conceded goals but they score goals and that takes the pressure off the lads at the back.

"When we concede a goal, especially in the manner we’ve conceded the goals we have in the last two home games from corners, it’s really disappointing and it makes it hard mentally for the players - they’ve got to score two goals at least to get a win. We’ve got to make sure next season that we turn possession and chances into goals.”

Jewell says Tuesday’s defeat to Watford was a case in point: "Sometimes when you look at the difference between two teams [it’s interesting].

"They scored in the third minute and in the 90th minute. They won 3-0 and I think they’ve had two shots on target in the second half and scored two goals.

"We had all the possession and huffed and puffed, but never really looked like blowing their house down, being brutally honest with you.

"We hit the post and the bar in the first half and sent in plenty of crosses but there weren’t too many people prepared to go in there and get hurt - and that’s what we need.”

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