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Jewell: Formation May Work Better Away - Ipswich Town News

Blues boss Paul Jewell conceded that Town’s 4-5-1 formation may be more suited to away games after Town’s 1-0 home defeat to Hull City. However, the Liverpudlian felt Saturday’s result was more down to his players not being at their best.

Jewell said: "It may possibly be a formation which works better away from home but we’ve got to have the personnel.

"However, I think whatever formation we play, we’re entitled to create more chances at home than we did against Hull.

"We had a few players who were off the pace, no doubt about that. We can talk formations all day long, it’s about 11 players really.”

Speaking ahead of the game, the Town manager said his side sometimes find it harder at home than they do away, something which again proved to be the case against the Tigers: "Teams often come at us when we’re away from home and at home the onus is on the home team, that’s always been the way in football. That’s why the first goal is vital.

"We hit a couple of diagonal balls in great situations and we either mis-controlled the ball or didn’t get a cross in. We’ve a newish half-a-team there. We’ve got to get better and we will get better.

"I wasn’t getting too excited last week and, although I’m disappointed, it’s not as if I’ve just woken up and thought ‘bloody hell! We’re not going to win the league!’. It’s a work in progress.”

Jewell says Saturday’s match illustrated the tightness of the division: "It is a tough league. Nothing comes easy in life. The team which will get out of this league will be consistent.

"Everyone thinks Leicester will run away with it because they have more spending power than anyone else.

"I was speaking to Nigel Pearson before the match and he was saying every game is the toss of a coin - the teams are really, really evenly matched.

"Everyone thinks they should be in the top six, everyone thinks they are dark horses, that’s the way it is. This time last week I was saying ‘we’ve won 3-0 but let’s not get too excited’.”

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