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Jewell: Too Susceptible to Counter-Attacks - Ipswich Town News

Boss Paul Jewell bemoaned his side’s susceptibility on the counter-attack after losing 4-1 at Millwall. The Blues manager hit out at some of his players for failing to do their jobs.

A disappointed Jewell said: "The way we conceded the goals was hugely disappointing. I think when we got back to 2-1 I think expected to go on and maybe get something out of the game, but we’re susceptible to the counter-attack and that was shown up today."

Town’s vulnerability to counter-attacks goes back to last season, although Jewell says that that's ancient history, believing that some of his current players simply aren’t doing what they’re told: "Last season’s well and truly gone, I’m talking about this season and I think we all know we’re susceptible to the counter-attack, there’s no denying that.

"The reason for that is that too many people want to do their own thing. We’ve got a team and we’ve got to try and get the best out of them and there are too many people who want to try and do their own thing at the moment, and that’s why we’re getting caught out.”

The Blues boss cited Millwall’s second goal as an example of when players weren’t doing what they were supposed to: "When we’re attacking, they don’t pick up. Thinking about the second Millwall goal, the ball drops to Jay Simpson, there’s three of us round him and no one’s gone on the front foot. We’ve backed off and we’ve backed off. For some reason we’re backing off.”

Jewell admits that the performance was nowhere near those in the recent spell of better form: "In that run we had we took the game to the opposition, today we were nowhere near.”

Town’s cause wasn’t helped by two first half injuries but the Blues manager refused to blame the changes of personnel: "Lee Bowyer’s nicked his hamstring and the same with Sonko. It didn’t help us but we won’t be using that as an excuse.

"At 2-1, you’re thinking that we might have ridden the storm and we might come back, but we didn’t.”

Millwall manager Kenny Jackett was unsurprisingly delighted: "It was a very good game. To get back to back wins against Leicester away and Ipswich at home is big for us.”

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