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Jewell: We're Not Tough Enough - Ipswich Town News

Town manager Paul Jewell bemoaned his side’s inability to see out tough periods in games after their 2-1 extra-time Capital One Cup defeat at Carlisle.

Jewell said: "It was hugely disappointing. We controlled the game in the first half. The chances we’ve missed, we should have put the game behind us.

"We’re not a team that can see out tough periods in games. One long ball over the top, a cross comes in and it’s a goal.

"We didn’t pass the ball well enough in the second half and it showed our frailties. We need some power and we need a bit of bite in the team.

"You start to think you’re making progress and when we get it down and pass it we’re nice. But when it becomes a little bit physical, a little bit not as pretty as it should be, we haven’t got enough people in the group who can see those out.”

He felt his team ought to have had the game won before the break: "In the first half we were in control of the game, Chops has had a one-v-one, Josh has had a one-v-one. Goals change games.

"We’re not ruthless enough all over the pitch. It’s all right people talking about passing the ball and pretty football, that’s OK, but you’ve got to earn that right and too many of us don’t [earn that right].

"Some of them think they’ve arrived, some of them think they’re good players because people have been saying nice things about them. The last two results should be a wake-up call to them.

"This is a fantastic football club but we have to do the things that good teams do, which is scrap and fight and see ourselves through tough times, not just in seasons, in games.”

As at Blackpool, he thought his side only played sporadically during the game: "We’re playing games for periods and patches. A bit like on Saturday. For the first half hour there was nothing in the game, then we gave a goal away.

"The second goal [tonight], I don’t know what’s going through Cressy’s mind. Again, I don’t think Scott Loach has had any real saves to make, but we look vulnerable when we come under pressure.”

On top of the result, there was more bad news with three members of his currently small squad having injuries: "Luke Hyam has a hamstring and Carlos hurt his groin early on. Josh Carson got a little bit of a tight hamstring. With the long journey we’ve got, it’s not ideal to have extra-time.

"We’re stretched right to the limit. Luke felt his hamstring late on against Blackpool and he hasn’t trained since then.”

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