A lot has been written up and talked about on recent blogs about the new members of our squad, whether they be permanently or loan. So I thought I would give my view on things. I’m not an expert just a normal long-suffering Ipswich Town fan who is guilty of and you could say wasting my money on owning a season ticket in the Cobbold Stand.

I will stick to the three new arrivals who have been drafted into the squad in the last few days, Richie Wellens, DJ Campbell and Bilel Mohsni.

Richie Wellens

On a one-month loan from rivals Leicester City. I believe this could be a very decent signing for Paul Jewell and the club. There is no doubt that time is not on the side of the 32-year-old and especially off the back of a serious knee injury at the tail end of last season which has hampered his pre-season with the Foxes.

It’s obvious they have sent him out on loan to regain match sharpness after playing most of his games in the newly-formed U21 league. Nevertheless he will bring a bit of grit and steel to our midfield as well as undoubted experience in the middle of the park.

I think he is the driving force we have been lacking since a David Norris or Keith Andrews. His performance against Cardiff City on Saturday was a comfortable one despite the lack of game time he has had, the more games he plays the more confidence he will gain.

If he can link up well with DJ Campbell who he knows well from their time at Leicester then it can pay dividends. His experience will benefit the younger lads like of Luke Hyam and Massimo Luongo.

If the loan is a success there is always a possibility that he will be recalled back and be part of the Leicester team again this season and it may be a case of ‘what was the point?’. But I think that’s like that with any loan deal and if he can help us out and do what he has been brought in to then in my eyes everyone is happy.

DJ Campbell

This one had me drooling from the mouth. He’s been unlucky to at least not come off the bench for QPR this season, with strikers like Bobby Zamora, Djibril Cisse and Andy Johnson there it’s always going to break into the team.

On the other hand the guy has been there, done that and got the T-shirt most notably a Blackpool T-shirt but let’s not judge. He loves a promotion but right now we need him to get us out of a sticky mess! He is another type of player I think we have lacked and not just in this season, but for a few years since the era of Darren Bent. I’m not sure whether he will score as many goals as Benty did in his Ipswich career but what Campbell does have is raw pace and an eye for goal which frightens defenders!

Once he got into the game against Cardiff the other night you could see the confidence coming into his play after not playing for such a long while. The goal he scored was quite frankly hilarious especially the celebration. It was like a child had just stolen a handful of strawberry bonbons from a sweetshop and got away with it! BUT, at least he was there to take the chance.

The likes of Jason Scotland and Michael Chopra have failed to do that this season on more than one occasion. Once he finally came off due to fatigue it was like the game turned upside-down. It just shows what a real impact he had on the game. He is one of those players you can give the ball to and say, “Go on son, change the game and get me a goal”. A proper little striker! He’s here for three months which I hope turns into a longer period but let’s give the lad a chance!

Bilel Mohsni

A hot-head, temperamental and arrogant are some of the comments I have heard when people have explained or spoke about this guy. I thought it was a good idea to have a look at the lad on trial before we rushed into anything as he hasn’t exactly played for Paul Sturrock’s men in recent weeks, but only for him to get in a huff about the fact we wanted more time to look at him.

Nevertheless he must have realised how silly he was being to turn our club down, so he came back with his tail between his legs and signed on loan! This is the sort of player we need in my opinion. Too many teams probably see us as little old Ipswich,’ they're a nice team’. We need the strength, that aerial power the player that can take the game by the scruff of the neck.

I have been lucky to have seen him a few times for Southend while in League One. He is very versatile across a number of positions. I think every time I have seen them play he has been issued the task of another position! Primarily a centre-half, he plays anywhere across the back four or along the midfield and even been known to be deployed as a striker. He’ll need time to settle in and regain his match fitness and sharpness but a decent one for the club and maybe for the future.

At the end of the day, Ipswich is not a club that can go out and lodge a bid in for some unique talent and I’d hope most of the fans can realise this, so I guess the only way to complement this is to sign quality that is available on loan.

With the international break coming into force hopefully the manager can really get these players gelling together and the rest of the current squad, working as a team to get us up the table. I just hope Paul Jewell sticks to his words from a few weeks ago where he said he intends to sign players on loan that have a view to signing with us permanently. Any loan is not ideal but I honestly believe these three will change the course of our season. We can all hope anyway!

JimmyJazz added 11:26 - Oct 9 I have to disagree with your optimism on Wellens. With a two week break that means he's with us for only 2 more weeks (3 games). Don't see the point of a month loan that includes an international break
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wadey added 12:11 - Oct 9 With Wellens, I thought he ran the midfield and if it is for only a month, then hopefully it will be the next 3 games that shape our season coz he's only half for but still seems better than what we already have
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Vaughan8 added 13:12 - Oct 9 The only problem I have with loans is how long they are for and are they really better than what we have: Campbell - Is probably better than all the other strikers Wellens - Hard to tell, he is experienced which is something we are lacking. If only for a month as previous people said, I don't see the point. N'Daw - I have not seen him play, but from reports it doesn't seem he does anything special but I can't really say if he is any better Luongo - Seems good on the ball but has given the ball away for a few opposition goals Higginbotham - Definitely better than what we have! Mohsni - Never seen him play properly so I don't know. I can't say I like the fact he went away in a huff and has now been signed but we shall see. Overall I don't think the loans are too bad, and at this stage we can't sign permanent players. However, i think PJ should have signed more in the transfer window. Also, is there a limited on the number of loans in a matchday squad?

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IamSpartacus added 13:12 - Oct 9 1 month loans are, in my opinion, generally pointless unless the player is brought in to cover an injury. It isn't going to be long enough for Wellens to gain match fitness (bearing in mind the international break that Jimmyjazz mentioned and the fact in the 2 games left he will still be trying to regain match fitness. A stunningly myopic view by Jewell- unless he was just so desperate that any old good player, however unfit, will do? I did like the look of Campbell, but Mohsni? Who knows? I like the attitude (very Cantona), but too early to say. It isn't comforting that Jewell said he needed another week to look at Mohsni but has now offered him a 3 month deal anyway. We now have 7 loanees. None have a vested interest in ITFC doing well, only in themselves looking good. I fear a continued lack of cohestion and am just wondering how they wil fit into whatever formation Jewell next dreams up. I'm pretty concerned for us this season now, and ME's apparent support of Jewell is not encouraging if it is true. *despairs*

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Edmunds5 added 14:47 - Oct 9 I was thinking the same as Jimmyjazz with regards to Wellens, a three month loan and I could see the logic because as you say he did have a comfortable game and will keep the ball. As for Campbell, I think he could be good for us, I liked the way he tried to link up with others despite being more of a goalscorer and he looked very eager to impress. I also liked the fact that when the camera went on him at the end he looked genuinely gutted we had lost which was a good sign. One more thing is that if Higginbotham keeps launching it forward then DJ will be on the prerifery of matches, he is what 5ft 9, he was at his best when we put in good crosses from wide and played nice intricate football. Mohsni in my opinion could easily be a hit and could be a miss, he has attributes we haven't seen for a while. We have lacked agression over the years which he looks to have, he's versatile which can only be a good thing and can nick a goal, however his temperament could easily get in the way and become a problem. I also think PJ has to use hm properly, its ok him being versatile but PJ needs to be clever as to where to play him, and think about the opposition and how Mohsni can have most impact. And by that I dont mean stick him on for the last two minutes hoping he can miraculously turn a game around!

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Blue041273 added 16:16 - Oct 9 I agree that the one month loan for Wellens was suspect anyway given there is a two week international break. For me though he is merely taking a playing place away from either N'Daw or Luongo who themselves are on loan and are already blocking the progress of Luke Hyam. Given that Martin and Murphy seem to be automatic starters with Drury also preferred currently, and JET is in there now that Taylor is injured, we now have a glut of players to cover the central places in midfield when we have no real alternatives for either full back position, and are still struggling with the CB/GK axis. That said, we have a desperately thin squad anyway, so any reinforcements are to be welcomed.

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Lombokblue added 18:27 - Oct 9 Good blog, I understand our situation and the need for loanees but how did we end up like this. Wellens experience doesn't help the young players they end up on the bench but the difference between DJ Campbell and Scotland was shocking. I don't know what the total opposite of an impact sub but the game changed when he came on.
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oscarwhiting added 16:10 - Oct 10 Sorry did you not see him play on Saturday?!
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