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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. 20:16 - May 17 with 3137 viewsMattinLondon

How well would the Town team from the early 80s do in this seasons PL - obviously not as they are now but in their prime. You can take into account todays medical facilities, fewer matches and things off the pitch that they didn’t have back then. Also, I think that we only used 14 players all season so let’s add in another 7 or 8 average to good PL players as well.

Obviously it’s just hypothetical but just interested with what various posters think.
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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:18 - May 17 with 2030 viewsGlasgowBlue

We'd need a better goalie. Other than that we had the cream of the crop in all positions so we'd be challenging with City and Liverpool.

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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:20 - May 17 with 2022 viewsKeno

Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:18 - May 17 by GlasgowBlue

We'd need a better goalie. Other than that we had the cream of the crop in all positions so we'd be challenging with City and Liverpool.


I have nothing against Coops but you do wonder what difference Jennings would have made if he has signed

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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:21 - May 17 with 2014 viewsMattinLondon

Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:18 - May 17 by GlasgowBlue

We'd need a better goalie. Other than that we had the cream of the crop in all positions so we'd be challenging with City and Liverpool.


Wasn’t Paul Cooper the only player who wasn’t a full international?
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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:24 - May 17 with 2001 viewsMattinLondon

Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:18 - May 17 by GlasgowBlue

We'd need a better goalie. Other than that we had the cream of the crop in all positions so we'd be challenging with City and Liverpool.


The reason why I asked was that I read an article which went along the lines of that Ipswich team being the most modern team from the 80s in terms of tactics, technical ability and pace of attack. Can’t for the life of me find it anymore but found it interesting.
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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:26 - May 17 with 1991 viewsTrequartista

Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:18 - May 17 by GlasgowBlue

We'd need a better goalie. Other than that we had the cream of the crop in all positions so we'd be challenging with City and Liverpool.


Not convinced Cooper was a weak link, he was voted player of the year in 80/81

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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:26 - May 17 with 1975 viewsGlasgowBlue

Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:21 - May 17 by MattinLondon

Wasn’t Paul Cooper the only player who wasn’t a full international?


Yeah. Good club keeper but wouldn't make it in today's game playing for a top 4 premier league team..

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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:35 - May 17 with 1944 viewsSeablu

Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:20 - May 17 by Keno

I have nothing against Coops but you do wonder what difference Jennings would have made if he has signed


Seem to recall Allan Hunter did his utmost to convince Jennings to join, but can’t find any evidence to back that claim up.
Cooper was actually an excellent keeper though and, if it hadn’t been for Shilton & Clemence being in their pomp, he would have been capped for England.
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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:36 - May 17 with 1945 viewsFtnfwest

It was villa who only used 14, if we’d been able to we’d have unquestionably won the league ans maybe cup as well. Impossible to say really but pretty sure they’d have competed well.
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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:37 - May 17 with 1948 viewsbluefunk

It was Villa who only used 14 players when winning the league in 81. Arguably, the lack of depth in the squad, which was in line for a treble, meant that we lost key fixtures at the end of the season as we couldn’t rest players (as they do now) nor replace injured players with equal quality (as they do now). To answer your question, the first 11 would have competed at the highest level IMO. That team had the England captain, supplied 3 more members of Englands 1982 WC squad and 3 of Scotland’s, the 2 Dutchmen were internationals and played a brand of possession football which would have adapted to the current trend for pressing.
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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:41 - May 17 with 1928 viewsFtnfwest

Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:37 - May 17 by bluefunk

It was Villa who only used 14 players when winning the league in 81. Arguably, the lack of depth in the squad, which was in line for a treble, meant that we lost key fixtures at the end of the season as we couldn’t rest players (as they do now) nor replace injured players with equal quality (as they do now). To answer your question, the first 11 would have competed at the highest level IMO. That team had the England captain, supplied 3 more members of Englands 1982 WC squad and 3 of Scotland’s, the 2 Dutchmen were internationals and played a brand of possession football which would have adapted to the current trend for pressing.


Spooky
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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:42 - May 17 with 1920 viewsArnieM

Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:21 - May 17 by MattinLondon

Wasn’t Paul Cooper the only player who wasn’t a full international?


Yip. Always felt sorry for him on International breaks as he was virtually the only first team player at the ground.

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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:44 - May 17 with 1907 viewsChurchman

Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:20 - May 17 by Keno

I have nothing against Coops but you do wonder what difference Jennings would have made if he has signed


With Jennings we’d have won the first division a couple of times and possibly a cup or two.

Cooper was a good shot stopper and penalty saver. His distribution was pretty good too. However I felt at the time and since he was the weak link. He was too small and didn’t command in the way the top keepers of the time did - Jennings, Clamence, Shilton, Phil Parkes later Neville Southall. There was a reason Clough signed Shilton.

Aside from that, the early 80s team would have done very nicely in the Premier League in my view. They’d have challenged the current top teams, no problem.
[Post edited 17 May 2022 20:46]
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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:45 - May 17 with 1911 viewsNthQldITFC

Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:26 - May 17 by Trequartista

Not convinced Cooper was a weak link, he was voted player of the year in 80/81


Bit before my time, but wasn't he pretty good with his feet as well? That would fit in well with today's way of playing.

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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:52 - May 17 with 1885 viewsTrumptonBlue

Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:37 - May 17 by bluefunk

It was Villa who only used 14 players when winning the league in 81. Arguably, the lack of depth in the squad, which was in line for a treble, meant that we lost key fixtures at the end of the season as we couldn’t rest players (as they do now) nor replace injured players with equal quality (as they do now). To answer your question, the first 11 would have competed at the highest level IMO. That team had the England captain, supplied 3 more members of Englands 1982 WC squad and 3 of Scotland’s, the 2 Dutchmen were internationals and played a brand of possession football which would have adapted to the current trend for pressing.


Yes, Villa used 14 players, we used 21.

Villa played 46 games, we played 66.
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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 21:03 - May 17 with 1828 viewsbluefunk

Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:41 - May 17 by Ftnfwest

Spooky


Yours was a much more succinct analysis
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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 21:05 - May 17 with 1824 viewsStourbridgeblue

Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:45 - May 17 by NthQldITFC

Bit before my time, but wasn't he pretty good with his feet as well? That would fit in well with today's way of playing.


He started out as a striker initially up to his time with Birmingham City and played outfield in some testamonial matches I saw. So - yeah - he was pretty good with his feet,
[Post edited 17 May 2022 21:06]

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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 21:07 - May 17 with 1812 viewsTrequartista

Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:45 - May 17 by NthQldITFC

Bit before my time, but wasn't he pretty good with his feet as well? That would fit in well with today's way of playing.


He was ok with his feet, certainly not clumsy on the ball, but didn't dribble it round his box, just picked it up and lumped it upfield like every other keeper. Keepers didn't need really need to use their feet before 1992.

He was the quickest player at the club at the time so his best asset was rushing off his line and smothering attacks before a shot came in, along with his phenomenal penalty saving prowess.

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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 21:31 - May 17 with 1737 viewsFtnfwest

Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 21:03 - May 17 by bluefunk

Yours was a much more succinct analysis


First seven words the same was impressive. Trouble for town was we only had about 15 first team quality players and had to use more.
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It was before my time on 22:39 - May 17 with 1600 viewsMenton

However, football has loved on massively. Players are now so much more
Skilled and much fitter and I think even the Liverpool teams of the 80s and United teams of the 90s would struggle in today’s Premier League. My suspicion is we wouldn’t be competitive.

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It was before my time on 23:00 - May 17 with 1565 viewsCoastalblue

It was before my time on 22:39 - May 17 by Menton

However, football has loved on massively. Players are now so much more
Skilled and much fitter and I think even the Liverpool teams of the 80s and United teams of the 90s would struggle in today’s Premier League. My suspicion is we wouldn’t be competitive.


If you gave those players the same background and facilities though I'm not so sure. Fitness is not too difficult to attain with modern methods, talent was there without doubt.

The only real question for me would be whether the athletic/power aspect of todays game would see a few players from earlier eras struggle, but we'll never really know.

Having said that, can you imagine Gates in the modern game, defenders would be terrified and wouldn't be able to just kick him.

Thinking my way through our team, I think the only one who may have struggled or at least adapted his game a lot would probably be Butch, and even he would manage I'm sure.

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It was before my time on 23:08 - May 17 with 1542 viewsChurchman

It was before my time on 22:39 - May 17 by Menton

However, football has loved on massively. Players are now so much more
Skilled and much fitter and I think even the Liverpool teams of the 80s and United teams of the 90s would struggle in today’s Premier League. My suspicion is we wouldn’t be competitive.


I disagree. The pitches are better, the ball is like a beach ball by comparison. Diet, medical care and preparation is better.

But the skill of the players? I think not. Mariner in his prime would walk into any team. John Wark would be worth a fortune and in the age of the non tackle Muhren and Thijssen would be unplayable. If you ever watch Burley in the tackle and on the overlap, there was a player that could cross the ball on a sixpence. Butcher and Osman? Top players at the time and would be so in the modern day.

Players were more skilled back in the day at the top level because they had to be. The modern game is far more show pony with ‘simulation, anguished faces and screams the norm. At times it’s more like Harlem Globe Trotters than football.

The top teams of old would do just fine in my opinion.
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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 05:42 - May 18 with 1384 viewsBramidan

Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:45 - May 17 by NthQldITFC

Bit before my time, but wasn't he pretty good with his feet as well? That would fit in well with today's way of playing.


My recollection of Cooper is that he was a tremendous shot stopper.
I think it was felt that he was short for a keeper , nowadays playing against giants he would definitely struggle.
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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 07:04 - May 18 with 1314 viewsBluespeed225

Was Gates the first 'number 10'? A role developed by Ferguson? His movement from striker in a 3, dropping back to make a midfield 4, allowing Wark to go forward, moved defenders all over the place.
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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 07:11 - May 18 with 1307 viewsElephantintheRoom

Not very well is the obvious answer as [they] would have had serious fitness issues trying to compete with the likes of Watford.

The money doping swirling around in todays Premier League has siphoned off vast numbers of mercenaries from European clubs, pinched kids on a global scale and nabbed any promising players who have the temerity to play for the ‘smaller clubs’. Standards are so much higher - inevitably.


If you watch the film of that era it seems strangely pedestrian - but Town we’re head and shoulders above Villa that year - sometimes the table really does lie - but we tend to ignore the fact that Burnley were the best team of 61-62 for similar reasons

I’d agree with the comments on Cooper. Clough was quick to sign Shilton with jaw-dropping effect - and Robson even let Stoke sign him when Town were struggling along with Sivell. Goalkeeping was Robson’s Achilles Heal - ( if we ignore team discipline like he did)

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Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 07:20 - May 18 with 1290 viewsDJR

Pointless hypothetical question about the early 80s Ipswich team. on 20:44 - May 17 by Churchman

With Jennings we’d have won the first division a couple of times and possibly a cup or two.

Cooper was a good shot stopper and penalty saver. His distribution was pretty good too. However I felt at the time and since he was the weak link. He was too small and didn’t command in the way the top keepers of the time did - Jennings, Clamence, Shilton, Phil Parkes later Neville Southall. There was a reason Clough signed Shilton.

Aside from that, the early 80s team would have done very nicely in the Premier League in my view. They’d have challenged the current top teams, no problem.
[Post edited 17 May 2022 20:46]


I never felt Cooper was a weak link. He also had a fantastic period when he saved a vast amount of penalties. I also don't agree with the too small comments. He was 5ft 11in, but in those days not many people were taller than 6ft. Indeed, both Pat Jennings and Peter Shilton were 6ft, only an inch taller. Perhaps people are confusing Cooper with Laurie Sivell, who at 5ft 8in, was probably too small, although it didn't stop him from being a pretty good keeper.
[Post edited 18 May 2022 7:21]
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