Wise words (as ever) from Stuart Watson 09:07 - Dec 24 with 3138 views | DJR | This from his column Town are now six points behind leaders Leicester City. And they've seen their lead over Leeds and Southampton cut to seven points. Up next, of course, is the Foxes, at Portman Road, on Boxing Day. Time to feel nervy? No chance. It's time to feel proud and show your support. This last week's disappointments show just how far this club has come in the space of two years. Half a season played, 52 points on the board, 18 clear of sixth, and it's still possible to feel a little flat. That says it all. Striker Rutter was a beast in this game. That's what £35m buys you. Leeds brought on 13-cap Italian international Willy Gnonto, former Barcelona man Junior Firpo and one-cap England man Patrick Bamford in this match. By my estimation, their squad cost in excess of £100m to assemble. Ipswich, by contrast, haven't spent more than £1.5m on a player. That's not an excuse. It's just facts. Don't let a misguided sense of entitlement set in. It's important to remind ourselves that McKenna's men are the underdogs in this promotion fight. This is a club that's just spent four years in League One up against three three teams that have just spent several years in the Premier League. They have no right, really, to be in this top-four mix. Yet here we are. Two defeats to Leeds, eight goals conceded. Games against your direct rivals don't always define finishing positions though. Ipswich beat Aston Villa twice in 80/81 but still lost out to them in the title race. Consistency and staying power is king. Ipswich will continue to trust their processes. We should too. | | | | |
Wise words (as ever) from Stuart Watson on 09:09 - Dec 24 with 3089 views | Dubtractor | Amen to that. | |
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Wise words (as ever) from Stuart Watson on 09:57 - Dec 24 with 2883 views | RadioOrwell | We beat Villa in the Cup as well that year. No Cup run for them. Two Cup runs for us. | | | |
Wise words (as ever) from Stuart Watson on 11:14 - Dec 24 with 2619 views | Jimmy86 | Must admit, I'm not as in tune with the KOA stuff now as much as I used to be, what with the subscription thing... But, always thought how measured Stu Watson has always been!! Also, Andy Warren leaving to join the club media team also had an effect on KOA too in my eyes | | | |
Wise words (as ever) from Stuart Watson on 11:15 - Dec 24 with 2608 views | PioneerBlue | Can we ban the promotion word too? Focus on winning game after game. | |
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Wise words (as ever) from Stuart Watson on 11:27 - Dec 24 with 2540 views | ITFCBlues | Excellent as always. Need to get behind the boys boxing day and remember, we're still 7 points clear of 3rd! If you'd have offered me that at the start of December I'd have snapped your hands off. | |
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Wise words (as ever) from Stuart Watson on 11:33 - Dec 24 with 2512 views | Keno | excellent he is the 2nd best reporter reporting on Town | |
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Wise words (as ever) from Stuart Watson on 17:43 - Dec 24 with 2078 views | pennblue | Exactly the right message to be putting out. We just need to hold our nerve through what has been a tricky set of fixturee | |
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Wise words (as ever) from Stuart Watson on 17:51 - Dec 24 with 2052 views | JohnTy |
Wise words (as ever) from Stuart Watson on 17:43 - Dec 24 by pennblue | Exactly the right message to be putting out. We just need to hold our nerve through what has been a tricky set of fixturee |
Last ten matches: Southampton 24 pts; Leeds 23; Leicester 22; Watford 18; Ipswich 18; Norwich 17; West Brom 16. This has been a tough run. The three teams relegated from the Prem are looking formidable. We are doing so well to be competing with them still. | | | | Login to get fewer ads
Wise words (as ever) from Stuart Watson on 17:57 - Dec 24 with 2005 views | pointofblue | I have to keep reminding myself that, before opening day, I was happy with consolidation this year preparing for a promotion push. Now we're second, and have been playing so well, expectations have risen as well. Have to try telling myself this is above and beyond reasonable expectation rather than the norm. | |
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Wise words (as ever) from Stuart Watson on 18:10 - Dec 24 with 1949 views | Ryorry |
Wise words (as ever) from Stuart Watson on 17:57 - Dec 24 by pointofblue | I have to keep reminding myself that, before opening day, I was happy with consolidation this year preparing for a promotion push. Now we're second, and have been playing so well, expectations have risen as well. Have to try telling myself this is above and beyond reasonable expectation rather than the norm. |
My emotional safety net is that a second season in the Championship would give us a chance to strengthen & consolidate gradually, thereby giving us a better chance of staying up if/when we do go up. | |
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Wise words (as ever) from Stuart Watson on 22:56 - Dec 24 with 1591 views | farkenhell |
Wise words (as ever) from Stuart Watson on 09:57 - Dec 24 by RadioOrwell | We beat Villa in the Cup as well that year. No Cup run for them. Two Cup runs for us. |
Actually, I think it was 3 cup runs. Didn't we reach the quarter finals of the League Cup as well? No squad to rotate in those days either. | | | |
Wise words (as ever) from Stuart Watson on 13:27 - Dec 25 with 1153 views | Facefacts |
Wise words (as ever) from Stuart Watson on 11:14 - Dec 24 by Jimmy86 | Must admit, I'm not as in tune with the KOA stuff now as much as I used to be, what with the subscription thing... But, always thought how measured Stu Watson has always been!! Also, Andy Warren leaving to join the club media team also had an effect on KOA too in my eyes |
agree, the subscription thing has also meant that I don't see the contract updates, so I only just found out through other sources that both Vas and Walton are out of contract in June. Hence the interest from Celtic in Hladky - prompted no doubt by Vas' agent. Surely we will be looking to give Slicker a chance as he was a considerable coup from Man City but so far was only given the Reading league Cup game , which I didn't see but we got through via a penalty shootout. Tells its own story. | | | |
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