| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge 15:03 - Feb 14 with 946 views | BlacknGoldnBlue |
After watching the game last night, I felt a sensation that’s become uncomfortably familiar this season: the shrug. We dominated the ball. We recycled possession. We looked "solid." And yet, if you’d asked me at the 70th minute if I thought we’d actually score, the answer would have been a resigned "probably not." Two seasons ago, during that breathless charge out of League One, 70 minutes was exactly when the fun started. Back then, we were the hunters. Now, we feel like a team weighed down by the very armor we spent so much money to polish.
The Numbers Don't Lie
It isn’t just "vibes" or nostalgia playing tricks on us. The data backs up the dullness. Two seasons ago, our Expected Goals (xG) sat at a rampant 75.1. We weren't just winning; we were an attacking carousel. This season? We’re languishing at 51.7.
That’s a massive drop-off in genuine goal-scoring opportunities. We’ve gone from a team that demanded the opposition goalkeeper earn his paycheck to a team that seems content to pass him the ball for a goal-kick.
What Changed?
On paper, we should be better. We have a squad worth more than any in the division, a manager with two more years of tactical evolution under his belt, and we’ve shattered our own transfer records. So why does it feel so... flat?
The Weight of the 'Favorite' Tag: In 2022/23, the momentum was organic. We were chasing a dream. This year, we’ve been the "monitored" team. We spent the most, and with that comes a psychological shift. We aren't playing with the freedom of an underdog anymore; we’re playing with the fear of a giant who has everything to lose.
Tactical Predictability: Two years ago, Kieran McKenna’s system felt like a revelation that caught teams cold. Now, the rest of the league has the "Ipswich Blueprint" on their iPads. Opponents are happy to let us have those "large chunks of the ball" because they know we’re struggling to turn possession into penetration.
The Loss of the "Late Show": Remember the chaos of the dying minutes? The late goals that sent the North Stand into orbit? That "never say die" spirit has been replaced by a "don't concede" caution. We are more controlled, yes, but we are significantly less brave.
The Reality Check
Maybe it’s a case of managed expectations. Deep down, most of us knew back-to-back promotions were a fairytale. But even if we accept that this campaign is a different beast, we shouldn't have to accept the lack of excitement.
Football is an entertainment industry, and right now, the Tractor Boys are looking a bit too much like a well-oiled, boring corporate machine. We have the superior players, but we’re missing the spark.
Final Thought
The season isn't over. We could still find ourselves celebrating at the finish line, and history only remembers the points, not the xG. But for those of us in the stands, the journey matters as much as the destination. We don't just want a winning team; we want our exciting Ipswich Town back.
Less control, Kieran. A bit more chaos, please. |  |
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| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 15:13 - Feb 14 with 895 views | Illinoisblue |
I think if you asked other fans about us they would say we have a brilliant championship squad but, crucially, I don’t think any of them would be worried about playing us. We, by design I assume, have set out to be more solid, more pragmatic - and we have the joint best defence in the division so can’t really argue about that. Being second highest scorers in the league suggests we’re not really that dull, actually. But it definitely feels different. And I think it’s almost entirely due to weight of expectations. We’ve spent a vast amount of money (recouped a lot, too) and with that comes demands. If 500k Harness miscues a cross it’s just a mild tut. When 12m McAteer does it, the reaction is far more extreme. That’s where we are as a club now. Promotion will get us back to being the underdog, little ‘ol Ipswich. |  |
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| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 15:17 - Feb 14 with 870 views | blueoutlook |
No team is worried about playing us. We are solid,that’s it. Nothing special. We are slow, no urgency and predictable. Most managers have us sussed now. |  | | |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 15:29 - Feb 14 with 828 views | le2blue |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 15:13 - Feb 14 by Illinoisblue |
I think if you asked other fans about us they would say we have a brilliant championship squad but, crucially, I don’t think any of them would be worried about playing us. We, by design I assume, have set out to be more solid, more pragmatic - and we have the joint best defence in the division so can’t really argue about that. Being second highest scorers in the league suggests we’re not really that dull, actually. But it definitely feels different. And I think it’s almost entirely due to weight of expectations. We’ve spent a vast amount of money (recouped a lot, too) and with that comes demands. If 500k Harness miscues a cross it’s just a mild tut. When 12m McAteer does it, the reaction is far more extreme. That’s where we are as a club now. Promotion will get us back to being the underdog, little ‘ol Ipswich. |
None of them? What not even Coventry? Or Derby ? |  | | |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 15:39 - Feb 14 with 804 views | TheBoyBlue |
We're doing it differently, perhaps as a result of teams approaching us differently.
There are things that concern me, such as the inability to come back and whilst we are still high scoring compared to others, everything seems to go in whilst in other games it feels like we could play all day and not score.
However, whilst we're not as exciting as a couple of years ago the aim has to be to build this club into an established Premier League team in the long run and I think we're generally going in the right direction to achieve that. That's not to say I definitely think that's what's going to happen, but I can see why we're going about things the way we are. |  |
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| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 15:50 - Feb 14 with 785 views | lazyblue |
That was a tiresome read, this excitement rubbish gets me as seems you would rather we were chasing games than controlling games just so we can get last minute equaliser and call it an exiting come back.
We are third in the league and pushing for top two yet your fed up so perhaps we will have exiting relegation battle next season to keep you happy. | | | |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 15:55 - Feb 14 with 763 views | BloomBlue |
Two seasons ago, most opposition clubs expected us to be bottom 6 at best after a few seasons in L1.
At the start of the season they would have put a pencil line around home to Ipswich as a 3 point banker and away to Ipswich as a 'one of our best chances to get an way win'
This season they would have penciled us in as home to Ipswich 'x-PL team very difficult, play deep for 0-0'. Away from home they would put 'no chance, play 10 behind the ball, go for 0-0 and if it ends 0-0 its as good as a win'
The problem (or positive) was 2 seasons ago by the time they realised our bubble wasn't going to burst our confidence was so high, when they started putting more behind the ball it didn't stop our momentum.
This season teams are still playing deeper, even though our form isnt great, especially at PR. Look at the Preston game they started with a 3-6-1 formation, their manager even said that's the first time we've started a game with only one forward.
Basically 2 seasons ago teams saw us as cow fodder, this season they see as as a scalp. |  | | |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 15:59 - Feb 14 with 748 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
While I agree McKenna has been extremely pragmatic this season, there is nothing wrong with wanting to control games to get the desired outcome when you’re against inferior opposition.
Our biggest problem is when soemthing goes off script we don’t always have enough about to react or turn it around, that comes from somewhere a bit deeper, I don’t think we truly have it. The coach also likes to stick to the script and trust the process in terms of in game adjustments.
The main issue is having strikers well below the mark for a squad that’s cost as much as ours though. We miss chances and fluff lines. It will be the difference if we don’t get automatically promoted.
Luckily we have a certain left winger on the cusp of coming back that can win home games on his own in the first half, that’ll help. As we basically need to score maximum points at home until the end of the season. No draws allowed! [Post edited 14 Feb 16:01]
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| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 16:06 - Feb 14 with 703 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 15:55 - Feb 14 by BloomBlue |
Two seasons ago, most opposition clubs expected us to be bottom 6 at best after a few seasons in L1.
At the start of the season they would have put a pencil line around home to Ipswich as a 3 point banker and away to Ipswich as a 'one of our best chances to get an way win'
This season they would have penciled us in as home to Ipswich 'x-PL team very difficult, play deep for 0-0'. Away from home they would put 'no chance, play 10 behind the ball, go for 0-0 and if it ends 0-0 its as good as a win'
The problem (or positive) was 2 seasons ago by the time they realised our bubble wasn't going to burst our confidence was so high, when they started putting more behind the ball it didn't stop our momentum.
This season teams are still playing deeper, even though our form isnt great, especially at PR. Look at the Preston game they started with a 3-6-1 formation, their manager even said that's the first time we've started a game with only one forward.
Basically 2 seasons ago teams saw us as cow fodder, this season they see as as a scalp. |
Not really true, we had spent big money from a position of strength and recruited good Championship players in league 1, had blown the league away from February. Had an exciting young coach playing good football with momentum. We were the sexy pick to do really well in the Champ. In fact no one predicted us finish bottom 6, from the bookies to the pundits. Not saying many had us scoring best part of 100 points but your narrative is off. [Post edited 14 Feb 16:08]
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| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 16:10 - Feb 14 with 680 views | ITFCSG |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 15:55 - Feb 14 by BloomBlue |
Two seasons ago, most opposition clubs expected us to be bottom 6 at best after a few seasons in L1.
At the start of the season they would have put a pencil line around home to Ipswich as a 3 point banker and away to Ipswich as a 'one of our best chances to get an way win'
This season they would have penciled us in as home to Ipswich 'x-PL team very difficult, play deep for 0-0'. Away from home they would put 'no chance, play 10 behind the ball, go for 0-0 and if it ends 0-0 its as good as a win'
The problem (or positive) was 2 seasons ago by the time they realised our bubble wasn't going to burst our confidence was so high, when they started putting more behind the ball it didn't stop our momentum.
This season teams are still playing deeper, even though our form isnt great, especially at PR. Look at the Preston game they started with a 3-6-1 formation, their manager even said that's the first time we've started a game with only one forward.
Basically 2 seasons ago teams saw us as cow fodder, this season they see as as a scalp. |
Fair enough, but most parachute teams bar this season managed to dominate the rest of the division by sheer quality and firepower even when the other teams view them as a scalp and play defensively against them - something which we are lacking this year.
We aren't hamstrung by a de facto embargo like Leicester or a managerial and financial mess like Saints, so what is stopping us from being like the Newcastles, Fulhams, Bournemouths, Leeds or even Burnleys of the past?
If we have REAL quality and tactics it doesn't matter even if the opponent plays with 10 behind the ball. We tried what PNE did last season at the Emirates, Anfield etc. and still got ripped a new one. | | | |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 16:14 - Feb 14 with 652 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 16:10 - Feb 14 by ITFCSG |
Fair enough, but most parachute teams bar this season managed to dominate the rest of the division by sheer quality and firepower even when the other teams view them as a scalp and play defensively against them - something which we are lacking this year.
We aren't hamstrung by a de facto embargo like Leicester or a managerial and financial mess like Saints, so what is stopping us from being like the Newcastles, Fulhams, Bournemouths, Leeds or even Burnleys of the past?
If we have REAL quality and tactics it doesn't matter even if the opponent plays with 10 behind the ball. We tried what PNE did last season at the Emirates, Anfield etc. and still got ripped a new one. |
Yep, data is all there really, 70%+ of the clubs that get top 2 in the last decade are parachute clubs. | |
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| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 16:20 - Feb 14 with 619 views | Illinoisblue |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 15:29 - Feb 14 by le2blue |
None of them? What not even Coventry? Or Derby ? |
Not even Sheff Utd? Or Leicester? | |
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| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 16:23 - Feb 14 with 596 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 15:50 - Feb 14 by lazyblue |
That was a tiresome read, this excitement rubbish gets me as seems you would rather we were chasing games than controlling games just so we can get last minute equaliser and call it an exiting come back.
We are third in the league and pushing for top two yet your fed up so perhaps we will have exiting relegation battle next season to keep you happy. |
The weirder thing is people like you thinking we are having a really good league season being third. | |
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| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 16:34 - Feb 14 with 556 views | le2blue |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 16:20 - Feb 14 by Illinoisblue |
Not even Sheff Utd? Or Leicester? |
Pretty sure Leicester would rather not have to play us at portman road. At the end of the day, we’re in a good position, had a load of change last summer and the team is starting to come together with a leader who knows how to get teams across the line. I’d much rather have our manager, squad and current momentum than all teams, maybe apart from Boro right now. I’d say now is a time to believe and get behind the team (including George Hirst) and Kieran. | | | |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 16:40 - Feb 14 with 512 views | BlacknGoldnBlue |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 15:50 - Feb 14 by lazyblue |
That was a tiresome read, this excitement rubbish gets me as seems you would rather we were chasing games than controlling games just so we can get last minute equaliser and call it an exiting come back.
We are third in the league and pushing for top two yet your fed up so perhaps we will have exiting relegation battle next season to keep you happy. |
So you're happy watching football as long as your team wins. You don't want to be entertained? | |
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| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 17:34 - Feb 14 with 433 views | bsw72 |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 16:40 - Feb 14 by BlacknGoldnBlue |
So you're happy watching football as long as your team wins. You don't want to be entertained? |
I am entertained by this team. I like the technical nuances of the game and how we are controlling and building play, and am even more entertained listening to people around me who scream out to get the ball forward and then moan at the times we do and lose it.
I’ve enjoyed watching this team evolve and seeing how McKenna has make tweaks and changes to the formations and players positions/skills.
Appreciate it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, and I have often enjoyed watching 0-0 games as much as 4-3 for different reasons.
Each to their own. |  | | |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 17:39 - Feb 14 with 389 views | bsw72 |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 15:13 - Feb 14 by Illinoisblue |
I think if you asked other fans about us they would say we have a brilliant championship squad but, crucially, I don’t think any of them would be worried about playing us. We, by design I assume, have set out to be more solid, more pragmatic - and we have the joint best defence in the division so can’t really argue about that. Being second highest scorers in the league suggests we’re not really that dull, actually. But it definitely feels different. And I think it’s almost entirely due to weight of expectations. We’ve spent a vast amount of money (recouped a lot, too) and with that comes demands. If 500k Harness miscues a cross it’s just a mild tut. When 12m McAteer does it, the reaction is far more extreme. That’s where we are as a club now. Promotion will get us back to being the underdog, little ‘ol Ipswich. |
They don’t mind playing us as they are always going to be the underdogs due to money spent and favourites tag we carry. Most games against us are a free hit for teams this season. I’ve found it a fascinating season. | | | |
| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 18:09 - Feb 14 with 314 views | J2BLUE |
There were so many times we could have taken a shot from outside the box but chose to make one more pass and the space was then gone. It's really frustrating. Especially when you think of the classic Philogene goal at home. I get it, we don't want to waste possession but we didn't have a shot on target for about an hour.
We only had six shots in the entire match. |  |
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| The Joy of the Chase vs. The Burden of the Badge on 18:12 - Feb 14 with 306 views | homer_123 |
Juve, under Spalletti this season are the obvious 'chaos' examples.
They do the unexpected, make decisions and try things that are not the norm. It's brilliant to watch, exhilarating at times.
They are 4th and unlikely to win anything this season though. |  |
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