Boss Roy Keane conceded that he has a big challenge ahead if the Blues are to compete with the likes of West Brom at the right end of the Championship table this season. The Town manager hinted that the final week of the transfer window could be a busy time at Portman Road.

Keane was impressed with the Baggies as Roberto Di Matteo’s side outclassed his team: “We saw today West Brom, a team which are obviously going places, and we don’t look like we’re going anywhere too fast, so we have a big challenge ahead.

"I always knew that the job would be difficult, but there is no getting away from the fact that it is a massive, massive challenge over the next few months. It is sink or swim for the players.

“We need to do better and I don't want to keep saying it. We don't look much of a goal threat and we are giving bad goals away. That is a recipe for trouble, so it is going to be very, very hard. But it can be done. You have to believe that we can turn it around.

"The Championship season is very long and you have to believe that we can get up to speed - sooner rather than later. Against Albion we gave a couple of bad goals away and we need to do better."

The Blues boss was impressed with Richard Wright’s superb display and Jack Colback’s performance from the bench: "Wrighty was outstanding for us and one of the few positives for us.

"Sometimes you have to look for pluses from a game and his performance was one of them, along with Jack Colback, who did what you want from a midfielder; close players down and use the ball when you have it.

"He has put himself into contention to play Tuesday night, but there is no denying there has to be a big improvement on what we have done so far.

"I've probably played it down over the last few weeks, but we are short in certain areas of the park.

"I have given players a chance to show what they can do and they have not taken it. I can't be accused of not giving people an opportunity and certainly things have got to change if results are going to improve."

Baggies boss Di Matteo was delighted with his side’s display: "Three points, clean sheet, a great performance. It was a good evening for us.

"Ipswich have a certain Richard Wright in their goal, who is a very good goalkeeper and had a very good game as well. We were convincing throughout the game I thought."

But Di Matteo dismissed suggestions that Town were a poor side: "There is always a dilemma.

"If you play well people assume the opposition isn't as good. But they have a good team. They moved the ball around, were dangerous, so it was a hard afternoon for Ipswich - but they're a good side.

"Ipswich are not a poor team. I would disagree with anyone saying otherwise. Yes, they've had a poor start but there are 42 games left. You can be in mid-table at Christmas and still get promoted. It's a long, long hard season."

Photo: Action Images

Trevor_A added 07:30 - Aug 23 while it is right to say that keano inherited an inadequate squad,some of his signings dont appear to be any better than what we already have.healy and delaney have been poor while lee martin has been a disappointment so far.a lack of pace in defence is obvious along with a lightweight and uncreatative midfield which is leaving our strikers with few opportunities.we do need someone fast up front to pair off with stead.wickham will do a job when needed but i think we need someone with a little more experience who can make their runs off steads hold up play. more worrying is the ease at which our players are brushed off the ball when in possession.the wba game highlighted this.given time,keane will get it right but this squad doesnt yet have the quality to push for top 6.

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lukeym18 added 08:07 - Aug 23 roy needed to open his eyes when he came in, if he didnt realise it was a massive challenge i have to say i'd be quite happy if jim magilton came back. but roy needs a solid center defender,a premiership center mid & a striker. i'd break the bank for dan shittu,darren gibson (on loan) & david nugent. they're good players & shittu is a rock in defence & properly a leader to.

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lukeym18 added 08:10 - Aug 23 oh and i was pleased to see he dropped MCauley & delaney shows he has bottle 2 make changes lets hope he has the bottle to say to evens give me more money. & i'll get rid of players.
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mickeyjb added 08:49 - Aug 23 The worrying thing is I'm sure keane has got the players he wanted in and if our squad was so bad last year how did we not get relagated. I wanted jim out too and wouldn't want him back either but we did finish ninth with that so called crap squad. I hopekeane admits he's fcuked up with his signings maybe try delaney as a centerback healy can see out his contract in the readies before going back to the LoI we still need what we needed when Roy came in so I won't hold my breath in us getting them in the next week. Also how long before a decent team come in fir Richard wright englands number one.

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Trevor_A added 09:08 - Aug 23 no i havnt been drinking,computer had mad fit,thats y my message came up x 3.agree with lukeym 18,was pleased 2 Mcauley dropped. have never rated him much.2 slow and just not good enough,yet he has played full back 4 northern island.will never get back what we paid 4 him.also a fair shout about getting shittu in.we also have major probs in both full back positions.
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Keaneish added 09:19 - Aug 23 Adamisablue - i think everyone has a price so i wouldn't rule out Beckford, but sadly i'd have to agree on Gio. No reason why we couldn't sign Ben Haim, Mcshane or Healy though. Michael Ball is a free. Agree with a lot of the comments on here, good to see Keane has the bottle to drop players if they're not doing it, even if they're his new signings. If you're not doing it you're out and someone else gets a chance, then it's down to determination and desire in training, as imple as that. Make people hungry for places, none of this Magilton complacency we saw so much of last season!

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TractorMan added 09:19 - Aug 23 I hope people will now see Bruce is not captain material and is not this magic answer to everything. At least McCauley tries to organise the defence! He suffers trying to guide Pim through the game, so i'd love to see a solid, experienced brick sh*thouse next to him in the DeVos mould with Peters at RB and Davif Wright at left back (if we can't find another) Colback looked good, so him plus quinn may not be too bad, but you would worry they would get out muscled in certain games. I think Priskin and Wickham will come good, if Walters and Martin can pick up their game. Depressing, but not a disaster and certainly we aren't going down.

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depressed added 09:56 - Aug 23 For the past couple of weeks many who post on here have had a go at our team, Poor defence, No quality in midfield, No goal threat. So for the game against WBA keano makes four changes,one being dropping our captain( rightly so ) brings in the lad Smith and plays Garvin. Now you would think that folk on here would be happy, but O No, we lose 2-0 against a very strong and organised west brom side and once again the knives are out! Remember Keano inherited a very poor squad and it will take time to turn the fortunes of I.T.F.C around so instead of berrating the management the players the ground staff the program sellers the tea lady ! Get behind the team because thing WILL get better.

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SmiffyboyITFC4ever added 10:19 - Aug 23 It was another bad game, but I still believe it will get better and improve... In a strange sort of way, the bad start is probably a positive for ITFC..why?? RK will surely know more about the team more than ever NOW and what he needs to do to make it better and get our "great football club" climbing the league..the only way is up and I'm sure it won't get any worse.... BELIEVE... Although I initially questioned his appointment last season because of the sunderland thing, Keano's reputation and appetite/determination to succeed will come good, I firmly believe that. He has his own reputation to protect and he definitely won't want to be remembered as a failure..He has the balls to drop McAuley, who quite frankly has been really awful as well as Delaney...Apart from Richard Wright performing heroics..Colback looked very useful and full of potential....Priskin will eventually pay us back..but we forget about one player who could be the catalyst we are so desparately missing.."Counago". Lets now see how much Pablo loves this club..am sure he is chomping at the bit to show Keano he can do the business..Keano laid down the challenge recently..it's now time to see if Pablo is up to it..Come on Pablo..your club needs you now..Put up Pablo or shut up and off you got to Swansea....Stead and Counago to be given a go...Wickham..great potential..but should be on the bench....We are seriously missing Gio and Norris..lets hope Keano has got a couple of transfer surprises up his sleeves!!! We need an experienced CB and a creative midfielder desperately...I agree with TractorMan..I certainly feel a De Vos type CB and Peters ar right back should be considered again..Why not also try David Wright at CB alongside Pim??? I'm not making excuses but the club is in serious transition don't forget...Our current bad form should NOW surely fire every player up.. Time for the team to stand up and be counted.... Despite the awful start..In Keano I believe...we should try and get behind him..Am sure his qualities will make our club great again sooner rather than later.. Don't want to appear too nostalgic..but our hero "Sir Bobby Robson" had an awful start when firs appointed Ipswich boss...looked how he did and what history he created for our great club...food for thought isn't it!!!!! CMON YOU BLUES WE BELIEVE IN YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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tractorboybig added 10:35 - Aug 23 Why does everyone say keene inherited a poor squad. Jims were never this low in the league and never played so badly. And all the names being branded as availible on free's,if the players are still availible then no none else wants them so there crap. Its bolt down the hatches, a depressing season a fight to stay up and the fear is we will pass norwich in opposite directions. Also I don't think Keene will quit because if he did Then no one would employ him again. If Marcus Evans is ambitious then keen may be on his way.

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el_nino added 11:42 - Aug 23 It's far too early to be calling for Keane's head.....give him time! Burley wasn't an overnight success, but he was given time to mould his own team and eventually we reached the Prem. As for a midfield addition this week, an ideal signing would be Charlton's Nicky Bailey. He's a dynamic, energetic midfielder, who can create thinks but also arrvies late in the box and has a very good goalscoring record...Go get him Roy!

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dirtydingusmagee added 12:00 - Aug 23 Thats right JAZ0999 RK ''brought in Healy and Delaney ,but at least he's dropped them'' .........................SAY'S IT ALL REALLY . We have taken a bloody great step BACKWARDS. Just look back again at the friendly matches. nothing at all challenging [unlike the days of old under like's of Sir Bobby] yet we couldnt muster up a decent result, oh you cant take any notice of friendlies people were saying, wait till the start of season when its for real,then we will see the difference...........................eeeeeeeeerrrrrrhhhhhhhh NO .

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roytheboy added 12:04 - Aug 23 I am of course also really disappointed and disilusioned by what we have seen this season, I have to say however, that after last Tuesday, I did not honestly expect us to beat West Brom. at their ground, as much as I of course hoped we would, it is very clear that our defenders are not doing a particularly good job and are therefore putting far too much pressure on Richard wright who was incredible, also we are still not showing the required quality at the sharp end, neither of these problems seem to change much from one season to the next, we need a very good proven quality Striker and Left back in my opinion, having said all that I really do have massive faith in Roy Keane and honestly believe that he will turn it around given time and patience, please keep the faith in him and I'm sure he will not disappoint us.

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roytheboy added 12:19 - Aug 23 I am of course also really disappointed and disilusioned by what we have seen this season, I have to say however, that after last Tuesday, I did not honestly expect us to beat West Brom. at their ground, as much as I of course hoped we would, it is very clear that our defenders are not doing a particularly good job and are therefore putting far too much pressure on Richard wright who was incredible, also we are still not showing the required quality at the sharp end, neither of these problems seem to change much from one season to the next, we need a very good proven quality Striker and Left back in my opinion, having said all that I really do have massive faith in Roy Keane and honestly believe that he will turn it around given time and patience, please keep the faith in him and I'm sure he will not disappoint us.

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AJblue added 12:19 - Aug 23 Tractorboybig, ME will not sack Keane, nor should be, 4 games in and every real Town fan is dissapointed, and rightly so,all the pre season hype had us winning the premier league in a year,but who made all this hype? We the fans did, we thought we had signed the messiah as a manager, when in effect we signed a relatively untried championship manager, who has a huge reputation as a PLAYER. IF ME has given him 2 years, perhaps we the fans should too? And in 2 years who knows what will happen, as Town fans we are hoping and thats the best we can do at this time, hope for it all to come right and get behind the man and the team.

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WickedBlue added 12:48 - Aug 23 I like what RK has said. We have had mupets moaning about giving people chances here. THey slagged JM off for not doing so, RK has done that and they have only proved JM was right to begin with. Now we need to bring in some better players first and formost a play maker in midfield. On reason we are not looking like we can score goals is the midfield never looks like supporting the forwards. RK will get it right.......

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StowTractorBoy added 12:51 - Aug 23 In my opinion we have the strikers but we have no one to supply them. I did warn you on this site that Martin was a waste of money as per Forest fans although to be fair he is not the worst and it is hardly his fault we paid way over the odds for him. As well as Garvan going backwards I think Smith has as well as even at Shrewsbury he was shaky so if he can' stand out at that level what hope in the Championship - at least Healy did stand out at Shrewsbury. David Wright is not the man he was, he cannot track back and has never been the same since his injury last season. He talks the talk but does not walk the walk. We now have no pace at all in the side which is why I was against the sale of Haynes. Down blind alleys he ran yes but he was never tried up front where he has been playing for Bristol City. All very derpessing but take heart from Burnley who this time last year had 2 points from 4 games and were second from botton. Worryingly 5 of the top six in situ after four games ended in the top six - it looks like a similar story this year but I'll state now Ipswich will not do a Burnley. We had a poor base to build on at the beginning of the season thanks to Mr Magilton and RK has a mammoth task to put it right. I'll settle for 10th as I predicted at the beginning of the season but that looks a mile off at the moment.

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finidigeorge88 added 13:18 - Aug 23 Healy send himback on the next ryanair flight from Stansted to Ireland. Mcauley is far to slow, all over the place and he can go with Delaney, it makes me laugh how your not good enough to get in QPR's side but walks straight into ours. Strikers are getting no service and teams are walking through our ghost like central midfield. Trotter isn't good enough for me, people thinking we are going to be near the top im sorry but i believe the squad is worse than last year. When you see teams like Bristol City signing Nyatanga, Haynes, Hartley, . Cardiff signing Mark Hudson from Charlton one of the best centre hals down here last year. Southamptons David Mcgoldrick. Nottingham Forest Paul Mckenna these are players who have experience in the Championship who we should be signing, even Mark Yeates from down the road at Colchester there are all these players out there but Ipswich are having the problem in signing them. This will be a long season for us fans and i honestly cant see where the next victory is going to come from. Marcus Evans needs to back keane in the transfer market otherwise league 1 beckons.

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Lowestoft_Tench added 13:23 - Aug 23 i agree with el_nino......nicky bailey is the type of midfielder we are crying out for.
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WeWereZombies added 14:05 - Aug 23 One disappointing aspect of yesterday's game was how much the team argued with each other and does Priskin appreciate that everyone can lip read his juvenile shouts at the assistant referee (Priskin was well and truly offside, anyway). Only Richard Wright had a real reason to give the rest of the team earache during the game and only he is really beyond the chop. I hope RK has told not a few of the current squad to accept a drop in wages as they get transferred out to League one, Two and Blue Square clubs to make way financially and logistically for stronger players.

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RedDust added 14:21 - Aug 23 David Nugent, Michael Ball and Dos Santos....... no messing about in the transfer market now.. i knew we should of invested in joe mattock rather than delaney but i thought keane thought he could get promoted with cheaper option buys but i think he's been proved wrong now. "it's the old days... the all or nothin' days"
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radiohead added 14:32 - Aug 23 Santos must be signed what ever the cost, otherwise we will not get a dozen goals this season. Also a centre half must be signed this week, otherwise we will be nothing more than an ordinary mid table team if even that.
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tractorboy11uk added 15:37 - Aug 23 Its early days yet i know and i have every confidence in RK. One or two signings dont seem up to it but i'm sure he will ship them out again if necessary. At least he will drop players unlike Jim and his favourites. However i dont think we can expect too much this season as the team is moulded. It's a sad fact that, although not impossible, automatic promotion is almost beyond us already unless there is a remarkable turnaround. The season shouldn't be over after 4 games but the playoffs are now our best best. Come on Keano, fire them up or ship them out !

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TractorBeezer added 16:03 - Aug 23 Some strong comments by Barnesy. Are they factual?
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slowerball added 16:07 - Aug 23 He has brought in some real dross. Some lads may come good, but the future is now. Pablo will have to play against Posh... and hopefully he can prove his fitness and his pedigree. If he didn't have off games or was more consistent, he'd be playing Prem. Two decent signings need to be made - and not young lads or Sunday league players from Cork. We need proven, nailed on 1st XI players; guys who can just walk straight in and bang - off to a flyer. What's K.Dyer up to? He'd come here. Just the job whilst Norris & Civelli are out.

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