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

Lightningboy added 16:49 - Aug 23 I'm slightly concerned that Keane is still chopping and changing the team/formation just a few games in?..surely he's had all summer to decide how he wants us to play this season?..strikes me that he doesn't have a clue what he's doing.. As for the team,keane needs to decide on an 11 & a formation and stick with it..it's obvious that we're seriosly missing Norris & a decent left back so he needs to do some wheeling&dealing this week to get those positions sorted. #Trotter is just not up to it - not his fault - he's just not good/hard working enough. #Garvan needs a couple of defensive players around him so he can get forward more. #Wickham should not be starting games this season - at 16 too much pressure will be put on him. #Stead,Counago & Priskin should be our main 3 - they need to play together for more than 15 minutes here and there or they're not going to gel Roy! #Martin I like but we're not going to see the best of him while we're in this rut. Under Jim we looked fairly solid defensively but at the moment I worry that even the likes of Peterboro will put 4 or 5 past us on tuesday night...Richard Wright deserves everyone's wages from last week for his performance yesterday!

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cromwellblue added 17:19 - Aug 23 Right now the easiest thing to do is have a go a the defence and strikers. But you cannot fairly judge them with our midfield. It's the job of midfield to provide devensive cover and support the strikers. Our midfield does neither. Trotter has failed in 4 games to impose himself. Healy was completly out of his depth against Palace. This site is filled with Garvan supporters who see him as the Messiah. Think that's out the window. Didn't even come clsoe to justifying his selection. Not completely sure of the formation and plan last night. Walters on left & Martin on right? This can't help performance. A simple rule has to be play the player where they are best. I think we need to go back to basics 4-4-2 with genuine width. Peters return with some pace is much needed as is pace in general. And we URGENTLY need a midfield general. Put you boots on Roy! There can be no doubt now we are just average. Much to do. But let's not start a witch hunt just yet.

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samassiabou added 17:32 - Aug 23 To be honest, i hate to say i told you so but.... the squad keane had assembled two weeks ago never looked likely to win a football match. Im not concerned by the position in the league, im concerned by the severe lack of quality in the squad... promotion with this merry band of wasters is less likely than Keane being awarded a nobel peace prize. Im saying that a relegation dog fight is not out of the question with donkeys like Healy holding up the midfield. Roy Keane will prob be out by xmas and we wont miss him, bring in a manager with real desire, someone like Brian Gunn. At least he is passionate and has a half decent managerial record. I think hed be a coup. And as for youy fools who keep the faith regardless, come back to the real world, WE ARE IN 23RD PLACE AND PLAYING SHITE!! Wake up and smell the roses Roy, you dont have a clue about managing a football team, stick to the dog walking.

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Gordonzola added 18:14 - Aug 23
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depressed added 18:21 - Aug 23 Tractorboybig..I'm bloody glad i don,t sit next to you at P/R. I bet if fortunes change and we start climbing the table you will be posting how great KEANO is!
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Gordonzola added 18:28 - Aug 23 So Roy thinks he can indentify talent? Should've gone to Specsavers. So of his new recruits he drops Delaney and Healy from the 16, Martin plays but can't even take a corner without kicking the corner flag and Colback, well, he's young and raw so I'll excuse his ineffectiveness. Alongside this his substitutions at half-time were baffling. We need 2 goals and he takes off our most likliest source of a goal in Stead (I could understand it if he introduced Priskin but he obviously thought damage limitation was the way to go). All this and he drops McCauley who admittedly hasn't been at his best so far this season but is a quality defender as he proved last season. I could go on. I know its early days but I'm seriously concerned especially when it comes to Roy's team selection and decision making.

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tractor_lady added 19:58 - Aug 23 yes Brian Gunn what a great idea, did fantastic at Norwich didnt he.... grief what a ridiculous comment.
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tractor_lady added 20:11 - Aug 23 quite a decent team at the end of last season UEFA81 i dont think so!!!! people have such short memories, i left on many occaisions before the final whistle to the sounds of boooos!!! Also Delany, Magilon was desperate to sign him too and no doubt had he got him he wouldnt have had the balls to drop him and admit he was wrong at least Kean did..... I am gutted about the poor start, but have faith that Kean as a natural winner will give his all to turning this around. but fans getting on his back wont help him or the moral of the team... ok come christmas if in same position then i will im with the rest of the moaners, but not after four games....

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radiogaga added 20:25 - Aug 23 Honest assessment of the game. There are players in this squad who need to take a hard look at themselves. They are professional footballers, but there are players (in some cases, over the last 2 years) who seem to want it too easy and only have the stomach for a fight when they feel like it. There are players like Stead, Walters, Bruce, Martin and (on top of all) Richard Wright who are doing all they can to prove themselves to Keane, but there are still far too many who have had chances but don't seem to want it. If those players can't raise their game for Keane, when he has already put more faith in most of them than the useless tool of a 'manager' we had ever did, there needs to be changes. Good hungry players all over are what we need

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tractor_lady added 20:31 - Aug 23 agree radiogaga, how much Keane feel when he himself gave 100% still least he isnt afraid to drop them :-) McAuley should play but not as captain, take that pressure away and i think he will be ok..... agree with your view on Martin too, he puts in 100% its those around him that make him look less of a qualiy player than he really is.....
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tommyblue added 20:41 - Aug 23 richard wright.....what a man
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Ipswich24 added 23:20 - Aug 23 go get Beckford now keano and dos santos a go get holding midfielder like a big strong player no pushover a gareth bale on loan he is available
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TractorRoyNo1 added 23:44 - Aug 23 Let's hope his next 3 signings are better than his last 3!
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ITFC1985 added 00:06 - Aug 24 i have to say the next 4 league games are crucial to ours and Keanes season, Preston, Forest, Donny and Boro are all games we could very easily lose i wouldnt be surprised if Keane walked if we dont get anything from them......
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ShefTractor added 01:50 - Aug 24 I think people need the chill out! I've read comments about how we should sack Keane, are destined for League One and should sign Gio. No wonder people think we're imbred freaks if people make comments like this! Yes, we're doing badly buy as one person put, Burnley were in the same position this time last year. We've never started well in this league. Before we got back in the Prem, every year we'd be in the bottom half for weeks then come the end of the season we'd be battling for the playoffs - I genuinely see that is how this season is going to go. The team will 'gel', but yes we have a serious lack of midfield presence. I wouldn't see it as anything to cry about. I think now is the time where RK will pick a team and stick with it, or at least he should. His experimenting has gone on long enough and he knows who his players are. As for the Colback kid, why are people giving him lots of praise? He didn't look good. He ran around like a headless chicken, conceded fouls and gave the ball away a lot. That's not any worse than what the midfield had been doing that day, but still, I was wondering why he hadn't put Upson on - more attacking and hasn't seen a league game yet. I'm not sure why people are getting on McAuley's back either; yes, he had a bad first game but I thought against Palace he was much better. I agree with him not being the captain type, but there's no one else who is capable, except possibly the man between the sticks who seems to be playing out of his skin at the moment. No one should be judging the strikers at this point; they've had zero service so you're ignorant if you think they're "rubbish and we need out 20 a season man" (ah yes, because one will come to this glorious, in-form club). Only thing I will say is that Wickham is good, but there is too much pressure on him so maybe worth using him as a super-sub rather than a starter?? Have faith and ye shall be rewarded...I hope.

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jim5555blue added 09:28 - Aug 24 In defence of the manager his two £1m+ signings, Martin and Priskin, may not be proven championship players, but both are young, are potentially quality players, and should give a decent return on that investment in time. Its obvious the squad is a long way behind the WBA's, Newcastle's and Middlesboro's. I think the manager's tinkering with the formation is his biggest mistake so far. Tinkering with formations is fine with a settled squad.It is much more difficult for new players to gel when they are asked to play in different formations. They started with 433 and should stick with it. Walters and Martin should be left in the positions they started the season, where they had done ok. Its time to put Priskin in and stick with him for a few games, he is very much a confidence player. The defence hasn't been good, but unfortunately the main culprit wasn't identified. Delaney might not be great, but he is clearly the best left full at the club at the moment. Pim is fairly promising, but his inexperience is the main problem at the back, and that was the case from the first match this season. Healy will do ok as a holding player in a midfield 3.The other two positions are a problem, Colback may not be quite up to it, but he looks the pick of what is there at the moment. While Peters did well against Coventry, he lacks the presence for a central position. You need players it that position who can scrap and play, and that is where the focus should be in the transfer market this week.

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Wozza added 23:26 - Aug 24 Let's be honest, beating this West Brom team was a pretty big ask with a pretty different team to the one that started last week. I still have the utmost faith in Keane, granted he probbly now realises the task at hand is much bigger with the players we currently have but sooner or later he'll start getting the performances hes asking for. We desperately need a CM and CD and possbly another forward if possible. This week is going to be interesting.

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