Town manager Roy Keane was understandably disappointed with his side's 3-1 home defeat to Barnsley. In addition to the loss, Mark Kennedy and Luke Hyam damaged their hamstrings and are out of next week’s trip to Hull.

Keane said the game typified how things are at the present time: “Poor result, poor performance, not a great day and a couple more injuries. That’s the way it’s going for us. No sympathy, we’ll look to bounce back next weekend.”

The Portman Road crowd booed their team off and were vocally critical of the substitution of Tamás Priskin, something the Blues boss feels is inevitable when a team is doing poorly: “When you don’t win matches every decision is going to be analysed and criticised, that’s the nature of football.

“They were pretty supportive last year when we went 14 games without a victory - the Watford game I’ll never forget - they were very, very good to us. But at this moment in time, you’re still hoping that fans would understand where we’re at.

“Don’t underestimate the loss of Gareth McAuley, David Norris and Grant Leadbitter. I don’t want to use that as an excuse but they are important players for us. We just have to get on with it.”

Keane explained the thinking behind his substitutions: “We thought we’d get a bit more from Jack and Jake getting a bit more forward. They’re two young players and it’s a big responsibility doing a job in the middle of the park, so with the extra support from Luke we thought we might get back into it.

“But, of course, the next goal changed things and we tried to mix it up again. We tried a few different things and it just didn’t work.”

Keane's controversial decision to withdraw Priskin was amongst those alternative options: “When we took Tamás off we changed it with Connor going up with Ronan and actually I thought they did OK in the last 20 minutes. OK, they’re young players and you could say the game was over.

“Obviously there were a few people disappointed and they probably thought we were going to stick with the one up front, but of course we changed that with Jack coming over to the left and I thought Ronan did quite well and was perhaps unlucky not to score. It was a straight swap in that sense."

Tykes manager Mark Robins was delighted with his players’ display: “It was without doubt the best performance since I became Barnsley manager and it was a continuation of what we saw on Tuesday night against Preston.

“The players took the confidence they gleaned from that game into today. We passed it well, the movement was fantastic and what we added today was our finishing. It's a step in the right direction and pleasing.”

Photo: Action Images

moomoosereni added 23:03 - Nov 14 I'm sure some fans would moan that its a negative attitude to have but would PhilTWTD not consider doing a pie chart vote for us fans to see what the general consensus is right now on whether we think Keane should go? I'm just interested more than anything, not doing it to prove a point or anything like that. I know it doesn't really prove anything but having read the vast amount of comments on here you can say some of the regular "positive" posters have now decided that they just can't back Keane anymore unless he dramatically turns it round. I'd give anything to have the Royle days at the moment. Regardless of anything else under him, you got great entertainment. With Kuqi and Bent playing you just always thought there'd be goals. I for one loved the whole "we'll score more than the other team" attitude. It was just fantastic to watch. Quick flowing, direct, passionate, everything that a lot of our players seem to lack right now.

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dantown added 00:54 - Nov 15 Hang on.. Is it really a poor league ?. I don't think so, there are very few teams in the championship that haven't been in the premier league for starters .. Then look at the premier league at the moment with the likes of WBA, Blackpool & Newcastle all doing well & a few teams that I would really call championship clubs that have stayed up for a season or two or more. It's a tight league but I would say that at least 70% of the division are a similar size of club as us with similar ambitions. I accept that we should be beating Barnsley (would put them in the other 30%) but there's not much between anyone else & I don't think that is because they are all crap !!!

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peaky69 added 03:05 - Nov 15 8 pages of comments, whoa. Can't say I have the time or inclination to read all of them but got the general theme I think from the 1st two and last pages. I'm one of the so called Keane backers but not because he is good, bad or indifferent, but because he is the Ipswich Town Football Club manager. Supporting your club is more than watching pretty football, a concept sadly bereft of many of the comments on this news item. There is no doubt Ipswich are not playing well currently. In reality they probably haven't, at least consistently, since August. Results aside, shots on goal and ultimately the goal tally will tell you that. However, I support Ipswich Town, the players, the manager and club. They have 2 away games this month to turn what has been an average period around and kick off what could be a momentous charge into a League Cup semi final against a Premier League powerhouse. COYB.

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dirtydingusmagee added 08:23 - Nov 15 yep a pie chart would be good Phil, just to see how those pie's of Yorksblue really fair!,
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dobbie73 added 08:38 - Nov 15 I think I lost my faith on Saturday ..... I really want Keano to succeed here, and he has done some good as others have said - bringing on some decent youngsters, getting the squad leaner and meaner, and initially seemed to have developed a tougher get-stuck-in and closeing down style of playing rather than backing off all the time. But .... Something has gone very wrong and very rotten. I am not sure it was there from the beginning (as the most vociferous anti-Keane fans have suggested) becuase we had an excellent start to the season, and despite our lowly position we are still not THAT far off the play-offs in what is another very tight league. But nonetheless, something is very wrong, and while one swallow does not make a summer (or whatever the negative version of that saying is!), there has been enough in the last few weeks to suggest to me that Keano is coming to the end of his time here. The Priskin substitution for me was pretty much the last straw, and although I won't boo the players (however poorly they may be playing), I didn't hold back in my opinions towards the bench (apologies to any offended ears in my vicinity in SBRS Lower!) I always hate to see managers lose their job, but there is a feeling of inevitability in the air, and it would be a major quirk of fate if Keano were to lose his job at about the time of the Norwich game, seeing as that was the last game of his predecessor. But what of Evans? Would he want to pay up the contract? Or will he leave things as they are and recruit a new man in the close season? Of course, things may suddenly turn round with 6 points against Hull and the budgies and a glittering League Cup semi-final tie, which makes this whole discussion pretty meaningless. But I really doubt it. COYB - and Keano mate, you need a miracle.

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bluelady added 09:12 - Nov 15 Dobbie i think your note is pretty spot on well done! i was very cross after saturday and came down very hard - however i do have a season ticket and Peaky - im sorry but paying £500 a year means i do want to see at least an effort towards playing pretty football, or would happily accept a ground out result, but the fact is over the last 7 games we really have had very little of either. 5 loses and 2 wins, thats relegation form i'm afraid. I would love to see him turn it around, but for me he had all of last season to make the mistakes, mould a team and somehow have a decent top six contender, and yet this season we started well and are now going backwards and fast. I think he has got good points, his purchases are proving much better than we all thought - Martin was very highly praised at the weekend (although it could be argued he has found his place in league one), Prisken is showing what a fantastic player he has (and clearly what keane had seen in him), ok Healy hasnt come good but at such a cheap price was cleary worth a punt. No for me its what happens on the pitch - a team worthy of a top 6 place with the belief and tactics of a bottom three team, that is where the issue lies. Do we bring in an experience coach? if we did would he listen, i doubt it! its keanes team and Keanes way unfortunately.

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MAVERICK added 09:18 - Nov 15 Spot On Dobbie !
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Calmingwind added 09:37 - Nov 15 Bluelady - i think you hit a nail on the head there, and its been in and out of the papers or websites for some time as to whether he would or get an assistant. i think he needs one certainly. it could not hurt at all. trouble is i think it would have to be someone keane wants to work with or it would not work, and of course wants to work with him. I cant imagine anyone really not wanting to be an assistant at this football club, but its whether they want to work with keane thats the thing. one man i would love to see here is Ray wilkins.

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bobble added 09:41 - Nov 15 pie chart bugger that ! lets ave a pizza chart never did like that heavy lardy food myself.
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bluelady added 10:25 - Nov 15 Calmingwind, agree about Ray, however the cost of his plus Keanes wages could equal a very decent manager indeed!!!
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kerryblue added 10:38 - Nov 15 LOOKING HOPELESS AND OUR WORST GAME EVER UNDER KEANE
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BlueistheColor added 10:56 - Nov 15 Not a great game or run of games! I have read most of the posts on here and noone has really said anything about Fullop, I don't think he is playing at his best at the moment I think a change there maybe an idea????!!!! But don't forget that Priskin had at least 3 attempts on goal and if he had scored 2 of them along with Tommy Smiths it would be a different story now!!! All I am trying to say is that we did have opportunities and we didn't take them, another match we could of had them all. I don't really agree with "Keane out" look at the players he was after at the start of the season and they never pulled off. I think we can blame Clegg and co for that!!! Why did he let Jon Stead go, well RK was told if you want to bring players in you have to send players out but you can only sell players that other clubs to buy. Looking back now we should of kept Jon Stead, I for one was a fan but if it meant bringing in one of the top goal scorers for the league then yes he would have to go!! I think we should look at what RK has to work with! I think this year will be better than last year and next year will be even better with RK, if this hasn't proved to Clegg and ME that we need to spend money to get up the table then I don't know much about it. Yes I hear you all think he has had money to spend but if we want to be where all the fans want the club to be it's going to cost a sight more than that!!!!!! Enough said!!! hurry back DN, GMc!! Oh and one last thing sell Connor he isn't worth £20 and I don't think Rhodes would be any better!!!

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StowTractorBoy added 11:16 - Nov 15 A case for the defence of Keane and I know I am in the minority and do not disagree wit the underlaying tones of this site. This time last season after 17 games played we had accumulated just 13 points and were sitting 2nd from bottom in the league table. We were not playing well a year ago and we did not have a strong squad. This season we have amassed 24 points and have a squad that on a piece of paper is very strong. Keane played 4-1-4-1 for several matches early season and although not inspiring football it worked. Us fans then moan like hell because we are only playing one up front - Keano changes that scenario and appeases us fans and the press and we have struggled ever since. I am not going to flog a dead horse but I do know that Keane will not walk so we will have to get on with supporting our team but I must admit at the moment the future does not look bright as I can see little return from the next 3 matches.

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Surco72 added 11:29 - Nov 15 Blueisthecolour it is idiots like you wanting to give Keane the benefit of the doubt after taking a team just outside the playoffs for two seasons that needed minor tinkering and some steel at the back to be a good side to a team of players scared to do anything of their own thinking with no shape ,pace ,width ,creativity ,passing skill ,confidence or players in their natural position .Give Keane time to sort it out but ship out a seventeen year old who has undoubted talents for the premiership big boys to be looking who will only get better with proper management ,he was supposed to be our saviour after a few games at the end of last season . Both Wrights,Garvan,Stead,Rhodes would all be doing better than the rubbish we are served up week in week out that Keane has spent millions on . I said Keane out after the Peterborough game last season and was mocked for suggesting Warnock take over before he went to QPR ,i bet theres not many on here that would rather have Keane now !!!

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Happy2bBlue added 11:33 - Nov 15 We're 2 points off the play offs and in the qtr final of the Carling cup. OK we were poor last week but were missing important players at crucial times. It is an incredibily tough league this season but we've still put in good performances against stong teams. I'd say its too early to panic and lets see what reaction Keane gets from is squad over the next few games as it will be the application of the players between now and Christmas that will decide Roy's fate.

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BlueistheColor added 11:39 - Nov 15 Here, Here!! Happy2bBlue
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bluearmy4life added 12:07 - Nov 15 It's looking more likely that the club are not looking to change anything this week. I would be willing to see what results we pick up in the next two games. We need 6 points to get things going and its not going to be easy at all. If we lose both games he has got to go that could make 8 defeats in 11 games that would get most managers sacked.
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whoppit added 12:13 - Nov 15 I tried to tell you all that this would go tit$ up last Christmas but got shouted down. I don't want to say "I told you so" but I did !!!!!!!!!!!
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BlueistheColor added 12:55 - Nov 15 Surco72 Just like to point out that the 2 Wrights,Garvan,Stead and Rhodes are not doing better than us are they??? Have you seen where Chrystal Palace are? Stead has a couple but no more than Scotland or Priskin. Oh and can you remind me what league Rhodes play in???? It's people like you that are singing when were winning and booing when were loosing, people like me back the team and the manager through thick and thin, a true blue rather than a glory blue...

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bluelady added 12:57 - Nov 15 Whoppit noone likes a smart ar**e at the end of the day we all have the same goal for our beloved club to have the best possible manager and to be in the highest position possible, not to be 'right about how bad things would get' that is not what a true fan is about. Equally i would love some of whatever Bluearmy and blueisthecolour have been drinking cause it has made them very happy indeed!!! I agree we are in a better position as far as the tables are concerned this year, however the football has not moved on and the performances if any are worse. I just cannot forget how scared those players looked saturday, like rabbits in headlights, thats not what i pay my money to see!

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ITFC1985 added 12:58 - Nov 15 thats the second game where Kennedy's done his hamstring what a quality signing thats been!! we were poor saturday very very poor, couldnt seem to match Barnsleys hunger and desire to win the game, was actually good to see a championship side who dont just lump it forward they played good football, Tom Eastman should never have been in the starting lineup for this game especially up against Hammil who was tricky and pacey, Eastman is like a lorry when he has to turn, he has to do in 3 stages, why cant we ever take a gamble on players like Adam Hammil, Charlie Adam, Chris Burke, Kris Commons, these players all went to their clubs for next to nothing and they are some of the better championship players, it baffles me we cant seem to attract decent young footballers!!

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Carrotblue added 13:01 - Nov 15 Keane YOU ARE THE WEAKEST LINK GOODBYE
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alfromcol added 13:09 - Nov 15 Hi whoppit Just when you began to post a few more positive comments, then Barnsley come along and spoil the party. It seems that RK is hell bent on getting the youngsters on the field at all cost and then claiming that it is all good experience for them!!!
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BlueistheColor added 13:14 - Nov 15 Wish I had a crystal ball like some of you moaners out there!! im sure they would sell you a season ticket at that place up the A140, where they wear green and yellow. You could always but your Ipswich top on e-bay! Just an option for all you out there that don't support ITFC 100%
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Hereford_Blue added 13:31 - Nov 15 Blueisthecolor, NOTHING gets on my tits more than people who come on here with the tired old comment, 'if you dont like it go up the A140'. You say you support the team 100%, yet in an earlier post you are slagging off a very highly rated youngster who happens to be employed by our club??? Doesn't seem like universal praise of everything blue to me!!!
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