Blues boss Roy Keane dismissed suggestions that Damien Delaney’s own goal in the 1-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest was unlucky. The loss was the Blues seventh in nine league games and leaves Keane’s side only three points from the relegation places.

The Town manager was less than impressed with the build-up to the own goal: “A lot went on before the ball goes in. It was a minute before half-time and we had possession before that. We talk about being streetwise.

“I think we would have been disappointed at coming in 0-0 at half-time, never mind 1-0 down. But there’ll be no pity parties tonight.”

Keane felt his side again lacked quality in and around the box: “The one or two half-chances we had, the final ball let us down. David Norris got in a good position, Jason did, and Connor, but that’s been a problem for us.

“We need to be cleverer in and around the box, whether that’s playing a one-two, knowing when to cross it, knowing when to take someone on. I think we make the wrong decision too many times.”

The former Manchester United man wasn’t too unhappy with the overall performance: “I thought we played not bad. In any game when you’re up a good team there’s not going to be too much in it. They were cancelling us out, they hit us on the break once or twice in the first half and their keeper made a good save from Troy. We looked a bit dangerous from set pieces.

“In the second half we were chasing the game and Forest were always going to be decent on the break and I think it would have been the same the other way around.

“The first goal is massively important in the Championship and if we’d scored the first goal today we certainly wouldn’t have gone on to lose the game. That maybe sums up the game, we’re nearly a good team, but nearly never made it.”

Keane says he missed the tackle which led to Grant Leadbitter’s red card: “I didn’t really see it and I really should have had the best view. Because the referee initially gave the foul [to Town], I was looking forward already and thinking about getting Márton Fülöp forward for the freekick.

“I think he was trying to play some sort of advantage, but what he was playing an advantage for I don’t know because Grant’s got a lad hanging off him and there was no advantage there.

“Anyone who knows Grant knows he’s not that type of player and the boy was OK. I need to see it on video again. We certainly didn’t need Grant getting a three-game ban as Grant’s an important player for us. That rubs salt into the wounds today.”

Keane, who says no moves in or out are immediately on the cards, revealed that Gareth McAuley came off at half-time due to a hamstring injury.

Asked if he was determined to carry on as Town boss, he said: "I've not had a stupid question for a while, but well done."

Forest boss Billy Davies believed his side deserved the three points: “The goal was fortunate but I think we had some great chances.

“I was very concerned before the game that they’d had one game less than us over the Christmas period, but seven points from a possible nine we’ve got to be delighted with.

“It was scrappy, they made it difficult for us, they brought in a lot of physical presence and played a certain way. We had to defend well and at times we got the ball down and played, but it was a difficult surface, very slippy, and it was a difficult afternoon with the type of game that it was.”

Davies said he and Keane got on fine on the touchline, despite a potentially explosive incident in the first half: “I apologised to Roy when McGoldrick nearly scored from the drop and I genuinely think that it was accidental.

“I apologised straight away, it certainly wasn't what we wanted and we’d have been gutted if the ball had gone in the net. I apologised before he punched me!”

The Scot said he would have looked to have made amends had the ball gone in rather than striking the woodwork: “I would probably have asked the referee to take the drop again or done all we could to make sure the goal didn’t stand, if that were possible. Without a doubt we’d have done something about it, I don’t want him to kick my head in!”

Photo: Action Images

JetaimePeters added 18:55 - Jan 3 Its official: ROY KEANE IS INSANE! Thats hopefully his last press conference - make sure you enjoy it blind followers!
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Drew added 18:56 - Jan 3 Blah blah blah blah blah. Same old crap, feck off Roy.
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tractorgirls added 18:58 - Jan 3 Just go please Roy, thanks but the time has come.
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Jesney_Havoc added 18:58 - Jan 3 Yada yada yada ! What a bunch of crap !
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BROTHERBLUE1974 added 19:00 - Jan 3 I agree Roy, u can't blame bad luck. It's you, crap tactics.. How are u still in this job???
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bluearmy4life added 19:00 - Jan 3 Time to call a press conference right now. Not tomorrow now and get rid of this clown. Where are all the pro Keanes now? Give him more time he will get it right and that bull sh!t. FORK & SC
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shaunest1 added 19:01 - Jan 3 .im an anti keano since day 1, got abused from the pro keano lobby, where r they now ?????? cum bak ipswich elvis,legend, i fear the only way we can get rid of is if ALL of us dnt go to the games, M.E wud hav to take note, town till i die, FORK
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JetaimePeters added 19:02 - Jan 3 He's always complimentary on 'Roy Keane's Ipswich' and harsh on individual's play and decision making! It's your team Roy, today more than most games and you've fooked it up! Go home and watch your career on VHS you nutter!
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andyblue78 added 19:02 - Jan 3 PLEASE JUST LEAVE,,
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steed added 19:03 - Jan 3 Did any one else think wickham didnt look intrested today. Didnt jump for the ball at all just moaned at scotland and fallon all game.
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Mark added 19:03 - Jan 3 We WERE bad, let's not deny it. Home against a mid-table side, and yet again they play better than us and beat us at home. It is not good enough. I knew when I saw the starting line up that a win was unlikely. 5 changes, and a team fielding 3 centre backs, 4 central midfielders and 2 target men. Surely the point of tall strikers is to score from headers, and for that they need wingers crossing the ball from out wide. It is simple stuff, yet we don't do the basics right. No doubt another day of disappointment tomorrow as we all keep checking this site for news of Keane's sacking, which won't come. He has to go. Even if Evans backs him with money I think he'd spend it on Colback and Fallon, both of whom played today and we lost.

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RobbieScarlatti added 19:04 - Jan 3 Really fed up with this. Its got to the point of no return so we have got to chop him. What i'm fed up most with is Keane's stating of the obvious inadequacies of the performances (not being able to stick the ball in the net for example) but having no other solution besides 'get some more options in'. You could have 10,000 options up front, but 'YOU CAN'T MANAGE ANY OF THEM'. You can't MANAGE. Simple as. Clueless.

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NorthblueBen added 19:05 - Jan 3 What a joke
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I_AM_GOD added 19:08 - Jan 3 No players should come in while Keane is manager. In fact, Keane should be the first to go for now.
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hogster1970 added 19:11 - Jan 3 well been thinking it for ages and yep keane has to go, bloke is tacticaly a enept fool, why play mac after the injury as he said he wouldnt and now he is injured, why play brown instead of peters, why not play edwards , and why keep playing grant i think all season he has been a disapointment, well atleast he cant play now which shoulod mean that colback will come inside we can try luca on the left and edwards on the right peters right back, and we have a balanced side oh he wont because he is a idiot, get rid now bring in curbs or even burley they aint going to be any worse.

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steed added 19:12 - Jan 3 evans pull your finger out with contract talks Norris was close to signing contract and now its gone quiet, you probally dont relise not being a football man norris and McAuley can now talk to other clubs if you dont sort it out we wont have a team at all and also sack clegg and have someone at the club who will talk to fans and sort out transfer targets and contracts quicker. You cant blame Keane for this he gives you tranfer targets and you do nothing every other club is signing people. If you dont want keane then fine sack him, but a new manager would have the same problems no matter who it is , a owner who does not want to show his face and a clegg who coulndt negotiate his way out of a paper bag.

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brittaniaman added 19:18 - Jan 3 Just as Keano got out of his seat at the final whistle, some fan ( a big guy with glasses) who was sitting in the block behind him gave Keano a real mouthful and Keano retaliated so much that the stewards had to intervene, I could only guess what that was about can you ???? But it was a bit of exitement to watch as we were going out !!!
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bluearmy4life added 19:19 - Jan 3 Evans help sort out are club it's a F'N disgrace. Seems to me you don't want to pay Keane off for sacking him. Well it will cost you more if you help us get relegated you fcuk'n clown.
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smart4 added 19:21 - Jan 3 Love Keane or hate him it's academic at this stage! There comes a time in every club where a change is needed - fresh impetus - new ideas - new training techniques - perhaps just a better way of motivating the players. I believe we're at that stage and it's time for a change - can't see any alternative! Thanks Roy, but goodbye!
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Nunn_the_Wiser added 19:22 - Jan 3 I know we all hate Keane but let's get real, with the players we have 19th is about right. We are just a pretty poor team, who would have any Market value in our squad? Wickham, MacAuley, Norris and maybe Leadbitter. Get Curbishly in, give him some dough and stabilise.
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jas0999 added 19:22 - Jan 3 I thought their goal was very fortunate - but alas we rarely troubled them. We can't blame bad luck for being 19th in the league. Yes there have been some poor decisions - Holts early tackle in the derby now looks like a terrible decision based on recent red-cards. I totally agree with what most callers said on Suffolk - ME has two options: a) sack Roy b) back Roy with funds. Carrying on as we are would be a complete disaster for the club.

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oddball added 19:25 - Jan 3 You people never give anyone a chance, Royal u wanted out, Magilton u wanted out and now Keane, come on give the man a chance, the chance he deserves.
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Keaneish added 19:29 - Jan 3 Is that a wind up Oddball? Like we need winding up any more after the last 5 years at Portman Road!
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brendanh added 19:30 - Jan 3 There's only one person responsible for that goal and it's Martin Fullop. A through-ball from halfway reached the goalline 5 yards right of his goal, and he was superglued, terrible keeping.
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bluearmy4life added 19:30 - Jan 3 Oddball are you for real? This is are second relegation season under Keane who has spent 10 million and are real contenders of playing football in league one. We wasn't in the postion when Keane took charge. 19 months is plenty of time to know your starting 11 week in week out and to get us in the top half of the table.
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