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Delaney: Important We Put in a Performance
Delaney: Important We Put in a Performance
Friday, 14th Jan 2011 08:47

Defender Damien Delaney felt it was important that Town's players put in a big performance against Arsenal on Wednesday having been beaten 7-0 by Chelsea on Sunday. The Irishman was on the bench for the FA Cup drubbing at Stamford Bridge but returned to the heart of the defence for the 1-0 Carling Cup semi-final first leg victory over the Gunners.

Delaney said: “It was important after Sunday’s debacle that we bounced back with a performance but to get the performance and the result was thrilling really.

“I think that lads put a shift in [on Wednesday]. All you can ever ask of any team is that they put sweat on the jersey and I think we did that.”

The 29-year-old says the presence of new boss Paul Jewell was also an incentive but believes a restoration of professional pride was the main motivation: “Obviously, you want to do well [for the new manager], but I think Sunday was the biggest one. After getting turned over seven, no professional team should get turned over seven against anyone, whether it’s Chelsea or whoever.

“As a group we didn’t put in a performance on Sunday, so it was important that we did that against Arsenal.”

Delaney says the main aim going into the game was making sure there was something to play for when the Blues travel to the Emirates for the second match: “What we kept saying at training on Tuesday was that we had to make sure that the second leg was a meaningful tie.

“We didn’t want to be dead and buried and just be fulfilling a fixture at the end of the month because then we could have been getting into cricket scores.

“At least we’ve got something to take there to try and hold on to. And the bonus for the new manager is that we put in the performance that we did.”

The former Hull City, Leicester and QPR man admits that the Blues caught Arsenal on a bad day: “They weren’t at their best, but I think that we had to be above our best and pray to God that they were somewhere around average. That’s the only way we were going to get anything against them.

“Tonight was one of those nights and we played above and beyond the call of duty and Arsenal had an off-night.”

The Corkman was hugely impressed with the atmosphere on Wednesday: “It was brilliant, it’s the first time I’ve ever played at Portman Road in front of a full house. I think there were 29 or 30,000 here. It does give you a lift.

“After Sunday a lot of people would have been forgiven for not showing up, to be honest with you, and they probably only showed up because it was Arsenal. I think if we’d have been playing Millwall, I don’t know how many would have been there. But they showed up, they got behind us, they gave us great support and it definitely helped us.”

Delaney says Town are well capable of winning a place in the final: “Of course, why not? We’ll do what Mourinho said and park the bus in front of the goal at the Emirates!

“We have something to hang on to, and that was all we wanted. Even if we were 1-0 or 2-0 down at least we’d have something to hang on to. But to go there 1-0-up, I’m sure they’ll be breaking out all the big guns because they haven’t won a trophy in so long.

“Leeds got a draw there. It’s not impossible. We’ll go there with something to hang on to and if we get another huge performance out of the lads and you never know we’ll be at Wembley in February.”


Photo: Action Images



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JewellinDenial added 09:01 - Jan 14
Before anyone moans that he said 'After Sunday a lot of people would have been forgiven for not showing up, to be honest with you, and they probably only showed up because it was Arsenal' just consider the fact that he's right.

All too often people seem to ignore the majority of the content and have a go!

Cheers Damo. You were immense son.
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sonian_blue added 09:08 - Jan 14
Lets see the same commitment tomorrow and indeed the rest of the season and we will be in good shape for a good next season.
Would be nice to think that just some of the extra 'fans' that showed up will come again. Maybe SC should aggresively market season tickets to include big reductions and incentives to help the cause.
A big crowd DOES help.
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SouperJim added 09:18 - Jan 14
Doesn't matter what happens at the emirates now, nobody gave us a chance over the tie and Charlie and the lads did a fantastic job on Wednesday and forced a few words back down people's throats. 1-0 to the rugby team, fabregas is a whinging twonk and a terrible loser who clearly has so little respect for his fellow professionals that he doesn't deserve to play in a cup final. I would kevin keegan style love it if we could get a result at their place, but nothing will ever erase the memory of 1-0 to the rugby team at portman road!
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pitseablue added 09:19 - Jan 14
Carry that commitment on till the end of the season and we will be fine.I talking about the supporters as much as the team!
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TractorRoyNo1 added 09:22 - Jan 14
sorry off forum but.......... if you love Ipswich spare a few bob for our namesakes in Ozzie

http://www.eveningstar.co.uk/news/campaign_help_those_hit_by_floods_in_ipswich_a
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Surco72 added 09:27 - Jan 14
Perhaps if the likes of Delaney(10),Peters(11),Wickham(4) and Priskin(11) had started more league games each for us this season Keane might still have a job .
All of the above were outstanding on Weds and should have played a lot more this year .
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bobble added 09:33 - Jan 14
if this bloke grew his hair he would be twice as good
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bleedblue added 10:16 - Jan 14
For me; Jewell needs to get Damo, norris and Maca's contracts sorted before looking at the transfer market - these three players alone should be the building bloacks for our team and we cannot afford to lose them int he summer - especially as it will be on a BOSMAN!!

#collookedatobywithaflag
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moomoosereni added 10:28 - Jan 14
Isn't it great to see people just posting about what really matters at this club, and not arguing amongst each other over Roy Keane staying or going and how poor certain players are.

I feel so much happier and prouder to be a Town fan at the moment.
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bluepeter added 10:33 - Jan 14
I have not read any apollogies to Marcus on here from those criticising him for bad timing in changing a manager.If he had not, then we would not of witnessed the best all round performance that I have seen for years from our lads.
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bobble added 10:55 - Jan 14
sack marcus
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Karlosfandangal added 11:11 - Jan 14
Arsenal are the fav to win the cup as its only Ipswich Birmingham and West Ham,

It is thiers to lose and because they are so arrogant and feel they are better than anyone else could be thier downfall if not to us then possible to West Ham or Birmingham.

Leeds got a draw there so its possible so can we, Arsenal will be worried and they have Leeds to play before us and Barcelona just round the corner.
They fully expected that they would turn Leeds and Ipswich over.
If we go out right from the start and snap at a few heels they wont be so keen.
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SW1_Blue added 11:11 - Jan 14
It's Friday morning. Let's forget about Wednesday and concentrate on tomorrow please!!!!
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ITFCson added 11:27 - Jan 14
A cheeky request i know....But has anyone got or know some1 who has any spare tickets for the arsenal game?? I'm thinking maybe some fans bought the full 4 tickets allowed knowing they will maybe be able to sell/give them to friends or family...and maybe at a profit.

Naturally Im willing to pay an inflated price.

If anyone has please e-mail me at Postmatt48@hotmail.com

Thanks
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bobble added 11:50 - Jan 14
yes
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confoosed_dot_com added 11:57 - Jan 14
The use of the word 'fans' for anyone who does not have a 100% attendance record dating back to 1978 and canot recall every team sheet including substitutes, is missing the point. Plenty of fans will not attend week in week out, and they should be welcomed.
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bobble added 12:04 - Jan 14
are we resorting to hemispherism now ? oh how fickle and divisive you simple ones can become given to much fizzy stuff.in the olden days we drank our cider still
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DanLyles added 12:10 - Jan 14
I hope that Jewell sticks with the formation McParland used against Arsenal. Under Keane we played 4-5-1 alot but 4-3-3 with Wickham on the left worked a treat. That way Priskin and Scotland are battling it out for one central striking berth. I'm still in shock that our make shift midfield didn't get completely mauled. OK the possession stats were very lop sided but I thought that having Kennedy and Healy in central midfield was a recipe for disaster, they proved me wrong. Maybe Hyam and Leadbitter alongside Norris is more likely in the future. At the back the 5 from Wednesday must always start if fit imo, they look very comfortable together. Bring on Millwall and Doncaster
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poringlandblue added 12:49 - Jan 14
it cant be rocket science to clegg that if they drop the admission prices for the rest of the season some of the 10000 fans who went on wed might return more often me included, for me and my son to train down from norwich, tickets etc best part of £80, even if they break even,more people better atmosphere team are lifted more wins climb the league no brainer, simples.
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blue_em_away added 12:58 - Jan 14
Lots of comments from Damo lately.

New skipper under PJ I wonder????
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arc added 13:10 - Jan 14
Millwall. Think about Millwall.
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daniel9624 added 13:16 - Jan 14
Couple of points here, completely agree about getting these guys signed up, the sooner we have a stable base of players, augmented with 1 or two loanees (as opposed to 5), will create stability and players who want to play for the cause.
Secondly on the point of ticket prices, i don't go to many weekend games because of playing myself, but on free weekends i find it very hard to justify paying out the £80 for me and my partner to go to a game, much liekthe guy said above, if we want to create atmospheres like wednesday, which in turn lifts the players we need to encourage people through the gates, even if they said buy a ticket come on the train for free that would be some saving
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osborne1nil added 15:29 - Jan 14
I wonder if it's any coincidence that no Leadbitter or Colback in midfield and the team become a more attractive passing team and with Kennedy in midfield, I thought he (like all the others) did very well.
It will be interesting to see if PJ carries on with this same setup and players on going?
As Surco mentioned earlier, a lot of these players should have been playing more regularly under Keane.
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