Boss Paul Jewell says his Town side need to start winning games before looking to play football in the traditional 'Ipswich way'. The Blues have won only one of their last 10 league games.

Jewell, making reference to Cesc Fabregas’s rugby comments after Wednesday’s Carling Cup win against Arsenal, says that initially he is after victories before looking to instil Town’s traditional passing game in his team: “Fabregas doesn’t think we play the 'Ipswich way'! The most important thing is winning matches, I’ve got to be honest.

“We all want to play the game the right way, but you’ve got to earn that right. I think it’s a bit of a fallacy when fans say ‘I’d rather lose the game 4-3 and play the right way’. They wouldn’t.

“They would rather win the game and as you win more games you get more and more confident and your players think ‘Where’s that come from?’.

“It’ll take time. We know we’re three points off the relegation places. We’re in battle. We’ve got to battle first, make no mistake about it.

“And after the battle, you’ve heard it before, you’ve got to win a battle to win a match. When we get in the right areas, we want to get the ball wide, want to get crosses in, but that takes time.”

Jewell agrees with his predecessor Roy Keane that Town are currently making too many poor decisions: “I think in and around both boxes. You can tell we’re a little bit edgy at times, we’re a little bit edgy when we’re clearing the ball and you get a feeling of nervousness when there shouldn’t be any.

“That’s football, that happens. We’ve just got to get rid of that and be strong, mentally and physically and try and move on.”

Meanwhile, striker Kevin Lisbie is yet to hear from Jewell regarding him being recalled to Portman Road from loan club Millwall. Like Lee Martin, who was summoned from Charlton yesterday, Town have a 24-hour recall on Lisbie. Pablo Couñago’s spell at Crystal Palace can only be curtailed if the player, Palace and Town all agree to do so.

Lisbie said: “I haven’t heard anything at the moment, and I’m not exactly waiting by my phone.

“But if Ipswich were to call me back, then it would presumably be to go straight back into the team. If something happens, then it happens, and I would see out my final few months at Ipswich.

“I have nothing against the club, and I know that they could call me back at any time this month. There’s a new manager in place and there’s 12 days left for them to come in for me.”

Photo: Action Images

tractorboy2434 added 19:43 - Jan 19 Without some strengthening we won't be winning many, no creativity and a punchless strike force, needs to find a couple of players sharpish.
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Keaneish added 20:11 - Jan 19 What a Knob Lisbie is! You come back and play for your place for a new manager not go straight back into the team. 1 goal in 8 games for Millwall says it all really! Ta Ta Lisbie football career....
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nobrain added 21:38 - Jan 19 Spot on PJ. Wins are what we need now - it's about survival. Achieve that, then build upon it.
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warwickblue added 22:35 - Jan 19 Yep.I will settle for ugly, brutal survival in the second half of this season - followed by a proper restructuring of the squad in the summer. I have every confidence that Jewell will steer us to safety this season but we cannot under-estimate the size of the muddle he has inherited. Safety first doesn't come pretty!
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VanIsleBlue added 22:51 - Jan 19 I would take Kevin Phillips in a second even if he is close to 40. We need more goals from midfield as well. I like the way Jewell and Hutchings are talking but I am worried he hasn't brought in some new faces on the playing staff yet
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JohnyJohnson added 22:58 - Jan 19 Good tactics and player application and confidence is what we need at the moment, players will slot in in due course. RK changed the squad too fast, though Lisbie can go ASAP please. Will be an interesting few months- finally optimistic again -even though its optimism about survival this season!
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BrettenhamBlue added 02:53 - Jan 20 Really don't want to see Lisbie back, one of the worst players we've had in a while and mainly remember him walking backwards and forwards slowly over the half-way line. Movement? Non-Existent. Seems arrogant and full of his own self importance. If we could get him to go back to Colchester- brilliant! Could do with some QUALITY at Town, not Lisbie.
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BrettenhamBlue added 02:58 - Jan 20 Kevin Phillips? Yes,-injury prone but would take him to ITFC in a heartbeat. Could mean the difference between relegation and mid-table security this season. Always battles and scores the occasional great goal from distance. Handy to have in the squad and the dressing room.
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Paul_Jewell_Manager added 05:42 - Jan 20 lisbie is quality, should never have put him out to loan. we need to make sure he signs a new 2 year contract with healy and counago
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Back_The_Boss added 14:23 - Jan 20 Indeed, COYB!
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bringbackthedutch added 22:57 - Jan 20 This is a bit frightening...how are we gonna win unless we adopt some degree of style? Keano's legacy is a team with no creative players and no pace up front or in midfield. What are we gonna do, grind people into submission? Unless we get some players who can inject some pzazz we're stuffed!
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