Manager Paul Jewell blamed a lack of confidence for the number of long balls played by his side during the first half of Saturday’s 3-2 victory over Doncaster. The Blues boss felt his team played more of the football he wants from them during the second period.

Jewell said: “It’s like everything else it’s confidence. We were playing long balls when I didn’t want us to play long balls. In fact, if you see the first Doncaster goal, the ball should have gone long, we tried to play it short, lost possession and they scored from it.

“The difference between when you’re playing well and playing badly is that a long ball becomes a long pass. As good a team as Doncaster are, if you look at the stats, they’ll play lots of long passes, ours might have been long balls.

“I thought the crowd were terrific, they didn’t turn on our players and the players responded to the crowd.”

The former Wigan and Bradford boss says he recalled Lee Martin from his loan spell at Charlton as he felt the team needed more down the flanks: “I asked a couple of members of staff about bringing some of the loan players back. I just felt that in the wide areas we lacked a bit of a spark, someone who can carry the ball and I think Lee gave us that. He gave us something different we didn’t have.

“In the second half, when we got the ball down and passed it, we created lots of opportunities and looked a completely different team.”

Martin and Colin Healy, players who had rarely been involved under Roy Keane’s management, both played important roles in Town’s victory and Jewell says the former Ireland international has done well since he’s been at the club: “I’ve been impressed with Colin. The lads have all given us everything they’ve got and that’s all we ask for. Hopefully as time evolves we will get better. There’s no magic wand, it’s still a long-term project.

“Colin Healy gets on with his job, he’s a terrific professional, as I’ve found with them all. I don’t want to single anybody out really, I thought it was a terrific team effort. Not just the XI that played, it pleased me to see that the rest of the lads who weren’t playing were as pleased as punch for the rest of the team.

“That’s what we want to try and do, build that spirit within the team, within the camp, within the support, within everybody. That will only come from winning games, I understand that, but as a manager I like to see everyone pleased and happy for the team.”

The new boss switched Carlos Edwards to right-back and the 32-year-old revelled in the role, even scoring the winning goal. Jewell says he wanted his full-backs to push on: “Carlos has played at right-back for Trinidad and has played there a few times with his clubs. They’re a difficult team to play against Doncaster because they have that system and they are very smooth in the way they move.

“Sometimes in the first half we were chasing a few shadows, so we changed it around. I want my full-backs to get forward at the right time and even a couple of times before the goal I’ve thought ‘Go on, have that bit of belief’, and he’s hit it and it’s gone in."

Jewell joked that the new contract that Connor Wickham signed on Friday gave the 17-year-old striker the boost that led to him scoring his first goal of the season: “It’ll be that 20-grand-a-week deal he’s just signed doing him a power of good! That’s a joke, by the way.

“I don’t really want to put too much pressure on the lad’s shoulders because he’s just a young lad in a man’s body. It was a terrific header, a great ball in by Colin. I think he had about six or seven shots on target.

“We could have had more goals, we had a couple of two-v-one situations on the break where we got caught offside. We had good opportunities and didn’t make the keeper work. But today is about the team and getting those three points.”

Photo: Action Images

JewellinDenial added 09:28 - Jan 24 The thing that impresses me the most about this man is that everything he says is not only factually correct and how many of us see the game, but also that when there is a negative he manages to take a positive angle on it which probably doesn't harm a players confidence. He correctly identified weaknesses but in doing so gave praise to the team, individuals and the fans. Good work Paul.

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Hunter added 09:29 - Jan 24 LETS DO IT AGAINST ARSENAL!!!!!! COME ON LADS U CAN DO IT!!!!!!
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PeekFreans added 09:30 - Jan 24 At last, a man who knows what he's talking about. Welcome to Ipswich Paul.
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bedsitfc added 09:31 - Jan 24 I cant believe any of our players would want to leave when we have a man like pj as manager. He is not only giving players a boost but supporters aswell.
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OsborneOneNil added 09:43 - Jan 24 Breath of fresh air. 'team lacked width, too many long balls, full backs not getting forward enough', things the fans have been saying for 18 months. PJ straight in and rectifying it.
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pepperot123 added 09:43 - Jan 24 When this man speaks I feel more and more confident about our clubs future success. Reminds me so much of Joe Royle, scouse, likes a pie and good passing confident, attacking football. Early days I know but brilliant job so far PJ. Looking forward to the Emarites, COYB.
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ErikaTractor added 09:46 - Jan 24 I believe we have a very good chance against Arsenal if we have the right mental attitude. We should not go Gung-Ho at Arsenal but must make sure we are not ultra-defensive (which we will be sorely tempted to do) My team to face Arsenal at the emirates would be Fulop Peters, McCauley, O'Dea, O'Connor Edwards, Norris, Leadbitter, Civelli Priskin, Wickham The inclusion of Civelli would be confusing for Arsenal. One famous person once said "Unexpected moves are hard to counter"

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Marcus added 09:47 - Jan 24 I was a bit anti PJ when his name first came up but he's really won me over. He feels more like a real manager than Keane ever did and certainly feels much more like an Ipswich manager. We're now Ipswich, managed by Paul Jewell rather than Roy Keane's Ipswich - that's much more comfortable!
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ErikaTractor added 09:53 - Jan 24 Much nicer feel to the club MarcusSg. Nicer man alround by the sounds of things!
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Surco72 added 09:55 - Jan 24 As a lot of us have said we have the players here we just need to get the best out of them ,have a system and build confidence and team unity ,so far Mr Jewell seems to be ticking all the boxes long may it continue. No mad panic on saturday just reviewed the game and changed the system and the players responded ,in previous weeks that game would have been beyond our reach after we conceded .

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Pessimistic added 10:02 - Jan 24 I agree with all the above commnets. Jewell is a breath of fresh air!
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bluelady added 10:16 - Jan 24 Erika like the tactic of bringing Civelli, however not sure after absolutely no first team minutes in nearly two years he will have either the confidence or sharpness, mabye a good super sub, Shane O Connor would be my choice having seen him against Leicester! Think we need to play long ball, cant believe i am saying that but it confused the heck out of them down here and when Leeds trued to pass against them it just didnt work....... so i would go for one up front but maybe swap Connor and Prisken?

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bluelady added 10:17 - Jan 24 pessimistic, why not change your name to less pessimistic?!!
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osborne1nil added 10:21 - Jan 24 Agree with what's been said. Interesting that PJ stuck throughout the game with the same team, made changes on pitch and at half time without using substitutions. How many changes would RK have made? I thought the players reacted well at half time and winning games will start to breed confidence, something we have been lacking for a long time. I thought the players did well and albeit I wouldn't keep Edwards as RB, PJ has already said that it is not necessarily his or Peters best position. Fullop had one of his poorer games IMO and Leadbitter didn't shine for me either but the guys played as a team and Norris showed his 100% commitment to the team as usual. COYB, lets get a result tomorrow night and we shall be off to Wembley.

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BrettenhamBlue added 10:36 - Jan 24 PJ is growing on me every time he delivers a conference. I feel that we now have a real manager at the club rather than the "false Messiah" (Keane). It must be great for the players to feel supported rather than rot in the reserves or out on loan if they have a bad game. Great to see Martin in good form. Hopefully we are on the up. Don't want to be pessimistic, but lets keep our hopes dulled for Arsenal (the next few league games are more important anyway). Would be nice to be in the final though................... And to win it......European football..... Ipswich vrs Inter once more....... Dreaming a bit too much I think!

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grumpyoldman added 10:50 - Jan 24 Just a word of caution, when RK started here and we won a game, didn't he get thought of in the same way after the reign of Jim, I honestly hope this is not a false dawn.
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bluelady added 10:57 - Jan 24 grumpyoldman, this is not about winning the game, its the way we did it. keane took on a decent team, Jewell has taken on a team that is totally lacking in confidence, this showed first half yet his team talk worked wonders. This is about having a man manager and not a dictator leading our team....
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tallguy6767 added 11:07 - Jan 24 P j has made more sense in 2 weeks than rk did in his 20 months here . He seems to be uniting the club again which is what was desperately needed after the keane shambles. Keep it going Paul ! C.O.Y.B.!!.
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blueherts added 11:10 - Jan 24 Grumpy - You would be a heck of a guy to share a foxhole with - Get the negative vibe off the site and go get down somewhere else. For the first time in nearly two years I think all Ipswich fans are seeing what dark days we were having under Keane We are upbeat about the whole way PJ goes about his job and the way he articualtes . Also look at his teams and how he doesnt panic and throw his toys out after 20 minutes if things are not going HIS way - So true comment we are now Ipswich Towns Paul jewell and Not Roy the Clowns Ipswich Town - Feeling positive and I have spoken to afew of the players and the whole place has been lifted ... Grumpy - go moan elsewhere ..

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JayITFC added 11:19 - Jan 24 Agree with the majority of comments. Jewell says the right things and is looking for the positives. I no longer feel the need to cover my ears in embarrassment whenever our manager comes on the TV or radio...
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Karlosfandangal added 11:55 - Jan 24 I think that if players want to leave then let them, as Paul Jewell looks like a man who can find replacements. My only worry if the fact that other teams seem to be able to sort a players contract very quickly and we seem to take 2 or 3 months, so I think we will be lucky to get any new players in before the window closes. Norris not signing the contract, is a shame, However we do not know the in's and out's,But the bit about 'I will be out of work in 5 months" really does not wash with me, Norris must be on 10k a week he has 5 months left and has a 2 year contract in front of him, if they are not improved terms, he is still going to earn £1.5 million. He earns more in 3 weeks than i earn in a year. When the club was relegated the wage bill for 1st team was reported to be £26 million a year and the club ended up in adminastration, When Marcus Evans brought the club the wage bill was reported as £5 million a year and now its reported at the end of last season as £14.5 million. I feel the club is doing the right thing in not giving in to the players or the agents demands. We are in difficult time with the cost of living going up and most of us are not getting a wage rise as company's are struggling, and Ipswich Town are no different, they have tried to keep ticket prices down and the attendance's or falling, The more the players want the more the fans will have to pay. I do rate Norris and feel his performance on Saturday was not of a player wanting to leave the club, I am not knocking him and would not blame him or McAuley or any other player leaving if they can better their career or even double their money over night. I am glad that the club are not being held to ransom as I would hate to see us going back in admin or ending up like Portsmouth.

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bluetoba added 12:06 - Jan 24 Open, friendly, honest. The players will surely respond. What was I worried about?
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Bergholtblue added 12:06 - Jan 24 I did worry that the club was in such a mess that PJ would not be able to turn it around, in fact I worried that there was any manager that could tuern us around. Then after that first half, I thought the only way would be to go out an get 11 new players. But what half time talk. Spirit building, not a slagging off. Tactical know-how with changes to the system and no panic in bringing on unnecessary subs. Paul Jewell is the new messiah!! Hallelujah!

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BotesdaleBlue added 12:29 - Jan 24 I can honestly say that I have agreed with every single work PJ has said since he was appointed. I am trying not to get too carried away, but I am genuinely excited about the future and feel we have bottomed out from nine years of decline (a couple of good JR years aside). I wish you all the very best Paul
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BlueVelvet added 12:59 - Jan 24 I'm never sure about Martin. I think he lacks confidence and hence gives balls away, but PJ needs to play him more. We were much wider on the left when he was on that side, hopefully Civelli will widen us out even more - need to develop the overlaps and add pace to the width.
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