Manager Paul Jewell bemoaned losing key battles at key times during Town’s 5-1 record defeat to Norwich City at Portman Road last night. The Blues boss says his team are a different side at home than they are away.

Jewell said: “In one v one situations in both boxes at both ends of the pitch, we lost key battles at key times and if you do that you’re going to lose games."

The Liverpudlian says the Blues, who have now lost 10 games at home this season, showed their greater vulnerability at Portman Road against a decent Norwich side: “I think they’re a good team, they’ve got a good system of play and they’ve got good players and they’re playing with confidence.

“They started the game brighter than us and we couldn’t really get going. We huffed and we puffed but every time they had an attack it looked like they might score a goal.

“We’re too open for some reason at home. Away from home we’re a completely different team. If you’ve got someone who's going to score you goals and a striker who is going to cause the opposition problems, you’ve always got a chance, but we haven’t got that at the moment, certainly not at home.”

Jewell was pleased with sub Andy Drury’s second half performance but could find few other positives to take from the match: “Andy Drury did well when he came on in the second half. We had lots of possession, we huffed and puffed but it’s what you do with it.”

The Town boss didn’t publicly point any fingers regarding the errors which led to the Canaries’ first two goals: “Most goals are caused by mistakes. The second goal is an own goal. The fourth and fifth make the scoreline a nightmare for us at home — 3-1 is bad enough but 5-1 is a humiliation really.”

There were 19 arrests during last night’s police operation with a further 13 ejections. Inspector Matthew Rose was pleased with the way the evening progressed from that perspective: “From my point of view the operation has been an absolute success.

“We have had no serious disorder and the vast majority of people have been able to have a good evening out and we have ensured their safety. The policing of the game has been a complete success.”

Elsewhere, one of this morning’s papers claims Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp will tempt the Blues into giving his club first refusal on Connor Wickham by offering Town the loan of a number of promising youngsters for the season ahead.

Redknapp is said to want to see Wickham play another season in the Championship before making up his mind whether to buy him the following summer, loaning the Blues the likes of Andros Townsend, Jake Livermore and defender Steven Caulker for next season, with talks claimed to have begun between the clubs.

Both Townsend and Livermore spent time at Portman Road earlier this season and the story looks like a rehash of rumours which were doing the rounds during the autumn, despite Tottenham’s well-known long-term interest in Wickham.

Meanwhile, West Brom boss Roy Hodgson was at Portman Road for last night's game.

Photo: Action Images

cwb91 added 10:23 - Apr 22 I assume we will be waiting a very long time for an apology from either players or manager. Still absolutely furious. Last night was despicable
0

blueoff added 10:31 - Apr 22 well pj you now know what a useless gutless bunch you have inherited dont give any of the back four a new deal and give jimmy two decent midfielders to play alongside and a 20 plus goalscorer and a quality keeper‚ thats all
0

MarcFowler added 10:32 - Apr 22 I'd give them first refusal if that doesn't involve setting a fee now. Also let's try and get Gio, right? :P
0

Frase1987 added 10:34 - Apr 22 think people are too harsh on centre backs... not much they can do when we don't have any full backs on the field.
0

ITFCBlues added 10:36 - Apr 22 Maybe we could tempt VDV or Modric at the same time as Gio?
0

Brockleyblue added 10:37 - Apr 22 Inspector Matthew Rose, I think by a ratio of about 27-2 you are entirely wrong in your belief that "the vast majority of people have been able to have a good evening out".
0

jas0999 added 10:39 - Apr 22 And the award for stating the obvious goes to ... !! In all seriousness, what else can he say. No doubt he feels embarrased and ashamed and rightly so. However for me a simple 'sorry' and a promise to scrap this horrible 4-5-1 at home from this point on would have sufficed! I thought PJ had learnt his lesson from the Boro game - but clearly not. Shame. Mass clear out required and at least 6-8 new players required in the Summer.

0

DrJeckyll added 10:42 - Apr 22 If we concede the first goal at home, 9 times out of 10 we will lose the game. This has happened under the last 3 managers, irrespective of systems or personnel. There has been one constant during all this time, one that i cant see changing except for the worse, but tbh i'm bored s**tless of mentioning it, it just keeps falling on deaf ears.
0

thechangingman added 10:59 - Apr 22 This hurts me to say... That lot up the road are just a LOT better than us nowadays and whilst the future is looking very rosy indeed for them, for us I can't imagine it being much gloomier (although Keane returning would be worse I suppose...) Oh well, let's drag our sorry arses to the end of yet another supine and pretty much pointless season. Where's the joy? Where's the hope? Where's the adventure? Where's the excitement? And in case you're wondering, yes, these really ARE rhetorical questions.

0

brogansnose added 11:14 - Apr 22 Thought that much of the crowd was far too drunk to offer any real support and flagged after the second goal and offered little to the atmosphere apart from in the bar in LSB. Still i suppose they will turn out again if we get a big cup draw, as long as its not too cold. As for Harry, keep your loanees because i am sick of us acting as a team for others to test and develop their youth. How about giving our own a game or if they are not good enough get rid. Give us the cash Harry or clear off. If you plotted our 'progress' on a chart from when we were beaten by West Ham in the playoffs, apart from a couple of blips, it would show a steady decline which is now culminating in us getting twonked at home by some very average sides such as Barnsley and Watford let alone last nights massacre. I am seething.

0

Wickets added 11:14 - Apr 22 Just remember its the BAD times that make the GOOD times even sweeter they are just round the corner. Note to PJ play your best goalie, no loan players unless there is a chance of signing them. A winger will almost always be a winger. Norris and Leadbetter together no thanks, Bullard Healy and one of them, much better. Onwards and upwards and well done for keeping us up.

0

Marshalls_Mullet added 11:15 - Apr 22 4-5-1..... It just doesnt work for us, we seem to have stuck to this after ONE good game against Arsenal. We dont have the personnel for it. I hope PJ changes to his favoured 4-4-2 soon and for all of next season. I knew the match was lost as soon as I saw Scotland was lone striker. Nothing against the chunky front man, but he is too slow for that role.
0

Marshalls_Mullet added 11:17 - Apr 22 Also.... Grant Holt is proof that you can pick up a 20+ goals a season man from the lower leagues, and doesnt have to be an over priced youngster.
0

Bluefox added 11:32 - Apr 22 Norris and Leadbetter is a central midfield that has failed to work for two years now. Both disappear when the going gets tough. Jewel seems to have given up on Leadbetter as the creative man, getting in Bullard and Drury, but Leadbetter proved again last night he is useless as the anchorman with Norwich running through the middle at will. Hard to see where he is effective. Time to give Hyam or Healey a run in the defensive midfield slot. Felt sorry for Scotland - he is not suited to play as a lone frontman - need either pace or height for that. If he is to play it has to be off someone else so that he can use his abilities as a box player. Not a great game from Wickham but he is still a great prospect. Can't expect an 18 year old to take on a very good defence without better service than he got last night. Carson looked bright again though. Thought Edwards also showed a bit of fight. Worrying that the central defenders we are trying re-sign for next season were so easily out muscled and outpaced by Norwich, but they were left very exposed.

0

Karlosfandangal added 11:34 - Apr 22 Lets Wickham go for free then we wont have to read the stupid stories about Wickham going to Tottenham. Really everyone can see that Townsend and Livermore never really did here and that Paul Jewell is going to get Keanes old cast off's and try and get us up with loan players.
0

jas1972 added 11:51 - Apr 22 For me, PJ made three basic mistakes from the start. One - playing Scotland - he fixed at half time; another - playing Norris, who rumour has it is already committed elsewhere but hasn't the bottle to say so - about which he can't do much as things stand; annd the third and biggest was playing your third choice goalkeeper in a match that cries out for a calm experienced keeper. Perhaps if ALB had successfully made the fairly routine gather that led to the first goal he would have had a better game from then on, but he shouldn't have been there in the first place. I know that there is a wide range of views about our 'keepers, but Fulop surely was the man for last night. Having said that, what disappointed me most was not that the team played badly, because they didn't. I thought that the back four were basically sound, with Delaney having an excellent game. Norwich had got Carson worked out early on and played to ensure that he never really had a chance to do anything - and when he did his inexperience showed when faced with a choice of what to do. Very much one for the future, though. The disappointment is that we had 8 shots on target and 11 off target; Norwich had 6 and 5 respectively - and yet we lost 5-1. To me that focusses the problem last night clearly on the two ends of the pitch and I think that in his selections, and in his decision to send out alternative options on loan, PJ must take a large chunk of the blame for that. Nobody's perfect - moan over.

0

bluestu71 added 11:53 - Apr 22 Karlosfandangal "Lets Wickham go for free then we wont have to read the stupid stories about Wickham going to Tottenham. " Enough with the dopey comments, lets just admit that we were useless and the Budgies were much better....get a grip everyone. We were staring relegation in the face a few months ago, PJ has done a good job so lets look forward and be positive, yes we need some players but we have some excellent youngsters as well. Onwards and upwards.....COYB's!!!!!!!!

0

StowTractorBoy added 11:53 - Apr 22 Do not want any of Spurs chuckouts. Livermore was hopeless here and not doing much better at Leeds. Townsend is obviously a problem sent back by Watford and is an enigma with super pace and little end result with the occasional super goal. Still smarting after last night and now know how Col U fans feel living in the shadow of us. I am afraid we are now miles behind Norwich in every aspect. They own there own stadium - we don't - they have far better support in numbers than we do they have good players all over the park and in reserve - we don't. We are a dwindling Club - gates of 15000 next season they will get 30,000 in if they get promoted and extend their newest stand. Feeling very down today but thats football just have to remember the good times but there have been few of them lately.

0

Pinewoodblue added 11:55 - Apr 22 .Key battles lost! More like surrendered
0

J4ck22 added 12:08 - Apr 22 This happens every time we win a few games... We're not a strong side! It's clear we are far from being a side that can push for the playoffs, but every time we win a few games we are suddenly unstoppable and then people flip when we get a reality check and lose like we did last night. Let's face it, we weren't THAT bad, however the lack of a goalscoring presence has once again foiled us. Goals win matches and we couldn't pull it off when we had the opportunities. Norwich constantly outplayed us for their goals though so fair play to them.

0

Marshalls_Mullet added 12:16 - Apr 22 StowTractorBoy.... Not sure the stadium ownership is as clear cut as you think. As I understand it ITFC own the Stadium but we pay a ground rent for the land it is built on.
0

whoppit added 12:17 - Apr 22 Outplayed, outfought and tonked by the scum. It's all down to Jewell.
0

yorksblue added 12:27 - Apr 22 Shambles from minute one. That's it for the season. Get rid of the dross (70% of current players) and get some quality in. Any chance of a defence for next season please?
0

ITFCenFrance added 12:48 - Apr 22 As some others have mentioned, I actually think the central defence played reasonably well- even if it strange to say so having conceded 5. Edwards was a stand-out player IN ATTACK but not defensively, while O'Dea spent all of his time trying (and failing) to win the psychological battle with Holt. This left G-Mac and DD hopelessly exposed. I don't think the necessary changes are as wholesale as some are suggesting, but no doubt last night hurt. 2010/11 over, let's focus on 11/12.

0

urbanblue added 13:54 - Apr 22 jas1972 .... Very thoughtful comments from you. As i live overseas and wasn't there i just feel bitterly disappointed ..... again !! Clearly we need strengthening throughout the squad if we are going to push for promotion next season and i am trusting that PJ reallises this, if he didn't before. Hopefully, in addition to the striker(s) we so clearly need we will also sign a strong central defender to push Delaney and G'Mac as it looks like they are both staying. The frustration is killing me, but am trying as ever to keep the faith that our manager will get things sorted during the Summer !

0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls