Blues boss Paul Jewell says his central defenders weren’t the only ones to blame for Town’s poor defending in the 5-2 home defeat to Southampton on Tuesday night. He believes his side need to defend better as a team.

Jewell says his defenders weren’t the only ones at fault against the Saints: “I think we spoke the other night about defending as a team and attacking as a team, and some of the stuff which went on in front of the back four on Tuesday night wasn’t great.

“I don’t want this to become a Tommy Smith and Damien Delaney witch-hunt, it’s not that at all. We need to improve.

“Ívar Ingimarsson is injured, he’s out for a couple of weeks at least, and we’ve got two left-sided centre-halves there. There’s an imbalance there, we understand that.

“No one understands that better than me and the frustration of trying to get someone in to help us has been enormous.

“Tommy and Damien are good players, international players in their own right. We can do better, we’ve worked on the training ground, but we’re making basic errors and we’re getting punished.”

The Blues boss says he’s not unduly worried by Ingimarsson’s absence, despite the Icelander’s current thigh problem and spells out last year when the veteran - who is 34 today - was at Reading: “I’m not concerned about his fitness, he’s just been a bit unlucky. That’s not an issue. He had hamstring last year and he’s pulled his thigh this time, so they’re not related.”

As for today’s team for the live Sky game at Peterborough, the Blues boss was still weighing up his options at yesterday’s pre-match press conference: “We’ll have to wait and see what team we play tomorrow. We’re not blessed with great competition for places at centre-half at the minute, so it’s a difficult situation for me.

“I think there are a few players in my thoughts but we can’t just wipe out everybody and make wholesale changes.

“We don’t want to panic, there’s no panic here. We had a horrendous result the other night and centre-halves are a bit thin on the ground.”

Photo: Action Images

pazelle added 09:43 - Aug 20 We've got 2 centrebacks and they're definitely gonna play - must be great for their confidence all this talk! Smith has great potential but I can't see how Jewell can help him! Shouldn't have let Eastman/Brown go - word up!
0

Ipswich24 added 09:46 - Aug 20 Stockdale Edwards Ainsley Delaney Cresswell Bowyer Andrews Leadbitter Carson Jet Chopra Subs Lee-Barrett Priskin Kennedy Martin Drury
0

AlanMahon2011 added 09:50 - Aug 20 Lee Bowyer for example... biggest has-been in the league in my opinion
0

nickforeveritfc added 10:18 - Aug 20 Eastman was crap though I agree about brown he was good! i think we should stop worring im sure it will come together tonight against peterborough.
0

blueoff added 10:21 - Aug 20 stockdale seems a bit slow to go down, not sure he is any better than fulop, and not worth the risk of loosing your keeper on a recall
0

Mark added 10:52 - Aug 20 Re. Brown and Eastman, Brown is on the substitutes bench at League Two Rotherham and Eastman is not even on the bench (is he injured?) for League One Colchester, so not really the answer albeit we could do with some cover now.
0

harmitfc added 10:56 - Aug 20 Lets not be too critical of our team. We have some great talent out there and it can't be easy. If Tommy can regain the form he showed in the World Cup, DD takes more responsibility for his positioning and the rest of the team help out defensively we could be pretty strong at the back. Brown and Eastman are gone and we are trying to get some new faces in: “We have bid for players, both from the Championship and the Premier League. But there is a lack of quality centre-halves about, every manager is looking for them... It's really, really difficult and frustrating.” It is time for everyone to help out - both on and off the pitch. COYB!!

0

jas0999 added 11:02 - Aug 20 Agreed. But signing CB's before now would have helped.
0

pazelle added 11:11 - Aug 20 Jewell's international scouting network and footballing knowledge means that we wont get a centreback until after the window shuts. Some prem hasbin who couldn't give a flying fart
0

andrewstevens1984 added 11:58 - Aug 20 if you ask me how can jewell blame whole team not defending it was all clear to show the back four was the problem. if a championship side cant organise a back four then surely there not good enough to play at that level.
0

village_blue added 12:14 - Aug 20 Two left footed CB's don't work. For goodness sake give young Ainsley a chance, it can't be any worse than what we have already seen from Smith and Delaney. Also Edward's at RB is a worry as he tries to play himself out of trouble and puts someone else in trouble.
0

wrightyblue added 13:38 - Aug 20 No s*** Sherlock!
0

Blue041273 added 13:49 - Aug 20 Of course we need to defend better. Agree too that it is not all down to the CBs. It seems to me the back 4 feel that they're between the devil and the deep blue sea. If they push up any ball over the top or through them leaves them exposed because of their lack of pace. If they stay back the attackers have too much space. For me they need more protection from the midfield. It's the lack of pace in the team that is stopping PJ play 4 4 2. Trouble is no coaching or training in the world is going to change pedestrian players into pacy ones.

0

Seasider added 16:17 - Aug 20 We al know whats wrong Mr Jewell,but you are the one who can put it right.Glad you have now got another fitness coach;but doesnt seem that well qualified for the role,and probably got job as he was unemployed and knew PJ. However wonder whether it is fitness why midfield cant give sufficient cover,or is it that they are too bloody old,as who was my m.o.m. Tuesday why that young whippersnapper Cresswell!!!

0

battyblue added 19:42 - Aug 20 just seen the game at peterborough ashamed humiliating the worst i have seen an ipswich team play the defending is abissmal my granny is quicker than the cb and she is in a wheelchair seen better defenders in sunday leauge we are also two strides of the pace sort it out or it will be leauge 1 next season for sure why are our players so unfit it looks as if they have run a marathon before the match

0

4dy added 19:19 - Aug 21 i'm not upset by these deafeats by our local rivals,only a feeling that im not really surprised.we just do things at the wrong time too often.against n'hmptn i was impressed how they played and they did play very well.but the chances we did get in the first half made it a forgone conclusion for me that we would be scoring at some stage.that happened but when we had them on the the ropes we went to keane era self destruct mode!instead of just keeping the ball,and being patient enough to wait and look for the openings,yes we went to good old long ball.how bloody predictable!i'm just about to watch peterboro game.and i'll bet you that our game consisted of wait for it...yes long ball tactics.the guys like leadebetter, bowyer or who ever plays in midfield are just going through the motions cos the ball when in our possion you can almost be certain its going to be launched from defence to either wing,then again laedbetter when we need him to boss the game and play through him doesnt happen very much at all.this is why bullard was such a revalation for town.because he was not scared to keep the ball and take the sting out of the oppositions attack,he didnt listen to to the fans when he was knocking the ball about when they start grumbling when the ball is not flying around at a hundred miles an hour!simple passing and the courage to do it and intimidate opponents with possesion in their half when they are up against it is our flaw.

0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls