Blues boss Paul Jewell had no complaints about his players’ effort despite losing 2-1 to Watford at Portman Road on Saturday, their seventh successive defeat. After the previous loss, a 4-0 capitulation at Burnley, he had compared his side to a “pub team”.

Jewell said: “I think the players owe it to themselves and to the supporters to give it all they’ve got and I’ve got no complaints about anybody’s effort.

“I thought on Tuesday we were very, very poor, but against Watford I thought we gave everything we had and were very, very unlucky. I think that was the difference.

“I thought we were compact and I thought we did enough to win the game, but we didn’t, which is the bottom line.

“But there were a lot more positives to take out of the game than there were on Tuesday, but at the end of the day we’ve still got no points.”

He says there were a few jitters after Watford’s first goal, something he feels always happens during a losing run: “It’s always going to be that way when you’ve lost six on the bounce but I thought [after the first Watford goal] there was a positive reaction throughout the ground.

“The players were disappointed to concede the goal, but I don’t think we went into our shells. They gave everything they had and any other day they would have won that game.”

Jewell felt the Blues kept going after conceding the goals, which hadn't been the case in midweek: “I think we knocked in their door, we had shots off the line, we had balls going into the box. How a couple of those haven’t gone in I don’t know. But that’s what happens.

“We’ve had corners and shots going in and crosses going in, and fair play to them they defended them well, but nothing seems to drop for us in the box.”

Despite their seventh defeat on the trot, the players were applauded off at the end with Jewell feeling fans saw the match in much the same way he did: “I think the supporters aren’t silly.

“They’re disappointed but they know the players were giving everything they had today and but for a little bit of luck or a bounce of the ball we would have won the game.”

The Town manager had praise for returning winger Lee Martin even though he made an error for the second goal: “I thought Lee did well, he was involved in their second goal, but that’s what happens when it’s not going your way and they’re not going our way at the moment.

“I’ve never really blamed luck and said we were unlucky but I thought today we were blatantly unlucky not to have won the game.”

Blues goalscorer Keith Andrews says the players are firmly behind their boss: “We back the manager 100 per cent.

“It’s a transitional period," he continued. "But you can see from that performance we back the manager.”

Watford boss Sean Dyche says he’s not in a position to tell his Town counterpart how to end the losing streak, despite turning things around at Vicarage Road after a disappointing start to the campaign: “Paul Jewell will have his own way of doing things, his record is good, so it’s not for me to start telling him what he needs to do.”

He also had no explanation for Watford’s extraordinary record against the Blues, Saturday’s game was Town's 14th without a win against the Hornets: “You can never quite find the scientific equation for why it that happens with some clubs. I don’t think that was the case today.

“We knew it was a really tough game today, an awkward one because Ipswich are waiting to beat someone. Every run comes to an end.

“Ours was against Peterborough in a topsy-turvy end-to-end game in which we nicked it 3-2. That’s what stopped our [losing run] and started a [better] one. Paul will be looking to stop that run and start another one as we did.”

Meanwhile, the AGM of the PLC which owns 12.5% of the club will be held in the Sir Bobby Robson Suite at Portman Road this evening.

Photo: Action Images

sonian_blue added 10:45 - Dec 5 Just go NOW.
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nitroblue1970 added 10:55 - Dec 5 Im afraid its the same excuses for the last ten months! We have a manager who now has "his" team saying the same thing week in and week out. He's the manager he needs to make the changes, coach the players, buy the players to change what he himself has identified at the teams failings every week. He is ultimately responsible.....doesnt matter if your lucky or unlucky a loss is a loss. ME needs to be acting NOW not in a months time when the window is almost closed, learn the lesson of letting Keane hang on too long, change it now and save our season!......most people would agree that 50 points will see a team safe in this division, where are another 30 points coming from? we've been beaten at home by Watford, lost at home to Doncaster and lost away to Forest lost to Millwall and Peterborough these teams we need to be taking points off! we are in a relegation scrap, its a real possibility people!

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llewej_tuo added 10:59 - Dec 5 and i seem to recall a " p mason " and a " nosamp " being ridiculed and chased off this site for wanting jewell out by so-called real fans !!! YA'LL ON THE JEWELL OUT BANDWAGON NOW .... typical JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT

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JimmyJazz added 11:01 - Dec 5 Maybe we're waiting until we play Coventry again. They are the only team in this league who seem to be in as much trouble as us. Doncaster & Bristol City are improving, Forest will soon and it'll be us and Coventry stranded at the bottom in a few weeks time
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Basil_Smallpiece added 11:14 - Dec 5 Steve Bruce?!? Rather have Fiona.
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mawwam added 11:37 - Dec 5 I cant believe people are calling for Steve Bruce or Curbishley!!! If Curbishley came here, I would have to think before renewing next season!!! (I said think, I still would) ..........Curbishley!!!!!! I'd rather stick with Jewell be relegated and then promoted again, than have Curbishley as manager!! I know how quickly managers are sacked now a days, but I do say stick with Jewell for now, lets see what he does in January, I still have faith. P.S. wasnt it wierd coming away from a home game with 0 points, yet still feeling up beat about the game?!!!

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ian_marshall added 12:08 - Dec 5 What are you doing then paul?
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CleggsClangers added 12:40 - Dec 5 Marcus must have money to burn
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ventilator added 12:50 - Dec 5 I have 2 comments to make about the current situation and 2 questions. Firstly, please remember that our team this season has beaten three of the current top 6 teams and drawn with 2 of them. The team has performed well for a period in taking us up to 6th, and the bulk of our current team have been playing week in week out since the start of the season. What I need some help with is, if we are generally using the same players and generally using the same formation as when we had our good run, what is going wrong now that wasn't going wrong then ??? Secondly, I can't believe the amount of negativity around the purchases of Bullard and Chopra that are now suddenly appearing. At the time, fans welcomed Bullard like the Messiah and considered Chopra to be the steal of the season. Both players have a good track record and I am sure that PJ would reasonably expect that to continue. Now these armchair fans seem to be saying that PJ should never have bought them due to their off the field problems........even though the majority of ITFC fans were in favour of these purchases, and indeed were clamouring for ME to put his hand in his pocket to do everything to get Jimmy in. So, why haven't these worked ? My perception is that MC's skill is not being fully utilised by the way we are set up to play. But what about JB - is his situation the same as MC's or is he just not that committed ?? Interested to know people's views on these points.

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Pedlarjak added 12:58 - Dec 5 Basil Smallpiece writes: "O! What a tangled web we weave When first we practise to deceive" I believe a better quote (from the same source) would be "Of all the gifts that God never gave us To see ourselves as others see us" Much more appropriate to PJ right now.
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Mark added 13:04 - Dec 5 I too am concerned about attendances at Portman Road, which is why I encourage people to go and get behind the team rather than suggesting they boycott matches. Yes, Watford had a tad more possession than us Saturday, and that is disappointing. We had an extra shot on goal to them though, and had 12 corners to their 7, so we may consider ourselves slightly unfortunately to lose.

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nijomo added 13:08 - Dec 5 I'm all for giving people a chance, and a second chance, but for the life of me I can't see how criticising your players week in, week out is going to motivate them to perform better, particularly when they are loanees and are getting on a bit. It's not like they are 17-year-olds who want to make a good impression. I'm not sure I like his management style at all, and I certainly don't like the recruitment process. I agree with other comments - if we can't afford to buy decent players who aren't aged, then we should be eschewing instant promotion and developing the young players to come through. At least they will have the motivation and the passion, and may even feel something for the history and culture of the club. Perhaps that's what the trouble is with the manager. Oh, bring back Bobby.

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buryblue77 added 13:22 - Dec 5 Ventilator-I don't understand the Bullard situation, he's always been a quality whole hearted player with an eye for a pass and remember it was him last season who was the driving force behind some of our better results when PJ came in. As for Chopra, he needs a real number 10 alongside him (I know he wears number 10 but he's not that type of player in the classic number 10 mould) someone like Murphy (like Scowie used to for Johnson and Stewart, and Kuqi for bent) someonr to get back to midfield and fight a bit for the ball, hold it up and bring others into play and look for that killer ball through to the number 9! And score a few themselves in the process, so that's Chops problems I feel, as for Bullard could it be fitness? He's just looking a bit leggy and that could come down to age and fitness.

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Lightningboy added 13:22 - Dec 5 The problem here is if the players are giving 100% and we still can't beat the likes of Watford at home then where does that leave us? There are some very,very deep problems at ITFC.
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SouperJim added 13:27 - Dec 5 Great to be a part of the players being clapped off after the game, well deserved. 16k attendance; those of you who voted with your feet, please stay away, we don't need you.
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Cheshire_Blue added 13:31 - Dec 5 Newboy, as I said you represent a very small minority of the 16,000 or so who were at Portman Road. You can probably count on two hands those who spout the garbage on here. According to my reckoning that leaves another 15,990 to account for who actually SUPPORT the Football Club !!
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WarkyWonderLand added 13:46 - Dec 5 If people are happy after losing another game because we made a bit more effort then we are doomed. I left feeling pd off we had lost again against a poor side. It was watford for gods sake. Quality and a well drilled team wins matches and the table does not lie. Most down about itfc after going for over 30 years. Will be bottom 3 at Christmas. If I am wrong will hold my hands up. Other clubs with new managers with less experience and resources than our own are bettter than us. Just look at the form table. Barnsley have scored 8 in last 3. Giving him time could be too late. If anyone can see the progress under PJ please explain. Coyb

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ian_marshall added 13:54 - Dec 5 FOPJ
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buryblue77 added 14:01 - Dec 5 Ian marsharll, doesn't work as well as FORK, but know what you mean!!
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meekreech added 14:02 - Dec 5 Jas check your facts and engage brain before letting your mouth do the talking !!Fact possession close fact we had more shots ( on and off target ) fact we had more corners fact we were awarded more free kicks fact our possession was in their half !!! Please keep your inane rubbish off this site as most of it is way off the truth ! If you post to stir things up you succeed but make yourself look to be a moron !

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walberswick added 14:11 - Dec 5 yeah meekreech, if everyone thought like you everything would be OK Everyone check with meekreech before they post just to make sure they are on song with ITFC and clegg.
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llewej_tuo added 14:11 - Dec 5 JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT

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Tiggs added 14:24 - Dec 5 One more game to go.......
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bluearmy4life added 14:58 - Dec 5 Well if we gave everything we got against Watford and still lost we are doomed!!!
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northernblues added 15:09 - Dec 5 i think we should give jewel at least 4 seasons! spring, summer, autumn and this his last, the winter of discontent!
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