Blues boss Paul Jewell says Town need to find greater consistency in the second half of the season after a “proper rollercoaster” of a campaign up to now. The New Year’s Eve game at Reading marks the halfway point of 2011/12.

Looking back over the 22 fixtures so far, with his side in 19th place, six points from the relegation places and nine points off the play-offs, Jewell says it’s been very up and down: “I would say that at times it’s been really good and at times terrible. It’s been a proper rollercoaster.

“We started off the season with a win, then we lost a few, then we picked up and had a five or six-game spell where we were playing great football.

“Then we had seven games where we could win, we’ve conceded late goals and thrown games away. The season so far has had a bit of everything.

“We need to add consistency and we need to be better if we’re going to be in the top part of the table.”

The Town boss admits that he’s only once known a season where one of his teams has suffered so many heavy defeats: “I don’t think we’ve had more beatings, other than perhaps with Derby in the Premier League. After 20-odd games it feels as if we’ve had everything in it.

“We’ve had a last minute winner at West Ham. We’ve had two games where we’ve lost when we’ve been winning the game 2-1 and have lost both 3-2 with a goal in injury time.

“Then we were 2-0 down at half-time against Barnsley and won 5-3. We’ve had almost everything in the 22 games, some really good, some bad, some really bad."

He says that in some ways it seems as if Town have been through a full season: “It feels like we’ve had 46 games already, emotionally.

“I think any manager in any 90 minutes you go through the whole emotions of elation, disappointment, anger, everything. But that’s part of management.

“The seven-game run was tough and anyone who says it wasn’t tough is telling fibs. But that’s what we get paid for and if you can’t deal with it, then give someone else the job.”

Photo: Action Images

northernblues added 11:50 - Dec 29 your name please?, Paul jewel your chosen speacialist subject?, speaking the bleeding obvious
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muhrensleftfoot added 12:05 - Dec 29 murhtuG - great reply to my earlier post, even though I don't share your optimism! ;)
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Garv added 12:12 - Dec 29 Sensible post Mark. Completely agree. Keane makes Jewell look like Ferguson or Mourinho. I'm in no doubt Jewell has improved us and given us the best squad in terms of quality in years. It just needs building into a proper team with a few young additions, and that will take time. He has effectively had only 6/7 months to do this because that's when the building began, not January when he came in, his job then was to keep us up, and he did that comfortably by bringing goals and more excitement to Portman road.

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Garv added 12:15 - Dec 29 Sensible post Mark. Completely agree. Keane makes Jewell look like Ferguson or Mourinho. I'm in no doubt Jewell has improved us and given us the best squad in terms of quality in years. It just needs building into a proper team with a few young additions, and that will take time. He has effectively had only 6/7 months to do this because that's when the building began, not January when he came in, his job then was to keep us up, and he did that comfortably by bringing goals and more excitement to Portman road.

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bobble added 12:25 - Dec 29 the cuban rum makes the neighbours wife look like bo derek
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Pedlarjak added 12:55 - Dec 29 The analogy of rollercoaster is a poor one. I would say that roalercoaster rides are generally enjoyable - which cannot be said of this season so far.
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jas0999 added 13:30 - Dec 29 It's been utter rubbish! Boring negative football for the first 8 months - one up front! The Hull game was a low point where a couple of people near me were asleep! Then there are the major thrashings we have taken; Peterboro, Norwich, Swansea, Southampton, Millwall, Burnley and Leicester - all scoring 4 or more. Then many teams scoring 3. The worst run of results since 94/95 and attendances continuing to fall (not all PJ's fault - but I know many people who refuse to renew because of the one up front football). Falling out with players: Martin, Carson and Healy - arm round the shoulder? I think not. ... and then PJ talks about consistency - yet he has decided to rely on loanees - three of which have been key players in the team - now entering 2012 they are back with their parent clubs - so where is the consistency in having to bring in yet more players to replace them? And how many of the injury prone has been freebies will be here next season - let alone in a couple of years? Overall it's been poor - possibly we are even worse off - certainly no further forward and what's laughable is PJ now seems to rely on Roy's players rather than his own. Must do better Jewell - much better.

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footballfriend added 13:41 - Dec 29 cheer up jas0999 - next year HAS to be better than this one, my view is - see this season through and finish in the top half/mid table and then push on for next year with some young permenant signings from the lower leagues
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Garv added 17:52 - Dec 29 Jas do you really think if PJ could have bought Andrews and Collins he would have said 'nah I'll just get them on loan, I know they're good players but I'm not bothered about them permanently'? There has been nothing about a fall out with Carson, just PJ not picking him because Josh had had too many beers and barbecues over the summer and came back overweight. Martin, again not a fall out. I was angry at PJ for putting him in the reserves because I thought he was ridiculously unlucky to be sent off at Peterborough, but looking back now you have to say it worked out for the best. Martin said himself it gave him a kick up the arse being told to train with the kids and more determination to play his way into the team, which he did and since coming back in he's been a bit of a revelation, a bit like when PJ recalled him from Charlton, being the player who's covered the most ground in games and always put in 100%. Healy, we don't know what happened there. PJ was harsh bringing him off vs Doncaster, and Healy wasn't happy, but to claim there was a 'fall out' is wrong because we don't know. More proof of meaningless criticism of the manager. I like how you call the Leicester game a thrashing as well, which we effectively lost two nil. More fuel for your rubbish.

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h32 added 18:04 - Dec 29 Sock it to 'em jas - the same losers surface all the time. The Club has far too many of them - but Clegg & Co will love 'em for it - so ALL IS WELL - or so they think.
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