Blues boss Paul Jewell confirmed that adding to his centre-half options will be a priority during the January transfer window with more calamitous defending helping goal-shy Nottingham Forest to a 3-1 victory at Portman Road yesterday. The Town manager was critical of Damien Delaney and Ívar Ingimarsson after the defeat.

Jewell, who thought the suspended Ibrahima Sonko was a big miss, is on the search for new additions but says recruiting quality central defenders isn’t an easy business, having spent the summer trying to add to that area of his squad: “It’s very difficult trying to get good players. You look around and there are a lack of good players. But it’s obvious we need strengthening.

“We’ve had Danny Collins here, he’s gone back and the centre-half area is one where we desperately need some help.

“Getting a new centre-half has been a priority for a while, but there’s a lack of quality centre-halves about.

“We’ve got the worst defensive record in the league and we concede soft goals. I know it’s not just the two central defenders but I think those two have to take some responsibility for the Forest game.”

He says that this tendency to concede soft goals means his team can’t get into a decent run of form at Portman Road: “We just don’t seem to be able to get any momentum at home. When we keep on giving goals away like the ones we give away, it’s always going to be the case.

“I don’t think anyone who was at the game will think that Notts Forest have been all over us, but every time the ball went anywhere near our box they looked dangerous, which is down to basic defending and basic errors have cost us.

“The two centre-halves have to be culpable today, there’s no getting away from it. I don’t really like to single individuals out because we are a team, but some of the defending which went on was ridiculous.”

Jewell felt Forest’s third goal, scored by Marcus Tudgay, summed things up: “When we got back to 2-1, I was thinking we’ve got a chance but again there was a goal out of nothing. It was a ball into the box from Reid and it somehow found itself in the back of the net and the game was over.

“I thought we kept going, we had a few opportunities second half, we huffed and puffed. But once we’d clawed ourselves back into it, we just shot ourselves in the foot.”

The Blues manager had praise for Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, who provided Town’s main threat in the last two games and won Monday's second half penalty: “He’s done OK. He likes to drift out wide and he’s got ability on the ball, he can do things that other people can’t. He’s frustrating at times but he is someone who can open the door.”

Jewell says midfielder Lee Bowyer is likely to be out for around a fortnight having been subbed just before half-time: “I think he felt his abductor go when he made a pass. Lee’s been one of our better players of late but I think he’ll be out for a couple of weeks.”

Jimmy Bullard could be back in contention for next week’s FA Cup tie at his old club Hull having called in sick with flu ahead of yesterday’s game, while Andy Drury is unable to face the Tigers having played in the competition for loan side Crawley already this season.

Photo: Action Images

irishtim added 09:17 - Jan 3 Same old rubbish pj. Give hyman his chance against hull. REcall o connor & murray may b a bit more passion from the young hungry players.
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itfc1981 added 09:22 - Jan 3 The fans feel resignation letters are a must from Jewell and Clegg this Jan.
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Woodbridgian added 09:24 - Jan 3 Getting rid of you would be my prority
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tractorboy1961 added 09:25 - Jan 3 We have told you that for ages PJ.....We told RK before....it must be easy to be a football manager hey! Stating the obvious
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Fartman added 09:28 - Jan 3 Lack of quality center halves about? Are you kidding? Open your eyes for fcuk sake, and scout players outside Donkey Island!
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Blue_Fred added 09:29 - Jan 3 CLANNNNNNGGGGGG - any one else hear the penny dropping? i'm not sure if replacing the manage again will help or not - but I do agree that Clegg is the biggest liability on our pay roll. and has been the one constant piece of tosh since ME bought the club - maybe he should be paid to simply field the press for ME and paid more to stay out of all other decisions?
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spanish_archer added 09:31 - Jan 3 Paul Jewell It's very difficult trying to get good players. You look around and there are a lack of good players. But it's obvious we need strengthening Brendan Rodgers on Radio 5 Last night Britain has some excellent footballers if you know what you are looking for and train them physically and mentally in the right way
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broomfield123 added 09:51 - Jan 3 Praise the lord. For at least 3 seasons we have needed defenders and someone has realised. Its not as though it hasn't been kicking us in the balls what we need.
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JimmyJazz added 09:53 - Jan 3 Sean St Ledger? Transfer listed? Difficult to find?
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blueherts added 09:57 - Jan 3 ST LEDGER
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MickMillsTash added 09:58 - Jan 3 He has had 11 months to find a centre back and negotiate - so no excuses. BUT whoever we sign I fear will sink to the same level as the current team given the apparent lack of coaching and organisation from the management. Jewell Out.
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spanish_archer added 10:02 - Jan 3 Exactly Tash.....Exactly
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brittaniaman added 10:06 - Jan 3 This time last year we had just lost to Forest, AT HOME of course, and the Dark Lord was axed, I was relieved we had appointed another manager (NOT REALLY MY CHOICE) but fair enough give him a chance, (he did manage to get us out of that relegation zone) I also had spoken to some Derby friends who said that was a BAD appointment by ITFC, I thought to myself he has probably learned by his mistakes at Derby, WELL WRONG !!!! MY FRIENDS WERE RIGHT after all. We are now worse off than we were this time last year and a recovery does not look very imminent. So Marcus Evans what are you going to do about it !!!!!!! THROW SOME MORE MONEY AT HIM ?????? OR WHAT ?????? As I said before Mr.Evans your face was motionless yesterday I would have loved to know what you were thinking !!!!!!! and do not say it was a one off game, because recently there has been 9 off games ?????? The only difference between Keane and Jewell is that Jewell stands up more than Keane did during a game, Riight I have had my say !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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tractorboy2434 added 10:07 - Jan 3 Its probably Alan Smith from Newcastle to play CB, yee gods what next.
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blues1 added 10:08 - Jan 3 i find it totally amazing how some people on here use every story to have a go at clegg. when we werent able to sign players last season it was his fault. yet this saeson hes managed to get 14 players signed on. apparently its now his fault were in danger of getting relegated. TOSH. get off his back, all hes doing is running the business side of the club according to instructions from m.e. the football side of things is down to p.j. & his coaching staff. & before anyone suggests m.e. should go, remember, if it wasnt for him there quite likely would be no itfc.

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roytheboy added 10:09 - Jan 3 A few months ago we were most pleased to hear that Chopra had signed having tried to get him before, soon after he had played a couple of matches I seem to remember him saying that he fully expected to score at least 20 league goals this season, now he looks like he cannot be bothered to make those extra efforts required to score them, I am left wondering why he apparently feels this way, is it because he is unhappy with our club etc; if so I would prefer him not to stay personally, also it seems strange to me that Jimmy Bullard, our chosen player of the last season, hardy gets a look in these days and I am left wondering if there is more than meets the eye with that situation ! I am becoming very disillusioned by our club, I do not know what the answer is but I feel that something very positive must happen soon before it is too late and we drop down to division one.

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muhrensleftfoot added 10:12 - Jan 3 Surely there's a decent youngish centre back playing in League One or Two that would welcome the chance to come to Portman Road. Much rather that than some old Premier league hasbeen on big bucks.
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spanish_archer added 10:14 - Jan 3 blues1 - do you really think clegg is running the business side of ITFC well?
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itfc1981 added 10:14 - Jan 3 Blues 1 Clegg got moved of player transfers this season, no doubt due to his record in that field. ME and Jewell now take that role.
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Guthrum added 10:15 - Jan 3 Not half!
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jas0999 added 10:21 - Jan 3 Deary me - it has been for ages and only now PJ admits it - thank goodness the penny has finally dropped. Should have been sorted in the Summer and a Plan B in place for when Collins left i.e. a player signed on 1 January - like a lot of other clubs. It's disappointing that PJ is still manager this morning - should have been sacked last night. A new manager is the real priority.

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walberswick added 10:28 - Jan 3 How are you allowed o call in sick on match-day?
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MickMillsTash added 10:28 - Jan 3 There is a seeming lack of direction and culture at the club which Clegg has to take some responsibility for. Looking at succesful teams- Swansea, Norwich - they seem to be all about hard work, organisation and belief, these qualities are set mainly by the manager but the Chief Exec can also set a very positive tone. Sheepshanks messed up in the end but during the 90s he was often in the press talking about how great the club was, how nice the area of Ipswich is and how everyone is working as hard as possible to get into the Premier League. It was good leadership and it gave beleif to supporters and players- many of whom still have associations with the club. Clegg has allowed Jewell to moan and groan his way through the last 10 months and this has eroded belief- in both the fans and in the players- players are not stupid and if you can see that the leadership is a mess you are less likely to give 100% on a saturday- even if you are on 20K /week.

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bigolconnor added 10:31 - Jan 3 If we get two decent defenders we will finish top 10. Boomting!
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bigolconnor added 10:35 - Jan 3 Apart from three of our defenders I would say that our side is easily as good as any other in our league. 19th doesn't show that very well but, were it not for some woeful refereeing and silly mistakes we would be around sixth now. We aren't miles away.
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