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

Mark added 12:34 - Jan 3 With Cresswell and Edwards bombing forward to much, and with no defensive midfielder to drop back and cover, a lot is asked of our centre backs to be fair. A rusty 34-year-old playing with Delaney for the first time was always going to be risky. We need at least one quality centre back, but these cost money and has Jewell been given money to spend? Everyone keeps saying he is backed by the owner, but why has he only spent £3M on fees when Keane spent £11M?!

0

righty added 12:39 - Jan 3 My god would not give this idiot 10 pence let alone millions
0

baldman added 12:53 - Jan 3 why cant we sign early for once no decent centre backs about how come leeds just signed danny pugh i expect we will sign someone on jan 30th and get the ones no one else wants o well always next year think i said that last year
0

Tractastic added 12:56 - Jan 3 So we don't have any scouts then? Mind you who would want to come here with this clown in charge. You don't know what your doing,you don't know what your doing......
0

CornardBlue added 13:07 - Jan 3 I am sorry to say it but the club i have supported for many many years has slipped from a slow decline over the past 10 years to a rapid one over the last 3 years. Keane and Jewell both have wasted money to an exstent that i don't think there is much left. Both have signed players who apart from Cresswell have no re-sale value in the transfer market. Not one player shows any passion for playing for the Club, no one gets angry when we concede a goal, you never see Jewell motivating from the jugout, nothing is hardly heard from Evans and useless comments from Clegg. Sorry but forgot this blog was about wanting a cenre half. Mr Jewell you should have been working on this for months with your scouts not wait until the transfer window opens, we cannot wait until the end of Jan as we have 4 league games to play before then.

0

elmswellblue added 13:15 - Jan 3 Obviously Simon Clegg is loved by a section of supporters, if Clegg had given Mc Cauley the 3 year contract he was after last year we would not be in the trouble we are in at the moment. Think again about what Mr Clegg is doing for Ipswich Town FC apart from organising Olympic Tickets for the Marcus Evans consortium. It is also about time Marcus Evans faced Ipswich Town supporters and explained what is happening at Portman Road. What a good call to get Fabian involved in the background, along with Simon Milton we need ex players who would give anything to help the cause.At the moment we are just bubbling along and spiralling into the 1st Division, where we will stay until eternity.

0

ian_marshall added 13:19 - Jan 3 We will be 20th tonight, pj you are dogsh!t
0

50yearsablue added 13:21 - Jan 3 We have known about the central defence problem all season but yesterday they were both especially poor. However, even with Collins in the side, we were not exactly watertight, so there are problems elsewhere. Both of our full backs are decent going forward but vulnerable defensively and, yesterday, Cresswell had, in my opinion, his worst game for the club and was skinned oh so easily. To let a poor team like Forest scored 3 preventable goals was criminal. We have no pace in central midfield and teams can run through and get at our back 4 with ease. I am all for some experience but this needs to be augmented with youthful enthusiasm. Yesterday, Drury, for all his limited ability, was our most impressive performer because he appeared to want to give it a go. I'm sure all the others were trying but none gave the impression they were busting a gut. We've had so many seasons of unfulfilled promise and I haven't been so disillusioned since the John Duncan era. Most of our best performances have been away and I can't recall one at home that I can remember with fondness. We have the players so I would question selection, tactics and motivation.

0

BlueJewells added 13:22 - Jan 3 2 fukin centre halfs you mean! and a striker and another centre midfield; bowyer and leadbitter simply arent good enough
0

baznsez04 added 13:22 - Jan 3 Many of you have touched on the point that our current woes are down to more that just bad signings, manager and Clegg. I strongly agree with those that say our problems stem even deeper. Our whole training and coaching set up needs to be addressed and fast. Why is it that every single player that we either bring through from the youth ranks, every single new signing and just about everyone that kicks a ball for this club soon lose that earlier shown promise. Collins was a giant for us at first and became too laid back on his last games for us, Bullard now plays like he is having a kick around in the park with his kids, Leadbitter still as inconsistent as ever. The list goes on. And as for the youth set up well. The final straw for me was 2 years ago when we allowed Rhodes to leave, when we all knew of his potential and his ability to score and a player of such promise. This kind of thing should never happen at Ipswich, 5 years ago we would have coached and developed these players to top flight class and although prob sold on for a tidy profit to balance the books. Look deeper ME our whole back room and developement set up need severe sorting or we will remain in the footballing wilderness for years to come.

0

yorksblue added 13:32 - Jan 3 Steve Kean type abuse is on its way to PR, I feel. So go now, before you're forced to.
0

Tiggs added 13:33 - Jan 3 The main priority os a new Manager, closely followed by a new Assistant - oh and a new CEO.
0

stu_ward27 added 13:36 - Jan 3 @Leeds Blue1 You do make some valid points in that, Miquel is a decent young player, but Jenkinson is out injured and probably for a while! Also a mate of mine who's a Liverpool fan suggested Martin Kelly who is a competent right-back and isn't getting much game time. And has Jewell finally woken up to the fact that we need a centre back - shame it's six months too late!!!! And we are so predictable to play against, as every game and with every goal kick or free kick from the keeper is always targeted towards murphy so all the opposition have to do is stick someone with height and good in the air against Murphy and they will win the ball back!!!!

0

muhrensleftfoot added 13:38 - Jan 3 What a disaster since Evans took over the club. Magilton - boring mediocrity Keane - awful man management & tactics, can it get any worse? Oh yes unfortunately it can. Jewell - the worst set of results at this level in the history of ITFC. Give me Magilton's boring mediocrity any day.
0

wilnis_barmy_army added 13:42 - Jan 3 No quality centre halfs to pick up??? Kilgallon, st ledger, danny wilson who just signed for blackpool! I'd take drissa diallo back at this rate!
0

llewej_tuo added 13:48 - Jan 3 HERE'S THE REAL FACTS ... check wikipedia at least it tells the truth PAUL JEWELL .... when he was at derby .. PLAYED 58, LOST 31 ........... horrendous loss rate when he was at Sheff Wed ... PLAYED 38, LOST 21 ..... worse than horrendous now at ipswich .......... PLAYED 48, LOST 24 ....... diabolical loss rate ROY KEANE when at sunderland .. PLAYED 100, LOST 41 ...... acceptable loss rate when at ipswich ...... PLAYED 81, LOST 28 ........ again, well acceptable loss rate just too many draws there records are chalk and cheese mate ... jewell is and always will be, a DISASTER

0

stu_ward27 added 13:51 - Jan 3 Don't compare Roy Keane and Paul Jewell, they are both as bad as each other in terms of results on the football pitch. What Roy Keane done off the pitch to this club is going to take a long time to recover from - if he was still in charge now we would be in League 1 and there wouldn't be a youth academy at all!!!
0

llewej_tuo added 14:11 - Jan 3 stu_ward27 ...Don't compare Roy Keane and Paul Jewell, they are both as bad as each other in terms of results ... well, if you read my post you would clearly see that Jewells record in terms of results on the pitch is far worse than Keanes. ENDOF What Roy Keane done off the pitch to this club is going to take a long time to recover from ... LIKE WHAT EXACTLY ???
0

walberswick added 14:13 - Jan 3 Leeds, Blackpool and Derby have all signed central defenders in this transfer window.
0

dubblue added 14:18 - Jan 3 Somewhat irrelevant whether RK or PJ was a worse manager at town - the stats would suggest PJ. But before we get rid we need a reasonable replacement...any suggestions?
0

nitroblue1970 added 14:20 - Jan 3 so we need 2 central defenders an inspirational, tactically aware, motivated manager and 2 first team coaches who only got a job here because they are best mates with the manager.....back to TV land PJ!
0

IvorFeeling added 14:29 - Jan 3 Yorksblue - wouldn't be a part of that at PR and I am sure we will not go down that route as fans. By all means a demonstration before and after game but not during and it shouldn't get personal. Whatever PJ is/isn't doing at the end of the day it's a game. The longer ME/Clegg delay the more likely that decent players will look somewhere else. Who would want to join when manager is under intense pressure and likely to leave soon?

0

Michael11 added 14:30 - Jan 3 Sean St Ledger has to be top priority and available PERMANENTLY! Too many loan players and old rejects!
0

yorksblue added 14:33 - Jan 3 Ivor Me neither, but I wouldn't rule it out.
0

Surco72 added 14:34 - Jan 3 llewej tuo .. 09/10 season pl 24 pts 25 ,10/11 pl 24 pts 28 why is Jewells record of pl 24 pts 27 so much worse ? This awful run you keep on about last 15 games we have taken a poor 13 POINTS, start of the 09/10 season we got 8 POINTS from 15 games yet this is the worse run for years ? Do me a favour And what your missing from your fine stats are the fact Jewell has a higher win ratio than Keane and has almost won as many games in half the number in charge ? Both have been poor but Jewell is certainly no worse and has not been given the same amount of money to spend because we still have Keanes no hoper signings on the books that no one will take Priskin,Leadbitter,Delaney,O Connor but to name a few whilst the players not good enough for Town under Keane continue to flourish Rhodes,Haynes,Clarke ,D Wright . I agree we are in a poor position but not all can be pointed at Jewell until he has had a full season ,if it is not good enough at the end he will be gone but dont make up facts to back your point

0

Blogs 297 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls