Town boss Paul Jewell felt his side’s lack of confidence and more bad defending allowed Blackpool to come back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Portman Road.

Jewell said: “At 2-0 up, a team that’s full of confidence wins the game. We were the best team right up until they scored and obviously when they score the doubts set in again.

“At 2-0 with 10 minutes to go, you’re thinking that we could lose this, but in the end we could have won it. It was an end-to-end game. But up until they scored, we were by far the best team.

“Bad defending has cost us all season,” he continued, “which is why we’ve got the worst defensive record in the division.

“If Ipswich score against you, with our record, you always think you’ve got a chance and we’ve got to work harder to stop goals going in.

“One long ball seems to get in behind us too often. We defended high, we defended deep, we just defended badly at times, it’s been the tale of our season.”

Elliot Grandin pulling one back for the Seasiders was the key to the comeback, Jewell believes: “Goals change games. At 2-0, we’re trying to play the ball through the middle, we lose it, a cross comes in, we don’t win the first header and we don’t get near the second. From that perspective, we’re disappointed.

“Their second goal came from us conceding a freekick deep in their half. We switched off from the freekick, they took it quickly and Phillips does what he’s been doing all his career - peeling off and scoring goals.

“Phillips has got fantastic movement, he’s a credit to himself and all young strikers of his size should have a look at how he plays because he’s got brilliant movement.”

The Blues boss - who wasn't sure about the second half penalty incidents - had no problem with his side’s endeavour, although he felt one or two tired towards the end: “I think we put a lot of effort into the game, we had a game on Wednesday and we didn’t get back late.

“I’m not making excuses, but these are all factors. Jason got a tight hamstring, Josh was tight a little bit as well, so we had to make one or two changes.

“You can’t question the players’ effort. I think there was only one game this season, at Burnley, when some us threw the white towel in. Even in games in which we’ve been beaten badly, other than that one, I can’t fault the players’ effort.

“I thought the crowd’s reaction to them was terrific at half-time when they were coming off, they got behind them, and even at the end of the game.”

He says his line-up — with Lee Martin in a role between the midfield and lone striker Jason Scotland — worked well for the most part: “We obviously had to look at how Blackpool play and they’ve had that system in place for two or three years, Ollie’s done a brilliant job there. In the stats, they’re the best passing team in the league.

“We wanted to try and stifle that and give them a problem, and I think we did with our two wide players and Lee in there. We definitely stifled them, certainly in the first half they never really threatened our goal.

“Certainly for effort and determination and chances created, it might have been a good game for the neutral. I’m really sick that we haven’t won the match.

“Ollie will probably come in here and say that at 2-2 they’ve had chances to win it. We’ve had a chance to win it right at the death, it was an open game. We can’t keep on scoring three goals to win a game.”

He says Daryl Murphy was left out having played a lot of games recently: “I just gave him a rest. He’s had a lot of games lately, Daryl. He’s put a lot of effort in. Everyone else is in consideration, we just gave him a rest.”

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway, who believed his side should have been awarded a penalty when Gary Taylor-Fletcher went to ground in the second half, thought his side was bested for much of the match: “I thought we got outplayed for quite a bit of it, to be fair. I didn’t expect the energy in their team like that.

“They got tight to us, close to us, stopped the front three playing and stopped all of us playing, to be honest.

“I think that shows that sometimes when your young ones are off the boil a little bit, you need some senior ones who know the game and are happy to be sit there and show a great attitude to come on and show their class.

“I think Gary Taylor-Fletcher did that, I think Elliot Grandin’s not as old as them but he was terrific when he came on, and as for Kevin Phillips he’s like a fine bottle of wine, and thank God he is.

“I think we’re all a bit shocked that when he went through the second time, the goalie managed to save it. I think it would have been far too harsh on Ipswich’s performance today if they had ended up with nothing.”

Photo: Action Images

ClassyCranson added 00:45 - Jan 15 Bluelady - I didn't claim that I went to the game. I did go to the reverse fixture earlier this season at Bloomfield Road, did you? After the Hull game I even said on this website that I was not going to either the Birmingham or Blackpool game. I have not watched Ipswich play since the Forest debacle. Do I watch play Ipswich play regularly home and away - yes. Do I listen to or care what Holloway thinks - no. As you say, Blackpool were in the premiership last year. They have had one season in the top flight in forty years, fell like a stone in the second half of last season in the premiership and then sold a number of their key players. I have lived on the Fylde Coast and have friends who support Blackpool. To lose a 2 - 0 lead at home with less than 30 minutes to go speaks for itself and reiterates what the I have seen from our team regularly since at least the the end of Jim's tenure. The team is largely gutless and spineless and that applies not just to the defence.

0

BrettenhamBlue added 01:07 - Jan 15 Can't understand the mass criticism of Tamas Priskin. According to the radio report he ran his socks off. Fair enough, limited talent but sounded like he ran his heart out. Much better than murphy/ wellington and at the moment Chopra. Deserves a start against Leeds.
0

BrettenhamBlue added 01:20 - Jan 15 Next game/-- Alb, edwards, cresswell, superman, smith, bowyer, Bullard, leadboots (automatic choice it seems), Martin, Priskin, Hyam Carson, Scotland and co on the bench
0

WarkyWonderLand added 06:52 - Jan 15 However much better it was its still 5 games without a win again. Last time we did it we through away leads against forest and reading. After the abysmal show at Burnley then another defeat against watford should have seen jewell go. It seems Evans and co are wanting to try and be proved they got it right after another unsuccessful hire and we could really pay the price for that. He is tactically inept and his comments about Murphy laughable. If people think it will just take a couple of more players you are wrong, look at all the players he has brought in so far. He chose them and we paying bloody big wages. If we go through Jan with no wins that will be again no wins in 7 and 2 in 15 and the pressure mounts again. We will never get a better chance to win than yesterday and jewell is not the one to move this club on. Lots of empty seats yesterday and that will only get worse.

0

big_gaz67 added 07:26 - Jan 15 PJewell is a God - I hope you are joking about Priskin running his socks off. He was quite simply an embarrassed. Their second goal was set up from a free kick which was just Prisking taking the easy, lazy option and fouling the full ball rather then working hard to pen him in the corner allowing time for the midfield and the defence to get into position. And as for his knock the ball past the defender act as thought I've been shot - no thank you Mr P not in a Town shirt. Ref should have stopped play and booked him. Shame because for an hour we played really well today. Confused by Jewell suggesting we played 4 4 1 1 because it looked as though we were playing 4 3 3. In my mind our downfall wasn't necessarily our subs (although one wonders why Priskin was on the bench?) but our failure to react to Blackpool changing their formation from 4 3 3 to 4 5 1 and doubling up on Edwards. Immediately I would have brought JET into the middle and played Hyam right midfield. To be honest with the 11 we started with I may have been tempted to play Hyam right back with Edwards in front of him. To end on a different note how refreshing to see Kevin Phillips have a laugh with a young fan sat near the away dug out when he was warming up to come on. In a profession where both we at Ipswich and the game as a whole have characters who lack social awareness and ability to see a seasoned pro make a young lads day by having a bit of fun banter about his chips and how he'd love one by the manager would see was excellent and funny. Well done Kevin.

0

tomisamos added 07:39 - Jan 15 PJewellisaGod - He did anything but. In the time he was on I can guarentee that even the goalkeeper probably covered more ground. I've never seen someone look so uninterested in playing.
0

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 07:53 - Jan 15 C'mon folks! Maybe it wasn't perfect yesterday, but it was a step in the right direction, surely? I could only listen on the Internet, but it sounded like a much better performance than two of the recent ones I had the misfortune to come over and see live: Doncaster (!!! words fail) and Forest (!! nearly as bad). Some of my reactions to previous comments are these: 1) Chopra has hardly set the world alight recently. Can't understand the massive criticism of trying out Priskin, who is supposed to be a good hold-up player, even if in retrospect it didn't work out. Hindsight is a clever thing. 2) Edwards has a bit of class that some of the others lack, but of course he shouldn't be playing at right back. Totally agree this is a key area that should have been addressed earlier. I think we all agree on this. 3) Hyam at right back was also mooted on the radio and might be an option until we can fix this problem. 4) Good to hear that the team sounded up for it: that's at least half the battle. Good to hear the crowd getting behind the team a bit too. 5) Results went for us yesterday: None of the teams in the bottom half of the table from and including Leicester won, and only Doncaster and us got a point, I think. 6) Lastly, just to prove it's not all as easy as we sometimes think, look at Leicester. Top-class international manager sacked, masses of money spent, new manager brought in, but it's still not working all that well. So COYB - after very serious doubts, I'm now beginning to think we may actually avoid going down. That will have to do for me this season.

0

suffolkpunchdrunk added 08:00 - Jan 15 We've taken 1 point from a possible 6 points in the last two games, almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory once again. Yeah we're really going places now!
0

bluelady added 08:06 - Jan 15 Classycranson, trust me I have seen enough gutleas town performances to last me a life time this year, having been at peteborough I avoided blackpool away! Yesterday however was not one of them, it showed what a young pacey side can do, I just hope p j took note. Sadly when Scotland went off we lost our strength up front, priksen did ok but is lightweight in comparison but I'm sorry jimmy b was terrible........ chopra would have been my choice playing prisken just behind chops. Tommy smith showed what having real guts is, having had the fans calling for his head on a plate after peteborough, he showed composure and quality, for me best of the back four with some fantasticly timed tackles. Edwards is begging to play right mid and I would stick him there Martin behind thr striker and Carson on the left. Jet showed class yesterday but never lasts the full ninety he seems to loose interest!! So would use him and maybe Carson a half each go really mix things up and confuse the opposition. Poor defending again let us down, a culmination of Edwards out of position and Sonko really not being good enough, smith had to code for him a number of times. Had Andrews been leading the team I think we would have won by more, we miss that stability and leadership in the centre, stick him alongside Hyam with youth and experience you have a very good partnership in the making.

0

bluelady added 08:10 - Jan 15 #smith had to cover and I meant we would have won comfortably not won by more when clearly we didn't win :-)
0

tractorboy1961 added 08:50 - Jan 15 Memo to PJ Things to do this week 1) get Clegg to sort out Carsons contract before he walks at the end of the season 2) tell Hyam what a good game he had and that he is playing next week 3) tell Martin he can be the main man here and that he will play next week 4) get a right back as a matter or urgency 5) get a quality centre half tomplay alongside Smith 6)sort Chopra out once and for all and play him 7)have a think about your tactical nouse and ask yourself did your change in formation work or did Holloway out fox you 8) ask your scouts if they actually ever watch other games and where are the names of the young hungry players we need here .....oh and tell Mr Clegg that his work in re branding the refreshment outlets is a stroke of genius. turnstiles looked amazing today as well.

0

righty added 09:33 - Jan 15 I must agree the turnstiles are great must terrify the opposition the loss off 2 points lost are down to Jewell the players coming on doesnt matter changing the formation ruined it Martin was great playing through the middle and even Thomas looked ok up to halftime changing the system was unecessary the defence looked ok as the midfield pushed Blackpool back and didnt give them anytime on the ball . Dont blame the players for this Jewell has no idea on tactics and does anyone think Jewell would have played Hyam and Drury and Carson if Bowyer Murphy and Bullard been fit I dont think so STILL JEWELL OUT

0

Pettitt10 added 09:49 - Jan 15 i think we should set up a program where our players go to the gym. cressy and edwards especially! bulk them up a bit so opposition cant bully them anymore!
0

ClassyCranson added 10:21 - Jan 15 Bluelady - good post. However going forward, opposition players and managers will seek significant encouragement from our continued inability to close down and win games like yesterday.
0

bluelady added 10:37 - Jan 15 Classycranson spot on, sort defence and I think we have a very decent team, don't and we are snookered!
0

alfromcol added 14:26 - Jan 15 Just watched the 2 Blackpool goals several times and I can't help feeling our new keeper isn't up to much. Both goals could have been prevented by the keeper, even if the defence in front of him were at fault for allowing the attempt on goal. Failed to catch the ball, or punch it away for the first goal and didn't defend his near post for the second. If he continues to make mistakes ALB should get his place back pronto. (never should have lost it anyway)

0

bluetown added 16:34 - Jan 15 We cannot presume this was a master stroke from jewell re; the formation it was just a lucky throw of the dice. My mates son met Josh Carson in town recently and he said he had been offered less money on his new contract than what he is on now. ! Perhaps this is why deals always drag on at itfc, even Bradford city got a couple of youngsters in on loan at the beginning of the month.

0

KenDubZ added 18:09 - Jan 15 Your dump subs more like!! Chopra for Scotland sorted!! You had to change it didn't you, you just couldn't handle young players playing!
0

bluelady added 18:37 - Jan 15 Kendubz isn't prisken younger than chopra???
0

hairbear added 19:20 - Jan 15 Righty please explain how the system changed? Personnel changed, Bullard just behind main striker 2 wingers & 2 cms. Formation was the same all throughout the match!
0

TractorRoyNo1 added 00:57 - Jan 16 oh and forgetting to mark kevin f'ing fillips
0

newtownfan13 added 08:42 - Jan 16 without a doubt youth is the answer as seen today. Carson. Hyam and Martin all outstanding, pace second to none. Carson had attempts on goal it seemed to just be a matter of time until he scored,alas he was subbed for Bullard!!!No doubt in my mind both substitutions caused us 2 points. Bullard did not have the pace or the desire that Carson showed and I would be very doubtful if Carson was injured or tired as has been commented, Jewell just wanted to play his veterans. When will he learn. Keep Saturdays starting team for all future games and let youth get regular starts to prove that we do have a backbone and desire to get ahead and get up the table. score goals and get back to winning form. PJ leave the injured veterans at home.

0

llewej_tuo added 11:13 - Jan 16 i warned you all about this bloke. Paul Jewell(hate him), he a club destroyer, gotta go, has hit a club all time low and way too slow, ya know ... 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
0

tellitasiseeit added 00:57 - Jan 17 I think that McCarthy for town was very poor, maybe because of nerves playing his first game? But i can not see him improving that much.I would think Jewell would of had strong words with him om that performance. I would prefer ALB on that performance,I never thought I would say that. But i suppose we must give him time that we can ill afford. Hope he proves me wrong. COYB

0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls