Town boss Paul Jewell was again left shaking his head after more calamitous individual defensive errors handed Leeds a 3-1 win they hardly deserved at Elland Road. Jewell admitted that the mistakes against the West Yorkshiremen took things to a new level.

Jewell said: “I think we were in control of the game, then I don’t know what the goalkeepers were doing. You have to see it to believe it.

“For 70 minutes we were winning the game. We’ve restricted Leeds to very few chances, if any at all gilt-edged.

“One long ball and our goalkeeper decides he’s coming out for it and handles outside the box. With 10 men we were always going to be up against it but to give the goals away in the fashion that we did. I’ve said it so many times this season, but I think today is another level.

“We’re shooting ourselves in the feet time and time again,” he continued, clearly frustrated by more points having been thrown away after what had been a promising first half display.

“There was so much good about today, about the way we’ve played. We were good in all departments up until decision-making by Alex and Sonko that cost us the sending off.”

Meanwhile, stand-in skipper Sonko said sorry for his mistakes on Twitter: "I do want to apologise for today. My error cost us."

Jewell felt the goals were as bad as the red card: “The second goal is a long ball from the full-back that the goalkeeper should come and collect. The third one bounced on the edge of our box. They’ve scored three goals, and that’s why we are where we are.”

The Town boss is on the lookout for more defenders, having targeted Leicester’s Sean St Ledger and Portsmouth pair Jason Pearce and Joel Ward during the transfer window after a campaign blighted by similar capitulations by his backline: “It’s not just because of today it’s been because of the whole season.

“Having said that, I thought Tommy Smith did well and as a team we weren’t in danger for 70 minutes.

"Leeds were getting very frustrated. We passed the ball better than them, we created more opportunities, we looked in control of the match, we were controlling the tempo of the game. The gifts we gave them they haven’t had to work hard for. Again, it’s the same old thing.”

He says managers can’t legislate for the type of errors made all too regularly by his players: “As a manager, as a coach, there are certain things you can affect, but the decisions I’ve seen today, they’re just bad decisions which have cost us goals.

“I’ll always take responsibility as I pick the team but when people see the goals on TV they’ll scratch their heads.

“It wasn’t as if we were coming under severe pressure. It was just a long ball that our centre-half was going to deal with, he was going to head it back to Alex, and for some reason has decided to come charging out.

“It was windy out there, very windy and I guess even our goal was a mistake from their goalkeeper.”

Jewell says there have been no developments on transfers: “All the offers we’ve made have been rejected but we will be trying to bring in players, there’s no doubt about that.

“I don’t know about [improved bids] yet. We’ll have to sit down and speak about how far away we are from the other clubs’ valuations."

He says he doesn’t expect anything to happen regarding Sean St Ledger, who is back in Leicester’s plans, at least in the short-term, while there are no offers for any members of the current squad: “There are no enquiries for our players. We’ve made lots of enquiries and are pursuing other targets. It’s the same old boring lines I’ve got for you.”

Leeds boss Simon Grayson admitted his team had gained their victory largely by taking advantage of Town’s mistakes but felt the match was not dissimilar to the one between the teams at Portman Road earlier in the season: “That’s what can happen in football matches.

“We were poor in the first half, we never really got going. We would liked to have made a better start in terms of possession of the ball, closing them down and working them.

“We went a goal behind to a soft goal, it took a slight deflection but Andy Lonergan holds his hands up, he should have done better with it, and I think we were fortunate to be only one down at half-time.

“But in the second half we got to grips with things, changed it around a little bit, spoke to the players and gave them the belief that we could go and win the game, never mind draw it because we had to do a lot of things a lot better. We knew that we could still create opportunities and maybe win the game.

“The sending off obviously changed the game and it mirrored the game at Portman Road earlier in the season.

“For part of that game we were the best team, the sending off changed the game and Ipswich went and won the game.

"We’ve won the game off the back of the sending off and we’re delighted to have done that.”

Photo: Action Images

scottmdp added 19:29 - Jan 21 Whether or not you blame PJ, & I do, it's obvious that ME is unwilling to trust him with any money. Also players don't want to sign for a club where the manager may be changing any minute. The answer to both problems is to change the manager now, whilst the windows still open. Act now ME.
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jas0999 added 19:30 - Jan 21 The same excuses week in week out. Interesting that some still refuse to blame PJ. Why? He has been in post for over a year - has brought in over 16 players in total (including loans) - and to be blunt has failed miserably. Of course Clegg has to take a lot of the blame and indeed ME for sticking by these clowns. BUT as Derby fans warned us - PJ is a very poor manager. His signings have been poor. He has failed to address the defence. He STILL relies on a loan Keeper. His tactics and subs have been poor. He falls out with players. He has won just two out of sixteen games, losing twelve. The buck has to stop with him. He makes the same excuses each week - yet fails to address these issues. ME has to act and NOW. PJ is clearly not and never was the man for the job. I fear where this club will end up with PJ at the helm. Attendances are already falling - a vast majority of people on here want him out - people are threatening not to renew season tickets. Yet this clown remains in charge. ME is clearly deluded. There are few if any positives of PJ's reign. Luckily there are worse teams (unbelievably). PJ has to go - along with clegg - plus most of the injury prone freebies signed by our truely abysmal manager. PJ OUT. A shocking excuse of a manager.

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Tractamatt added 19:32 - Jan 21 send Mcarthy back to reading we were better of with ALB. If we dont get at least 3 players in next week we can kiss the championship goodbye,5 would be better thats the 2 portsmouth, guys the lad from crewe , Scott loach , and a striker.
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Infineteregress added 19:32 - Jan 21 Bring in De Vos as defensive coach asap!
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Mutiny added 19:32 - Jan 21 Evans, get Clegg and Jewell out and get management team in now who have a fair chance of getting out of Division 1 at first attempt - a guy called Magilton may be a start.
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cmajm added 19:35 - Jan 21 Jewell, I think you're very good at identifying the problem, we can't defend! However, what you struggle to do is find the solution. Surely out of all the teams in the English football leagues you must be able to find two centre backs and a right back who can actually defend? I know its easier said then done. To be honest, I don't know who would actually want to come to Ipswich at the moment, unless we start paying insane wages, which I don't think is a good idea. You've got ten days left to sort it out, otherwise I fear League One football beckons, and I don't think we would do what Norwich did and get successive promotions. I'm getting fed up of going into work near Stoke every Monday and being the morning joke. Please sort it out!

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manualthetisfanclub added 19:40 - Jan 21 had a gut full of all these excuses,we've all said for years about the state of the defence not good enough,not since mogga and mcgreal!!just had enough of pj's excuses.You read his comments about any new signings,fact is him,clegg and evans cant get anyone to come here he aint gotta plan A B or C.Time for board to get rid now,but then again even if alex ferguson came he couldnt save this team with such a pathetic bunch of inept journeyman cast offs!!!! but pj proberbly needs to now just do the right thing and jog on before its to late!!!

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roytheboy added 19:42 - Jan 21 I am not too impressed with this keeper at all and although Sonko has got some good qualities, he is not good enough in my opinion, overall, we need defenders who don't panic and flap when under pressure, I think we should keep faith with Smith however, we are in desperate need of a good Goalkeeper (what a pity we allowed Fullop to leave) ! and we need at least one good Central defender and a Right full back, I'm not sure if the poor signings and letting Fulop and Mc'Cauley go, are the full responsibility of Paul Jewell as I don't know what budget constraints he has been under, something however must change and quickly, please take note Mr Evans, otherwise a massive price will be paid next season !!!!

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wherescounago added 19:43 - Jan 21 Listened to an interview with Paul Lambert earlier he was talking about team spirit and how proud he was of his boys. Seems like with a bit of luck they could have got all 3 points against Chelsea. We can't hold on to leads against mid table Championship sides and have a Manager who just puts blame on everyone else. Ok so Narwich are in a far better position than us and success breeds success but when will those in charge at ITFC ie Evans and Clegg realise that failure breeds failure and it seems that for some time there has been a lot of breeding of the wrong sort going on at Portman Road. Get rid of Jewell now, put Russesll Osman in temporary charge pending the arrival of someone who can sign the sort of players that seem to flourish 40 odd miles up the A140. Then maybe we will have a Manager who's chests swells with pride when speaking about his boys rather than slouching in a chair bemoaning rubbish defending into his tracksuit!

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Hoppersblue10 added 19:44 - Jan 21 Individual errors may well have cost us yet again...but...Jewell is the manager, he picks his coaching staff. You would have thought one of the topics covered would be basic defending or maybe row Z when required, what about communication or how about concentrate for 90+ mins. Clearly not as we make the same errors week after week after week, not Jewells fault.....f..king right it is, he does not buy CBs or RBs and what we do have are clearly not having these errors eradicated in training. He does get in a loan keeper who is f..king useless though, nice one. In his post match interview he blamed both keepers and Sonko for todays defeat, I am not sure what he expects from ALB, if he picked the ball up and threw it in his own net you could hardly blame him for the way he has been treated this season..! For all of the plus points from last week for 60 mins & today for 70 mins we have 1 point to show from it again from winning positions, Jewell please P off, you are a noose around our necks...

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Dog added 19:46 - Jan 21 I said a month ago it was time for Jewell to go. he had my support bu his ramblings prior to xmas were beginning to become too predictable. Everyone else's fault!!. The back five consist of - a loan keeper (our fourth of the season), two centre backs on freebies (delaney is useless and we should have tried to keep Norris and macauley instead), a left back who is learning the game (Jewell's best signing) and no right back. Of course we will leak goals - 54 in total which is 2 per game. it does not take a genius to work out that we will be relegated letting in two goals per game. our goal difference is shocking. I fear it is too late to stop the rot - any centre back will need time to settle in something that we are running out of. lets get good quality players in ready for the inevitable drop and for those clamouring for de vos to return or a player like him - can i remind them that we used to let in 70 goals a season with him in defence. he was slow. Yes he could head a ball - but the championship is more slicker and faster and we need defenders with pace and who can tackle. Act now. get rid of Jewell and lets get a manager in with proven credentials - someone like Curbishley or Warnock or Davies or Jones.(i prefer any one of the last two personally). Someone with transfer acumen. With regards to Clegg - he may be useless but i think under him we must have signed 30 players in three and a half years which some may say is too many!!.

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Flightmech added 19:48 - Jan 21 Can't understand how some people on here continue to back Jewell. He's the man who gets these players in and sticks them in a blue shirt, so he should take responsibility for them. Just f**k off Jewell. I think we're already doomed whoever replaces you but i'm struggling to find a lower point in my Ipswich supporting days and its mostly your doing.
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grumpyoldman added 19:48 - Jan 21 Bloody hell it must be bad people have forgotten the crap the Jim used to come out with the crap selection the falling out with players, the poor purchases. Never mind if we go further down hill and change the manager in a few years some may be clamouring for the return of John Duncan
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jerry53 added 19:52 - Jan 21 Going down to the third tier in my 50 years of supporting town.And I lived thru the bobby ferguson and John Duncan years!!!
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bedsitfc added 19:54 - Jan 21 no manager worth their salt would risk their reputation by working under m.e. we.need our faceless owner to put up some money for p.j to land his targets. i am fed up with the club trying to win promotion on scraps.
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bedsitfc added 19:54 - Jan 21 no manager worth their salt would risk their reputation by working under m.e. we.need our faceless owner to put up some money for p.j to land his targets. i am fed up with the club trying to win promotion on scraps.
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Hoppersblue10 added 19:54 - Jan 21 For the record only 3 managers in our pro history have a better win/loss record than John Duncan..;-)
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jerry53 added 19:56 - Jan 21 For the first time soz
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Blue041273 added 19:56 - Jan 21 Same old; same old. And I'm not just talking about the football on the pitch. Something needs to change. At other clubs PJ would be history by now. I am struggling to have any belief in this regime now. I don't believe that PJ has the management know how to turn this around and every Saturday is Groundhog day with the same old mistakes, same old excuses, same old; same old. And I'm not just talking about the football on the pitch. Something needs to change . . . . .

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dommyboyblue added 19:57 - Jan 21 May as well get two centre backs from div 2, surely there are two defenders that can actually defend there? What about that magnus guy from Col U that has 6 months on his contract, anyone know if he is any good? Failing that I know a fat guy at work that will at least fill a bit of space.
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sereneblue added 19:58 - Jan 21 As I said ,the goalie's heart is not in our club. ME is a clever business man.Backing PJ in public but not backing his statements in private ie:- paying the going rate for transfer targets.PJ does take some of the blame as he admitted, but some of the players need to hold their hands up for some of the poor defending ,especially. Some of the fans on hear are quite pityful, with their lack of backing for our club. Show some support.

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TimmyH added 20:01 - Jan 21 groundhog day....what the hell are our defensive coaches doing? if not that perhaps a psychologist is needed? if not that then Sonko really is useless without Danny Collins, if not that we do have a REALLY bad manager!
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London_Blue added 20:01 - Jan 21 I bumped in to Mark Kennedy the other afternoon before the Derby game and he said none of the players read these forums because if they did it would have a negative affect on their performances. Having said that......... JEWELL, FOR F**CKS SAKE, STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR PLAYERS WHICH YOU HAVE BROUGHT TO THE CLUB. IF THEY KEEP MAKING MISTAKES THEN THEY ARE SIMPLY NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR ITFC, SO EITHER GET RID AND REPLACE THEM FOR DECENT PLAYERS OR DO US ALL A FAVOUR AND RESIGN!!

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IvorFeeling added 20:06 - Jan 21 For all those that support PJ and I admire your optimism there has been no shred of improvement, we are going backwards and no glimmer of any plan - unless you count relegation. Yes the players are culpable but where is the plan, coaching and development? So much wrong with PJ, Clegg and ME that we are now a laughing stock. I am saddened at where we are right now but fearful we haven't reached rock bottom yet!

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RetroBlue added 20:07 - Jan 21 Well Paul, the simple truth of the matter is these so called defenders (with sole exception of young Cresswell) HAVENT GOT THE QUALITY to defend a bloody rice pudding. The Club terminated the contract of the equally poor Ingamargesson (spl), May I humbly suggest you also now sack, Edwards, Sonko, that pratt of a GK you brought in on an utterly pointless (literally) 12 weeks loan!

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