Town boss Paul Jewell has specific targets in mind as he looks to utilise the emergency loan market to add to his stretched central defensive options. Football League clubs are able to take players on loan for up to 93 days from next weekend.

Jewell is all too aware that with Damien Delaney moving on, he has been left with only two senior central defenders: “It’s an area of the team we need to improve, a blind man could see that. That’s one area, as well as other areas, that we’re looking to strengthen.

“You look around us and one thing which stands out is the size of us. We’ve brought Murph in and he’s been a big help to us physically with his size. We’ve got Guirane N’Daw who we’ve got to get fit. We’re trying to bring a bit of size in.

“I think that one long ball down the middle of our defence is an area where we’ve got to tighten up,” he added. “One long ball can’t cause us as many problems as it does and that’s where we need to improve, not just on the pitch, but also off the pitch with the squad we’re trying to assemble.”

Premier League clubs are often more willing to allow fringe players to move out on loan once the transfer window has closed, they've done all their business and have named their 25-man squads.

The Blues boss, who ideally wants loans with a view to permanent deals, says there are particular players he is hopeful of bringing in, even if he’s loathe to say he’s confident having had his fingers burnt before: “I haven’t just decided we need a centre-half, we’ve been trying to get one in for quite a while but it hasn’t quite happened for different reasons.

“There are specific players. I’m not going to say I’m confident because I said that after the Southend game. I know we need a centre-half and there are specific players that I’m looking to bring in.”

Peterborough director of football Barry Fry has said his club would be willing to allow George Boyd to join the Blues on loan with a view to a permanent deal in January, but Jewell says no deal along those lines is yet set up: “Nothing’s in place. I said on Thursday or Friday that I wouldn’t rule it out but obviously we need to improve other parts of the team as well as that.

“We like George Boyd, we think he’s a good player but there’s nothing in place to take him on loan, it might happen, but there’s nothing in place.”

Photo: Action Images

wrightyblue added 06:14 - Sep 3 Jewell out
0

bigolconnor added 06:24 - Sep 3 Defenders in.
0

brendenward35 added 06:37 - Sep 3 Why is everyone calling for Jewells head? it's like going to the supermarket with £5 in our pocket but all the nice wines at £7 a bottle so you have to settle for the cheaper option knowing they are not as nice. His hands are tied so I wish so called fans would get off his back and let him get on with things. Everyone thought town were going to get hammered Saturday and we didn't. Sacking the manager so early on in the season will only upset the apple cart and that will do nothing for the players confidence. If by Christmas its the same old story then yes maybe a change is needed ready for a new manager to use the January window to get in players he wants. Well if there is money there to do that or they will have to deal on a shoe string as well.

0

Marcus added 06:41 - Sep 3 It's far too early in the season to be calling for PJ's head... I still hope he can get things right, the weaknesses are obvious and I'm sure he has the right targets in mind. As he says himself he's struggling to close the deals.
0

bigolconnor added 06:47 - Sep 3 I was just saying defenders in. Jewell can stay as long as he likes if that happens.
0

blueblood66 added 07:08 - Sep 3 Clueless
0

DiamondGezzer added 07:20 - Sep 3 Give the guy a break, it isn't his fault that for one reason or another players aren't available. Remember, he wants the best team he can assemble. No-one, especially Jewell, likes getting beat 6-0. Let him get it all in place, then if it doesn't work surely that's the time to have a pop.
0

WhoisJimmyJuan added 07:22 - Sep 3 brendanward35 - I would say its more like going to the supermarket, looking at the £7 wines, then realising you've dropped your £5 on the way so you can't have anything. He is a plank. He bangs on about too many players not wanting to play for the club deep down when they are on loan, then clears out several players that want to play for the club, and getting in loan players anyway. He may or may not turn things around, but time is running out, and numpty moves like this cause anxeity and frustration amongst fans. If he fails it is his own doing and the fault of those who let him.

0

WorcesterBlue added 07:23 - Sep 3 You see everyone. He knows we need more central defensive cover because of our inability to deal with long balls, crosses, corners etc and now so does everyone else! I guess there jut aren't many young lower league or foreign defenders out there who might see this club as a good career move so it's journeymen for us to fill the gaps.
0

bedsitfc added 07:26 - Sep 3 i know it not p.j fault but we need player in on 3 year contracts not 93 day ones
0

Mark added 07:30 - Sep 3 We have needed a reliable, big, strong centre back since De Vos retired really (McAuley did well at times, but not always, and Sonko was the right physique but too mistake prone). Whether we can get the right man remains to be seen.
0

blueblood66 added 07:40 - Sep 3 Lets hope so, but we are now relying on being loaned players yet again, at the behest of some Premier League clubs. The club has no long term plan, no forward thinkers, and just lurch from crisis to crisis. In all a shambles.
0

Blue041273 added 07:40 - Sep 3 Whichever way you look at at it's a dogs breakfast. Even if we manage to get a CB on loan for 3 months we will be back to square one for the Christmas period. This situation may or may not PJ's fault but for the club to be in this position after the long close season smacks of real incompetence.
0

suffolkpunchdrunk added 07:42 - Sep 3 Although likely to be unavailable to play during the Christmas Panto Season he is considering deals for Mr Blobby & Buttons so inept he has been at sorting out our defence.
0

stickymockwell added 07:42 - Sep 3 Its like going to the supermarket and wanting a £7 wine when you only have £5 but THEN you realise that you have a £2 clubcard Voucher but you need a pound for the carpark and you need some loo rolls and bread.
0

Urchin added 07:51 - Sep 3 I would presume Pj is looking to take players on the 93 day loan with a view to buying
0

Dissboyitfc added 07:52 - Sep 3 Blue041273.... Does it smack of real incompetence ? For me, real incompetence was the running of the club under sheepshanks and we all know where that ended, dont we! The facts appear to be, we are just not willing to overpay and overspend anymore and that may take a while until all the other clubs subscribe to this ffp rules. only time will tell if its incompetence or otherwise on Evans part. Hence why we go down the loan path, its cheaper on the wages. do i like it? No i dont is the answer, but for now it just maybe the only way for us to operate, time will tell.......COYB

0

RetroBlue added 07:56 - Sep 3 Does it really matter who Jewell targets. We rarely then secure the deal.
0

bluemonday added 08:00 - Sep 3 It's been apparent for many seasons we need to strenghten our defence..... Jewell is a joke and all our fans are sucked in by his nonsence.... It's been sideways steps since Jewell arrived.... Time for change - Jewell out by Christmas.
0

jaydee added 08:04 - Sep 3 “It's an area of the team we need to improve, a blind man could see that." Do you think the blind man would have also terminated the only other experienced CD contract aswell Paul ? Do you think the blind man would also have packed the club with loads of midfielders & keep banging on about getting strikers in aswell.Even though he can see that we actually need defenders. Come on PJ you have had nearly 2 years to get defenders in,stop coming out with the same sh*t n do something about it.

0

jabberjackson added 08:06 - Sep 3 I laways like to be positive, but like most Ipswich fans would like to see us acquire a decent central defender or 2 for keeps, not just for Xmas. Norwich managed to, Southampton never had any big name loanees We pay our scouts enough money I gues, they should unearth a gem, and then pay the money to give them a decent contract. Don't pay the money to get a few wins with the likes of Upson in your team, only for him to bog off in December and for us to find ourselves in exactly the same position It smacks of at best a lack of imagination or at worst laziness We need to buck our ideas up!

0

Doctor_Albran added 08:17 - Sep 3 Are his tagets Tony Adams and Gary Pallister? as I think they were still playing when our central defensive issues were first highlighted... cancelling the contract of a fully fit central defender (Delaney) when you only have 2 recognised CB's, 1 of whom is prone to serious confidence issues (Smith) is not a mistake, it is idiocy - if we were going to cancel Delaney's contract we could have done this at anytime (once we had a replacement) and he could join a new club (Palace) as and when we released him - the transfer window was irrelevant to DD as we terminated his contract so no transfer... I've been a supporter of Jewell (as I was Keane, as I don't like to see managers sacked on a whim - althoughin hind sight I appreciate that Keane had to go, I was not one of the ones who wanted his head from day 1), but some of his/the clubs decisions over the past 12/24 months have been strange - he needs to put up or walk away.

0

buryblue77 added 08:22 - Sep 3 Stickymockwell, you'd take the chance on the car park. Bread? Nah, can go without. Loo rolls, I think there's some kitchen rolls somewhere, they'll do for now. Wine. Yep!
0

WarkyWonderLand added 08:25 - Sep 3 The curse of the modern football fan, inpatience. When PJ took over from rk we were in a right mess. Oh yes, we even had stern John up front!! He did get it wrong last year with too many older players and people not playing for the club. We have played 4 games and only lost one this season. We have a better team than last year but just need a little bit more depth. To have another new manager we start again and that does no one any good good. Let him get on with it and support the team and see where we are at Xmas. For those who would want a Change who would you have? No one really jumps out. Would be interested in some names. Keep the faith and Coyb.

0

oldegold added 08:26 - Sep 3 No more loan players please - when will we ever learn ? We have paid the price in the past but we still seem hell bent on loanees....
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls