Well said BlueandTruesince82. While I too have some reservations about the style of football, MM's done very well overall to turn us into a competitive play-off contending team the last couple of seasons with our transfer budget and wage bill. In spite of injuries to key players, last season we were competing with teams that spend £5M+ on one player when our entire squad cost around a tenth of that.

I think he will sign a winger 500k or more he's just keeping everyone guessing he's good at that.
It's micks approach to everything.
Bishop does give us options!!

Here's a thought Mick, why not play them in the positions that they were taught to play in. Jack of all trades, master of none.

My only theory regarding my earlier post about Mick perhaps choosing not to spend money, IF it were indeed available is because he seems to be way too comfortable, or content with the situation. He seems to like it, because he always says this team has spent big or they have invested heavily etc. And he seemingly likes the free signings/loans etc. I remember Billy Davies at Forest, he was forever whining in the media about needing more investment from his board and they invested quite a bit. Dunno why Mick is seemingly so fine with the situation if that's the case. Evans might have money available and Mick choses not to spend, just a thought

Most players are contracted till end June its now 2 nd July and a Saturday,no doubt we,re talking to agents as are loads of other clubs,please be patient the train is waitng at the platform,surely if Stewart has his brain in gear hes a decent footballer

Here we go again. Square pegs round holes. Hope this is all a smokescreen while MM works behind the scenes to bring in 2 wingers. Hope Bournemouth continue to sign players and let us have Ryan again. Hope something changes in the owners' mentality and attitude towards spending a minuscule amount of his massive fortune. Hope hope is all we have.

Oops sorry that's negative again. Queue the burying from head in sand Pragmaticblue!!!!

I take it all back I just want ITFC to improve 😢

Well said Joe Public.

It could well be that Mick buys another one or two players,but equally his utterances so far have indicated he wont unless they are free or on loan.We will know on 1st September.

Having the 6th lowest attendance in our division,must mean that the brand(of football)is not good enough to bring the punters in,Blues and Trues.

As somebody who has supported this team for over 50 years it worries me that since Marcus Evans took over,there has been a decline in attendances,with the exception of 2014/15 when we reached the playoffs(1054164) which of course reflects in the turnover.

For many seasons four of us had been coming from neighbouring Essex(All season tickets);but this season it will only be 2,and the other guy was recently on the verge of cancelling his direct debit because of the attitude of Ticket Office staff.

I don't think it is just the football either.You only have to surf the net to find that Mr Evans has upset official bodies such as Wimbledon(tennis)and the Official Rugby Union and Athletics bodies as well,through his attitude.In fact he has been called a glorified ticket tout.

This has all been caused by him trying to do everything on the cheap and not going through the proper channels,I believe he is in dispute with the local police at the moment about an unpaid bill of just under £100k for policing outside the ground,which he maintains is the taxpayers responsibility.

Other contributory factors such as the high ticket prices,not for season tickets;closing ticket sales by phone option,and plastic cutlery so flimsy it breaks when tackling a Portman Pie (lol),haven't helped either.

Finally Mr McCarthy's apparent disdainful attitude to the supporters,which I have witnessed first hand, plus his dislike for cup games have all meant that there is a reported 17% drop in season ticket sales,which will not help the situation going forward.

Lets hope that things come together this season and Town do well,as this should bring the crowds back so that ITFC will be able to compete in the transfer market once more.

Yep let's play another player out of position Mick shall we...wouldn't be the first time he's done it..saves money too, he can also have Douglas and Skuse through the middle too - please god no!!

The boys of 81 never had an established winger in the first choice eleven.

Unless you have an outstanding player like Ryan Fraser, they are a luxury.

Bru, Skuse and Bishop as a midfield trio with somebody playing in the hole is a very good midfield at this level, providing you have enterprising full backs. The only issue as we know that Bru and Teddy will always pick up niggle injuries and neither of these three players offer a prolific goal threat individually or between them.

I would prefer to see some wing back options at the club rather than out and out wide men. But of course would welcome Ryan Fraser back.....but I can dream

Joepublic

I understand the frustration, particularly with RB situation as we haven't had a recognised one since Magilton but it's a case of prioraties. When Mick came he had to sort everything, the club was full of dross and whilst Chambers isn't the best at RB he's not the worst and he, Berra and Smith all bring goals from there positions.

I think whilst no, not all players are versitle some genuinely are and can play in more than one position. Equally I would argue that modern footballers ought to be able to do so.

Right now what would you rather we sign? Wingers or a RB? Ideally 2 of the former and one of the latter but if we are honest the budget doesn't allow it. Personal I'd like the (at least a) wingers and I suspect Mick feels the same way. It's the way it is.

Also If we look at Micks ideal team last year

Bart
Chambo Berra Smith Knudsen
Sears Douglas Skuse Fraser
Murphy MCG

It's really only 2 players out of potion and Sears when out on the right is given permission to roam.

Ideally I think Mick would prefer to have had AMN flying up the right all season and Bish in for Douglas or Skuse but AMN is young and will have ups and downs and Bishop not available at all.

If you then add in injuries to MCG and Fraser and you have to make do and mend. Looking at it RB and sometimes out wide aside I think most ppl are where they would like to be and that square pegs in round holes is an easy pie to chuck at him because of the need to address some areas urgently.

At the end of the day style is a matree of opinion, results are a matter of fact, 7th, 6th, 7th on a shoe string speaks for itself the last one especially after our 3 most creative players were injured for most (Bishops case all) of last season.

Add to that, as others have pointed out, Chambers really is doing a job until a youngster comes through, do given RB is not a priority ad it stands it's even less likely to be so with decent youngsters comming through and the club's stated ambition to have a predominantly home grown team.

At some stage yes, one may have to look and say Mick has taken then club as far he can but I don't think that point is yet, he was hamstrung by injury last season and that limited his options and I really think that's a fair defence. If he could get a winger or 2 that can stay fitI think you will see much more fluid counter attacking football because that's how he likes his teams to play so let's hope someone is avaiable or Steward gets his arse in gear

Last season MM changed the style to be more offensive and played with AMN and Fraser in wide positions. It worked well till Fraser got injured and the team suffered badly not having same quality players to slot in.
I trust MM knows how to get the best from the players at his disposal. Getting a system/s that suits the squad is important to keep consistency. If wide midfielders (as opposed to wingers) is what we have than MM will have a system that is effective. With Bru, Bish, Didz, Sears and Murph we have a team that can be a massive threat with ball played on the ground or over the top

Seasider having written 2 essays already I won't respond to all your points, many of which are well made but

Re Style of football yes that is to some degree a fair point but equally what we are saying is ppl are happy to watch a team lose pretty but not win ugly. That's wrong isn't it? I want to see my team win end of. If being in to check with the playoffs until the end of the season can't get ppl excited enough to watch the team then especially after the preceding years of fighting against the drop then ppl have there prioaties wrong.

As for Evans, his ticket touting has kept the club afloat, no one else wanted to. His outlay is now limited by FFP and when it wasnt he sanctioned big money moves and serious waged (then guidance did an exclient arrice on Ipswichs wages vs income and at the time March day income only covered the players wages, that was pre MM and pre FFP. I can't find the article Amy more but if someone could find a link it's a facinating read). Scotland, Chopra, Priskin, Fullop and the like did not come cheap. FFP arrived. The club plays by the ruless.

As for dispute with the police that's is based on the ruling on the leeds case and town are one of a number of clubs taking action because sadly football has imploded to the point where every penny counts and an extra 500k or what ever it is in the club really makes a difference.

* the guardian

why already thinking it putting square peg in round hole... There are issues if we are unable to spot better than Feeney.. Which there are loads

Square peg round hole.Why make do when u can get someone in? Stewart playing again for town,pull the other one it has bells on it

Kikapu - the connection is that moaners, like Brexiters are telling the self righteous there is a problem beyond the focus of their rose tinted spectacles. At least, that's the connection I made...

In true referendum style, if we took a head count as to who wants to see Bishop playing through the middle vs who wants to see him playing wide, I'd put money on the former beating the latter. Not that this will see any petulant protests from those that lost gathering in Hyde Park any time soon after the result is counted.

Blueandtruesince82. SPOT ON! An excellent post if I may say and I agree 100% with everything you have said.

COYBS

The formation Wales have been playing with 3 centre backs is what our squad has been crying out for for years due to personnel at the club but MM has unfortunately never seen it or is too stubborn to use when it was pointed out to him

Sounds ominous. "Can't get winger, so let's just make do with what we've got." Oh to be a town fan.

People bang on about chambers being a central defender!! What makes him a central defender??
He has played many more games as a rb

Good players can play almost anywhere

Football is a simple game!!!
what you were born with determines your position!
I.e height, pace
If your short goalkeeper isn't going to be the best position.
A pro footballer should be able to adapt

Truebluesince82

I guess the main point i was trying to convey, in response to your first post was this:

There are many different points of view and i personally understand the frustration of many who have posted about their concern at playing players out of position. Nobodies view means any less than anyone else and we will not all agree about our managers squad, tactics and team selection.

Possibly the greater concern should be that after all the time MM has been in charge we always seem slightly short in play making positions. We seem one of the few championship contenders strangled by fpp.
I think it is fair to say we have enough centre backs and defensive midfielders for now.

I'm on a good salary, extended contract and not bothered. Let's just play our best prospect out of position. Clueless.