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Ipswich Town 1-2 West Ham U21s - Match Report
Tuesday, 14th Sep 2021 21:45

Ipswich Town’s wait for a win continues after a late Armstrong Okoflex penalty saw West Ham’s U21s to a 2-1 victory in their opening Papa John’s Trophy tie of the season at Portman Road. James Norwood gave the Blues the lead in the second minute but Keenan Appiah-Forson levelled for the Hammers’ youngsters on 12. With a minute left on the clock, keeper Tomas Holy conceded a penalty which Okoflex converted, before the visitors were reduced to 10 men in injury time when Pierre Ekwah was dismissed for a second yellow card.

Town boss Paul Cook made 10 changes from the weekend 5-2 loss to Bolton on Saturday with Sam Morsy skippering on his debut and young centre-half Albie Armin handed his senior bow.

Holy was in goal with Kane Vincent-Young - the only player to have started against the Trotters but who lasted only 21 minutes before being subbed - at right-back and Matt Penney on the left.

Luke Woolfenden and Armin were the centre-halves with Morsy and Tom Carroll - making his first Town start - in the middle of midfield.

Idris El Mizouni made his second start of the season in the number 10 role with Louis Barry on the left and Kayden Jackson the right with Norwood the lone out-and-out striker.

Jon Nolan was among the subs for the first time this season, while youngsters Cameron Humphreys, Zanda Siziba and Elkan Baggott were also on the bench.

After both teams taking the knee had been warmly applauded, the game got under way in steady drizzle.

And Town went in front in only the second minute via the first attack of the game. After good work from El Mizouni on the left, Penney drove towards the area and fed Vincent-Young breaking on the right.

The former Colchester man cut inside to Carroll, who looped into the area. Norwood appeared to get a flick on it causing West Ham keeper Kristian Hegyi to mishandle and the Blues striker stabbed in his first goal of the season.

Town continued their bright start and on seven Vincent-Young crossed for Norwood from the right but the Blues’ number 10 was already through his shot when the ball arrived and it bounced off him for a goalkick.

West Ham threatened for the first time in ninth minute when Daniel Chesters was sent away down the right behind Penney but Woolfenden did well to get across to cut out his low ball into the area.

That attack proved to be a sign of things to come and in the 12th minute the visitors levelled. The ball was neatly worked in from the left with Town failing to put in a serious challenge and Appiah-Forson shot across Tomas Holy and into the net. The Czech keeper got his right hand on it and will feel he probably should have kept it out.

In the 22nd minute Hammers skipper Ajibola Alese was booked for felling Norwood after the goalscorer had successfully chased a long Jackson ball down the right.

The visitors almost created a second in the 24th minute when Okoflex sent a dangerous ball across the six-yard area which the shaky Holy allowed beyond him but with no Hammers player there to add the final touch.


The Blues, whose performance had drifted after their bright start, began to show more of a threat and on 28 Jackson crossed low from the right but Norwood was unable to turn towards goal at the near post and it was cleared ahead of Barry behind him.

A minute later, Jackson shot first against Norwood and then over the bar from some distance out.

Just after the half-hour, Kamarai Swyer was played in on the left of the box and hit a shot which Holy was forced to palm behind.

On 35, Norwood took down a long ball forward from Woolfenden and fed Jackson breaking on the right. The former Accrington man sent it low across the six-yard area but too far in front of Norwood and Barry. Five minutes later, Norwood flicked a Carroll free-kick from the left wide, Penney having been fouled.

As half-time approached, the Blues were well in control, passing the ball around confidently with Carroll and Morsy at the centre of things, although without creating another chance.

During two minutes of injury time El Mizouni was booked for a foul on Harrison Ashby, the Tunisia international’s second transgression of the night.

Town had got off to the ideal start via Norwood’s early goal and might well have scored again in the opening minutes, however, once again they quickly allowed the opposition to get back into it, although from a West Ham perspective it was a well worked goal.

Both sides had one or two opportunities to go in front after that - Norwood had looked dangerous throughout - with the Blues finishing the half in a controlled manner with experienced midfield pair Carroll and Morsy increasing in influence.

Three minutes after the restart, Okoflex was booked for a foul on Vincent-Young as the right-back broke forward at pace into the West Ham half.

In the 54th minute Jackson underwent treatment for what looked to be an ankle injury but after treatment was able to continue. Ekwah picked up a yellow card for the challenge that led to his knock.

Two minutes later, Barry, who had had a frustrating evening, robbed Jamal Baptiste and burst down the left and into the area. However, he was outmuscled as he looked for space to cross and his claims that he had been fouled fell on deaf ears.

Jackson succumbed to his injury in the 57th minute and Conor Chaplin took over playing in the number 10 role with El Mizouni moving out to the right.

Chaplin quickly got involved around the edge of the area but was unable to carve out an opportunity. On the hour mark Penney shot not too far wide from just outside the area on the left.

The Blues began to play the controlled football of the latter period of the first half, then in the 67th minute Barry was replaced by Zanda Siziba, among those to have impressed for the U23s this season.

On 70, following a long spell of Town possession, Vincent-Young crossed from the right just in front of Norwood with keeper Hegyi failing to hold onto it, however, the linesman’s flag was raised.

Soon after, the Blues played themselves into trouble midway inside their own half on their right and eventually Woolfenden was forced to stab away from Okoflex for a West Ham corner.

The Hammers thought they’d scored from the flag-kick, Holy mishandling it goalwards and appeared very fortunate that referee Charles Breakspear and his linesman didn’t adjudge it to have crossed the line, much to the frustration of the visitors.

Having grabbed hold of the ball, and with the Hammers protesting that they had scored, the Czech keeper threw it long for Chaplin to chase into the West Ham half. The former Barnsley man rode a tackle and fed Siziba who had joined him in breaking forward and the youngster looked to be tripped as tried to take the ball between defenders as he sought to find himself space to shoot. Referee Breakspear waved away the Town protests.

The incidents at both ends livened up what had been a dreary half and woke the previously soporific crowd up. Moments later, Siziba headed over at the near post from Norwood’s right-wing cross. Soon after, El Mizouni was swapped for Joe Pigott.

After Pigott had shot deep into the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand from distance, Morsy, currently serving a three-match ban which covers league games for a sending off in his final Middlesbrough match, was shown the first yellow card of his Town career for a foul.

From the free-kick, the visitors were awarded a penalty with a minute left on the clock. The ball was floated into the area, Baptiste headed wide but was sent flying by Holy’s late punch. Referee Breakspear pointed straight to the spot and Okoflex confidently sent the ball into the corner of the net to give the young Hammers the lead.

The visitors were reduced to 10 men in injury time when the already booked Ekwah dived in at Siziba’s ankles and was shown a second yellow card.

The Blues desperately went looking for an equaliser in the remaining minutes, Penney hitting a shot which deflected behind, moments before the final whistle confirmed defeat to an U21 side for the second time in two seasons.

Once again Town got their noses in front but let their opposition back into the match soon after going in front.

Again they were made to pay for an individual error at the last, Holy, who earlier looked to have conceded an own goal, arriving late to punch clear and taking out Baptiste.

Town’s second-half display had lacked urgency up to that point but it came too late to prevent a second embarrassing result of the week.

The Blues travel to Lincoln - far from a happy hunting ground in recent seasons - on Saturday as they continue to look for a first victory of the season.

Town: Holy, Vincent-Young, Woolfenden, Armin, Penney, Morsy (c), Carroll, Jackson (Chaplin 57), El Mizouni (Pigott 78), Barry (Siziba 67), Norwood. Unused: Hladky, Baggott, Humphreys, Nolan.

West Ham U21: Hegyi, Okoflex, Alese (c), Ekwah, Ashby, Chesters (Rosa 88), Laing, Longelo, Swyer (Perkins 71), Appiah-Forson, Baptiste. Unused: Kinnear, Dju, Diallo, Forbes, Casey. Referee: Charles Breakspear (Surrey). Att: 4,231 (West Ham: 150).


Photo: Matchday Images



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runaround added 22:27 - Sep 14
Another embarrassing result and in the main an awful performance. We deserved to lose. Norwood looked good first half before understandably fading whilst Morsy & Idris showed good touches but we were playing a bunch of kids so it was an embarrassing defeat.
The most worrying thing is how flat the players are and I am really concerned Cook is unable to turn this around. It feels ridiculous that I am thinking it but the manner of Saturday & tonight's games makes me feel that a change will soon be necessary 😳
A win or 2 can change things massively but they feel a million miles away right now
6

stiffy501 added 22:28 - Sep 14
Have Naarich friends who said Lambert would be no good without Culverhouse and that seemed to be true, looking like we may have the same problem with Cook, have we got the mouthpiece but not the brains.
Perhaps we should bring in an experienced coach to help him out.
4

HARRY10 added 22:31 - Sep 14
" Eddie Howe for me! Please don't say he won't come here. He's not earning a living right now "

actually he is - if a manager has his contract paid up that means any job he takes within that period he forfeits his previous contract pay

that's why so many do not rush straight into another job
-1

midastouch added 22:33 - Sep 14
Burley added: “For me, it's important to try and build something at this club again because, for a while now, there hasn't been that sense.

“I hate always hearing that Ipswich have been ‘over-achieving'. This is a club that was in Europe virtually every year when I was a player. When I came back as a manager everyone laughed when I said that the goal was to get back there — but we did.

“Why can't we get in the play-offs? Why can't we get back in the Premier League? You've got to have ambition otherwise what's the point?”

There's our man!
11

warkyisgod added 22:34 - Sep 14
Well glad that was free and that the parking was a £1 those were the positives for this evening.... Out played and out muscled by kids who quite frankly deserved the win. No clue all over the pitch or on the bench. Really can't see a win on Saturday but stranger things have happened
2

Cloddyseedbed added 22:39 - Sep 14
I went tonight and for a lot of the game it looked like West Ham had more players on the pitch, never a good sign. The system Cook uses has been sussed by every club we have played so far and quite honestly I can see any team which is put in front of us we would be able to beat. It is painful to watch. It's like going to the dentist every game now. Cook with all his new players seems lost and devoid of any actions to get us going. Players now look even more disjointed, unfit and unsure. I can see us still trying to gel next May. I was one who could see a poor start coming and had low expectations with all the changes in place but we really should be starting to see positive signs by now, but it seems we are going backwards and all signs of any confidence with the players is slowly draining away.

6

Cloddyseedbed added 22:40 - Sep 14
* should read any team put against us I can't see we can beat.
0

Blueactually75 added 22:42 - Sep 14
When I saw West Ham U21's were 8-1 I thought it must be a mistake. A top side in the Premiers kids versus our B Team. Only one winner surely. I said it before and I'll say it again Paul Cook is NOT the right man for this massive task. Can someone please explain why we thought he was the man. What are his credentials?
2

Treacle added 22:44 - Sep 14
Midastouch - well said!
1

Lathers added 22:45 - Sep 14
Oh Paul, won't you buy me
A team that wins games
My friends all support teams
That win a few games
I work hard so I can afford
To follow the Town
Oh Paul won't you find me
A Win of some kind?
Oh Paul, why can't our new players
Get a result?
Signing For Pounds
Is trying to find me
I wait for delivery
Each Saturday until five
Oh Paul, won't you buy me
3 points in League One
Oh Paul, won't you buy me
A night on the town?
I'm counting on you, Paul
Please don't let me down
-1

Bert added 22:45 - Sep 14
Both teams tonight were very average but the difference was that West Ham can defend and we cannot. I like Holy but oh dear we now have three dodgy keepers.KVY is not a defender, he is so often out of position and the team tonight looked unbalanced. Hardly any crosses in the box and sorry to say it looked like a group of players had got together for a kick about. The odd bright spot but as others have said, if Cook needs a team to gel why the heck does he field another bunch of strangers when we need to get consistency and understanding. Can we buy a victory ? Not on what I have seen of Cook's tactics and lack of nous. In the space of 6 weeks the joy of the Ipswich revolution has become despair. Time for the chairman and owners to be thinking of a successor to Cook if the wheels are still off by mid October.
1

BlueWax added 22:47 - Sep 14
@running out
Knock knock
Who's there
Paul
Oh ffs!
0

planetblue_2011 added 22:48 - Sep 14
I really can't believe this is happening to Ipswich again, Cook has signed 19 players he wanted to sign but no one wants to play for him it seems🤷‍♂️ It's like this with every manager since Keane , he had money it didn't work, Jewell had some money it didn't work, McCarthy had no money & he kept us steady, if he had the money he would us got us to the prem I'm sure. Hurst had money it clearly didn't work, Lambert had no money, but yet again if he did I think he would of got us up. Cook has had money it's not working again!! The big BUT is if we sack him a manager has to come in with all his players he's signed & could all be duds. Thing is why isn't it working for Cook is it his formations or players not wanting to play for him or players don't get on? lastly have they really not gelled yet???!!!! Which ever one it is it keeps happening time & time again for this football club it needs to change but how,l🤷‍♂️ im running out of answers & ideas. Hope things change for the best or We could be in danger of being a seeking ship 🛳
0

bingboast added 22:49 - Sep 14
How many of the fans on here this evening were saying Cook was the new messiar? I guess no Burley, Allidyce or Moyse even with their present squads could get Ipswich a win.
0

Irishblueboy99 added 22:55 - Sep 14
Fat lady in full voice at this stage.
Same trend as paul hurst, cook has surrounded himself with players he knew in the past, no effort to promote talent or give youngsters a chance, Flynn downes is setting Swansea alight sence he left.
How this guy had success in the past is a mystery but going forward he wouldn't manage a puss in a brewery
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
Sack him
4

Irishblueboy99 added 22:55 - Sep 14
Fat lady in full voice at this stage.
Same trend as paul hurst, cook has surrounded himself with players he knew in the past, no effort to promote talent or give youngsters a chance, Flynn downes is setting Swansea alight sence he left.
How this guy had success in the past is a mystery but going forward he wouldn't manage a puss in a brewery
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
Sack him
0

Blueballs83 added 22:58 - Sep 14
Has anyone considered our lack of experienced coaching team as well as lack of assistant may be the problem? Gary Roberts - 37. No serious coaching experience. Franny Jeffers - 40. Everton under 23's. Ian Crainey - 39. Wigan Kitman. No defensive coach!!

With all the new professionalism at the club, how have they let this happen? Very few clubs in the football league would have less experience and must be affecting our game.
7

BrettenhamBlue added 22:59 - Sep 14
We seem to be headed in the wrong direction.

Many games still to go but things are looking worse for ITFC than they have ever been. What is happening in coaching? What on earth is going so badly wrong?
2

cantona11 added 23:05 - Sep 14
I got fed up of Paul Cook saying they need to gel then changes the team tonight I hoped he would have played all the players from the big loss at the w/e but these players are all your players that you brought and many have played for him before for all the fwd players he bought in they play it around the back to much and no fwd passes and the players in aren't good enough at the mo let alone playing as a team and this needs to change very quickly
1

cantona11 added 23:06 - Sep 14
I got fed up of Paul Cook saying they need to gel then changes the team tonight I hoped he would have played all the players from the big loss at the w/e but these players are all your players that you brought and many have played for him before for all the fwd players he bought in they play it around the back to much and no fwd passes and the players in aren't good enough at the mo let alone playing as a team and this needs to change very quickly
0

algarvefan added 23:11 - Sep 14
Just a point of view.

Paul Cook constantly had Leam Richardson as his running mate, Leam Richardson is now the manager of Wigan deciding not to follow Cook to Ipswich as he was asked. Who was the real success at Cooks previous clubs, him or Richardson, all I know is Wigan currently sit second in Division 1, I think that answers the question.

I am sadly rapidly losing faith in Paul Cook.
5

DavefromWatford added 23:15 - Sep 14
After everything thats been said Cook plays 4,2,3,1 with a completely different set of players. How long will it take before he realises this system is not working. He must change to 433 or 442 or we will never win a game. Why the hell did he play Holy in this must win game he is a walking disaster. I agree with previous comments, he should have played pretty much the same team as saturday. Please play Carroll & Morsy instead of Evans & Harper & play 2 strikers up front. I agree, get wilder or Eddie.
4

barrystedmunds added 23:16 - Sep 14
Irishblueboy99 sorry, but where's the evidence that Downes has been setting Swansea alight? Granted he starts most games, but that's about it. Dozzell and Bishop warming the bench at their respective clubs so I wouldn't say any of the recently departed have shown they were any better than we suspected they were. Just sayin!
3

Billysherlockblue added 23:17 - Sep 14
4231 mmmmmmmmm 8 games no win. Stick with it paul law of averages says u might win one! Ok jokes aside..... come on paul i like you but this is my club and im not the manager but if u keep doing the same things ull get the same result. 433 or 442 plse and get yourself a no 2 that will help you. A blind person can see that every team has sussed out the 4231. Good god will u at least change it for one game and u will win a game. Super blues forever 💙
2

inghamspur added 23:27 - Sep 14
He needs to win the next 4 games or he'll be out. Eddie Howe a good call and not beyond the realms of possibility.
Cook had the opportunity to use tonight's game as a step toward getting his first choices back on the pitch after such a poor performance on Saturday. He didn't so he will need to live with the consequences, as instead those players will be on the pitch for the first time since the Bolton game, away at Lincoln.
Holy in goal? Jackson starting? We're told that they have no future at the club, so why are they getting minutes?
Baffling decisions.
2


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