Watford boss Valerien Ismael was disappointed to lose what he felt was a “50/50 game”, the Blues having come from a goal behind to defeat the Hornets 2-1 at Vicarage Road.

Town captain Sam Morsy netted the winner in the 80th minute, seizing on a heavy touch by his Watford counterpart Wesley Hoedt to inflict the Hornets’ second defeat in their last 11.

“We are disappointed to lose the game like that, especially at the end,” he said. “Otherwise, I think it was another tough game for us, three days after the Southampton game, but I think we showed again that we are ready to compete, ready to show our level, the mentality of the players, the structure, the discipline.

“I think in the first half, the main issue was our unforced mistakes, errors in the build-up without any big pressure, just giving the ball away.

“You need more control and I think at the end of the first half we got the control and it was easier for us to play and force Ipswich more to drop and to have the control in the opponents’ half.

“I think the second half was a game on the front foot from both teams, a 50/50 game, a typical top game, 50/50, the first team that made a mistake would be punished.

“We had two chances to take the lead again with Jamal [Lewis] and Edo Kayembe and you have to take one of them.

“I think it’s what I said after the game against Southampton, we have to work on our ruthlessness in front of goal, we have to shoot on the target, we have to put the ball behind the line and to make sure we can get the reward because if you take the lead, it’s another game, another situation.

“At the end, after we’d made the mistake, it was difficult to come back into the game. The goal shocked us more rather than giving us the feeling that we could come back.

“But it is the learning process now, it’s more about the fine details. When you stay in a game like that, a 50/50 game, we know we can score at any time, so we need to be more calm and show more belief and force [the opposition] open and defend more.

“But it was a good game, from both sides. The team at the minute who are the flavour of the month played well, but I think we created a lot of chances, but the final pass or the final shot wasn’t not really on target.”

Regarding Hoedt’s error, he added: “It’s a part of the game. He gave us three points against Hull City [with a terrific strike] and today these things happen in football.

“There’s no vaccine against mistakes, he just has to stay concentrated, to learn from that and next time in a 50/50 game to make sure we stay in the game.”

Photo: TWTD

ImAbeliever added 10:59 - Dec 13 55/45 rather than 50/50 maybe?
1

Wacko added 11:08 - Dec 13 Flavour of the month since August?
5

Facefacts added 11:09 - Dec 13 Flavour of the month - dismissive, but may just be a language thing. Doesn't perhaps understand that that's a put down.
6

Michael101 added 11:12 - Dec 13 That's his 3 weeks in charge gone, wto will be the next victim
0

Europablue added 11:21 - Dec 13 It's funny how often we win those 50/50 matches! I'd say that a more accurate description of the situation was that it was on a knife edge. Watford could have scored, but we always looked more of a threat. There are a lot of teams that we have played against that looked decent, but not the finished article.
3

barrystedmunds added 11:26 - Dec 13 “The team of the minute, flavour of the month” I’ll help you out; we’re called Ipswich, mate!
1

JimInGreensboro added 11:55 - Dec 13 The Flavour of the Month appears to be Bitter Grape.
2

Ipswichbusiness added 12:22 - Dec 13 It is a feature of 50/50 games that you lose half of them.
0

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 13:21 - Dec 13 Not 50-50 mate! We won!
0

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 13:22 - Dec 13 PS: We gave you a goal's start and you still couldn't win.
1

Saxonblue74 added 13:37 - Dec 13 "If you take the lead it's another game'? I think I'm right in saying you did take the lead?
4

Kulturarv added 14:06 - Dec 13 Hat off for both teams for such an enjoyable game to watch. I can very well understand Ismael's disappointment. Some years ago we often lost these matches, but now we play with that extra confidence and sometimes, to be fair, that extra luck. Really looking forward to Saturday noon! :-)
9

Bert added 14:51 - Dec 13 It is true that the game could have gone either way. Watford were aggressive, on the front foot and looked dangerous when they broke. We were all those things but passed better and used our nous to win.
4

VanDusen added 15:04 - Dec 13 They're a good side and that was a quality game of football that could have gone either way. I for one would have happily taken a point on 75 mins. I don't think he's being dismissive, just a translation thing. He's trying to say we are the unexpected package of the season and make sure the Watford fans know how good we are to put the result in context for any who still think losing to a newly promoted team at home is a bad result (cos let's face it - we felt the same about thay defeat against Cambridge for instance only 18 months ago which seem far far more distant in the memory)

9

IpswichToon added 15:32 - Dec 13 I’d certainly be disappointed to lose that as a Watford fan, but that’s exactly why we play a high press. Forced the mistake, won the game.
3

IpswichT62OldBoy added 21:36 - Dec 13 Tough titty.
0

churchmans added 22:18 - Dec 13 There goal was a gift of a passback abd they needed 2 chances at that!!!!! We where not at our best by any means but won! We will smash Watford when they come to Portman Rd!
0

bluesnightorg added 09:01 - Dec 15 I HEARD YOU GOT THE FEVER FOR THE FLAVOR?
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls