Town are five points plus goal difference from Premier League safety following a 4-1 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves’ 1-0 win away at 10-man AFC Bournemouth. The Blues started brightly, Liam Delap hitting the post with a header, but Brennan Johnson netted on 18 and 26 before Omari Hutchinson pulled one back nine minutes before the break. However, Spurs added a third through Djed Spence with their first chance of the second half on 77 and Dejan Kulusevski grabbed a fourth with six minutes remaining.

Boss Kieran McKenna made four changes from the side which started last week’s 1-1 draw at Aston Villa with Ben Godfrey, Leif Davis, Jaden Philogene and Jack Clarke returning to the team.

Godfrey took over from the suspended Axel Tuanzebe on the right of the defence with Davis returning at left-back having missed the game at Villa Park with a minor injury.

Philogene was handed his full home debut on the right with Hutchinson in the middle and Jack Clarke on the left behind out-and-out striker Liam Delap.

Julio Enciso missed out having suffered a knee injury last week, while Conor Townsend and Ben Johnson dropped to the bench having started against the Villans.

Skipper Sam Morsy is fit again after the abdominal problem which kept him out at Villa Park but was also among the subs, as was Sammie Szmodics. Dara O’Shea captained in the Egypt international’s absence.

For Tottenham, Johnson, the son of former Blues striker David, returned to the XI for James Maddison, who was on the bench.

Destiny Udogie came in at left-back with Pedro Porro a sub. At centre-half, Archie Gray took over from Ben Davies, who was absent from the squad. Ex-Blues loanee Dane Scarlett was on the bench.

Town, with Ed Sheeran joined by Tottenham-supporting Harry Potter actor Rupert Grint in his box, almost scored within seconds of the start.

Jens Cajuste played through Liam Delap, who burst round the outside of Gray before hitting a shot which Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario saved to his left. The loose ball ran to Philogene, whose goal-bound effort struck Omari Hutchinson on the line. Town looked to get another opportunity but the linesman’s flag had been raised as Hutchinson had been offside.

Delap threatened again in the third minute, drifting past Gray on the left of the box as if the former Leeds youngster wasn’t there before stabbing across the face and wide.

Play moved to the other end, Udogie running beyond O’Shea on the Spurs left but Palmer was off his line quickly to claim at the Italian international’s feet.

Delap went even closer to scoring in the seventh minute, flicking a near post header from Phillips’s free-kick out on the right beyond Vicario but off the post. The loose ball didn’t immediately fall kindly but was nodded back to the edge of the area from where Philogene sent an overhead kick deep into the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand.

Tottenham began to see most of the ball and went close to going in front in the 13th minute. Skipper Son Heung-Min got round the outside of Godfrey on the left and cut back to Lucas Bergvall, whose low shot was blocked by O’Shea. The ball ricocheted towards Johnson at the right post but Jacob Greaves somehow managed to take away from the former Forest man. Kulusevski nodded back in but O’Shea was fouled by Mathys Tel.

Moments later, Johnson got his name in referee Tim Robinson’s book for a foul on Davis as the Town full-back sought to break out of defence on the left.

However, in the 18th minute it was Johnson who would net the game’s opening goal. Gray’s long ball sent Son in behind on the left. The South Korean international worked some space to leave Godfrey standing and get to the byline before flashing a low ball across for Johnson, who got in front of Davis and slammed into the net.

The goal was harsh on the Blues, who had had the been the better side and had had most of the early chances, but with the visitors able to take their second serious opportunity, having found a weakness down Town’s right, a reminder of the clinical finishing at Premier League level.

The Blues looked to hit back, Clarke looping a header to Vicario in the 20th minute from a Hutchinson cross, then a minute later Delap hitting a shot from distance which deflected behind.

Following the flag-kick, Philogene shot not too far over, then on 24 Delap scuffed a low effort through to Vicario.

But two minutes later, Johnson doubled his side’s lead. Son was again played in behind Godfrey on the Town right, the visitors’ skipper cutting back to Johnson, who had been left completely unmarked 10 yards out on the far side of the box, from where he slotted home with ease.

On 26, Son was found on the left again but this time hit a low shot which deflected but with Palmer able to save. Four minutes later, Clarke was yellow-carded for standing on Spence’s foot after the ball had gone.

It was a dispirited Portman Road as the half-hour mark passed with the Blues having played well before all but gifting Spurs their two goals.

However, the mood was significantly lifted in the 36th minute when Town pulled a goal back.

Phillips won the ball five yards outside the Tottenham box and threaded in Clarke on the left of the area. The winger, a one-time Spurs player, cut back to Hutchinson, who smashed a shot across Vicario and into the net, the former Chelsea man’s third goal of the season.

Three minutes later, the same two players combined again, Clarke finding Hutchinson on the edge of the area but this time his shot was too weak to test Vicario. Soon after, Godfrey was booked for a foul on Son.

Town’s impetus, both on and off the pitch, had been restored by the goal but in the 42nd minute Rodrigo Bentancur, Tottenham’s scorer in the Blues’ win in North London in November, brought the ball forward into the area unchallenged before his shot was saved by Palmer, Greaves subsequently nodding behind.

As the game moved into three minutes of injury time, Son was again found in space on the Spurs left but this time his shot was blocked by Godfrey.

That was the last action of an entertaining, end-to-end half. The Blues had started like a house on fire with Delap having three opportunities before Tottenham had settled into the match.

But as so often this season, the Blues were made to pay for not taking their chances with the visitors going into a two-goal lead having found easy pickings down Town’s right flank with Tuanzebe badly missed and Godfrey evidently not back to the top of his game after his half-season of inaction in Italy with Atalanta and Davis twice losing Johnson.

However, despite being two goals behind, the Blues stayed in the game and Phillips, Clarke and Hutchinson made the most of the opportunity to pull a goal back when it came.

Town made a change at half-time, a predictable one, Luke Woolfenden taking over from Godfrey with O’Shea moving out to the right and the Ipswich-born defender taking up his usual central role.

The second half hadn’t settled into a pattern before Cajuste required treatment, Bentancur inadvertently falling on the grounded Swedish international and twisting his ankle. The on-loan Napoli man continued briefly before taking to the turf again and was replaced by Jack Taylor.

Neither side showed any serious threat until the 56th minute when Clarke and Delap won possession on the left with Vicario out of his goal but the winger’s low cross was cut out.

Moments later, Gray fouled his former Leeds teammate Davis out on the left but the free-kick came to nothing. However, within a minute Philogene was felled just outside the box by Udogie.

Hutchinson’s free-kick slammed into the wall, as did Phillips’s follow-up, but the ball reached the forward again on the right and his deep cross found Woolfenden at the far post, where he nodded into the ground and past Vicario. The centre-half thought he’d scored his first Premier League goal until the linesman raised his flag, VAR confirming that the defender had been offside.

Spurs had the next chance, Davis sliding in to block in front of Johnson as the forward looked to shoot as a low cross reached him from the left.

Following the corner, Kevin Danso was shoulder barged to the ground somewhat firmly by O’Shea, the on-loan Lens man claiming a penalty but with referee Robinson and VAR not interested.

Spurs subsequently made their first changes, goalscorer Johnson and Udogie making way for ex-Norwich forward Maddison and Porro, then on 68 Nathan Broadhead took over from Clarke for Town.

The Blues were beginning to put the visitors under pressure with Philogene and Hutchinson both having an impact down the right, Broadhead almost having an opportunity for a clear shot at goal from a ball in from the right before being closed down.

Spurs made a double change on 75, ex-Blues loanee Scarlett and Wilson Odobert coming on for Son and Tel, ahead of a Town free-kick from which O’Shea and Danso clashed heads.

Referee Robinson annoyed the home support by starting with a drop ball with play having stopped as it had gone out for a Blues throw, then for a dubious foul by Philogene on Maddison.

The ex-Canary, whose every touch had been booed by Town fans, created the visitors’ third goal in the 77th minute. The England international skipped his way into the area surrounded by defenders before laying off to Spence, whose shot deflected off Woolfenden’s calf and into the roof of the net.

Phillips, who had continued his recent positive progress, received treatment in the aftermath of the goal and was eventually replaced by Morsy, who was handed his armband by O’Shea, while George Hirst took over from Delap.

In the 84th minute, the visitors scored their fourth. With Greaves down in the Spurs half following a clash of heads with Scarlett, Kulusevski brought the ball forward down the right, cut inside Woolfenden before hitting a shot which curled into the net off the inside of the far post. Greaves claimed play should have been stopped due to his head injury, but in vain.

Three minutes later, O’Shea headed into the side-netting from a tight angle from a deep corner from the right.

VAR had a look at a Kulusevski challenge on Broadhead in the area during eight minutes of injury time, but the Blues were once again unsuccessful.

Referee Robinson was booed off by the Town support at the whistle, mainly for his performance in the Leicester match earlier in the season, although the Blues had been on the end of one or two questionable decisions from the West Sussex-based official.

An afternoon which had begun with so much promise finished as another of frustration and disappointment and a ninth home defeat of the season, compounded by Wolves’ surprise win at Bournemouth, which leaves the Blues five points away from safety with the Old Gold having a goal difference superior by 12.

Once again, Town were unable to score during their spells on top, both in the first half and at 2-1 in the second, with the opposition taking their opportunities more clinically when they came with Son exploiting the Blues’ weakness down their right side time and again in the first half, creating two goals and two further chances.

Town had spells on top and there was little between the teams for long periods, the Blues showing their usual spirit with Phillips, Clarke and Hutchinson combining well for the goal, but the difference was in both final thirds and once Spurs had scored their third there was no way back into the match.

McKenna’s 18th-placed side, whose path to Premier League survival looks ever more difficult, are next in action away at Manchester United on Wednesday, the Red Devils having drawn 2-2 at Everton earlier today.

Town: Palmer, Godfrey (Woolfenden 46), O’Shea (c), Greaves, Davis, Phillips (Morsy 79), Cajuste (Taylor 52), Philogene, Hutchinson, Clarke (Broadhead 68), Delap (Hirst 79). Unused: Muric, Johnson, Townsend, Szmodics.

Spurs: Vicario, Spence, Danso, Gray, Udogie (Porro 64), Bentancur, Bergvall, Johnson (Maddison 64), Kulusevski, Son (c) (Scarlett 75), Tel (Odobert 75). Unused: Kinsky, Reguilon, Sarr, Bissouma, Moore.

Photo: Reuters

Theipswich added 19:27 - Feb 22 EricGatesShinpad.....Whether I am Italian or not is besides the point, it's not the sort of language we use nowadays to describe other nationalities ...So do i want Ipswich to do well but don't use derogatory terms like Eyeties to describe our Italian friends please.......however I accept your apology but let it be a lesson learnt...
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Linkboy13 added 19:39 - Feb 22 We need a new goolie. Seriously though it was obvious after about 10 or 15 minutes where the problem was Godfrey was having a nightmare was so casual and lacking motivation and should have been withdrawn much earlier. I agree the referee was poor and wanted to be the centre of attention. Our defence is so poor teams just play there way through us like we are a load of manikins . Every time a team attack's us they look like they are going to score some weeks we get away with it. Positives from today were Phillips, Cajuste, Delap. Hutchinson gets criticised alot on here but he's way better than Clarke and Philogene who in my opinion will never make Premier league players dispite the club saying they are investments for the future. This squad could easily get us promoted next season but we must invest in better players next time that are physically up to it.

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Jcb2007 added 19:45 - Feb 22 Had them on the ropes and are caught out by a better puncher. Spurs did very little to win that game. Enjoyed the game, very open but I feel we'll be playing Southampton and Leicester in the Championship next season Need a fairytale finish to stay up.
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EuanTown added 19:49 - Feb 22 Okay. So last week we draw with villa. The manager makes four changes and we lose at home. We have made changes game after game, no consistency. We are poor at home and it cannot be that we are more attacking as we are not. We are slow and ponderous in attack and have been all season. We created chances at speed, which we have not and don't do enough all season. When we are 4.1 down and we get near their box we have nothing to lose to have a go but we still pass it around looking for the ultimate goal. We are losing just have a go. We do not mark close enough. We give opposition players to much time to get control and make the next move, whilst the opposition are on us straight away giving us no time at all. Been the same all season. Kieran has tinkered to much. Sadly we are not good enough. Most of these new players if they stay and are not bought by other teams, are they any better at getting us promoted next season back to the prem than the players that did it last time I personally don't think so. Will Kieran still be here after we go down, I don't think so. Another year of rebuilding with a new manager next year me thinks.

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itfc2024 added 19:56 - Feb 22 @euantown I totally agree with you the changing of the team everyweek is costing us cos players don't get use to each other and with ur last point I think mckenna will be here next season as what's he achieved at premiership level sadly nothing don't think any club will touch him
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Magic8 added 19:58 - Feb 22 Godfrey looked bad but he was not helped at all ..no cover behind him and no barrier in front of him...Son a quality player in that position ..he can do any defender one on one and we allowed him to get one on one in the first half..second half Spurs did not get him in the game ...Godfrey was left exposed..yes he could have done better but don't look at it in isolation there are other factors at play sometimes....in addition why were the 2 players unmarked for the goals..and when at only 2-1 down Hutchinson tried a flick which gave the ball away in the midfield and they scored...at that stage of the game in that position you look after the ball...as culpable as any defenders' woes but hardly mentioned...oh and the " fans ' who leave early in the West Stand lasted until 75 mins today rather than their usual half time exit...please stick with your team or let someone who is a true fan have it . We have come a long way in a shirt time....be realistic !

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RobsonWark added 19:59 - Feb 22 McKenna weakened the team today by bringing in Davis, Godfrey, Clarke and Philogene. Davis He just can not seem to put in a great cross this season. His corners are a waste of time. He can not defend as proven again by Spurs first and fourth goals. Godfrey - Well you can see why he wasn't getting a game at Atalanta. Clarke - noy good enough for Premier League. Had a great game against Coventry but they are Championship team. Philogene - Too lightweight. Gets knocked off the ball too easily. Needs to go out on loan for a couple of seasons to a Championship club and build himself up physically. We had these players on the bench that should have been in the staring 11 today. Conor Townsend - instead of Leif Davis Ben Johnson - instead of Ben Godfrey Sammy Szmodics - instead of Jayden Philogene Nathen Broadhead - instead of Jack Clarke

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Linkboy13 added 20:07 - Feb 22 It's funny when players are not in the team they become good players. Let's face it no matter what fancy formation we play or who we select the squad is miles away from Premier league quality scrapping can only get you so far.
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blueboy1981 added 20:07 - Feb 22 Bert …… if you, McK, or any Supporter can see continuously, not only dropping much needed HOME Points, but literally getting Tanked. as anything but NEGATIVE - then you all are seriously deluded !! Where is there a POSITIVE in a Home 1-4 defeat to a struggling Team (Spurs) ?? - not for the first time either this season ! Some of you must be the Biggest Excuse Makers in the Game, and completely Alien to Fact and Truth. I am amazed you don’t feel embarrassed in doing so, as you do. It reflects on the Club too, that Referee’s (whover they are) are blamed for every defeat by some of you. My view is, in the main Officials are of a lower standard than ever, but CANNOT be blamed for every defeat. TRUTH will always out - and that’s the World I live in, please or offend, whilst some choose their own Cloud Cuckoo Land - which changes nothing, and expects so little. We’ve thrown countless points away this season again teams that we had chance of points against, and continue to do so, even allowing for this season being our first season back in the Prem’- i.e. yet again TODAY ! That’s FACT and TRUTH for you deluded, excuse makers. REALITY will hit at this rate in August - and it took DECADES to get back to where we are ! A Sobering thought for what COULD be ahead, take NOTHING for Granted on a return.

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itfc2024 added 20:16 - Feb 22 @Robsonwark I agree with u 110% next season philogene will be in the championship with us so don't need to loan him out i wouldn't have signed him after the summer but mckenna seems to like lightweight players Hutchinson is lightweight aswell 40 million for those to players who i know are young but ain't gonna fight to keep u in the league
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BobbyPetta11 added 20:19 - Feb 22 We’re really not that bad, it’s the premier league that is so good. I have no doubt we will be back in the next 2 seasons.
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Leejames99 added 20:25 - Feb 22 This thread is ridiculous with remarks about Philogene and J Clarke, unbelievable, its embarrassing, Muric not in goal so now it's Godfrey fault and Philogene and J Clarke. It was Davis fault for not being back and Godfrey came off because he was on a yellow. What a club for players tobwant to come too when we have fans stuck in league one with Dads Army
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SickParrot added 20:40 - Feb 22 Another home game where we did many good things but weren't quite good enough over the whole 90+ minutes to win it. Based on attempts at goal the final score flattered Spurs but, once again, we found it much more difficult to score than our opponent. Our home results are our downfall. We've only scored more than one goal twice (two on both occasions) but have only conceded less than two in just five games and only one opponent has failed to score here. Hence we've only had one win and four draws at Portman Road so far this season. Despite strengthening the squad in both transfer windows we still only have two or three players that would be first choice at the clubs above the bottom four. It's very difficult for the clubs promoted to the Premier League to attract and afford established Premier League players and it looks like the three promoted clubs will all be relegated again this season. We will be expected to come straight back up again but, if we do, we will probably have the same problem attracting Premier League players. Hopefully some of our young Championship stars will have developed to Premier League standard though.

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blueboy1981 added 20:45 - Feb 22 ……. many taking so much for granted for next season !! Oh Well !
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Bomber added 20:59 - Feb 22 Will the last person who leaves please switch the light off. Think we went up too early lets look forward to next season.Can't complain 2 years ago we were in league one lets hope we learne and come back stronger
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shakytown added 21:41 - Feb 22 Bottom three are the promoted teams yet again shows how vast the gap has become from the championship. Hopefully we can retain the core of this squad for next season and find some premier league defenders if we can rebound the following year. Either way we have done exceptionally well but league one and championship players are just not good for the premier league
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VanDusen added 21:43 - Feb 22 Totally over this season. This league is a joke. As if the restrictive financial rules and half a dozen clubs getting a totally unfair advantage by getting to corner the opportunity to play in their "Super League by any other name" and having vastly greater resources purely for that, the referees are downright and pretty blatantly biased - not so much even the big decisions but all those little fouls etc that give extra momentum to the incumbents. The whole thing stinks and is not sport just entertainment designed to sell things off the back of. Frankly this is just not the game I fell in love with growing up. We're just expected to be an extra in the movie - an NPC - to be patronised by people who have no idea about football outside casually following half a dozen clubs. And what's more apparently we should be grateful to be so lucky to be allowed to grace it. Thank goodness next season we will get back to something a bit fairer and reminiscent of what English football once was - even if the 'prize' you can win isn't worth having. Altho in reality the worst thing is this money of even now looking like messing up the Championship and even below too - altho at least we're not quite there yet and play-offs adds a modicum of jeopardy. Wait until there's 15 US-owned clubs up in the Premier League too - which is not likely to be too long with Leeds, Birmingham, Wrexham all heading upwards as well as a possible re-promotion for us. Then it's 39th game in Milwaukee or Phoenix and probably more destruction to our game than Amazon are about to wreak on the Bond franchise...

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blueboy1981 added 21:59 - Feb 22 ……… was it all a/the Goalkeepers fault after all ? - we seem to have tried and blamed enough of them this season - or something else ?? - or the Referees perhaps ? Just asking !! - both seem to have had their fair share of blame, and more !!
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Bert added 22:25 - Feb 22 Blueboy - if your posts contained a mature and reflective opinion rather than assuming only you understand our difficult situation you may be taken a little more seriously.
5

SuperTabby added 22:25 - Feb 22 Such a frustrating game but feels so similar to the rest of the season. I thought we played really well, we should’ve gone at least 1-0 up in the first 10 minutes, easily could’ve got two. Instead spurs score two from the only two chances they get. We get back into the game, score an offside goal that gets disallowed, then they go and deflect one in. That 4th goal, I thought play was supposed to stop if there’s a clash of heads? Apparently Mr Robinson is now making up the laws of the game. Such fine margins that we were on the wrong side of. I don’t think we can really get at the players as I thought there were some good performances. Unfortunately, I just don’t think we have the quality to survive. I really think that we can only win games if we get the first goal. And for the love of god, I never want to see Tim Robinson at Portman Road again, he’s shockingly bad at his job.

4

Northstandveteran added 06:49 - Feb 23 Pretty much nailed it there VanDusen.
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Alphawhiskey added 07:44 - Feb 23 Was at the game yesterday. We just can’t compete I’m afraid. Stats don’t lie. We had 6 shots on target and scored 1. Spurs had 5 shots on target and scored 4. The premier league is unforgiving. I do think though the 160 million could have been invested better. Too late now, I think that’s it from us I’m afraid, hope I’m wrong but just can’t see where we will be getting the wins from. COYB.

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Lower_North added 08:55 - Feb 23 All done end of February. Just not got the quality for the Prem.
5

atty added 09:41 - Feb 23 Ifs, buts, maybes, crap ref, not much luck etc. Unfortunately the truth will out, as they say. We were promoted too soon, in terms of squad building. Only one season in the Championship. We still have a lot of the Lge One squad. Spent £120 million, but £75M of that on four players. We have competed in most games. We will lose players if we go down, Delap almost certainly. Take away the loan players, and we’re still left with a lot of the Lge One squad. But they proved they could more than hack it in the Championship. Hope we will still have a lot of the young talent, and a quality and careful rebuild should be possible. Better to take a long term view, so no panic to get back into the PL. Build a squad of good young players,

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 10:26 - Feb 23 Here's a summary of my reaction to a variety of posts on here, plus a few ideas of my own: Yes, I think we must accept that survival is now very unlikely, although you never give up of course while it's still mathematically possible to stay up. We do look a bit lightweight against the experienced professionals in this league. I wish we had a few of those athletic black players that teams like Palace seem to be able to find. But regarding our recruitment, we are competing with at least 19 other teams, some of them with much vaster resources, so it isn't as simple as some people seem to think. I think Kieran as always gave a very objective assessment of our performance. Hutchinson played really well; I'm surpised he's got so much stick from some. I wonder whether we shouldn't play a five at the back formation, given our defence looks a bit ropey. I'm not sure the end result would have been different even if we'd scored that very early goal, but it would certainly have made things more interesting. Apart from the result, it was actually quite an entertaining game. I was proud that our lads continued to fight and play even when the match was clearly lost, and there were a lot fewer empty seats at the end than at Soton and Leicester in their defeats. True supporters appreciate the efforts made by the team and the staff and if we fall short, well, we'll have another go next season. Personally, I've never ever left an ITFC game early and I never will by choice. Finally, as you're probably bored by now, let's end the season with positive support and in the hope that we have a good chance of doing well in the Championship next time round. COYB!

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