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Ipswich Town 2 v 4 Nottingham Forest
FA Premier League
Saturday, 15th March 2025 Kick-off 15:00
Ipswich Town 2-4 Nottingham Forest - Match Report
Saturday, 15th Mar 2025 17:09

Town appear to need a miracle to stay in the Premier League after losing 4-2 at home to Nottingham Forest, while Wolves extended the gap to safety to nine points after winning 2-1 at Southampton. After an even first half hour, three goals in six minutes gave Forest a 3-0 half-time lead, Nikola Milenkovic opening the scoring before Anthony Elanga netted twice. Jens Cajuste pulled one back on 82 with his first goal for the club, Jota Silva grabbed a fourth for the visitors on 87, prior to George Hirst bagging Town’s second in the dying moments.

Omari Hutchinson returned to an otherwise unchanged Town XI having been a sub at Crystal Palace last week.

The ex-Chelsea man came into the side as the number 10 with Julio Enciso on the left, Jaden Philogene again on the right and Jack Clarke dropping to the bench.

Forest were unchanged from the team which beat Manchester City 1-0 at the City Ground last week with former Blues loanee Chris Wood up front.

The visitors started on the front foot and on three Callum Hudson-Odoi worked his way into the area and would have been in on goal but for Jens Cajuste’s leg dispossessing him.

Town began to get more into it, however, and on four Hutchinson was tripped just outside the box to the right by Neco Williams. The England U21 international took the free-kick himself but hit the wall.

On 11, with the Blues seeing more of the ball than the Premier League’s tird-placed side, Leif Davis sent over a looping corner from the right and Liam Delap rose high at the back post but nodded into the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand.

A minute later, a Forest cross from the left was half-headed away by Davis at a stretch at the far post and Ola Aina scuffed his volley wide and into the North Stand.

In the 14th minute, Elliot Anderson gifted the ball to Delap not far outside the area after Forest had got into a mess after a throw on their right and the striker took it forward before being dispossessed. The loose ball fell to Julio Enciso and his shot deflected behind for a corner.

The flag-kick was played to Hutchinson on the edge of the box by Davis and the forward took a touch before hitting a curling left-footed effort which flew just over Matz Sels’s crossbar.

Town continued to see most of the ball with Forest halting their progress forward by giving away tactical free-kicks on a couple of occasions.

However, on 21, following a corner, Hudson-Odoi wafted a cross from the left to the far post and Nicolas Dominguez turned the ball into Alex Palmer’s arms from a very tight angle.

A minute later, Forest threatened again after Davis’s clearance from the edge of the area was deflected into the path of Anderson in space, but his shot struck Wood and cannoned wide when Town might otherwise have been in trouble.

There was an even bigger scare for the Blues on 25 when Hudson-Odoi, the visitors’ main threat, burst past Town stand-in skipper Dara O’Shea on the Town left and got to the byline. As O’Shea and Luke Woolfenden both slid in, Hudson-Odoi sent over a low ball which flew past the two Blues defenders, perhaps clipping one of them, behind Palmer and across the face of goal a couple of inches from the line but without anyone being able to add a touch.

Soon after, Kalvin Phillips went to the sidelines due to a bleeding foot while play continued before returning to the game.

Forest were by now well in control and looking more and more dangerous with most of their attacks going through Hudson-Odoi down their left flank.


On 33, Wood got between Woolfenden and O’Shea to nod down a Morgan Gibbs-White cross from the right, but too close to Palmer, who blocked before claiming.

But the travelling Forest support didn’t have to wait too much longer for a goal. In the 34th minute, Palmer came out of his box to clear into the stand, but the ball smashed off Jacob Greaves and behind for a corner on the visitors’ right.

The flag-kick was half-cleared to Hudson-Odoi on the left by Greaves, the England forward clipped a cross to the far post to Dominguez, Delap was only able to get a weak head on the Argentina international’s nod back and the ball fell to Nikola Milenkovic, who gleefully slammed home.

Two minutes later, it was 2-0. Hutchinson lost the ball in the centre circle, Anderson swept a pass wide to Anthony Elanga, who took it on towards the Town box and with Greaves standing off him, the former Manchester United youngster shot across Palmer and just inside the post.

And on 41, Elanga made it 3-0 with his second of the game. Milenkovic played a long ball from the back, Woolfenden and Wood battled without either getting the ball and Elanga nodded between and beyond O’Shea and Greaves before slipping it past Palmer.

Having been in the game, if on the back foot, at the half-hour mark, the shell-shocked Blues were suddenly all but out of it via three goals in six minutes, all of which Town should have defended much, much better.

As the half moved into two additional minutes, Phillips struck a shot which flew over Sels’s bar.

At the whistle, there were muted boos from some sections of Portman Road after another half which had begun promisingly but with the Blues going in at the break behind and on this occasion with the opposition having an unassailable lead.

As in the previous two games against Forest, the opening 20 minutes or so had been an even contest but as the half-hour approached, the visitors began to threaten more and they had had a couple of chances before the opening goal.

That goal seemed to rock the Blues, who collapsed in the manner they did in a similar spell before half-time against Manchester City earlier in the year.

There was further bad news for the Blues elsewhere with 17th-placed Wolves leading 1-0 at Southampton.

Town made a change at the break, Cameron Burgess taking over from Greaves, while the trio behind Delap switched roles, Enciso, who had had his quietest half for the Blues, going to the centre, Philogene to the left and Hutchinson to the right.

It was Hutchinson who struck the second half’s first effort. A corner was cleared to the ex-Chelsea man, who cut inside a defender but hit his shot too close to Sels, who snaffled with comfort.

On 50, Delap should have pulled a goal back for the Blues. Davis forced another corner on the left and sent over a deep ball to the far post where Town’s 10-goal top scorer had been inexplicably left unmarked. Delap rose high but powered his header well wide, much to his clear frustration.

Four minutes later, Phillips was harshly shown the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Elanga. It had been a foul but there had been worse challenges which had gone unpunished.

In the 55th minute, Wood had his first sight at goal from a cross from the left, but the New Zealand international’s effort was too close to Palmer, who blocked. There was a moment of panic as Davis inadvertently touched before the keeper could pounce on it and the former West Brom man was forced to clear hurriedly.

Soon after, Palmer was off his line quickly to claim a Gibbs-White through ball at Elanga’s feet.

Dominguez joined Phillips in the referee’s book for a foul on Cajuste, the Forest player bizarrely claiming he’d been fouled and protesting at a length which probably wasn’t sensible.

In the aftermath of the free-kick, after Cajuste claimed he’d been fouled by Milenkovic, a number of Town players sought to work themselves space on the edge of the box, unsuccessfully until Davis shot wide. VAR upheld referee Michael Salisbury’s decision not to award a penalty.

As Forest prepared to take the goal-kick, the Midlanders swapped Dominguez, who had repeatedly taken to the turf since his booking while continuing to protest to referee Salisbury. Yates took over, while Elanga made way for Morato, the Sweden international having already done his job for the day very successfully.

Delap had his second opportunity of the half on 69, albeit a much harder one than the first. The strike chased a long ball down the left, Sels sold himself by coming out too far and Delap looped it over him but Milenkovic was able to nod wide before the ball reached the goal.

Four minutes later, Williams shot across the face of goal for Forest, then on 79 Phillips sold Cajuste short with a pass, Yates broke forward and fed Gibbs-White, whose low cross-shot went wide.

Town swapped Delap, Enciso and Philogene for George Hirst, Nathan Broadhead and Clarke, while Forest replaced Williams and Hudson-Odoi with Taiwo Awoniyi and Jota Silva.

Clarke was quickly into the action, playing a part as Cajuste pulled a goal back for the Blues. Hutchinson played it in from the right to Clarke, who moved it on to Cajuste ahead of him and the Swedish international tricked his way past Yates before shooting beyond Sels from just outside the box.

The goal, the on-loan Napoli man’s first for the club, briefly gave the home fans something to cheer about after another long afternoon at Portman Road.

On 40, Palmer was quickly off his line to claim at Gibbs-White’s feet, before Jack Taylor took over from Phillips.

Town went looking for another goal but in the 87th minute were caught with only Burgess back as Gibbs-White and Jota broke forward, the ex-Arsenal man playing inside from the left to the Portuguese international, who stroked past Palmer.

Ahead of the restart, Gibbs-White, left out of the England squad named yesterday, was replaced by Danilo and was given a huge ovation by the travelling fans.

In the third of four minutes of injury time, Hirst netted a second consolation goal for the Blues, rising above Jota to plant a header in the corner of the net to Sels’s right from an excellent O’Shea cross from the right.

Moments before the whistle, Jota smashed a shot over from not far outside the box before referee Salisbury brought another frustrating afternoon to an end.

Once again, for the first 30 minutes or so there was little in the game but the Blues again gave away a poor goal to give Forest the lead, then allowed two similarly badly defended goals to put the game out of their reach.

Delap netting his header might have given the crowd something to hold onto and Town to build on in the second half, but when Cajuste’s goal finally came it was too late to put the visitors under any serious pressure.

That they avoided the game going in the same direction of the Manchester City match was little consolation with Forest largely happy to contain the Blues and break in the second half.

Wolves’ 2-1 win at Southampton was further bad news for the Blues who go into the final international break of the season nine points plus a goal difference of 16 behind the Molineux club with only nine to play.

Even the most optimistic of Town supporters will now admit it will take a miracle for Town to retain their place in the Premier League.

Town: Palmer, O’Shea (c), Woolfenden, Greaves (Burgess 46), Davis, Phillips (Taylor 86), Cajuste, Hutchinson, Enciso (Broadhead 80), Philogene (Clarke 80), Delap (Hirst 80). Unused: Walton, Johnson, Townsend, Morsy.

Forest: Sels, Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams, Anderson, Dominguez (Yates 67), Gibbs-White (c) (Danilo 89), Elanga (Morato 67), Hudson-Odoi (Jota 81), Wood (Awoniyi 80). Unused: Hennessey, Sangare, Moreno, Boly. Referee: Michael Salisbury (Preston). VAR: Jarred Gillett. Att: 29,878 (Forest: 3,000).


Photo: Matchday Images



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gkroon89 added 17:11 - Mar 15
Two good goals by us. We need to shoot more from outside the box and get crosses in.

Don’t think the rest is worth mentioning.
9

ipswichultra added 17:13 - Mar 15
Strong performance from the lads.
No shame in losing to a team third in the Prem.
-2

delias_cheesy_flaps added 17:14 - Mar 15
Dear oh dear, defending is shockingly poor, coupled with pedestrian attacking, the fat bint has already sung.
13

Karlosfandangal added 17:14 - Mar 15
Clarke top of Towns Assits yet on the bench,
Hirst scoring goals when he comes on so leave him on the bench till the last 10 mins

Yep still in with a shout of staying up………. Think it’s time to plan for the Championship……loan players who won’t be with Town next season put them on the bench
8

ITFCSG added 17:15 - Mar 15
Waiting for the latest cock-and-bull story from McK. Once again we set up to fail, the 3 goals conceded in less than 10 minutes were an absolute joke with the third reminiscent of Sunday League defending. Again, why start Davis when he's being ripped a new one every match and offers nothing going forward? This isn't the Champ, and yet he isn't dropped for a more solid option in Townsend. Greaves for Burgess is another one. Subs not brought on earlier. And once again, we play the same tippy-tappy sideways and backwards passing even at 0-0. Look at how Forest break, vs us when the forwards get the ball most of the time they turn and go backwards. Pathetic.
1

DifferentGravy added 17:16 - Mar 15
Wheres the manager rating in the report? Would get a very low score from me. Same formation, same tactics but expecting a different result. Wondering if hes been found out in Premiership.

Leaves it incredibly late before making changes. Philo being asked to play as a defensive wing back, ridiculous, he's not capable and creates little going forward. Hutch very good on the ball but is too weak holding it up. Enciso didn't look as though he knew where he was playing and should have been subbed a lot sooner. Delap with no support at all....probably because all our players are behind the ball , passing it from side to side, side to side.....zzzzzzzzz

Hirst comes on and scores....what a surprise! Wouldn't hurt to try 4-4-2. A solid shape and give the opposition defence something to think about rather than just defending all game. Coz 4-5-1 with the players we have just hasn't worked.

We are down now. Its done. Enjoyed it up until January. Just annoying/frustrating to watch now.
29

itfc2024 added 17:16 - Mar 15
Ipswichultra strong performance what game were u watching we were shocking boring slow build up mckenna ain't got a clue

philogene Hutchinson are both lightweight and not good enough at this level delap is overrated

last thing we are RELEGATED best thing to happen as it's embarrassing
-1

Broadbent23 added 17:19 - Mar 15
Unfortunately today the truth is we are going down. We lack steel in defending and cannot lay a glove on the opposition. We have been promoted too soon . KMc is still learning to manage, injuries haven't helped. How Forest have grown into this professional side is a lesson for us to learn. Maybe KMc should go after he gets us promoted again , just look at Bournemouth and Brighton with their foreign managers. Our team building has fallen short by approx £100k but we were struggled by financial rules. I am proud of our achievements but we need to regroup next season. COYB.
5

oioihardy added 17:26 - Mar 15
What a player cajuste is ... gonna be a sad day when he goes back to napoli.
Gonna say the same as I did last time
Not enough prem quality in our squad .
And haven't invested enough in players who know how to stay in the prem imo
We have invested on players who will be good in 3 years time. Not enough for the now
Oh well championship next year enjoy the prem games while it lasts
17

bluebullet29l added 17:26 - Mar 15
Cajuste..Motm...I will be amazed if a premier league club does not sign him. Philogene...what a complete and utter waste of money . Km out of his depth....and for everyone thinking we will come straight back up....deluded.
15

therein61 added 17:27 - Mar 15
Oh well that looks like we are on the way back to the championship this has been a lesson that(we are not alone) we have to learn from and when we bounce back we clearly need more quality in key positions lets try and enjoy the rest of a season in the prem C.O.Y.B.
5

itfc2024 added 17:29 - Mar 15
premier league we havin a laugh

losing Jens and Phillips next season will be hard as those 2 are the only shining light today and have been for the last few games

delap will be sold and I for one won't be upset he's not a team player he's a one man band where Hirst is a team man

the guy from brighton is also a waste of space another one man band

well done to wolves who today showed what it takes to beat southampton and book their place in the premier league next season
14

Saxonblue74 added 17:31 - Mar 15
Maybe when we return to the championship we'll see a return of our more realistic and measured commenters on TWTD. Short memories, or maybe newcomers after our meteoric rise to the prem?
6

ipswichultra added 17:31 - Mar 15
Fine margins at this level, we just need a bit of luck and we’ll be ok.
-10

itfc2024 added 17:31 - Mar 15
bluebullet29 I totally agree with

philogene is a total waste of space and isn't worth 20 million pound
8

arc added 17:36 - Mar 15
What a wretched performance. Confidence has completely gone and the decision-making was so slow—you can't have that at this level.

What an utterly embarrassing display by Delap—he seems to have completely lost his way.

Only player who looked good was Cajuste—even before his goal.
15

TimmyH added 17:37 - Mar 15
Another keystone cops defensive display to add to the many the majority coming at home - no surprise there as I personally think McKenna has tactically got it wrong playing a too expansive 4-2-3-1 at Portman Road from day one (with a wondering Davis going forwards with little effect).

Recruitment also has to be factored into our failures...both Summer and January window are looking increasingly poor with only Delap, Cajuste and maybe O'Shea/Hutchinson worth while.

Today players looked on different wave lengths to each other in defence and attack, MOTM Cajuste (and good to see him finally get a goal) but on the other end of the scale Philogene still adding little, lost how many times Enciso gave the ball away and Davis being caught again up field once again (but probably down to McK's orders).

A return to the Championship almost nailed on...
6

Dug added 17:38 - Mar 15
Without doubt Ipswich fans have been superb this season both home and away in a very tough league for newcomers to survive in.
I would like to see a premiership one made up of just 16 teams and a premiership 2 made up of 20 teams as the gulf between the championship teams and the premiership is just too big.
Only an idea but they need to make changes as it the same every year now, the three that go up usually go straight back down. Something has to change.
11

pablo123 added 17:42 - Mar 15
Down now !!! Really poor effort to stay in this league IMHO !!! KMC simply wasn't up to it I'm afraid
3

EssexTractor added 17:45 - Mar 15
The simple truth is that despite much effort we are not collectively or individually a Premer league Club.
Last May there were few if any voices calling McKenna a failure. Of course he had never been to the Highest league before and when observing players of Championship talent , Clarke , Greaves , Philogene and Delap with the encouragement of Ashton and the kitty did what he did.
But oh my what a difference between the two divisions.
Will McKenna have learned about tactics and recruitment and will he stay.
Only Delap in the first half of the season produced Premier League quality but he has a lot to learn about being a team player .
I am sure he will , but who with ?
Today Forest showed quality through the team without really having to fight for it because of our sloppiness, to put it mildly .
But last May they were a struggling team and now on the doorstep of being Champions League side.
But they have more physically powerful players than we do , have more pace ..these are the attributes lacking this season that have to be corrected.
Few of our team today would feature in many other Premier League squads other then Cajuste who apart from his lovely goal oozed across the field .
But sadly he is not ours .
11

ArnieM added 17:48 - Mar 15
Shocking defence today. I had thought Woolfenden had started to show signs of improvement, but bloody hell, He had a had in 3 of forest goals by pi ss poor defending. He's SO SLOW bringing the ball out of defence. McKenna sticks out best CB at right back. Really??

Delap looked way put of us depth today. 3-0 down at ht, and you'd EXPECT changes by McKenna. But no, same sh it, he leaves it to 80+ mins before meaningful changes are made by McKenna. WHATS THE POINT at that point in the game?

Just WHEN is McKenna going to start our experienced players ? Hirst, Broadhead will probably be slapping in transfer requests in the summer and I can't say I'd blame them . Stop picking bloody lightweight,Philogene. He didn't pick either Szmodics, or Chaplin when they were fit. The man is incapable of changing things.

I'm so.pissed off with this same crap decision making by McKenna.
18

pablo123 added 17:48 - Mar 15
Itfc2024 , sorry , down marked you by accident mate , meant to up mark you
2

itfc2024 added 17:51 - Mar 15
pablo123 no worries mate
2

Elpelly added 17:56 - Mar 15
We’ve paid the price for not buying proven PL players that would have kept us up. Whether that was down to not being able to afford them, or the club believing we had enough to stay up with the Championship squad and the signings we made i don’t know, but we’ll come back stronger and more experienced. We should have learned our lessons from this season and have a better chance of staying up next time.
-1

Leejames99 added 17:56 - Mar 15
I can't believe some posts, lads played well, what? Blaming Phillogene he and a Jack Clarke having to cover Davis is a travesty, once again the whole team out of sync to accomodate Davis it's a joke.
Our whole team running around and going out of position so he can run down the flank like a winger chewing gum and then in no man's land and Mckenna just standing watching.
Hirst took his goal well but that was his only touch of ball in 15 mins.
With Townsend it's simple
4-2-3-1
O'Shea on right
Woolf CB
Burgess/Greaves CB
Townsend LB
Solid Defence
Phillips DM
Cajuste AM
Encisco 10
Hutch RW
Phillogene/Clarke LW
Delap F
If we take lead go 4-4-2 not rocket science KMK

If fans think the same players who got us promoted could do it again then your in for a shock look at Luton!
The new signings will but we don't need Mckenna for that.
Still 27 points but need Wolves to lose 3 out of 9 now and us win 4 and. Our goal difference is dire now almost double Wolves.
We have Wolves, Leicester, West Ham, Everton, Brentford. Wolves have to play Man City, Man Utd, Brighton, Spurs, Palace so we are still in it but need to try get a point at least at Bournemouth, hope West Ham beat Wolves away but more importantly we will HAVE to beat Wolves at home no question and I can't see it with Mckenna in charge.
We need a manager to put some spark into the players like Moyes did at Everton and go on a run. Even a temp manager for remainder who has some grit and knows the Prem and will give them what for, Dyche, Gerrard, get Sheeran to call Southgate he must owe hin a favour.
It's battle Wolves and Leicester or just give up now, we have an international break now which is the ideal time to bring in a new gaffer to work with players that aren't called up and get some positivity in.
Mckenna is too soft and won't drop his favourite was Burns now Davis.
If he says fine margins, good performances, gulf in teams etc it just shows he ran out of ideas. Or we need points no doubt about that.
We can still stay up but not with Kmk at helm and Davis at LB.
Good memories and been great for the club but like the majority ofplayers you inherited in League one you simply aren't cut out for the Prem and are too sentimental to those players rather than what's best for the club!

-21


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