By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions. We in turn value your personal details in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Very well presented video. A real walk (pardon the pun) down memory lane. I have a signed copy of John's original book but I'm very tempted to get this one too.
All joking aside, is he really as bad as we make out? It’s fair to say we overpaid, but he’s not without some qualities. Although his biggest issue is the tendency to make a costly error and those do stick in the memory. But to be fair, he had some solid games too. For example, I remember him doing well away at Brighton. He’s got a decent wingspan, and I’d actually be curious to see his shot-stopping stats compared to Walton and Palmer.
Bryan has been a fantastic servant to the club. The only thing that gives me some cause for concern is that under Ashton, we don't seem to be placing much focus on the Academy. The current strategy feels geared toward buying talent rather than developing it.
Ashton has said he doesn’t want to overload the youth setup with players who are unlikely to break through, preferring instead to give those players the chance to flourish elsewhere. And to be fair, I don’t mind that approach when it comes to players who clearly aren’t quite at the level required. But what we can't afford to do is stop trying to develop the ones who could make it. That balance is crucial.
Think about it, if you're a manager who’s pushed hard to sign a player for £20 million, there's a lot of pressure to get a tune out of that investment. That player is always going to be given more chances to establish themselves than someone who's come through the Academy for next to nothing. With that in mind, Klug could possibly be frustrated (and yes, this is pure speculation) by the lack of quality and limited opportunities for youth players to break into the first team.
Taking a step down to Norwich might actually offer him more freedom to focus on development and more chances to see players progress from the reserves or U21/U23 sides into the Budgie first team. It feels like our U21/U23 sides used to be a lot stronger.
There are still one or two players who might be able to step up with the right guidance, encouragement, and trust—names like Tom Taylor, Samto Boniface, and Tudor Mendel-Idowu. But since we opened the chequebook last summer, the U21 / U23 teams seem to have been largely overlooked. Not sure that’s such a wise move in the long term. Especially now we're back in the Championship.
Class player. Loved his attitude. He always seemed to play with a smile on his face and looked like he enjoyed every minute. And his goal against Blackburn will live long in the memory!
Wonderful news. George Burley is a true Ipswich legend, both on and off the pitch. To see him come through such a tough battle and get the all-clear is truly heart-warming. He’s given so much to the club over the years, and it’s always brilliant to see him back at Portman Road where he belongs. Wishing him continued health and happiness.
This is definitely at the top of the reading list. So many magical memories of George’s time at Town (both as a player and manager). What stories he must have to tell! The stuff dreams are made of.
He came across well in defeat last night on MOTD. Not all bitter and twisted like some of them can get. He kept the defeat in perspective. Seems a decent bloke.
I loved our two goals last night. No pussyfooting around with slow, predictable build-up and endless sideways and backwards passing just for the sake of keeping possession. To have any chance in the Premier League, you’ve got to attack fast, catch teams out of shape, and get in behind with a swift counter-attack or transition. Being positive and getting the ball up the field quickly is the only way to really trouble the opposition. You’ve got to be brave and make something happen with your 35% possession against their 65%! And that's exactly what we did with our two fantastic goals last night.
Saturday was starting to feel almost like a dead rubber, but not now! Yes there's still a mountain to climb, but while the Great Escape is still mathematically possible, the boys in blue will keep fighting with everything they've got! Huge credit to everyone involved for securing the 3 points under such intense pressure. We let them off the hook at our place, but not tonight!
Further to my thoughts above, take a look at Preston’s third goal from yesterday. When a player has the vision and ability to deliver an exquisite long pass, it can be a game-changer.
Can we just go for it for the rest of the season? Might as well go down fighting and having a go rather than going out with a whimper. Hirst and Delap up front (don’t be afraid to go more direct). It’s not hoof ball if you’ve got a player who can pick a pass. Think of Koeman, Pirlo, Beckham. Not saying we’ve got anyone at that level, but going direct to Hirst isn’t a bad idea. I can think of a few long balls from Burgess last season (one in particular (to Hirst I think it was) that created a goal out of nothing. I’m not saying launch it every time (that would be too predictable) but mix it up.
And for once, let’s get some proper deliveries into the box instead of endless sideways and backwards passing. Not those deep crosses from the wing that are easy for the keeper to collect, but balls whipped in from the final third where we can actually make something happen.
The more balls you play into the danger zone, the greater the chance of scoring a goal—it’s not rocket science. Stop overplaying it and get the ball into areas where it actually matters.
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
