Ipswich Town vs Brentford FC Preview & Matchday Thread

[Tangfastic]

Hard to know what players Hurst will pick for Saturday... he likes to tinker.
Gerkens earning his place ... and you would think Donacien, Pennington, Chambers and Knudsen would be a back four. Surely Spence won’t be back in the team and was really surprised to see Donacien at LWB. We effectively had 3 LB’s in the squad with Kenlock on the bench and yet only two strikers.

Other than that I’m not sure what midfield Hurst will choose. I’d give Nolan another go, if only because we’re crying out for a midfielder who can link attack. Nolan did improve things with Edwards coming on. A fit Dozzell or a Huws would be very welcome. I’d stick with Chalobah as well. Too many stray passes, but his cross for Jackson was class,as was the finish. Hopefully, Jackson gets a lift from that. Him and Harrison spent far too much time chasing hopeless balls. There’s got to be more quality.

Encouraging signs in the second half so it’s good we have a second bite at the cherry back at Portman Road on Saturday. Really good to see a quality cross and a quality finish.... more of that and we’ll pick up results.

[charlton837]

well last night was an interesting match! Thought we were hopeless in first half whilst Brentford were impressive. Quite honestly though I think a conference team could take us on the way we were playing in first 45 mins. I have to admit like most others I was far from impressed with our starting 11, I just couldn't work out how that would look on the pitch, Donacien and Spence? Ward? I thought Spence got murdered last night down the right hand side, also to be fair Donacien did too on the left, there was no balance and we hardly got the ball in the middle at all, when we did we hopelessly kicked it out of play.

Second 45 was a different story, PH realized he got it wrong (it wasn't hard to see that) and made changes to both personnel and formation. We looked much more balanced and comfortable and scored a good goal. If we are honest we are still not creating enough clear cut chances but Jackson did have a good one at the end to win it after a great little through ball by Downes. In the end we rescued a point from a game where we could have been 3 or 4 goals down by the time we made the changes so that has to be a positive point, its only a good point though if we follow up with a win against Bolton. I cant make the game on Saturday but ill be praying for 3 points!

[vaalae]

Firstly, thanks again to Mike for the awesome review and to Frosty for all the great previews. Secondly, a result we’d probably have taken, a point v second, and that improved second half. We’ve shown enough in patches of all games, but my god the first half sucked!

The way so many of the players went about their tasks really smacked of them being completely unfamiliar with the positions and just following the orders given to the letter - Mick Mills called out both Skuse and Chalobah for being overly focussed on man marking and not getting forward, and Grant Ward in his central role (!!!!????) just sitting and marking their holding mid...

A level of analysis and insight that’s beyond me, but hearing it certainly sounded like guys just doing as they were told and having no instinct for the roles.

First half was so dire, truly embarrassing as a Town fan. Many moments of League Two and Conference on display. Lucky we didn’t go in 0-3 down. Very glad with the switch ups and we played well in the 2nd half. Could have won it at the end. Donacien at LWB was odd, this maximum number of loan players is a right pain, thankfully that should be the last we see of 3 at the back! So Jon Walters back next game? Knudsen LB again?

Sorry to hear about your Mum Philly, thoughts with you and your family.

[Frosty]

Good to see you on here buddy.

Have been meaning to contact you as I believe congratulations are in order huh?

Talk soon mate

Dave

[Frosty]

So sorry PBB, thoughts are with you and your family mate, take care.

[rossi]

so.......reality check

I'm really struggling to see how things have changed for the better this season so far.

Píss poor first half performances requiring tactic/personnel changes for the second half; a manager who doesn't even know his best 11, let alone what tactics he wants to adopt; square pegs in round holes; hoof-ball; no quality; lack of creativity; poor passing; lack of defensive nous; et al.

Sounds familiar? It ought to, because that's exactly how it's been for the last 2 or 3 seasons.
Nothing has changed - we were cráp then and we are cráp now.

PH needs to decide on his best 11, choose tactics/formation that is best for that 11 (not necessarily the way he wants to play), and then stick to that for a decent run of games - and he needs to do it quickly.

[Bluemike]

Gary, i take it you are meaning last night and Hull ? The other performances weren't p*ss poor.

[rossi]

Gary, i take it you are meaning last night and Hull ? The other performances weren't p*ss poor.

It was meant as a general comment based on what I have seen or heard (as I do not go to away games).
Generally I think it fair to say that we play better second half than first - it may be just me who thinks this but I don't think so - and once again I am assuming the reason for this is that the wrong tactics/personnel are used first half and adjusted for the second half.

[Bluemike]

Ok got you, yes I would agree that by and large we play better second half although thankfully most first halves are not as p*ss poor as last night cus that really was indescribable

[valleyroad]

Every Ipswich Town fan who wanted Mick McCarthy out now getting their comeuppance. No suprise at the shambles that is Ipswich Town at the moment. Shows the complete and utter ignorance of the vast majority of football fans to the abilities of guys like Allardyce, Pulis and McCarthy.
Suck it up because at the moment its League One beckoning and it will be well deserved for the morons who forced McCarthy out. Marcus Evans would never have got rid but the boo boys did. Clowns

[number 9]

Every Ipswich Town fan who wanted Mick McCarthy out now getting their comeuppance. No suprise at the shambles that is Ipswich Town at the moment. Shows the complete and utter ignorance of the vast majority of football fans to the abilities of guys like Allardyce, Pulis and McCarthy.
Suck it up because at the moment its League One beckoning and it will be well deserved for the morons who forced McCarthy out. Marcus Evans would never have got rid but the boo boys did. Clowns

You may well be right, but a lot of fans would have totally lost interest in ITFC. Gates would have dropped significantly and MM would have left anyway. I still think PH has plenty of time to turn things around.

[valleyroad]

Ok got you, yes I would agree that by and large we play better second half although thankfully most first halves are not as p*ss poor as last night cus that really was indescribable

Brentford were in a different league to Ipswich last night and should have been out of sight by half time. Ipswich squad is not strong enough to compete at Championship level. I've watched both the Derby County and Brentford games on SKY and they are way short. To me it is no suprise. Big reality check for many ITFC supporters in terms of where the club are and the financial realities. Covered over in recent years by the quality of Mick McCarthy as manager and the trust put in him by bigger clubs to develop their players on loan to ITFC's advantage.

[valleyroad]

Every Ipswich Town fan who wanted Mick McCarthy out now getting their comeuppance. No suprise at the shambles that is Ipswich Town at the moment. Shows the complete and utter ignorance of the vast majority of football fans to the abilities of guys like Allardyce, Pulis and McCarthy.
Suck it up because at the moment its League One beckoning and it will be well deserved for the morons who forced McCarthy out. Marcus Evans would never have got rid but the boo boys did. Clowns

You may well be right, but a lot of fans would have totally lost interest in ITFC. Gates would have dropped significantly and MM would have left anyway. I still think PH has plenty of time to turn things around.

MM would never have left Ipswich Town. He loved the job and the club but grew sick of the abuse that came his way. So much so that he left before the end of the season due to the disgraceful abuse directed at him. Total utter disgrace. MM was a manager who had achieved a huge amount at Wolves, Sunderland, Millwall, Ipswich Town and RI. Outstanding football manager and Ipswich replace him with Paul Hurst. Laughable. Well suck it up because at the moment that team is going down. No two ways about it. Boring football, well wait till next season ! Watch your gates then.

[Charnwood]

Every Ipswich Town fan who wanted Mick McCarthy out now getting their comeuppance. No suprise at the shambles that is Ipswich Town at the moment. Shows the complete and utter ignorance of the vast majority of football fans to the abilities of guys like Allardyce, Pulis and McCarthy.
Suck it up because at the moment its League One beckoning and it will be well deserved for the morons who forced McCarthy out. Marcus Evans would never have got rid but the boo boys did. Clowns

You may well be right, but a lot of fans would have totally lost interest in ITFC. Gates would have dropped significantly and MM would have left anyway. I still think PH has plenty of time to turn things around.

MM would never have left Ipswich Town. He loved the job and the club but grew sick of the abuse that came his way. So much so that he left before the end of the season due to the disgraceful abuse directed at him. Total utter disgrace. MM was a manager who had achieved a huge amount at Wolves, Sunderland, Millwall, Ipswich Town and RI. Outstanding football manager and Ipswich replace him with Paul Hurst. Laughable. Well suck it up because at the moment that team is going down. No two ways about it. Boring football, well wait till next season ! Watch your gates then.

“Your gates”, ...says it all.

[valleyroad]

You may well be right, but a lot of fans would have totally lost interest in ITFC. Gates would have dropped significantly and MM would have left anyway. I still think PH has plenty of time to turn things around.

MM would never have left Ipswich Town. He loved the job and the club but grew sick of the abuse that came his way. So much so that he left before the end of the season due to the disgraceful abuse directed at him. Total utter disgrace. MM was a manager who had achieved a huge amount at Wolves, Sunderland, Millwall, Ipswich Town and RI. Outstanding football manager and Ipswich replace him with Paul Hurst. Laughable. Well suck it up because at the moment that team is going down. No two ways about it. Boring football, well wait till next season ! Watch your gates then.

“Your gates”, ...says it all, obviously “not one of us” !

Live in Scotland now and was season ticket holder from 89-93. Followed Ipswich since then and have huge regard for the club and how it conducts itself. Occasionally visit Ipswich and always take in a match at Portman Road. Always watch ITFC matches when live on SKY. So yes, "one of you" but just from afar.
Doesn't mean my opinion is wrong ?.
Ipswich will pay a heavy price for losing MM.

[marko69]

No. He said “Boring football. Well wait until next season. Watch your gates then.”

He means the football could get boring. Next season everyone should all watch Eric Gates on the pig farm.

Not to go down the old road, but you are very correct VR......, it was a section of the support that could be labelled “clowns” that made the atmosphere toxic.

Marcus Evans holds the wallet and Paul Hurst was within that wallets budget. And so we all moved on to this chapter which has only really just begun. We all wait in anticipation to see what will happen. If the worst happens, we deal with it then.

Where you based in Scotland?

[valleyroad]

No. He said “Boring football. Well wait until next season. Watch your gates then.”

He means the football could get boring. Next season everyone should all watch Eric Gates on the pig farm.

Not to go down the old road, but you are very correct VR......, it was a section of the support that could be labelled “clowns” that made the atmosphere toxic.

Marcus Evans holds the wallet and Paul Hurst was within that wallets budget. And so we all moved on to this chapter which has only really just begun. We all wait in anticipation to see what will happen. If the worst happens, we deal with it then.

Where you based in Scotland?

Based in Lenzie

[marko69]

Done a job near you back in June. Kirkintilloch.

Small world.

“Wouldn’t like to walk it though.”

Yeah, RIP Grandad.

[phily bon bon]

A point is a point,and though we would all have welcomed our first win this season at least its NOT ydet another defekt. My Wigan supporting Best mate Said Brentford battered Them and were clearly the Best side they had faced thus far. Without wishing to hijack this thread i would like to say thank you for all the kind condolencies i have recieved . Its never easy Wien you lose the one person that gave you life and was always ready with total unconditional love. RIP mum.

[Tangfastic]

All the best PBB and condolences.

...and we got a point playing a very decent team.

[Bluemike]

Living in Scotland VR you didnt have to suffer the weekly dross under MM and that is from someone who supported him a lot longer than most, he had to go, that said I too was disgusted by the morons who hurled abuse at him in a vile way and ultimately forced him out. However to have a pop at Paul Hurst shows a bit of ignorance in my opinion, the guy is on a steep learning curve himself and is having to rebuild, it is Eight games for god sake, the large majority of Town fans wanted change come what may. I made a point at the start of the season that those self same fans who were loudest in wanting MM gone would be the first to turn on PH and lo and behold. If and when PH gets things going in the right direction I will openly ram it down there throats. I just hope I get the chance. In the meantime hopefully "our gates" wont drop any further, I'll keep you informed.

[Charnwood]

MM would never have left Ipswich Town. He loved the job and the club but grew sick of the abuse that came his way. So much so that he left before the end of the season due to the disgraceful abuse directed at him. Total utter disgrace. MM was a manager who had achieved a huge amount at Wolves, Sunderland, Millwall, Ipswich Town and RI. Outstanding football manager and Ipswich replace him with Paul Hurst. Laughable. Well suck it up because at the moment that team is going down. No two ways about it. Boring football, well wait till next season ! Watch your gates then.

“Your gates”, ...says it all, obviously “not one of us” !

Live in Scotland now and was season ticket holder from 89-93. Followed Ipswich since then and have huge regard for the club and how it conducts itself. Occasionally visit Ipswich and always take in a match at Portman Road. Always watch ITFC matches when live on SKY. So yes, "one of you" but just from afar.
Doesn't mean my opinion is wrong ?.
Ipswich will pay a heavy price for losing MM.

VR, I guess we’re in the same boat in terms of following from afar and both limited to watching Town on Sky TV, although I do try to get to a handful of away games each year closer to my home in the East Midlands. Our only difference is I would still refer to “our gates” whereas you used the term “your gates”.
Your years as a season ticket holder are far more recent than mine which was 1975- 85 when I lived in Chelmsford & Colchester, since then I have been too far away to make home games viable although there was a time when I tried it regular from Leeds, Nottingham & Leicester, but each time it eventually wore me down.
Similar to you, although I never welcomed Mick McCarthy to Portman Road I eventually warmed to the bloke and appreciated both his effectiveness as a manager and his personality, although as time went on I despised the bloke and in particular his disrespect for the fans. In a way it was a shame for both parties that his relationship with the fans turned sours as he was very much a specialist Championship Manager, and had only ME invested in his talents I feel sure Town would now be in the Premier League, however that wasn’t to be after Evans had his fingers burnt by both Roy Keane and Paul Jewell.
When Town fans first started to turn against McCarthy I regularly warned “to be careful what you wished for” as there are few managers around as good as him at this level, however he did little himself to repair his relationship with the fans who in the end were happy to see the back of him.
Have we inproved since he left?.... probably not..... but when you read the comments from the guys who watch regularly, eg, Bluemike, Charlton & Tangfastic etc . they all seem perfectly happy.

Personally I’d rather be sitting 5th place in the table with a game in hand two points off top of the table as we were this time last season when the likes of Waghorn and Garner were more than happy to be playing for us and scoring goals for fun.

P GD Pts
1 Leeds 8 11 17
2 Wolves 8 5 17
3 Cardiff 8 5 17
4 Preston 8 6 15
5 Ipswich 7 4 15


Year on year Progress ?...... not from where I’m sitting.

[valleyroad]

“Your gates”, ...says it all, obviously “not one of us” !

Live in Scotland now and was season ticket holder from 89-93. Followed Ipswich since then and have huge regard for the club and how it conducts itself. Occasionally visit Ipswich and always take in a match at Portman Road. Always watch ITFC matches when live on SKY. So yes, "one of you" but just from afar.
Doesn't mean my opinion is wrong ?.
Ipswich will pay a heavy price for losing MM.

VR, I guess we’re in the same boat in terms of following from afar and both limited to watching Town on Sky TV, although I do try to get to a handful of away games each year closer to my home in the East Midlands. Our only difference is I would still refer to “our gates” whereas you used the term “your gates”.
Your years as a season ticket holder are far more recent than mine which was 1975- 85 when I lived in Chelmsford & Colchester, since then I have been too far away to make home games viable although there was a time when I tried it regular from Leeds, Nottingham & Leicester, but each time it eventually wore me down.
Similar to you, although I never welcomed Mick McCarthy to Portman Road although I eventually warmed to the bloke and appreciated both his effectiveness as a manager and his personality, although as time went on I despised the bloke and in particular his disrespect for the fans. In a way it was a shame for both parties that his relationship with the fans turned sours as he was very much a specialist Championship Manager, and had only ME invested in his talents I feel sure Town would now be in the Premier League, however that wasn’t to be after Evans had his fingers burnt by both Roy Keane and Paul Jewell.
When Town fans first started to turn against McCarthy I regularly warned “to be careful what you wished for” as there are few managers around as good as him at this level, however he did little himself to repair his relationship with the fans who in the end were happy to see the back of him.
Have we inproved since he left?.... probably not..... but when you read the comments from the guys who watch regularly, eg, Bluemike, Charlton & Tangfastic etc . they all seem perfectly happy.

Personally I’d rather be sitting 5th place in the table with a game in hand two points off top of the table as we were this time last season when the likes of Warhorn and Garner were more than happy to be playing for us.

P GD Pts
1 Leeds 8 11 17
2 Wolves 8 5 17
3 Cardiff 8 5 17
4 Preston 8 6 15
5 Ipswich 7 4 15


Year on year Progress ?...... not from where I’m sitting.

Good reply can live with that. Sorry about the "your"
I get the bit about the relationship with the fans but I think MM reacted to it due to working his guts off overachieving and then being abused for it.
I get the bit also about the guys who watch regular and I guess just treading water eventually erodes the spirit.
I think also as you say that the main issue is finance and the lack of. Unfortunately until that changes I can't see Ipswich fortunes changing much.
Finance has killed clubs like Ipswich and Norwich. Great clubs, superbly run but can't in the end can't compete. When I was down South, Norwich were in Europe and Ipswich were in the top 10 of Premiership and all achieved on merit with no massive financial gap between most clubs, just outstanding management made the difference.

[MasseyFerguson]

My view is, not for the first time, almost on all fours with Charnwood. The only difference is that I never came to despise MM, although I did accept that a change of manager was needed given the toxicity around the club last season.

I really hope to be proven wrong but I am concerned that PH and many of the players are out of their depth in what is, I believe, the toughest league in the country.

Yesterday's result was a good one but it papered over a truly awful first half performance. We did improve after the break but not, in my opinion, by as much as some have suggested.

We really need to win against Bolton. I believe we will. If we don't I fear we will be looking up from a very deep hole by the end of October.

[Bluemike]

Andy, I wouldn't say im perfectly happy, we are bottom after all, however I do see this as a long term project and a massive overhaul and rebuild of something that was without question dying.

It is Eight games into a new season, I bet if you asked most Town fans pre season if they would take home draws against Villa, Norwich and Brentford nearly all would have accepted it, Blackburn was the first game with a team thrown together so that can be excused surely, so to be unbeaten at home has to be a plus.

Not many would have had us getting anything at Derby despite our record there, we then have the trips to Rotherham and Sheff Wed which should have been wins but clearly weren't, they are the Two games that cloud our current position, Hull was the first real bad performance so while I may look at things too positively I still think it's not the disaster that the league table currently suggests, but !!! We should be winning Saturday against Bolton, no excuses this time.

[number 9]

https://www.twtd.co.uk/blogs/21741/by-a ... nnecessary

[ipswichtownNo1]

Every Ipswich Town fan who wanted Mick McCarthy out now getting their comeuppance. No suprise at the shambles that is Ipswich Town at the moment. Shows the complete and utter ignorance of the vast majority of football fans to the abilities of guys like Allardyce, Pulis and McCarthy.
Suck it up because at the moment its League One beckoning and it will be well deserved for the morons who forced McCarthy out. Marcus Evans would never have got rid but the boo boys did. Clowns

Yep, quite right valleyroad, Evens would have kept mccarthy , he loves a yes man. Yes mr evens , i will sell our best players.Yes mr evens, you can keep all of the money. Yes mr evens, im happy to go nowhere with ipswich and take a wage. And whats allardyce and pulis got to do with it, i would have allerdyce over mccarthy in an instant, cos mmcarthy was poor. He had to go, his time was long overdue. He was quite happy telling the world how good he was, keeping town in the championship. Well i think he had it easy, set out to draw cos Evens aint gonna sack me if we lose anyway attitude. no pressure to even try and achieve a result. Im sure P hurst is capable of getting us draws week in and out as well, inly difference is PH wants to win and is prepared to go for it. Not quite working yet but far more enjoyable place to be right now. I for one cant wait for ipswich to win a few game, which is coming, just so the " We told you so "morons finally f*ck off for good. Watching ipswich live in sky a few times a season is different from shelling out best part of £100 to attend every home game. So Valley, in a nutshell, if you cant come on here and at least speak about some of the positives why bother. You only seem to enjoy gloating at "OUR" ( not your) current issues. Now i dont like losing people from the forum, but come on, show some suppirt to the ipswich we have now, lord knows they need it, and for gids sake stop all this MM bullshit.

[Bluemike]

A good read, pretty much says it as I see it.

[Charnwood]

https://www.twtd.co.uk/blogs/21741/by-a ... nnecessary

I just hope and pray he’s right.

[arana peligrosa]

What does he mean "at the moment". It's been invariably like that ever since Joe Royle took off / Sheepshanks handed over club ownership.

McCarthy was too obstinate (for his own good) to be 'forced out by supporters' also as it states. I'd agree in part that Evans wouldn't have done a damn thing if the former has decided to stay on but it's in the past now. The club reached a new chapter in the summer, some aren't looking back but the damage inflicted can't always be easily overlooked.

One last mention on the opposition game here, you got to admire Brentford for the way they have progressed. Here you got a team overshadowed by it's more illustrious West London neighbors, and they have put together a squad capable and motivated that are expected to challenge the promotion places by end of season.

We ourselves had that here in the not too distant past but have fallen away considerably in what seems a short space of time. Which again puts forward the issue of club ownership (a succession of inept managerial figures i.e. Jewell, Keane, McCarthy etc) have only compounded the situation. I don't know who the owners of Brentford are or what they'll all about but more power to them, they got something underway there that can only be applauded.