League 1 - Ipswich Town vs Port Vale Preview & Matchday Thread

[Charnwood]

That was a massive 3 points tonight.

[JohnnyB]

Top 3 all win - as you were.

Surely no hope of automatics for Barnsley now.

I think it was number 9 who said here, Barnsley and Peterborough won't want to win and drag Town into playoffs- love this!
.

[barmy billy]

PHEW!

[JohnnyB]

And Plymouth! They don't know when they're beaten. Got to respect their spirit

[JamessB]

Plymouth have been in the top two pretty much all season so a bit harsh to say they don’t deserve it and they do seem to fight to the death every game, it is frustrating though!

[Dazzz67]

This time next week if things go well we could be almost there, come on boys!!

[mendipblue]

Not pretty but battling performance. Important result more than anything. Plymouth just won't go away. Who said they were going to fold ffs.

[number 9]

Well done ITFC. You’ve made my day…maybe my half time talk motivated you lol!

Can’t wait to hear reports from Bluemike & Hallam. The atmosphere after the Broadhead penalty must have been immense!

It won’t be long before we can sing Top of the League!

Btw, f*ck off Marcus Evans & Mick McCarthy. How are we looking now Mick…you c*ck!

[marko69]

How are we looking now Mick…you c*ck!

“Still in League One” would be Mick’s reply

[Charnwood]

Not pretty but battling performance. Important result more than anything. Plymouth just won't go away. Who said they were going to fold ffs.

Unlike Wednesday they don’t know how to fold, in fact quite the opposite.

Shame we’ve not got 3 home games and 1 away and not vice versa.

[number 9]

How are we looking now Mick…you c*ck!

“Still in League One” would be Mick’s reply

Not for long, mate! And if we do get promoted, I’m confident we’ll be a top 10 team in the Championship. Like I’ve said before, the style of play KM has installed in our organization from top to bottom will prove valuable as we grow. The Americans are shifting in their seats right now. Not only have they revived a historical franchise, they’ve cured the curse we’ve endeavored for so many years. Now we have infrastructure & acumen to get back to where we belong.

Btw, I’ve heard those Mick McCarthy sausages are going for cheap lol! Maybe the Suffolk butchers need to create a KM cottage pie!

COYB!!

[lucy]

Out of the next 2 Away Games I'm praying we take all 6 Points but I've a feeling the Barnsley game could be a tough one.

[Bluemike]

That was so not enjoyable, really poor first half but we showed character in the second half to get the win. Too many players not at their best tonight, Burns for me was our stand out player while Luongo had a super second half. BTW for all the predictable criticism aimed at Freddie, just watch the goal and how he dragged the defence across for Broadhead to score. Fabulous penalty under great pressure to win the game.

[marko69]

How are we looking now Mick…you c*ck!

“Still in League One” would be Mick’s reply

Not for long, mate! And if we do get promoted, I’m confident we’ll be a top 10 team in the Championship. Like I’ve said before, the style of play KM has installed in our organization from top to bottom will prove valuable as we grow. The Americans are shifting in their seats right now. Not only have they revived a historical franchise, they’ve cured the curse we’ve endeavored for so many years. Now we have infrastructure & acumen to get back to where we belong.

Totally.

Was just saying that’d be Mick’s smart arse reply to the “how we looking?” question

[lucy]

How many points would people be happy with out of our next 2 Away Games

[Mauswara]

How many points would people be happy with out of our next 2 Away Games

I'd be happy with six.

[Charnwood]

How many points would people be happy with out of our next 2 Away Games

6 please cos that would see the job almost done

[lucy]

I want to say 6 but I feel Barnsley will be the tougher out of the 2 and we may have to settle for 4

[Charnwood]

Barnsley is definitely the more difficult fixture given they’ve only dropped 13 points at Oakwell all season compared with Peterborough dropping 18 points at home. At a push 4 points wouldn’t be a disaster but it could leave us with having to win against Exeter at Portman Road and at Fleetwood on the final day

That would be very nervy indeed.

[lucy]

Barnsley is definitely the more difficult fixture given they’ve only dropped 13 points at Oakwell all season compared with Peterborough dropping 18 points at home. At a push 4 points wouldn’t be a disaster but it could leave us with having to win against Exeter at Portman Road and at Fleetwood on the final day

That would be very nervy indeed.

If it goes to the Final Game I think everyone's nerves will be in shreds!

[Charnwood]

Barnsley is definitely the more difficult fixture given they’ve only dropped 13 points at Oakwell all season compared with Peterborough dropping 18 points at home. At a push 4 points wouldn’t be a disaster but it could leave us with having to win against Exeter at Portman Road and at Fleetwood on the final day

That would be very nervy indeed.

If it goes to the Final Game I think everyone's nerves will be in shreds!

Hey Lucy, it’s time for you to go to bed. Don’t forget your alarm

[number 9]

I honestly believe we can beat any team in this division. The only obstacle is belief. Like I said at halftime tonight, if you play for Ipswich Town you have to own that badge. I think we finally have players and a manager and a CEO who buy into that. We don’t have a burned out manager signing his journey men friends…we have an organization that knows what is needed to win. It’s been a while since I’ve said this, I love being a supporter of ITFC! Never give up!

[Shed on tour]

That was a real test of character tonight. I wondered how we would respond in a game if we conceded the first goal as it hasn’t happened that often this season. Well that is another test we have passed. As Mike said that was a really well taken penalty by Broadhead considering the pressure he was under. Peterborough up next, a ground that I have been too on a few occasions, including the 7-1 embarrassment, and have never seen us win there. Saturday would be a great time to change that!
COYB!!!

[marko69]

…..and have never seen us win there.

Stay at home, Shed. Put the kettle on, put yer feet up, put Soccer Saturday on.

[Shed on tour]

…..and have never seen us win there.

Stay at home, Shed. Put the kettle on, put yer feet up, put Soccer Saturday on.

marko, I was going to give the Peterborough and Barnsley games a miss but then thought after all the away games I’ve been to in the past god knows how many years when there has been nothing to play for, how the hell can I miss these 2. For the record my visits to Oakwell have been far better results wise than London Road so hopefully that will continue.

[lucy]

Win the next 2 Away Games and seal promotion in our Final Home Game now that would be Amazing.

[Andym]

I thought Port Vale were very good first half. They played their game to compress the play and they had the better chances. We were as bit like we were against Wycombe until our first goal, looking nervous, trying to hard, with our passing not accurate enough. Not necessarily giving the ball away but a few yards out of place so we had to do and retrieve it, showing us down. Against Wycombe that changes once we scored. Today we failed to score in the first half and so the pattern continues with us creating very little of note. Their goal was against the run of play but they had looked threatening when attacking.
Second half was a better performance from us. A well taken first goal lifted the players and the crowd, some of whom had booed the team off at half time. I’ll never understand that; we weren’t at our best but it wasn’t through lack of effort. I think the penalty was for the third of three appeals in about 10 seconds. The right decision and a very clean and assured penalty.
Our position has changed little; we can still afford to lose one or draw two of the remaining games. At this stage even for me results are more important than performances.

[arana peligrosa]

Could of got involved in this but put time to better use. Right off the bat it's an imperative victory. Maybe we made it hard for ourselves. The eventual score seems too close for comfort and they nearly took a point from it. Call it nerves or whatever it may be, just relieved to have got through it and taking three points.

Took a read through one or two select replies in the above and seems we didn't have the same cohesive approach or supreme performance as some other games just recent. Came near to a drawn game and loss of two points but one player alone saved it and you respond to whatever negatives there were out there today and turn it into something positive. Shame most other promotion candidates got wins but you got to focus on your / our own objectives.

After Charlton (and reading up) this game seems like a step down maybe at least in terms of our usual high standard. Guess today were like a kind of 'After a Lord Mayor's Show'

Whatever the f*ck that means.

[Denny61]

I see the Peterborough game not as frustrating as tonight's as Peterborough now know they will have to come out to play and win to have any chance of making the play offs as two clubs around them fighting for that place..that will suit as the game will be opened up more..and the Barnsley game. At that stage..will be about them knowing a play off place is as much as they can hope for plus they won't want to pick up any injuries for the playoffs and they much prefer to see ipswich promoted than face off in a two legged affair...tonight's match was the type of match we needed for nxt two ..if we had beaten Vale by a cricket score..it would have thought us not much..as they were playing for pride .does that make sense lol

[Bluemike]

Eight more points needed and we are up, Six from Exeter and Fleetwood, Two minimum from the next Two games.