Premier League - Ipswich Town vs Manchester City Preview & Matchday Thread

[ITFC2024]

When you consider the amount of money invested in players like ManShitty, there’s no way in hell we can compete. I’m at peace to be honest…couldn’t care less if we get relegated. It’s an uneven playing field and we’re doing our best. Obviously I’ll be elated if we survive, but I just don’t see it happening. Anyway we all have to agree ITFC has given us all some fantastic memories. We’ve climbed mountains…we’re so far removed from the dross we’ve had to put up with for the past 20 years. Just do the best you can and you’ll always have dedicated fans. That’s who we are!

COYB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

From SkySport: 'They've defended like a Championship team'.

Look forward to hearing the views of those there.

I'd say that's being very cruel to Championship sides

[MasseyFerguson]

A loss was to be expected. I had hoped we might compete and get something from the game because City, while back to their winning ways, had still not really clicked recently.

Unfortunately, they clicked today and gave us a right thumping. This is not the game that will define our season. Nor will the game against Liverpool.

I appreciate that there are wildly different views here at the moment regarding the team and the manager. My opinion is unchanged by today. We have the weakest squad in the division by a wide margin. We have an excellent, and still improving manager. The combination of the two gives us a chance of staying up but it will be a close run thing.

Regardless, the future is bright under KMcK as far as I am concerned.

[Blue Wilf]

A loss was to be expected. I had hoped we might compete and get something from the game because City, while back to their winning ways, had still not really clicked recently.

Unfortunately, they clicked today and gave us a right thumping. This is not the game that will define our season. Nor will the game against Liverpool.

I appreciate that there are wildly different views here at the moment regarding the team and the manager. My opinion is unchanged by today. We have the weakest squad in the division by a wide margin. We have an excellent, and still improving manager. The combination of the two gives us a chance of staying up but it will be a close run thing.

Regardless, the future is bright under KMcK as far as I am concerned.

I bet he goes to Spurs after Postecoglu gets sacked by Levy...

[marko69]

Jaysus H effin C……. That 6th goal? Wow.
Was like Argentina v San Marino. The gulf is just too big for Ipswich Town (and for maybe 9 or 10 other clubs)

Can only really hope that it’s a very close fight between ITFC, Wolves & Leicester …… to keep things interesting.

[arana peligrosa]

Not sure what to include without use of profanities or a certain lexicology that may cause offense. f*ck it, we'll take the soft option.

Caught highlights, they didn't seem to give us a mention throughout post-game reaction. Manchester City this, that, some other biased rhetoric, hell it's like there was only one club name in action. Got whipped out there but a little Town acknowledgment wouldn't have gone amiss.

Irony was McKenna fielded one of the most defensive start formations possible but we still got beat out of sight and recorded an embarrassment end score. The players we have right now just aren't good enough, that's the bottom line. The team can procure one standout result from every 4 or 5 league games but for all other times we're just simply not of required standard.

Couldn't blame Walton for all goals conceded, in fact for half there wasn't much he or anyone we could have put in goal position could have prevented and you could ask were we in fact as bad as final score suggested. Yeah OK they won by a big score and deserved victory but would argue if the team were really as bad as six goals apart.

The only good, and say again, the only good, that will come from this event is if the opposition get their sh*t together after this and get back to how they were last season then go on to win again the League Championship. It simply prevents some other reprehensible club name from taking it.

Hell we should have played these weeks back when they had lost their way and were ripe for being picked off. End thought, an embarrassment. The anger is there but just feel kind of ashamed after that. The players we got (with one or two clear exceptions) just don't appear - or in fact aren't - good enough to survive, next transfer / loan deal window opportunity is going to be imperative.

[Mauswara]

Couldn't stir myself for the 5am kick-off out here but have now watched the highlights. They were mercifully brief.

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

I just wish McKenna would f*ck off tbh
Clearly just my opinion

Not just your opinion, Mike. I'm extrmely grateful to hiom for what he has achieved here, but I do think he's devoid of ideas at this level. I can't believe that the powers that be in gamechanger havn't wondered if a change would be a good idea, even if it was just fleeting thoughts. But, hey, maybe in a week or 2 Spurs will take control of the situation.

[Bluemike]

Well I made that comment after a few beers upon seeing what I believe to be a poor team selection, it was meant as a "f*ck off" rather than to leave in this instance lol.

However, has he taken us as far as we can expect? It's a genuine question, it does happen, its very likely the answer is yes because the disparity from Championship to Premier is ridiculous now as we are seeing. Sometimes change is the inevitable way forward, that said I do think at present he's about as safe as it gets in the world of football management, I could be wrong.

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

Well I did not expect us to get anything out of this game, so I was not disappointed driving back home after the game - but at the same time I was not expecting a thrashing.

I was surprised at some of the personnel selected to start, but I honestly do not think that different personnel would have made any difference yesterday. Man City were simply a differnt class to us - considering the value of their squad compared to our it's hardly surprising.

What does concern me, though, is the figures for our last 2 home games: P2, L2, For 0, Against 8.
That highlights where the problems lie, irrespective of the opposition.
We're painfully lightweigh in midfield, that much was obvious by the substitutions we made. Midfield is constantly sitting back, isolating Delap up front and he can't do it all by himself.

Yes, a lot of our squad have come with us from L1, but surely the trick now is to utilise what we have available to its best advantage. For me that means trying 2 up front for at least part of a game - when they are both available we always start with one striker and replace him with our other striker during the second half - we never play both of them at the same time - who knows, they may well compliment each other perfectly and be a really deadly duo, but we won't know if we don't at least try it. That's just one example of how I think we need to be more flexible in approach.

Have we got one of the weakest squads in the PL? Definitely.
Have we got the weakest squad in the PL? Probably not.
It's all about using what you have wisely.

[Shed on tour]

I just wish McKenna would f*ck off tbh
Clearly just my opinion

Not just your opinion, Mike. I'm extrmely grateful to hiom for what he has achieved here, but I do think he's devoid of ideas at this level. I can't believe that the powers that be in gamechanger havn't wondered if a change would be a good idea, even if it was just fleeting thoughts. But, hey, maybe in a week or 2 Spurs will take control of the situation.

If Ange gets sacked I wonder if Spurs might try for Iraola before McKenna. A lot of Spurs fans on their website want Iraola but with Levy who knows who he will go for.

[Mach_Polish_Blue]

Barely do I remember such a gulf between Town and an opposition in one-off game.

Yes it is demoralising, strangely though I am not that upset/angry as I was after home defeats to Everton and Crystal Palace. Those two games where we were totally devoid of ideas against athletic teams. Toothless, hopeless and this is what we miss in the team that is athleticism.

People say we can't compete with that top half teams. Nonsense, of course we can. Look where Forest were two years ago, firmly in a relegation dogfight and where they are now. Brighton, Brentford, Bournemouth, what can they do that we can't? It is their amazing recruitment and scouting system. There 3 clubs, Manchester City when playing them away this season got only 1 point out of possible 9.

Yes it is extremely difficult however still doable.

Ben Godfrey. I believe he is maybe short of match fitness. If it is something else then I understand why Atalanta weren't playing him.

Firmly expect yet another horror afternoon at Anfield on Saturday.

[Bluemike]

Don't really get the negativity before a ball's been kicked.

Two seasons ago in league 1, now about to play the richest and possibly best team in the world. We'll probably get beat, but maybe not. We've got a great young manager, he's made a few mistakes (easy to spot retrospectively) but we're in with a good chance of staying up.

COYBs!

Feel compelled to post. Firstly thank you JohnnyB for your sensible post, it is good to read. I have only been reading the match day & January transfer threads, but see that, very sadly, little has changed. Yes, it's a forum, everyone has their views, everyone can do a better job than KM it seems (and I get that it is borne out of frustration from some of our most loyal supporters who get to be closer to the action than I ever have been or will do, I respect that). I have read many calls for changes (albeit mostly in formation) even though right from the outset KM said he believes in more of a fluid system rather than particular formations.
Nathan Broadhead is a player that quite a few on here referenced as a bit of a sick note (and while it seems that may be aimed at you particularly Mike (on the back of your frustrated comment above) it is more of a general tarring with a brush! NB is not long back from a long injury, played 99 minutes of football on Thursday (and it's in my personal opinion him not starting today was always in KM's thinking). I can only imagine the outcry if Broadhead broke down having started today! For another thing which I believe as a fact and that Szmodics would most certainly have started over JC if fit. This is about managing your players and using your squad IMO.
I did see a comment (which I read as) about me disappearing because I didn't like it that people disagreed with my opinions. I left because of such negativity towards a manager & team who have achieved wonders in my eyes. A team which is a country mile behind EVERY other team in the PL. I felt, as I still do, it's like 'pi****G in the wind! Two sides who have vastly different stances is all brilliant for a forum, I get that. I just didn't like the snide comments, which were coming from both angles too. Whether I 'trust the process or not" is my own view point, yes, challenge it all you want, but I personally don't want to see churlish remarks made about that. I support KM to the hilt, therefore if I'm an 'a*s licker' for doing so, then I stand guilty as charged.

Just think of where this club has come from, see our manager's/teams limitations, look at some key injuries we have had, but just try to remember how fantastically well we are doing in the grand scheme of things

Mark, you are correct in as much as Broadhead is a sicknote, he had issues before we signed him too, I honestly thought up to a couple of weeks ago he'd played his last game for us but he's come in from the wilderness and performed very well. I've always been brought up to believe you play your in form players, I would be worried if Broadhead couldn't have done another 70 odd minutes yesterday, I tend to believe it was more a case of unnecessary tinkering again.

Same with Burns, every man and his Dog accepts he won't be a regular starter now but against Brighton most people thought he played really well and yet he too was benched.

[AzzurroMark]

Mark, you are correct in as much as Broadhead is a sicknote, he had issues before we signed him too, I honestly thought up to a couple of weeks ago he'd played his last game for us but he's come in from the wilderness and performed very well. I've always been brought up to believe you play your in form players, I would be worried if Broadhead couldn't have done another 70 odd minutes yesterday, I tend to believe it was more a case of unnecessary tinkering again.

Same with Burns, every man and his Dog accepts he won't be a regular starter now but against Brighton most people thought he played really well and yet he too was benched.

I agree from the snippets I've heard/read/seen about Broadhead, it sounds like he's playing well and not sulking about limited minutes of game time. I reckon KM wants to use him and any fire from his Evertonian links to try to down Liverpool next Saturday . You watch him score a vital goal now, and I say it lightheartedly would KM be forgiven if he did score a vital goal?
Burns also had a better game against Brighton, and maybe he should start against the Reds this coming weekend. I think Omari may be playing a bit gingerly after his injury and could do with maybe just coming on as a super sub?

[Bluemike]

I don't know if it's about forgiving KM, I certainly haven't turned on him, what frustrates me, hence the "f*ck off" to his team selection Sunday is that i genuinely believe he often makes it harder for himself, of course he knows more than you or I ever will but the fact remains a lot of fans do think some things are baffling, and take it from me, the number is growing.

[Charnwood]

A loss was to be expected. I had hoped we might compete and get something from the game because City, while back to their winning ways, had still not really clicked recently.

Unfortunately, they clicked today and gave us a right thumping. This is not the game that will define our season. Nor will the game against Liverpool.

I appreciate that there are wildly different views here at the moment regarding the team and the manager. My opinion is unchanged by today. We have the weakest squad in the division by a wide margin. We have an excellent, and still improving manager. The combination of the two gives us a chance of staying up but it will be a close run thing.

Regardless, the future is bright under KMcK as far as I am concerned.

I bet he goes to Spurs after Postecoglu gets sacked by Levy...

If he does, a few on here will quickly find out how good a manager we’ve lost and realise that maybe they didn’t know better after all. Personally I don’t think any other manager stands a better chance than McKenna to get us into that 17th position in the table, and that’s all he needs to do.

I think our players are with him in a way that a new manager would find hard to replicate and by the time he does it will be too late.

We have 11 days left in this current transfer window and yesterdays result may prompt yet another signing to help us over the line between 17th & 18th position.

[marko69]

A loss was to be expected. I had hoped we might compete and get something from the game because City, while back to their winning ways, had still not really clicked recently.

Unfortunately, they clicked today and gave us a right thumping. This is not the game that will define our season. Nor will the game against Liverpool.

I appreciate that there are wildly different views here at the moment regarding the team and the manager. My opinion is unchanged by today. We have the weakest squad in the division by a wide margin. We have an excellent, and still improving manager. The combination of the two gives us a chance of staying up but it will be a close run thing.

Regardless, the future is bright under KMcK as far as I am concerned.

I bet he goes to Spurs after Postecoglu gets sacked by Levy...

If he does, a few on here will quickly find out how disloyal he is!

Fixed that for you, Charnwood

[Blue Wilf]

A loss was to be expected. I had hoped we might compete and get something from the game because City, while back to their winning ways, had still not really clicked recently.

Unfortunately, they clicked today and gave us a right thumping. This is not the game that will define our season. Nor will the game against Liverpool.

I appreciate that there are wildly different views here at the moment regarding the team and the manager. My opinion is unchanged by today. We have the weakest squad in the division by a wide margin. We have an excellent, and still improving manager. The combination of the two gives us a chance of staying up but it will be a close run thing.

Regardless, the future is bright under KMcK as far as I am concerned.

I bet he goes to Spurs after Postecoglu gets sacked by Levy...

If he does, a few on here will quickly find out how good a manager we’ve lost and realise that maybe they didn’t know better after all. Personally I don’t think any other manager stands a better chance than McKenna to get us into that 17th position in the table, and that’s all he needs to do.

I think our players are with him in a way that a new manager would find hard to replicate and by the time he does it will be too late.

We have 11 days left in this current transfer window and yesterdays result may prompt yet another signing to help us over the line between 17th & 18th position.

As one of the people your post is aimed at, I think that is a bit disingenuous of you, Andy. Again, no-one has asked for KM to leave (apart from a spur of the moment off the cuff from Mike which was tongue in cheek) and he may indeed be our best hope of finishing 17th but I happen to firmly believe that others may have actually had us in an even better position - we will never know of course but I don't think those of us with that view deserve to constantly be derided for daring to question a number of his decisions or his tactical ability. I think it is very clear that he has made and continues to make mistakes. We could have had more points than we have and that for me is a direct consequence of those mistakes. We all want the same thing at the end of the day but should agree to disagree on that point.

[MasseyFerguson]

Don't really get the negativity before a ball's been kicked.

Two seasons ago in league 1, now about to play the richest and possibly best team in the world. We'll probably get beat, but maybe not. We've got a great young manager, he's made a few mistakes (easy to spot retrospectively) but we're in with a good chance of staying up.

COYBs!

Excellent post. Of course I think that, I agree with every word.

As to KMcK having made mistakes? Of course he has, but then show me the manager who never makes mistakes. Your basic point is that he is a great young manager. That, I think, is undeniable. His ceiling is much higher than the majority of current premier league managers.

[Bluemike]

Watching the highlights back Burgess certainly didn't cover himself in glory, partly at fault for all the first Three in my opinion. As a whole though the defending was woeful.

This is one of my frustrations, we continually keep changing the defence, players play one game and then aren't even on the bench the next game, a good solid defence is built on good partnerships built up by playing together.

We need to build it around O'Shea, who for me has been our best defender, and Greaves has to start too, with Axel and Godfrey now available we should be able to adopt some sort of continuity.

[marko69]

We need to build it around O'Shea, who for me has been our best defender.......

Jeezo, really? Shocked at that and very worrying indeed. AND you're waaaaaaay more informed than me with my brief highlights.
To me, the shot blocking seems ok, and when ball / play is obvious he also seems ok........ but when play is yards away from the guy and other defenders are working, he looks like a headless chicken. It's like he doesn't know where to be, who to mark. Nowhere near in K-Nood fashion, but certainly Tommy or Delaney. Potential flapper.

But......., brief highlights can create absolutely feck all like "brief" opinions! But if he's the best of the bunch, then MASHTON, it's only the 21st Jan ----->>> get buying some defenders!

[Bluemike]

I think he's been pretty decent most of the time, just behind Delap for best player so far. Read into that what you will.

[hallamblue]

OShea gets his head to the ball so well, and he has a physical presence in the box and deals with the ball and the opponent .
I think get Axel up to speed again that right side of defence will look a lot stronger. Left side...hmmm Davis ! Id be trying the forgotten LB (Townsend ) in there in Saturday tbh ...as for Burgess vs Greaves ...Id like to go with Greaves as he was playing brilliantly until he got injured... just needs to get up to scratch . 2nd string defence for me, is definitely Burgess, Woolfenden, Godfrey , Johnson ...

[ITFC2024]

I think O'Shea is one of our best defenders. He's physical on the ground and strong in the air. He frequently makes safe clearances while others would dawdle on the ball. It also looks like he's constantly talking to the other defenders.

[hallamblue]

WORD ^^^^^^

[hallamblue]

Someone has posted on twtd that " there's an offer on the table , apparently" for


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elias_Jelert

[ITFC2024]

Reports are stating Encisco is a done deal even though ManU tried to hijack the deal.

[Ricco]

Reports are stating Encisco is a done deal even though ManU tried to hijack the deal.

Well he must be good if Man U were interested in him

[ITFC2024]

Reports are stating Encisco is a done deal even though ManU tried to hijack the deal.

Well he must be good if Man U were interested in him

Exactly! They’re desperate aren’t they?