Middlesbrough v Ipswich Town Match Preview

[JonnoTown]

Great 1st half, if we play this that in the 2nd and lose you can't really complain.

[herforder]

Agree that there's very much something in this for us - M'boro not looking at all convincing at the back, whilst their keeper looks suspect too!

BUT we must not switch off at set pieces, cut out the number of free kicks conceded in dangerous areas and sort Mings out; Adomah's got him on toast at the moment.

All that said, this is a good Town performance. Keep believing!

[ipswichtownNo1]

Here goes . Big BIG 45 mins. Next goal has to be towns

[Dazzz67]

Agree that Mings is doing ok but feel we are a bit suspect on that side, feel change is needed soon.

[ipswichtownNo1]

Mings needs to come off im afraid. Final ball is airy fairy.

[James Scharmann]

Game over 3-1 FFS

[ipswichtownNo1]

Cant believe im seeing woods coming on

[ipswichtownNo1]

4 3 3 and hoof ball time?

[lucy]

That's automatic spots gone i guess. I hope we can just get playoffs now.

[ipswichtownNo1]

Masterclass sub that is. MM is frustrating the hell out of me.

[James Scharmann]

4-1 scoreline not fair at all. Wood on for Tabb

Fearing we might not even make the play-offs our form is terrible

[lucy]

Not fair at all... James what game are you watching. We really are not playing that good

[ipswichtownNo1]

4-1 scoreline not fair at all. Wood on for Tabb

Fearing we might not even make the play-offs our form is terrible

4-1 is totally fair. Boro taken the chances well. We have a goal through keeper error. Town had lots of ball and played well forst half. Second half poor and not had a shot for the last 15 mins since we went 4 3 3 and hoof ball rears its ugly head again. MM tactically one dimensional

[James Scharmann]

Never a 4-1 game could of all been different shot from Murphy goes in 2-1 up but typical.

Varney on for Bishop

[number 9]

4-1! At least we know where we stand.

[James Scharmann]

Should of been 5 Bamford over the bar one on one with the keeper.

[Shed on tour]

Think mentally it might be tough getting over this.

1st half display was good in terms of getting forward but still didn't work their keeper enough with the possession we had. 2nd half we really didn't show up and the first 2 goals we conceded from set pieces were dreadful.

Goalkeeping position is still a real concern for me.

[ipswichtownNo1]

Not going pretend i was at the game, i wayched it on sky. From my point of view ipswich played very well in first half, lots of posession and im so glad bishop is back and playing, he looked at ease in midfield for someone so young. Tabb played as well as i have seen him in recent weeks and scuse got involved to good effect going forward and braking up play. I know skuse has his haters but today he played his role well. Murphy bagged another goal and his link up play, knocking down balls for sears and others was good and sears ran his socks off putting in a good performance. I feel our defence let us down today and im putting my neck on the line but mings was awful. Lost his marker for first goal, repeatedly got caught on the ball when trying to overplay, his passing was off sorts and his final ball was just floated in every time. Im a great fan of mings and he is going to be a name for the future but i think its time to take the pressure of the lads shoulders and give parr a run at LB. It seems to me that teams have him as a target defensivly and pressure him into mistakes. Smith is still a thorn in the side and the way he was turned for the third was class by bamford but he should be doing better. One thing i didnt expect was MM putting his hands up to the error of going 4 3 3 at 3-1 down. First time ive not seen the stubborn side of him refusing point blank we are struggling. Maybe he may start looking at the defence now and drop smith and play a right back in the right back position? Overall bitter sweet today. Best ive seen for a while first half then back to normal second half. It is frustrating as we have a squad who can easily challenge this year but i think MM team selection and tactics are somewhat plain strange at the moment. Take leeds for example, not starting with murphy and sears.

[Shed on tour]

Not going pretend i was at the game, i wayched it on sky. From my point of view ipswich played very well in first half, lots of posession and im so glad bishop is back and playing, he looked at ease in midfield for someone so young. Tabb played as well as i have seen him in recent weeks and scuse got involved to good effect going forward and braking up play. I know skuse has his haters but today he played his role well. Murphy bagged another goal and his link up play, knocking down balls for sears and others was good and sears ran his socks off putting in a good performance. I feel our defence let us down today and im putting my neck on the line but mings was awful. Lost his marker for first goal, repeatedly got caught on the ball when trying to overplay, his passing was off sorts and his final ball was just floated in every time. Im a great fan of mings and he is going to be a name for the future but i think its time to take the pressure of the lads shoulders and give parr a run at LB. It seems to me that teams have him as a target defensivly and pressure him into mistakes. Smith is still a thorn in the side and the way he was turned for the third was class by bamford but he should be doing better. One thing i didnt expect was MM putting his hands up to the error of going 4 3 3 at 3-1 down. First time ive not seen the stubborn side of him refusing point blank we are struggling. Maybe he may start looking at the defence now and drop smith and play a right back in the right back position? Overall bitter sweet today. Best ive seen for a while first half then back to normal second half. It is frustrating as we have a squad who can easily challenge this year but i think MM team selection and tactics are somewhat plain strange at the moment. Take leeds for example, not starting with murphy and sears.

Should have been dropped several games back as his performances have been getting worse and worse.

Same with TS but have to say Mick has done him no favours either by continuing to play him on the right side of central defence.

[bjorks]

I'm getting annoyed with people moaning about TS, what did he do wrong today? Never a 4-1 game, yet idiots have to pick on a certain players. We've come along way since mick took over with a budget less than mk Dons! Beat Bolton draw at Watford & we have a chance for the play offs. Still believe

[ipswichtownNo1]

I'm getting annoyed with people moaning about TS, what did he do wrong today? Never a 4-1 game, yet idiots have to pick on a certain players. We've come along way since mick took over with a budget less than mk Dons! Beat Bolton draw at Watford & we have a chance for the play offs. Still believe

Not picking on certain players. Certainly not an idiot for having my opinion. TS has made some big mistakes this season and with better central defenders in the squad he should not be playing for that last reason alone. Mings is way off form from where he was 5 months ago. He lost his marker for first goal, turned his back on the ball when attempting to block second and as the other last defender he stood still with his arm up for the third. Flag didnt go up and didnt bust a gut to get back to cover, almost jogged back. Put the poor crossing, loose passes and losing balls under pressure its time to think about another LB. So no im not picking on anyone, just pointing out the obvious without my blue tinted specs on. Yes we have every chanc3 of being in top six but not if MM sticks with this defence from today.

[larrylamb]

4 Wins in 15 matches since Jan 4th says it all..poor form , poor loan signings..needed to strengthen to give the team a real chance of pushing on. So either MM or MM or both were prepared to do bugger all. Chance blown and will be lucky to make the play off,s and a personally do not think we would beat any of the teams over two legs who are going to be in the play off,s. This lead back to a past post has MM with the funds that ME gives him done all he can with the squad ??

if he remains as rigid as he does as continues to allow negative hoofball to be played do the supporters want to keep watching the same next season ?? i for one if i am honest am rapidly losing intreste in watching the same team under perform game on game and MM playing the same players either out of position Luke / Parr or when they are out of from..Mings / Smith

Now not saying i dont want to support the team but the current style (lack off) and current lead from the top (apparent lack off) are making it hard..as mentioned above this season is a real chance that appears to have been wasted

[Shed on tour]

I'm getting annoyed with people moaning about TS, what did he do wrong today? Never a 4-1 game, yet idiots have to pick on a certain players. We've come along way since mick took over with a budget less than mk Dons! Beat Bolton draw at Watford & we have a chance for the play offs. Still believe

The 3rd goal he tried to step up and play Bamford offside and for the 4th he was too close to Bamford which made it easy for him to turn him.

As a unit the defence was very poor today.

[Bluemike]

Not going pretend i was at the game, i wayched it on sky. From my point of view ipswich played very well in first half, lots of posession and im so glad bishop is back and playing, he looked at ease in midfield for someone so young. Tabb played as well as i have seen him in recent weeks and scuse got involved to good effect going forward and braking up play. I know skuse has his haters but today he played his role well. Murphy bagged another goal and his link up play, knocking down balls for sears and others was good and sears ran his socks off putting in a good performance. I feel our defence let us down today and im putting my neck on the line but mings was awful. Lost his marker for first goal, repeatedly got caught on the ball when trying to overplay, his passing was off sorts and his final ball was just floated in every time. Im a great fan of mings and he is going to be a name for the future but i think its time to take the pressure of the lads shoulders and give parr a run at LB. It seems to me that teams have him as a target defensivly and pressure him into mistakes. Smith is still a thorn in the side and the way he was turned for the third was class by bamford but he should be doing better. One thing i didnt expect was MM putting his hands up to the error of going 4 3 3 at 3-1 down. First time ive not seen the stubborn side of him refusing point blank we are struggling. Maybe he may start looking at the defence now and drop smith and play a right back in the right back position? Overall bitter sweet today. Best ive seen for a while first half then back to normal second half. It is frustrating as we have a squad who can easily challenge this year but i think MM team selection and tactics are somewhat plain strange at the moment. Take leeds for example, not starting with murphy and sears.

Absolutely spot on post and I agree with every word of it. I thought we played really well first half and did not deserve to be behind but we switched off for two corners and paid the price, the second one was so fortunate as the ball just missed the legs of Three Town defenders and it ends up in the net. Second half was more of what we have seen in recent weeks and we just did not step it up as we needed too. For me it is the defence that is the problem not the midfield and has been for a while, granted the midfiled could do with some flair but by and large they did ok, defensively we have become a shambles, we clearly have goalkeeper issues too as Bart instills no confidence in me whatsoever while Smith & Mings were very poor again and Chambo is finding life tough lately.

Thanks to Brentford cocking it up at home to cardiff it is still as you were and once again we have kinda got away with it, that wont be the case for much longer, it looks like a Three horse race for the sixth spot and we are still in it, it is down to who finds some form and consistency first, a win at home Tuesday night is imperative, Brentford go to an in form Blackburn so we have yet another opportunity and surely it is time we took one of them. Jonny parr our best player again today as far I am concerned. I really have no idea what this Chris Wood fella is all about, bloody donkey.

[Shed on tour]

Not going pretend i was at the game, i wayched it on sky. From my point of view ipswich played very well in first half, lots of posession and im so glad bishop is back and playing, he looked at ease in midfield for someone so young. Tabb played as well as i have seen him in recent weeks and scuse got involved to good effect going forward and braking up play. I know skuse has his haters but today he played his role well. Murphy bagged another goal and his link up play, knocking down balls for sears and others was good and sears ran his socks off putting in a good performance. I feel our defence let us down today and im putting my neck on the line but mings was awful. Lost his marker for first goal, repeatedly got caught on the ball when trying to overplay, his passing was off sorts and his final ball was just floated in every time. Im a great fan of mings and he is going to be a name for the future but i think its time to take the pressure of the lads shoulders and give parr a run at LB. It seems to me that teams have him as a target defensivly and pressure him into mistakes. Smith is still a thorn in the side and the way he was turned for the third was class by bamford but he should be doing better. One thing i didnt expect was MM putting his hands up to the error of going 4 3 3 at 3-1 down. First time ive not seen the stubborn side of him refusing point blank we are struggling. Maybe he may start looking at the defence now and drop smith and play a right back in the right back position? Overall bitter sweet today. Best ive seen for a while first half then back to normal second half. It is frustrating as we have a squad who can easily challenge this year but i think MM team selection and tactics are somewhat plain strange at the moment. Take leeds for example, not starting with murphy and sears.

Absolutely spot on post and I agree with every word of it. I thought we played really well first half and did not deserve to be behind but we switched off for two corners and paid the price, the second one was so fortunate as the ball just missed the legs of Three Town defenders and it ends up in the net. Second half was more of what we have seen in recent weeks and we just did not step it up as we needed too. For me it is the defence that is the problem not the midfield and has been for a while, granted the midfiled could do with some flair but by and large they did ok, defensively we have become a shambles, we clearly have goalkeeper issues too as Bart instills no confidence in me whatsoever while Smith & Mings were very poor again and Chambo is finding life tough lately.

Thanks to Brentford cocking it up at home to cardiff it is still as you were and once again we have kinda got away with it, that wont be the case for much longer, it looks like a Three horse race for the sixth spot and we are still in it, it is down to who finds some form and consistency first, a win at home Tuesday night is imperative, Brentford go to an in form Blackburn so we have yet another opportunity and surely it is time we took one of them. Jonny parr our best player again today as far I am concerned. I really have no idea what this Chris Wood fella is all about, bloody donkey.

Mike
The problem is we just can't keep a clean sheet for love or money and at this moment in time the way we are defending it ain't going to happen in the near future.

That means we need at least 2 to win a game and you do wonder where the goals are going to come from apart from Murph. Usually we look threatning at corners but today even that didn't look like happening.

[ipswichtownNo1]

Shed your right.
However i know ive put the spotlight on mings and smith i think MM should play 5 3 2 WITH them in the team. Parr and mings as wing backs. Smith berra cambers, bishop skuse and connely, murphy and sears. This would allow parr and mings the freedom to push forward in the knowledge skuse is sitting infront of a back 3. Bishop is class and has the ability to run at players or pick a pass and connolly has pace.

[bjorks]

Everyone has their opinion but suddenly certain people know more about management than mick. Getting bored now!

[Charnwood]

I'm getting annoyed with people moaning about TS, what did he do wrong today? Never a 4-1 game, yet idiots have to pick on a certain players. We've come along way since mick took over with a budget less than mk Dons! Beat Bolton draw at Watford & we have a chance for the play offs. Still believe

Draw at Watford, I wouldn't mind some of what you're on mate.

[Bluemike]

Everyone has their opinion but suddenly certain people know more about management than mick. Getting bored now!

Maybe we do know more than MM at times, he admitted after the game he got it wrong and takes the blame on this occasion.

[ipswichtownNo1]

Everyone has their opinion but suddenly certain people know more about management than mick. Getting bored now!

Maybe we do know more than MM at times, he admitted after the game he got it wrong and takes the blame on this occasion.

Spot on. But will he think of mixing it up a little? I very much doubt it. Thing is , no need to argue that mick has done a fantastic job but now hes been found out has he got what it takes in his locker to use the squad to push on in a new direction?