Ipswich Town v Charlton Athletic preview and matchday thread

[lucy]

Charlton look closer to scoring then we do.

[Charnwood]

The stats suggest Charlton are really having a go, but I guess they have nothing to lose in their position.

[lucy]

I'm throughly fed up and depressed with this.

[arana peligrosa]

Charlton look closer to scoring then we do.

We concentrate so much on our own endeavors it's easy to overlook we're playing a team occupying a place in the bottom three, of course they're going to have their own objectives and will want the points as much as ourselves.

Nonetheless it's still a disappointing score and shades of Rotherham and Bolton all over again. Bottom line, we're nowhere near promotion material. All right three minutes in change or thereabouts, so still time to get ahead. We can still achieve victory.

[shamm]

Cannot see where the massive effort that Mills is talking about is going to come from. No passion again.
Very average team effort.

Definitely the worst feeling - Had real hope this season.

[derick_ipsw]

Well that's that then.3 games without scoring a fuc*ing goal tells you everything I'm afraid. If you cant beat the sh*te at the bottom you don't deserve to go anywhere. MM you and your ideas are out dated. 6 games left ffs try something different with had enough of this drivel and your lame excuses.

[ipswichtownNo1]

Championship football it is next year then and another season to add to our long sevice record in this division.

[lucy]

Charlton look closer to scoring then we do.

We concentrate so much on our own endeavors it's easy to overlook we're playing a team occupying a place in the bottom three, of course they're going to have their own objectives and will want the points as much as ourselves.

Nonetheless it's still a disappointing score and shades of Rotherham and Bolton all over again. Bottom line, we're nowhere near promotion material. All right three minutes in change or thereabouts, so still time to get ahead. We can still achieve victory.

Charlton were the better team all night

[tom12481]

Oh my my my. We really are fizzling out this season.

[tommyboy]

My wife always treats me to tickets at PM for my birthday. She has been hassling me to confirm that I want to go this weekend coming but I honestly can't muster the enthusiasm to spend £100 of our hard earned money to go and watch either another bore drawer (I was at the Rotherham game) or worse. I feel I am being disloyal which is stupid really.
Sorry for the negative post but that's how I feel at the moment with Town, I know they don't go out to play badly but that how it feels sometimes.

[arana peligrosa]

Two people voted on the outcome of the game after the event had finished ? Where's the logic in that.

Full time and a no score draw, doubtless McCarthy will see this as a satisafctory score, at least we didn't lose etc.

Yes Charlton had their own objectives and are fighting for a survival but this don't excuse another foul up at home and missed opportunity. Bolton, Rotherham and now this, how the f*ck can we expect a promotion with scores like these ?

In the simplest terms - we can't.

I was prepared to offer relevant names a certain extent of defense in recent weeks but let's face facts : we got attackers that are so goddamn ineffecient it's a borderline insult that they're earning salary - a manager that while having performed one or two achievements of merit has just about used up his welcome and an owner who sits idly by and takes little action as the team stagnates from one sorry as* score to another. I haven't given up on the season just yet but common sense should dictate we're staying where we're at for at least another year and piling up something of an unwanted statistic as the longest serving championship outfit.

[ipswichtownNo1]

My wife always treats me to tickets at PM for my birthday. She has been hassling me to confirm that I want to go this weekend coming but I honestly can't muster the enthusiasm to spend £100 of our hard earned money to go and watch either another bore drawer (I was at the Rotherham game) or worse. I feel I am being disloyal which is stupid really.
Sorry for the negative post but that's how I feel at the moment with Town, I know they don't go out to play badly but that how it feels sometimes.

Save your £100 and spend it on something enjoyable. Our money goes towards the running of this club, when they (ME) decides to start seriously helping MM in the transfer market then perhaps we can justify spending our hard earned cash on the over priced seats at portman road.

[Charnwood]

My wife always treats me to tickets at PM for my birthday. She has been hassling me to confirm that I want to go this weekend coming but I honestly can't muster the enthusiasm to spend £100 of our hard earned money to go and watch either another bore drawer (I was at the Rotherham game) or worse. I feel I am being disloyal which is stupid really.
Sorry for the negative post but that's how I feel at the moment with Town, I know they don't go out to play badly but that how it feels sometimes.

Loyalty begins at home mate....the way we're playing I suggest you spend the £100 doing something else. Just think of the 200 mile journey each way.

Alternatively you could postpone your footie game for a week or two and go to Sheffield Wednesday or Middlesbrough, far shorter journeys, less expensive, and far more enjoyable watching town play away.

[bluejacko]

Well I have just heard MM on the radio,Douglas will play no matter what!!
How stubborn can he get,we all saw him play tonight shocking is not the word for it but not according to our manager!!!we are all picking on him apparently.

[Charnwood]

Sounds like he's lost the plot.

Come on Bluemike we're all on here waiting for your report......

We're we bad or we're we really bad.... or maybe we were simply unlucky.

[barmy billy]

Well I have just heard MM on the radio,Douglas will play no matter what!!
How stubborn can he get,we all saw him play tonight shocking is not the word for it but not according to our manager!!!we are all picking on him apparently.

I heard that interview as well. I wasn't at the game, but MM's comments were certainly not shared by anyone else who had commented on Douglas.

[Mr.Punch]

Sorry to say this but I definitely heard the fat lady sing tonight

[Charnwood]

f*ck me, Bluemikes been logged on and logged off again, he must be pissed off.

Off to bed for me I can't wait any longer, a busy travelling day tomorrow.

[Charnwood]

Sorry to say this but I definitely heard the fat lady sing tonight

To be honest I think she's been warming up for a few games now.

[Bluemike]

For me that is a strange game to sum up, played some ok stuff in patches but some really poor stuff in others, the upshot of it is that our failure to beat a poor Charlton side coupled with results elsewhere means we will in all probability not be making the play offs come May, I suspect there are many who "knew" this weeks ago and will be saying I told you so.

I just think we are so damn inconsistent, even individual players have some excellent moments and some woeful moments. Take Bart, started off as shaky as I have seen him for months, he had one awful mix up with berra early in the game that almost gifted Charlton a goal, while his kicking went straight through to their keeper time after time, on the flip side of that he made Two cracking saves again. Berra had some great blocks and tackles but also was turned inside out more than once and twice in the first half was guilty of massive c*ck-ups. Chambers had a great first half but a very average second, Douglas was a joke in the first half but nearly scored Two in the second half. Freddie Sears did a lot of good things but time after time takes on one too many defenders and runs into trouble, loses the ball and gets us in trouble when they break at speed, he is so predicatble at times.

Knudsen, Smith, Pitman all steady if far from spectacular while Feeney was just poor and offered little. I can only assume Pringle took a knock as he was good in the first half and drew a great save from their keeper but failed to appear after the break. I was impressed with Luke varney who came on and won virtually every header, his link up play was excellent. Man of the match for me was without doubt Cole Skuse who was assured and solid all game and worked his butt off for the whole 90 minutes, he is the one player who did not lose his head at any time during the game and ran his heart out.

I suppose you can not begrudge Charlton their point although again I thought at HT we had the measure of them and go on to win it, suddenly we can keep clean sheets but are unable to put the ball in the bloody net. Didsy came on for half hour and apart from a couple of neat touches did little although he did not see a lot of the ball, but how great it was to see young Teddy Bishop on the pitch for the final 10 minutes, he will be a big player for us next season assuming he keeps fit.

Of course with 18 points still to play for it isn't cut and dried but with the way we are playing and the games we have left it has to be conceded that we have not been good enough to reach the top Six, it wasn't over weeks ago as some have suggested but even the most optimistic of fans like myself can see that after our last three results/performances we ain't gonna do it. Now is the time to start looking to next season, lets see the likes of Bishop, Foley, Digby, Dozzell and Benyu given a run out, of course that won't happen while it is still mathematically possible to catch those above us but I would love to see them at some point.

The fall out from tonight will probably be very hostile towards ME & MM as it is a results driven business, I get tired of trying to defend it and argue agaisnt it so I am not sure I can be bothered with it right now but I still maintain that MM is 100% the right man to lead us forward, the season has not been a disaster although at times it has been frustrating and disappointing. This is not the time for change, it is however time for ME to have the faith in MM that he had in keane & Jewell.

[Charnwood]

Thanks Mike, it's always nice to read a report from someone at the game rather than from those who've listened or watched from a distance.

Not great reading but much in line with what was expected. I know you don't accept that money buys success, but it sure could help a bit in the summer transfer window cos this current squad is going nowhere.

[jaykay]

lost for words after watching the game.still it was mighty charlton we were playing and according to mick there are a good side.
it could have been a lot worse in the end as somehow knudsen cleared a ball out for a corner practicaly on the goal line.

[ashfordblue]

I'll tell you what then Mick, if Charlton are such a good side, as you live right on there doorstep in Bromley, go and fooking manage them next season, and stop bigging up the opposition as usual, to cover your enept team performances with excuses the other team were better, and as for you ME for gods sake sell the club to someone who wants to get involved and invest in a wonderful football club.

[arana peligrosa]

lost for words after watching the game.still it was mighty charlton we were playing and according to mick there are a good side.
it could have been a lot worse in the end as somehow knudsen cleared a ball out for a corner practicaly on the goal line.

Did he really say that ? Such a good team that they find themselves in the relegation places with a slim chance of survival approaching the end of season ? All we need now is verification that McCarthy was content with a point from today's game and we can seriously consider action.

Last word on what occurred today and took in a satisfactory amount of post-game reaction from a rival site. Bottom line I'm genuinely concerned about the prospect of another two / three years of management under our present name. Fair enough if some remain insistent he's the right individual to lead us on but on the basis of recent weeks and scores alone, having difficulty trying to find any positives to take into a new season.

Read only 17,000 were in attendance today and to me that represents something of a disappointing turn-out. It's not as if it was a meaningless game in the depths of winter, the weather would have been favorable and there's still time to achieve something. Put it down to some seeing what was ahead before start of play and making the right choice in staying away.

It's about six points off the play-off zone after today and realistically we have to accept we've left it too late to make it back. Today's score did neither team any favors and even then a point for Charlton may not be enough to salvage their season. Been an advocate for McCarthy's resignation many times this season and he often appears so devoid of ideas and motivation see no reason to change now. Add to that not seeming to know what his best team is or playing people out of position. If you offered me his termination tomorrow, right now I think I'd take it.

Lo and behold the age-old question of who we could bring in as replacement or who could do better. This doesn't really require further debate. There's been a host of possible candidates put across in recent weeks but feel the issue is simply held back because Evans won't fire him and he won't leave of his own free will. Supporters alone don't have the say on who comes in and who leaves the club, but someone, somewhere, from inside the club and with the relevant authority, must realize providing McCarthy with that contract extension was an unmitigated error and for the good and future prosperity of the team, changes should ideally be undertaken in the not too distant future.

[herforder]

Firstly, I don't consider a 17K+ turnout on a Tuesday night to be overly disappointing. For me, the overwhelming atmosphere prior to KO was a quiet acceptance of what was likely to happen - and those expectations were sadly met. Although Douglas came in for some real stick by those around me, there was no huge expressions of anger or negativity, rather an acknowledgement that those on the pitch could do no better; and are simply not good enough to break down physically strong, well organised teams who invaraibly contain one or two flair players with pace that cause us real problems - hence MM's decision to replace Pringle with Varney. A change which, to an extent, worked.

MM acknowledged in his post-match interview that our major failing was not using the ball well enough, which was spot on. Charlton got into our penalty area with about 3 passes; we were just about crossing he half way line after 6! Unfortunately, nothing new in that.

As Mike says, Skuse was different class(!) on the night, as was Bart - without his 3 outstanding saves we would be discussing a defeat. Overall, obviously disappointing but not at all unexpected.

Finally, some based locally may have caught Ian MIlne's 'LOOK EAST' pre-match interview. Regrettably, not at all encouraging in terms of phrases such as: 'Mick is doing an outstanding job, and Marcus has agreed to sit down with him in the summer to agree the levels investment needed to improve the squad ready mount a real challenge for next season'. Because, for sure, that discussion needs to take place - modest investment is now essential.

[marko69]

Finally, some based locally may have caught Ian MIlne's 'LOOK EAST' pre-match interview. Regrettably, not at all encouraging in terms of phrases such as: 'Mick is doing an outstanding job, and Marcus has agreed to sit down with him in the summer to agree the levels investment needed to improve the squad ready mount a real challenge for next season'. Because, for sure, that discussion needs to take place - modest investment is now essential.

It's definitely getting to the "Show us, don't tell us" stage for many supporters.

And 17K for a Tuesday night game v Charlton? That is superb with all the discontent.

[ashfordblue]

What I would like to see is a questions and answers meeting with Marcus and Mick in attendance, not a puppet like Milne spouting bullshit to appease the faithful, at a given time and place like the town hall or similar, where a set amount of fans can attend and get factual answers, to questions like, who will be retained as players for next season, what monies will be available for serious investment in new players, like a quality right and left back, more competition for places, will Fraser be coming back from Bournemouth on loan, etc, Its about time that our owner stood up and got real with us, not hiding behind Mr Milne, Marcus please talk to the fans live, not in a bloody programme, and show your supposed support and state your future investment plans, be like other successful owners mix and talk with the fans, as we are now stated and voted as the most boring football team to watch in the whole football league, not really something to shout about is it,

so comments on this should be interesting,

[ashfordblue]

Finally, some based locally may have caught Ian MIlne's 'LOOK EAST' pre-match interview. Regrettably, not at all encouraging in terms of phrases such as: 'Mick is doing an outstanding job, and Marcus has agreed to sit down with him in the summer to agree the levels investment needed to improve the squad ready mount a real challenge for next season'. Because, for sure, that discussion needs to take place - modest investment is now essential.

It's definitely getting to the "Show us, don't tell us" stage for many supporters.

And 17K for a Tuesday night game v Charlton? That is superb with all the discontent.

Marco I've been to games when there's been anything up to 30'000 + and really rocking, playing good attacking footie, now we are arsehole lucky to get 18'000, because we are crap and boring.

[Earl Blue]

I do not make make contributions to the forum these day for numerous reasons.


However I do read most match comments and the one thing that I always pick up
on in my mind is the word consitency..

Are we or are we not consitant..

In truth we are always consitant in one thing.. which is..

Everytime we are in a position to move forwards, we fail, be it a high position, we drop,
a game in hand we lose, the team above us loses, we lose etc etc..

aaaargh Its been happening for years... Nothing has changed.

[herforder]

Finally, some based locally may have caught Ian MIlne's 'LOOK EAST' pre-match interview. Regrettably, not at all encouraging in terms of phrases such as: 'Mick is doing an outstanding job, and Marcus has agreed to sit down with him in the summer to agree the levels investment needed to improve the squad ready mount a real challenge for next season'. Because, for sure, that discussion needs to take place - modest investment is now essential.

It's definitely getting to the "Show us, don't tell us" stage for many supporters.

And 17K for a Tuesday night game v Charlton? That is superb with all the discontent.

Marco I've been to games when there's been anything up to 30'000 + and really rocking, playing good attacking footie, now we are arsehole lucky to get 18'000, because we are crap and boring.

Me, too, Ash. But we must be careful about living in the past! (light-hearted joke, by way of clarification!). As for the future - it's in ME's hands or pockets!