Bristol City v Ipswich Town preview and matchday thread

[Bluemike]

Just home from what was another disappointing afternoon in this stop start season. For me it was a pretty dull and uneventful game between Two very average teams, as MM has said the difference was a soft penalty and a world class strike, aside from those chances Bart had one save to make while at the other end we had the Didsy effort that came back off the post and a soft shot from sears and that was it as far as the chances were concerned.

After the opening 10 minutes we had actually settled into the game quite well although most of the play was aimed at keeping it tight and not conceding rather than carrying on last weeks second half showing by going for it and taking the game to Bristol. It would be fair to say we were slightly on top whern the ref decides Bart has taken out Abraham, it has to be said that he took a bloody age to give it but having seen it on the TV just now I can see why he id give it, Bart for me had no need to take the player out as he was going away from goal so a poor decision by the keeper and a soft way to go behind. The first half ended with City back on top after being gifted a soft goal.

I thought we started the second half ok and were unlucky to see Didsy's effort come back off the post and away to safety, an equaliser at that point and it would very much have been game on but the keeper did well to get his fingertips to it. That was really as good as it got for Town and City's second goal killed the game and what a world class strike it was, no keeper in the world would have saved it and the technique shown by Freeman was superb but the weak header from the hopeless knudsen should have been dealt with better. Apart from a weak effort from Sears the game peetered out to its predictable conclusion.

Disappointingly for me we again failed to build on last weeks promise, our passing lacked any penetration, our delivery into the box was absolute rubbish with Lawrence and Knudsen the worst offenders, Ward went back into his shell again today, Douglas saw much less of the ball than last week, Didsy tried hard and tracked back well at times but he is dropping so deep to get the ball, Varney so good last week but was bang average today, the double substitution of Best & Sears failed to improve things and Williams coming on at 0-2 down was pointless, again Webster stood firm and made no mistakes while Chambers & Skuse were ok but ok doesn't win many games. Until individual players find any kind of consistency the team will find no consistency and that will result in us hovering around mid to lower third of the table all season. We weren't abysmal today but we weren't particularly good either, a bit of a nothing performance in truth against a team that once again are no better than us but who go home with the points. We need to string Two or Three wins together to get anywhere but it just is not happening for us, worryingly we have now tried virtually all our players but the same failings keep happening, I think we have to see Jonny Williams in from the start against Cardiff.

Bart (6) Chambers (6) Webster (7) Berra (6) Knudsen (4) Ward (5) Douglas (5) Skuse (6) Lawrence (5) McGoldrick (6) Varney (5) SUBS:- Sears (5) Best (5) Wiliams (6)

[marko69]

I saw the Forest game. I do dislike singling individuals out, but I saw Knudsen. I saw a player who'd struggle in my pub team. What is it that Mick sees in this guy that the fans do not? Just don't get it.

Again, this isn't a singling out post, I realise you've given most of them 5 & 6 points, so everyone extremely average........, but Knudsen seems to be consistently poor. Even Tommy had many good games and merited his place.

[Charnwood]

Thanks for the report Mike, just a shame it makes disappointing reading after last weeks 3-0 win at Portman Road. I just wonder if we'll ever string two consecutive wins together this season.

[hallamblue]

We need to stop playing it safe for 70mins+ in every game. The game plan is clearly to go in at ht with no goal conceded. Keep it tight first 20 mins of second half and hope to n8ck it in final 20mins. Great if you don't conceed a soft goal , virtue of Refs change of heart from what I saw as a "no penalty" challenge by Bart - which he didn't need to have made in the first place.

For me thd team seems devoid of confidence and self belief. As for Knudsen.......FFS Mick DROP HIM and play Kenlock. The kid is head and shoulders a better LB.

[arana peligrosa]

Got an early flight to Boston first thing tomorrow so keeping it short. Tried to view highlights of the game from Sky Sports but any coverage was unacceptable including not being able to view the 'wonder strike' for their second. By all accounts it was something spectacular although caught the penalty incident that put them ahead. Was it warranted ?, Bialkowski didn't need to make the challenge from what was presented ?

Got to take issue with McCarthy revealing the starting XI three days in advance prior to today's game, the very same line-up fielded this afternoon. Don't know what the thinking was but it gave them some preparation in advance : you don't disclose your team to the opposition at such premature time.

Trying to find any positives from today but once again we've provided points to an opposition that some would argue are no better than ourselves and as always : one step forward, two steps back. The opportunity was there before start of play to build on last weeks result but once more we look upon what might have been.

Needless to say, remain resolute in wanting relevant personnel out of the club.

[Tangfastic]

Well after the QPR game where we had a 'season-defining' performance that was a bit of a damp squib.

I say 'season-defining' as Mick was out there after the QPR game telling us all that he was right after all with player selection. Quite a bit of preaching going on about the merits of Dougie and Skusey and Reg and them being different class to the 'sexy" ones. A new Mick phrase - a 'worldy' [goal] ]being one of the differences. He could have said ' sexy strike' and that's one of the attributes of being 'sexy' - one bit of magic can score you a goal!!!! Gettin fed up with micks post-match comments even after we win ( too much gloating) and after we lose (always an smart-arsed excuse).

He's going to stay .... So let him pick his favourites. He's not comfortable without Skusey and Dougie there and he wants that back four. He's comfortable with whole-hearted triers and they will come up with a result once in a while. And when we do lose, it's not by much, so there's always an excuse about fine- margins.

For while he's here, I hope Mick picks his team because then he can be judged on those player selections and ultimately results/ performances. He doesn't trust Williams or Bish or Dozzer .... So best to stick with Dougie. Williams or Bish or Dozzer aren't his types of players and he can't get the best out of them.

Come January if we can bring in players, bring in better Dougie-type or a better Varny-type players. No need having players like Williams or Bish or Dozzer around. Offload one or two of those and bring in Mick-type players ... who will at least be given a chance of a real run in the team.

Just being pragmatic. No need having jewellery you don't want to wear.

Pick the same side as yesterday for the next match and see if we can grind out a win.

Hardly a disaster, but if the game just hinged on a penalty and a 'worldy' .... What about the rest of the game ? Surely outside those two defining moments we have the opportunity to influence the game. We're not there just to look pretty.

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

Well I didn't go to the game, so have only what I heard on BBC Suffolk to go on plus the comments of Mick Mills.
I'm not at all surprised about the result yesterday, as I still maintain that our players are average at best.
They are - quite simply - not capable of putting in good performances week after week.
So I expect the season to pan out much as it has gone so far - we will pick up the odd win, but will draw or lose the majority and play dull uninspiring football in the process. A finish in 15th - 18th place likely I think.
I keep reading comments on this board about bringing in a bit of quality in January. Forget it, it's not gonna happen. Even if Evans was to make suitable funds available (which he will not), what decent player is going to want to play for Ipswich?
I can't really blame the players, they simply are not up to the job.
Can't really blame the manager either, given the crap he has to work with.
Having said that - you are 2-0 down with 20 minutes to go, yet you substitute 2 of your creative midfielders and leave 2 defensive ones on - that smacks of absolute stupidity to me.

[Shed on tour]

Agree totally with Rossi when he says that even if funds were made available in January no decent player is going to want to come to us.
As for the rest of the season we will probably do enough to keep ourselves out of a relegation battle but any talk of playoffs is quite frankly a joke as basically the majority of players just aren't good enough. Attendances will continue to fall as the season goes on and come season ticket renewal time I have no doubt that those sales will continue to fall.
At this moment in time things look bleak to say the least and imo aren't about to change anytime soon. Often it is said it's the hope that kills you but even hope seems to be fading fast.
At least we still have the 3rd round draw of the FA Cup to look forward too and the chance to see our reserves in action.

[tom12481]

Agree with mikes report, good assessment I'd say.
I'd add that Webster was by and far the best playing in a town shirt, showing composure on the ball and positioning was spot on. Unlike chambers who got done once or twice by being out of position. Mcgoldrick also had a decent game and was always available to receive the ball. Highlights were town fans giving tomlin some stick for being larger than the average bear.
Bit poo that everyone stood up because my 6 year old didn't see a lot and so got his moan on after 20mins. Bloody sit down !!!

[Shed on tour]

When somebody who was learning his trade at league 2 level last season has come in and imo become the lynchpin of our defence it says alot.
Without doubt he has been our player of the season so far but it begs the question how good are some of our more senior players who really are the one's who should be stepping up to the plate when things get tough?

[hallamblue]

I can't wait for the likes of Berra, Chambers and Knudsen to p*ss off. None are good enough.

I wonder what a back four of

Emmanuel......Webster......Smith.......Kenlock

Would be like?

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

I can't wait for the likes of Berra, Chambers and Knudsen to p*ss off. None are good enough.

I wonder what a back four of

Emmanuel......Webster......Smith.......Kenlock

Would be like?

I can answer that Liz - it would be a hell of a lot better, but there's more chance of me flying to the moon than for Mick to drop 2 of his 3 pets.

[bluejacko]

While you cant argue that 'some'of our players are average,why is it teams with average players and some we have never heard roll us over?
The answer is he stands in the dugout and shackles the way we play!we have got Welsh and Scottish international squad members here but it is all down to MM and his stubborn ways and tactics.

[Bluemike]

For the masochists among us......

http://www.twtd.co.uk/video/173565/cate ... ich%20Town

[marko69]

Not too sure about full blame being heaped on to Bart. The ball may be heading away from goal but the player was going to get it......., the defender, (Chambers maybe) had his finger firmly inserted into his own f**king arsehole,....., maybe Bart saw this. Let's face it, one of them had to approach the ball/player.

[hallamblue]

marko , there was sod all.movemrnt off the ball by Town players all afternoon.

[marko69]

I do not doubt that, but speaking purely on the penalty incident....., if Bart remained rooted, (and the defender remained thinking about what presents to buy for Christmas) there would've been bigger issues taken. Was a fast piece of action so maybe no one is to blame....., harsh in my opinion pinning it on Bart.

[Bluemike]

Aside from the penalty which on this occasion I do blame on Bart, he was pretty poor all afternoon, his kicking is sh*te, he can't punch well and his distribution was laboured, Bart is rarely at fault but it was not one of his better days for sure.

[Andym]

marko , there was sod all movement off the ball by Town players all afternoon.

I've said for years that this is a major problem. Our passing accuracy is still - as it was last season - the worst in the league. Part of it last season was the overuse of the long ball. But a lot of it is because no-one moves into space. Although I can tolerate Douglas, he and Skuse are pedestrian and rarely look to receive the ball. As central midfielders they should always be available. Douglas does at least cover a bit of ground but with no pace. But it's not just them. Murphy used to run his socks off week after week. We really miss that. But as others have said, As did Mick Mills yesterday, MM chose to take off the wide players and replace them with a striker and an attacking central midfielder, playing them both out of position. But the Skuse / Douglas pairing remained.

It is true that we lack quality players due to a lack of funding, but I remain convinced that we could play better, more attractive football with no worse results by playing players in position, and by being so defensive minded. And by getting the players to move into space when in possession.

[Bluemike]

Mind you I will say it was a beautiful pass from Skuse to put Didsy through when he hit the post, if only he did it more.

[herforder]

Why were the BC four midfielders apparently more effective than ours, in terms of attacking intent, pace and creativity? Unafraid to carry the ball, pass and move and be a threat? With Skuglas so intent on screening our defence, and Ward and Lawrence required to track back at the first sign of danger, we're shackled from providing an effective/creative midfield threat. MM's pre-match comments confirmed his fundamental belief that the ability to do the 'dirty stuff' will always take priority over being one of those 'sexy, risk taking' players who the supporters might want to see, but who risk exposing us to being outplayed etc. He won't take that risk - how else can he justify not starting with JW; a class above anything we have.

The fact that we didn't win a single corner yesterday sort of speaks volumes!

[hallamblue]

marko , there was sod all movement off the ball by Town players all afternoon.

I've said for years that this is a major problem. Our passing accuracy is still - as it was last season - the worst in the league. Part of it last season was the overuse of the long ball. But a lot of it is because no-one moves into space. Although I can tolerate Douglas, he and Skuse are pedestrian and rarely look to receive the ball. As central midfielders they should always be available. Douglas does at least cover a bit of ground but with no pace. But it's not just them. Murphy used to run his socks off week after week. We really miss that. But as others have said, As did Mick Mills yesterday, MM chose to take off the wide players and replace them with a striker and an attacking central midfielder, playing them both out of position. But the Skuse / Douglas pairing remained.

It is true that we lack quality players due to a lack of funding, but I remain convinced that we could play better, more attractive football with no worse results by playing players in position, and by being so defensive minded. And by getting the players to move into space when in possession.

spot on Andym. And this is why Town fans are leaving the club in their droves now. The soul seems to have gone out of our Club as I see things now .

Yes Evans can continue with things as they are , but he'll witness these ever declining attendances at PR and He wont get those people back in a hurry either and until they get what they want to see and pay highly for: entertainment . It really is that simple.

[Watership Down]

Seems to me if Lawrence has a good game we tend to be a more attacking team but it looks as if he didn't play well or wasn't allowed to play his normal game.