ITFC fixtures in February

[charlton837]

Has anyone had a look into our upcoming fixtures? After Blackburn at home we have the following run of fixtures;

Lincoln (a)
Huddersfield (a)
Preston (a)
Derby (h)

Reading (h)
Aston Villa (a)
Brighton (a)
Leeds (h)
Norwich (a)


I realize anyone can beat anyone in the championship, but looking at current form tables and our current woes, I really cant see us taking too much from the above run of fixtures. This league is so unpredictable that maybe we will go on our best run but I doubt it. February in particular doesn't look too appealing, and if we are still in the current state of affairs and go and get turned over by Norwich just imagine the level of criticism and pressure that will come from the fans. I don't see a particularly positive period coming up for us, I have no confidence the players or manager will get us going. I know Mick moans about the pressure at home at the moment, well to be honest our away form isn't exactly great too! Wigan aside we are not freescoring.

We need to refresh our squad badly, im guessing this will be a summer job, but what we do we do this month? Something needs to be done. Im hopeful about Lincoln without being confident, I think they will fancy beating us on their own patch, whilst if you look at our performances at Preston and Portsmouth in replays it hardly inspires confidence we will go there and get the job done.

[jimmyt]

Has anyone had a look into our upcoming fixtures? After Blackburn at home we have the following run of fixtures;

Lincoln (a)
Huddersfield (a)
Preston (a)
Derby (h)

Reading (h)
Aston Villa (a)
Brighton (a)
Leeds (h)
Norwich (a)


I realize anyone can beat anyone in the championship, but looking at current form tables and our current woes, I really cant see us taking too much from the above run of fixtures. This league is so unpredictable that maybe we will go on our best run but I doubt it. February in particular doesn't look too appealing, and if we are still in the current state of affairs and go and get turned over by Norwich just imagine the level of criticism and pressure that will come from the fans. I don't see a particularly positive period coming up for us, I have no confidence the players or manager will get us going. I know Mick moans about the pressure at home at the moment, well to be honest our away form isn't exactly great too! Wigan aside we are not freescoring.

We need to refresh our squad badly, im guessing this will be a summer job, but what we do we do this month? Something needs to be done. Im hopeful about Lincoln without being confident, I think they will fancy beating us on their own patch, whilst if you look at our performances at Preston and Portsmouth in replays it hardly inspires confidence we will go there and get the job done.

Whilst I'm more concerned about league points that a cup run with the fixture list we've got coming up losing to a lower league side will do the team's already fragile confidence no good at all. So they need to get a win in the bag and try and kick on from there.

You're right goal scoring is an issue so we must become hard to score against again and for me (amongst other things) that means having Knudsen no where near the team...

[hallamblue]

The Club is in disarray IMO and no matter how they dress it up at PR, this owner should make himslef avaialbel to answer questions and state quite clearly what his Immediate, medium and long terms plans are. If he cant do that , then it says everything we need to know about his intentions for ITFC.

Mick, (regardless of his style of football which most of us hate), has been IMO very poorly supported by the owner. He is doing what he can on a league one level budget. I doubt anyone else could do any better tbh . But do we want to continue to suffer the most boring football Ive ever had the misfortune to watch ? Id say , NO.

This window is the watershed IMO . Do nothing Evans , and pay the price in March at ST renewal time.

[jeremy rusher]

Perhaps we just might have a mini revival in the away games . Usually a more spirited performance away from the Portman Road empty "fortress". McCarthy is buying time and hoping that a few good results will stop the bad feeling. He could be just trying to muddle through this season as the clock ticks down on his contract. The manager and TC will be the first people to say "See, I told you so" if the performances improve and we get a few wins. The long term future is another concern. The laid back attitude at this club has to be extinguished. This club has to get rid of the passengers and sort out the drain on finances for people doing very little .

We only have next season to look forward to and live in hope that we recruit some good players. Let us pray some young players "with potential and ability" flourish from the training ground @ Playford Rd. I,m sure the crowd would rather see a young team give their all than old professionals continually in and out of the team. We need a settled team. We need a "Busby Babes" type mentality at this club with a few experienced players leading the way forward. Get rid of the players that can not adjust to this discipline.

[ashfordblue]

Well of all those 9 fixtures coming up, I cant for the life of me see a win anywhere, and that includes Lincoln City Away, I do despair

[marko69]

Can't say if Preston lifted their game considerably for the gooners, but they were very good indeed. Very impressed. Zero points from Deepdale for ITFC.

[Bluemike]

We all look at fixtures from time to time and predict this and that but who would have had us down winning at Derby & Sheff Wed ? Nobody thats who, There will be some shocks along the way and points will be picked up.

[herforder]

Agree trying to predict outcomes with any degree of certainty or accuracy is akin to picking winning lottery numbers!

However, what's not in doubt is that we'll know for sure whether we've been dragged into a potential relegation scrap; or hopefully, have come through this dismal run of inconsistent form, and picked up a healthy points return. But, no doubt, it's a tough programme, for a team currently low on confidence and belief.

Essential, therefore, that ME/MM get some decent business done, and improve the squad's quality. With that process allegedly on-going between them, and given ME's recent statement of support, the chances of MM leaving are far more easy to predict!

[arana peligrosa]

Lincoln (a)
Huddersfield (a)
Preston (a)
Derby (h)

Reading (h)
Aston Villa (a)
Brighton (a)
Leeds (h)
Norwich (a)

A lot could depend on what occurs in the first replay game. Win, it may provide some much needed morale to take into subsequent fixtures - Lose, the situation only deteriorates more and people are further on edge.

At least half of the opposition presented in the above list are beatable, but it's all dependant on how effective we are on the day and how the other team chooses to play it. Either way, we've fallen too far behind in the season to realistically expect anything more than a mid-league finish. Said before we're essentially playing out a large number of games that are basically immaterial. (No opportunity for promotion, no concern for relegation issue)

[charlton837]

Mike your right about looking at fixtures and coming to conclusions. What I was trying to point out is how difficult it will be to put a run together. I'm sure we will pluck a result from somewhere but its not going to be easy.

Maybe a couple of fresh faces might give the club a lift which we certainly need.

[hallamblue]

Charlton: Id say us putting a run together in the next couple of months will be nigh on impossible. We havent managed to win two games back to back all season

[Tangfastic]

I have an eye on next season where we can look to field youthful players. The remainder of this season I was hoping we could blood some youngsters from now on and get them ready for next season with an attacking mindset/approach.

I can't see that - maybe the last few games when ME/MM wants to pull the wool over the fans eyes like last season to sell ST's.

I expect to go back to trying to grind out results from now on. It's what MM knows and wants. I expect to see a few results go our way - enough to keep us away from relegation, but not enough to take us that much forward, if at all.

We're pretty much hoping that MM / ME can pull off another Fraser / Lawrence signing (but most probably loan), so that one individual can add a bit of sparkle to a very drab team. MM is completely anti-Total football - just get as many mediocre triers on the field as he can possibly get to negate the opposition ... and hope that one or two others can add a bit of magic. And those that can do that are likely to be loanees like Lawrence / Fraser who will price themselves out of our budget and will not be here next season.

[number 9]

The Club is in disarray IMO and no matter how they dress it up at PR, this owner should make himslef avaialbel to answer questions and state quite clearly what his Immediate, medium and long terms plans are. If he cant do that , then it says everything we need to know about his intentions for ITFC.

Mick, (regardless of his style of football which most of us hate), has been IMO very poorly supported by the owner. He is doing what he can on a league one level budget. I doubt anyone else could do any better tbh . But do we want to continue to suffer the most boring football Ive ever had the misfortune to watch ? Id say , NO.

This window is the watershed IMO . Do nothing Evans , and pay the price in March at ST renewal time.

During MM's tenure, when has he said ME doesn't support him?

[hallamblue]

Well he hasnt has he ....but would you slag your boss off in public or in the media?

I dont think Evans has given MM any meaningful financial backing since he's been here. I dont think Tow fans are asking for mega bucks to be spent either : that penny seems to have dropped with most of us. But we do appear to be spending at a league one level and not a championship level.

Clubs are spending sums this window and recruiting players . But not Town it seems : probabaly because we will once again rely on loans at the 11th hour as we are not prepared to spend any real money on fees. Fine . But you get what you pay for .

[number 9]

Well he hasnt has he ....but would you slag your boss off in public or in the media?

I dont think Evans has given MM any meaningful financial backing since he's been here. I dont think Tow fans are asking for mega bucks to be spent either : that penny seems to have dropped with most of us. But we do appear to be spending at a league one level and not a championship level.

Clubs are spending sums this window and recruiting players . But not Town it seems : probabaly because we will once again rely on loans at the 11th hour as we are not prepared to spend any real money on fees. Fine . But you get what you pay for .

Agree that MM can't slag off his boss in public, but he has waxed rather poetically about the backing he gets from ME. If MM isn't happy with the situation, why say anything at all?

Back to the fixture list...I saw a similar post on TWTD. I have to say, it looks a daunting task. There's certainly potential for an ITFC collapse...very worrying indeed!

[Tangfastic]

Well he hasnt has he ....but would you slag your boss off in public or in the media?

I dont think Evans has given MM any meaningful financial backing since he's been here. I dont think Tow fans are asking for mega bucks to be spent either : that penny seems to have dropped with most of us. But we do appear to be spending at a league one level and not a championship level.

Clubs are spending sums this window and recruiting players . But not Town it seems : probabaly because we will once again rely on loans at the 11th hour as we are not prepared to spend any real money on fees. Fine . But you get what you pay for .

I think MM has a decent deal here and that's why he doesn't slag off ME. Yes, he needs money, but wouldn't mind seeing a bit of duelling between owner and manager. Instead of manager vs fans.

If you're being unecasarily picked on by thousands .... would you stay silent? It's not the worst thing in the world to have a bit of a screaming match between those involved. Even a few sly digs. Sometimes it makes things move. Too much pragmatic, cosiness is not the best at the moment.

[Quasar]

Lincoln (a) win
Huddersfield (a) win
Preston (a) draw
Derby (h) lose

Reading (h) lose
Aston Villa (a) lose
Brighton (a) lose
Leeds (h) lose
Norwich (a) thrashed !

oh well, thats us down then !!

[Charnwood]

Holy sh*t..... what a demanding run of difficult fixtures.....

You know what, on paper I don't see a single Championship win in February. I'm sure we will win at least one game but hell if I can see it, at best I see two or three draws.

Certainly a defeat at Lincoln wouldn't be good, let's hope we can win there to stop the rot setting in.

[ipswichtownNo1]

In a word..................FOOKED!!

[ipswichtownNo1]

If this was the eurovision i think ot will be nil pwar for febs fixtures