Premier League - Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest Preview & Matchday Thread

[valleyroad]

Would have been interesting to see if Maresca would have kept Leicester up.
Was hoping McKenna would achieve what Cooper did at Forrest.
Without being over critical of McKenna I always think the very top managers find a way.

[hallamblue]

Same, sh it , different day.

Just WHEN is McKenna going to learn?
All our experience on the bench until the 80+mins then he brings them on.

WHAT'S THE POINT???

Dont be surprised if Hirst sticks in a transfer request in the summer, and I wouldn't blame him one bit. He is such a good striker and he's wasted here under McKenna in my view.
I'll be honest eith you all, Delap offered nothing g all afternoon. So why not make the change at half time?

Defence once again powder puff, and absolutely crap CB performances from Greaves and Woolfenden IMHO . Our best CB played at right back. Why?

Why no Broadhead, AGAIN, whilst that powder Philogene starts yet again. Expect Broadhead to leave in the summer, too.


Never-ending... " trust the process" eh!

SO passed off with the sh it week after week now. It's not the fact we are getting beaten. I've expected thus. But I AM pissed off with is McKennas inability to change formation. FFS Man, LEARN!!!!

George Hirst is where he is today because of Kieron McKenna.
If McKenna stays then he will be a big part of next season.

You're making the assumption Hirst will be staying!

[ITFC2024]

If/when we’re back in the Championship, I think it will be very difficult to even make the playoffs. Managers will have probably figured out what our weaknesses are after observing us struggle in the PL. If KM is still our manager, he won’t be as successful if he sticks with the same tactics every match. I think a lot of our struggles have been due to the squad not being good enough, but I’ve also observed lapses in KM’s unwavering approach and his apparent lack of ability to get the squad playing as a team.

Those of you who think we’ll tear up the Championship may be surprised. Hope I’m wrong.

[arana peligrosa]

The defense is a shambles. More to the point we got no defense. McKenna chooses to play the same damn formation time and again but why not set up for all remaining fixtures this season 0-9-1 or something. Flood midfield and leave nothing directly in front of Palmer / Muric. There'll be the same one in attack but just play 9 in midfield and have a bit of fun because there's really nothing much else to play for out there this season.

Didn't or haven't watched highlights, seems f**king pointless. Why take in game action of a team you've followed more years than you can remember get turned over time and again on home territory (and) headed towards an inevitable relegation. You'd have to be a masochist to tune in, it's the people who pay money to attend you got to a feel a certain sympathy with.

McKenna takes up too much time when writing reports or providing a point of view but just feel he can do no more here. For a time was able to stand on the shoulders of giants but has proved now as much use as Louise Burton without a vagina in being able to manage at top level. Some things just can't be done, it's futile berating what should have happened at the game, what changes should have been made before or during action. McKenna is a fish out of water at the highest level and the entire season thus far has been a near about write-off.

Take the opportunity to wish him well and applaud in all he's done for the club name outside of the top league, however he reached a zenith here before we re-entered the EPL and frustration and clear failure must dictate a change seems or is imperative. If he stays on for another season back at second league level there is absolutely no guarantee he can or will replicate the success of before.

1 home win all season (maybe we sneaked another) and around 3 in total over 30 league games. You do the math, it's been abysmal.

[hallamblue]

Here's a post from that really "sh it forum TWTD", that pretty much sums things up.


Like genuinely annoyed. But I was annoyed today.

No one needs to get uptight about this comment and it's not McKenna out or anything silly, but he's lost the plot in terms of team selection since the end of the window. He's said we've still been believing and will go until the end etc, as he should, but in reality he appears to have treated the last 7 games or so like pre season.

I'm assuming plenty have already made this comment but I'll make it anyway, how Jaden Philogene is starting games for us needs to be investigated. I honestly don't think I've ever been as underwhelmed by a new signing in my 25 years supporting the club, certainly a signing that has been given so much game time and has been signed for so much money and given so much hype - in his defence that isn't his fault, but it's been utterly painful to watch. I wince every time he gets the ball and I don't think I'm being harsh. He shouldn't be in the side.

I'll admit, like everyone I had accepted at half time the game was done, but when you see what happened once the three attacking subs came on it's hard not to be annoyed in hindsight that we didn't try and make a go of it from 55-60 minutes, or even half time. I wouldn't mind us losing 5-0 or 6-0 trying to restore some kind of parity, as it was we tried to keep the score at 3-0 and just give some squad players a run out, and ended up having a mini rally.

We need to find some balls and change our starting CF for a game or two. Hirst would be within his rights to be mildly grumpy at his lack of game time I think. Whenever he plays he shows more intelligence than Delap, and offers something else as clearly demonstrated by a superb header - something Delap couldn't replicate earlier in the game despite it being a relative sitter. Aside from that, could we not benefit sometimes from using Delap against (cliche) tiring defences in the second half of games?

Also, why don't we cross the ball with any regularity? Hirst's goal, while a brilliant header, annoyed me because it just made me curse the fact we hadn't tried to do it more throughout the season.

The selection thing is a real issue for me. It's incredibly hard not to get swept up in the assumption that we are giving players minutes because they cost x amount. We have a pre season to bed those players into the team if we really think they are the future, but they are not worthy of their position currently. We all know who they are.

Like every home game we started well enough and had some good moments, Hutchinson's shot from the edge of the box was a big chance considering his ability. Thought he was good today in general, he's getting better which is a big positive. Cajuste was brilliant, his best game of the season and our MOTM by a mile.

Sigh. Oh well.

[Blue Wilf]

Here's a post from that really "sh it forum TWTD", that pretty much sums things up.


Like genuinely annoyed. But I was annoyed today.

No one needs to get uptight about this comment and it's not McKenna out or anything silly, but he's lost the plot in terms of team selection since the end of the window. He's said we've still been believing and will go until the end etc, as he should, but in reality he appears to have treated the last 7 games or so like pre season.

I'm assuming plenty have already made this comment but I'll make it anyway, how Jaden Philogene is starting games for us needs to be investigated. I honestly don't think I've ever been as underwhelmed by a new signing in my 25 years supporting the club, certainly a signing that has been given so much game time and has been signed for so much money and given so much hype - in his defence that isn't his fault, but it's been utterly painful to watch. I wince every time he gets the ball and I don't think I'm being harsh. He shouldn't be in the side.

I'll admit, like everyone I had accepted at half time the game was done, but when you see what happened once the three attacking subs came on it's hard not to be annoyed in hindsight that we didn't try and make a go of it from 55-60 minutes, or even half time. I wouldn't mind us losing 5-0 or 6-0 trying to restore some kind of parity, as it was we tried to keep the score at 3-0 and just give some squad players a run out, and ended up having a mini rally.

We need to find some balls and change our starting CF for a game or two. Hirst would be within his rights to be mildly grumpy at his lack of game time I think. Whenever he plays he shows more intelligence than Delap, and offers something else as clearly demonstrated by a superb header - something Delap couldn't replicate earlier in the game despite it being a relative sitter. Aside from that, could we not benefit sometimes from using Delap against (cliche) tiring defences in the second half of games?

Also, why don't we cross the ball with any regularity? Hirst's goal, while a brilliant header, annoyed me because it just made me curse the fact we hadn't tried to do it more throughout the season.

The selection thing is a real issue for me. It's incredibly hard not to get swept up in the assumption that we are giving players minutes because they cost x amount. We have a pre season to bed those players into the team if we really think they are the future, but they are not worthy of their position currently. We all know who they are.

Like every home game we started well enough and had some good moments, Hutchinson's shot from the edge of the box was a big chance considering his ability. Thought he was good today in general, he's getting better which is a big positive. Cajuste was brilliant, his best game of the season and our MOTM by a mile.

Sigh. Oh well.

Sadly, the post is true. Some of us have been pointing this all
out for months and getting pilloried for it... quite why McKenna has been unable or unwilling to see it and act is something of a mystery.

[Bluemike]

Sadly this is everything I feared at the start of the season, 9 months of disappointment and boredom thanks to the Premier League and all the sh*te it stands for.

I'm not even overly sad or bothered today even though relegation is nailed on certainty now, in truth it has been for weeks. We are out of our depth, the players always try but are inferior in most areas, the manager probably works every given minute of every day but we are lacking in Premier League quality and experience.

I don't actually blame anyone, its the way the Premier League has made football in this country now, a closed shop of negative boredom.

We know we are going down and it's a pretty safe bet to assume we'll have a very good and successful season while enjoying our football again, we did kinda plan for this eventuality with our recruitment of very good championship players and this will ensure we are one of if not the favourites to bounce back.

What i want to see happen now is for KM to stay as manager and weave his magic again at a level he can dominate, he came up too soon as well, the only real crime anyone has committed at Portman Road is being too successful too quickly and that's what has happened, we shouldn't really knock them for bringing us good times and success, yes we've all been upset at times this season, myself included, but in reality the journey under KM has been nothing short of phenomenal.

When we do return to the Premier League maybe we'll be in a much better situation to give survival a real go, I think that could be the time for KM and Town to go their separate ways but even if they don't I would bet KM will be much better equipped to give it a real shot, it was just too much of a whirlwind this time around and we were always going to be up against it, I think the only thing KM should have done a little differently was his stubbornness to change certain things but he's young and believes in himself and his ways, maybe one day we'll reap the benefits of that stubbornness.

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

Danny Murphy said on MOTD that with us being the second highest spenders in the PL this season he had expected to see more commitment from the team. I think he has a point - we ought to have fared better than we have having spent £120m.

So you can point at bad recruitment of course - Muric, Greaves, Hutchinson, Philigene, etc, we paid far too much for these. Wose fault is that - MA, KM, or both?

What I saw yesterday was not a team, rather a group of individuals with no camaraderie, no passion, no confidence. That's the responsibility of the manager, no matter whether managing in the PL or in non-league.

I think KM has lost the dressing room and lost the plot. I feel that this year he couldn't even manage a quick sh*t, let alone a football team. Whether or not he can rescue the team next season in the Championship is open to debate - given his record this season he will be very fortunate indeed if he is given the opportunity.

[Steve and Jo]

Sadly this is everything I feared at the start of the season, 9 months of disappointment and boredom thanks to the Premier League and all the sh*te it stands for.

I'm not even overly sad or bothered today even though relegation is nailed on certainty now, in truth it has been for weeks. We are out of our depth, the players always try but are inferior in most areas, the manager probably works every given minute of every day but we are lacking in Premier League quality and experience.

I don't actually blame anyone, its the way the Premier League has made football in this country now, a closed shop of negative boredom.

We know we are going down and it's a pretty safe bet to assume we'll have a very good and successful season while enjoying our football again, we did kinda plan for this eventuality with our recruitment of very good championship players and this will ensure we are one of if not the favourites to bounce back.

What i want to see happen now is for KM to stay as manager and weave his magic again at a level he can dominate, he came up too soon as well, the only real crime anyone has committed at Portman Road is being too successful too quickly and that's what has happened, we shouldn't really knock them for bringing us good times and success, yes we've all been upset at times this season, myself included, but in reality the journey under KM has been nothing short of phenomenal.

When we do return to the Premier League maybe we'll be in a much better situation to give survival a real go, I think that could be the time for KM and Town to go their separate ways but even if they don't I would bet KM will be much better equipped to give it a real shot, it was just too much of a whirlwind this time around and we were always going to be up against it, I think the only thing KM should have done a little differently was his stubbornness to change certain things but he's young and believes in himself and his ways, maybe one day we'll reap the benefits of that stubbornness.

I was going to write something very similar but you nailed it on the head Mike, Totally agree.

I will add though what Ipswich must do is learn and adapt. I agree on keeping the manager but he must learn also that his teams have to be more flexible, changing formations during a game but also stop the changing of players especially in defence around from game to game, apart from injuries of course

Look at the likes of Fulham, Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth. Could place Aston Villa in that group who got relegated but go back up and became better for it. There are other clubs also

Yes some will point and say look at Luton but really Luton are in far different situation than Ipswich. Owners for one, financial for another. Ipswich no doubt went up too soon but the foundations are there now. Everything is still on the up, like Mark Ashton said this isn't close to being the end, its only the end of the beginning.

Building will soon start on the training ground. Category 1 will soon be there for the academy which will hopefully help to produce more home talent. We are as a club miles better off than we were a few short years ago and with a vision, with owners, chairman and background staff to reach the heights this football club deserve

[JohnnyB]

Sadly this is everything I feared at the start of the season, 9 months of disappointment and boredom thanks to the Premier League and all the sh*te it stands for.

I'm not even overly sad or bothered today even though relegation is nailed on certainty now, in truth it has been for weeks. We are out of our depth, the players always try but are inferior in most areas, the manager probably works every given minute of every day but we are lacking in Premier League quality and experience.

I don't actually blame anyone, its the way the Premier League has made football in this country now, a closed shop of negative boredom.

We know we are going down and it's a pretty safe bet to assume we'll have a very good and successful season while enjoying our football again, we did kinda plan for this eventuality with our recruitment of very good championship players and this will ensure we are one of if not the favourites to bounce back.

What i want to see happen now is for KM to stay as manager and weave his magic again at a level he can dominate, he came up too soon as well, the only real crime anyone has committed at Portman Road is being too successful too quickly and that's what has happened, we shouldn't really knock them for bringing us good times and success, yes we've all been upset at times this season, myself included, but in reality the journey under KM has been nothing short of phenomenal.

When we do return to the Premier League maybe we'll be in a much better situation to give survival a real go, I think that could be the time for KM and Town to go their separate ways but even if they don't I would bet KM will be much better equipped to give it a real shot, it was just too much of a whirlwind this time around and we were always going to be up against it, I think the only thing KM should have done a little differently was his stubbornness to change certain things but he's young and believes in himself and his ways, maybe one day we'll reap the benefits of that stubbornness.

Fair comments and well put

[AzzurroMark]

Sadly this is everything I feared at the start of the season, 9 months of disappointment and boredom thanks to the Premier League and all the sh*te it stands for.

I'm not even overly sad or bothered today even though relegation is nailed on certainty now, in truth it has been for weeks. We are out of our depth, the players always try but are inferior in most areas, the manager probably works every given minute of every day but we are lacking in Premier League quality and experience.

I don't actually blame anyone, its the way the Premier League has made football in this country now, a closed shop of negative boredom.

We know we are going down and it's a pretty safe bet to assume we'll have a very good and successful season while enjoying our football again, we did kinda plan for this eventuality with our recruitment of very good championship players and this will ensure we are one of if not the favourites to bounce back.

What i want to see happen now is for KM to stay as manager and weave his magic again at a level he can dominate, he came up too soon as well, the only real crime anyone has committed at Portman Road is being too successful too quickly and that's what has happened, we shouldn't really knock them for bringing us good times and success, yes we've all been upset at times this season, myself included, but in reality the journey under KM has been nothing short of phenomenal.

When we do return to the Premier League maybe we'll be in a much better situation to give survival a real go, I think that could be the time for KM and Town to go their separate ways but even if they don't I would bet KM will be much better equipped to give it a real shot, it was just too much of a whirlwind this time around and we were always going to be up against it, I think the only thing KM should have done a little differently was his stubbornness to change certain things but he's young and believes in himself and his ways, maybe one day we'll reap the benefits of that stubbornness.

Fair comments and well put

Our views this season have differed a lot this season, but I think you have a found a very good level ground here Mike, I could easily have written in a similar vein myself.
I think there's an air of resignation amongst many of us now to our fate, leaving us to pick over the pieces of the devastation caused, trying to find a few valuable momentos to take going into a new season. For myself it has been easy to sit back from afar (well, the backwaters of South Norfolk haha), but I get the passion & frustrations of you guys who I know follow Ipswich regularly. I am sure we will all be there at the start of the new season, willing our team to excel once more (regardless of views of KM and the team), Who knows, maybe next season will be that good that we'll have to disagree on whether the coffee, tea or Bovril is the best hot beverage served in the concourse!

[barmy billy]

Mobilty jssues are a bit of a problem nowadays & although I no longer go to PR I am still an avid fan & listen to all matches & constantly read this forum.
Firstly, I praise all you season ticket holders & other who regularly attend. Your stoicism is to be praised considering what you have had to watch this season. I think you are all brilliant.
Lastly, overall what has happened this season is extremely sad & disappointing, not only for the fans, but also for KM, the players & all other staff.

Championship football next season which will hopefully consign the current merely as a blip on un upward journey.

COYB

[valleyroad]

Danny Murphy said on MOTD that with us being the second highest spenders in the PL this season he had expected to see more commitment from the team. I think he has a point - we ought to have fared better than we have having spent £120m.

So you can point at bad recruitment of course - Muric, Greaves, Hutchinson, Philigene, etc, we paid far too much for these. Wose fault is that - MA, KM, or both?

What I saw yesterday was not a team, rather a group of individuals with no camaraderie, no passion, no confidence. That's the responsibility of the manager, no matter whether managing in the PL or in non-league.

I think KM has lost the dressing room and lost the plot. I feel that this year he couldn't even manage a quick sh*t, let alone a football team. Whether or not he can rescue the team next season in the Championship is open to debate - given his record this season he will be very fortunate indeed if he is given the opportunity.

I never really bother with Danny Murphy. Of all the pundits i think he is the worst across all channels.

Greaves, Hutchinson, Philigene are all top class Championship players so stands the club in a good place for next season.

Burnley came up with a top class Championship side and spent a load of money trying to stay up. Fared pretty much as Town have. I would say that Kompany may be being lined up for the Man City job in a year ??

Don't agree for a second that McKenna has lost the dressing room or the plot for that matter. Given his record at PR I think Town will be more than fortunate if he is still the manager next season

[marko69]

Sadly this is everything I feared at the start of the season, 9 months of disappointment and boredom thanks to the Premier League and all the sh*te it stands for.

I'm not even overly sad or bothered today even though relegation is nailed on certainty now, in truth it has been for weeks. We are out of our depth, the players always try but are inferior in most areas, the manager probably works every given minute of every day but we are lacking in Premier League quality and experience.

I don't actually blame anyone, its the way the Premier League has made football in this country now, a closed shop of negative boredom.

We know we are going down and it's a pretty safe bet to assume we'll have a very good and successful season while enjoying our football again, we did kinda plan for this eventuality with our recruitment of very good championship players and this will ensure we are one of if not the favourites to bounce back.

What i want to see happen now is for KM to stay as manager and weave his magic again at a level he can dominate, he came up too soon as well, the only real crime anyone has committed at Portman Road is being too successful too quickly and that's what has happened, we shouldn't really knock them for bringing us good times and success, yes we've all been upset at times this season, myself included, but in reality the journey under KM has been nothing short of phenomenal.

When we do return to the Premier League maybe we'll be in a much better situation to give survival a real go, I think that could be the time for KM and Town to go their separate ways but even if they don't I would bet KM will be much better equipped to give it a real shot, it was just too much of a whirlwind this time around and we were always going to be up against it, I think the only thing KM should have done a little differently was his stubbornness to change certain things but he's young and believes in himself and his ways, maybe one day we'll reap the benefits of that stubbornness.

Yep

[marko69]

I never really bother with Danny Murphy. Of all the pundits i think he is the worst across all channels.

Greaves, Hutchinson, Philigene are all top class Championship players so stands the club in a good place for next season.

Burnley came up with a top class Championship side and spent a load of money trying to stay up. Fared pretty much as Town have. I would say that Kompany may be being lined up for the Man City job in a year ??

Don't agree for a second that McKenna has lost the dressing room or the plot for that matter. Given his record at PR I think Town will be more than fortunate if he is still the manager next season

Word. ….. (except the Kompany to Man City part. Not sure on that)

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

Don't agree for a second that McKenna has lost the dressing room or the plot for that matter. Given his record at PR I think Town will be more than fortunate if he is still the manager next season

Time will tell I guess. You obviously did not see what I saw yesterday - dejected players not particularly getting on with each other, their faces and particularly their eyes told a sad story.

Football is a results business, and whatever KM achieved last season and the season before is history and not at all relevant today. And this season his record in appalling - I'm sure it's this that will be uppermost in the owners' minds.

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

When we do return to the Premier League maybe we'll be in a much better situation to give survival a real go, I think that could be the time for KM and Town to go their separate ways but even if they don't I would bet KM will be much better equipped to give it a real shot, it was just too much of a whirlwind this time around and we were always going to be up against it, I think the only thing KM should have done a little differently was his stubbornness to change certain things but he's young and believes in himself and his ways, maybe one day we'll reap the benefits of that stubbornness.

True, but to listen to many on this forum, they don't want to be in the PL - the PL is boring, the PL is corrupt, VAR is crap, etc etc.

So what is the goal next season in the Championship? Mid table?

[marko69]

It is a results business. But remembering what the board members said, (not McKenna) …. Its a process business.
From memory, an American owner said in an interview, (American accent) “Ok, wow! We got there earlier than we anticipated. We’ll see what we can do………”

Got to hope that they’ll be rational in their uppermost thinking. Maybe even trust THEIR OWN process.

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

It is a results business. But remembering what the board members said, (not McKenna) …. Its a process business.
From memory, an American owner said in an interview, (American accent) “Ok, wow! We got there earlier than we anticipated. We’ll see what we can do………”

Got to hope that they’ll be rational in their uppermost thinking. Maybe even trust THEIR OWN process.

For me, the clue there is "We'll see what we can do".

Nobody would disagree that we did not anticipate getting to the PL at the first attempt, but having got there you have to make the most of that opportunity because you might not get another one for years and years. GC certainly played their part, in making £120M available to strengthen the squad, but MA and KM have squandered that on poor acquisitions in the same way that Roy Keane squandered MEs money. Most American businessmen I know are greedy bastards, only interested in making money - I just wonder how relegation will affect their thinking.

[Bluemike]

When we do return to the Premier League maybe we'll be in a much better situation to give survival a real go, I think that could be the time for KM and Town to go their separate ways but even if they don't I would bet KM will be much better equipped to give it a real shot, it was just too much of a whirlwind this time around and we were always going to be up against it, I think the only thing KM should have done a little differently was his stubbornness to change certain things but he's young and believes in himself and his ways, maybe one day we'll reap the benefits of that stubbornness.

True, but to listen to many on this forum, they don't want to be in the PL - the PL is boring, the PL is corrupt, VAR is crap, etc etc.

So what is the goal next season in the Championship? Mid table?

Yeah im one of those who doesn't crave the Premier League but sadly I'll be willing us to win every game next season and the reward that brings is the bloody thing I don't like, you can't win be we have to strive for it again or there's no point.

[valleyroad]

When we do return to the Premier League maybe we'll be in a much better situation to give survival a real go, I think that could be the time for KM and Town to go their separate ways but even if they don't I would bet KM will be much better equipped to give it a real shot, it was just too much of a whirlwind this time around and we were always going to be up against it, I think the only thing KM should have done a little differently was his stubbornness to change certain things but he's young and believes in himself and his ways, maybe one day we'll reap the benefits of that stubbornness.

True, but to listen to many on this forum, they don't want to be in the PL - the PL is boring, the PL is corrupt, VAR is crap, etc etc.

So what is the goal next season in the Championship? Mid table?

Yeah im one of those who doesn't crave the Premier League but sadly I'll be willing us to win every game next season and the reward that brings is the bloody thing I don't like, you can't win be we have to strive for it again or there's no point.

Aye but the aim should always be too do what Forrest have done. Even the likes of Bournemouth and Brentford would be decent. Problem is that it seems to be harder and harder each season for that to be achieved

[hallamblue]

When we do return to the Premier League maybe we'll be in a much better situation to give survival a real go, I think that could be the time for KM and Town to go their separate ways but even if they don't I would bet KM will be much better equipped to give it a real shot, it was just too much of a whirlwind this time around and we were always going to be up against it, I think the only thing KM should have done a little differently was his stubbornness to change certain things but he's young and believes in himself and his ways, maybe one day we'll reap the benefits of that stubbornness.

True, but to listen to many on this forum, they don't want to be in the PL - the PL is boring, the PL is corrupt, VAR is crap, etc etc.

So what is the goal next season in the Championship? Mid table?

Yeah im one of those who doesn't crave the Premier League but sadly I'll be willing us to win every game next season and the reward that brings is the bloody thing I don't like, you can't win be we have to strive for it again or there's no point.

But there’s the difference. The Club, the players, the owners all want PL, because stand to earn / get paid, mega bucks for being at that level. The fans on the other hand, and destined to fork out ridiculous levels of money for the privilege, and suffer, constant changes to ko times, match days, a massive hike in ticket prices. A Totally different “ experience,”

[hallamblue]

Danny Murphy said on MOTD that with us being the second highest spenders in the PL this season he had expected to see more commitment from the team. I think he has a point - we ought to have fared better than we have having spent £120m.

So you can point at bad recruitment of course - Muric, Greaves, Hutchinson, Philigene, etc, we paid far too much for these. Wose fault is that - MA, KM, or both?

What I saw yesterday was not a team, rather a group of individuals with no camaraderie, no passion, no confidence. That's the responsibility of the manager, no matter whether managing in the PL or in non-league.

I think KM has lost the dressing room and lost the plot. I feel that this year he couldn't even manage a quick sh*t, let alone a football team. Whether or not he can rescue the team next season in the Championship is open to debate - given his record this season he will be very fortunate indeed if he is given the opportunity.

It’s a fine balance between utilising the squad that got you promoted, with the new influx of perceived better players. McKenna has got that wrong. He’s has by and large dispensed with the core of the promotion team, for what he feels is better players. He’s totally ripped up the forward line which had an intuitive understanding between them all. Yes injuries have not helped, but he wouldn’t play players from last season, even when they were fit. Having chased the Championship forward who bagged 30+ goals last season in the championship and then doesn’t play him.
Took a big risk on a high profile midfielder on loan, who has done virtually nothing for 2/3 of the season, all at huge financial outlay. Made a massive recruitment mistake with the keeper , when it was obvious from media and footage of games, that Muric was a complete card crash, yet we pay a massive sum for him, why?

We really shouldn’t be in the bottom three given some of the performances I ve witnessed, but failed to get it over the line , by either crap defending, ( take a bow Woolfie yesterday), or ridiculous misses in front of goal of gilt edged chances, ( take a bow Delap) to name just two players.

We are slow , ponderous in our build up …and we were last season in the championship too, largely because the play was built from passing it back and forth out of defence. Woolfenden is the biggest culprit of this I’m afraid , and was in full, sloth, flow again yesterday. There’s no pace, no dynamism in the middle of the park, a problem that’s been there for a few years now. Yes we’ve recruited umpteen #10’s. So many That McKenna doesn’t know who to play, or what is the strongest combination.

I’d say Town might be in for a bit of a shock next season, especially if our better more experienced players decide to leave this club because of lack of game time! and I’d hardly blame them tbh.

Do we really expect McKenna to change his ways and “ learn”? I’m honestly not so sure now. He has his preferred formation and approach, and he tries to fit the players he has or recruits, to play that way, instead of using the players he has, in the best positions and combinations. Which is the better manager then? One who can get the best out of his players, or one who flogs players to fit his preferred approach?

I don’t think Broadhead, Chaplin or Hirst will have any problems finding another club, and these players will walk away and get many, many more mins playing for our rivals than they will for us, under McKenna’s current approach.

This is how I’m feeling about things Ipswich Town atm I’m afraid.

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

Danny Murphy said on MOTD that with us being the second highest spenders in the PL this season he had expected to see more commitment from the team. I think he has a point - we ought to have fared better than we have having spent £120m.

So you can point at bad recruitment of course - Muric, Greaves, Hutchinson, Philigene, etc, we paid far too much for these. Wose fault is that - MA, KM, or both?

What I saw yesterday was not a team, rather a group of individuals with no camaraderie, no passion, no confidence. That's the responsibility of the manager, no matter whether managing in the PL or in non-league.

I think KM has lost the dressing room and lost the plot. I feel that this year he couldn't even manage a quick sh*t, let alone a football team. Whether or not he can rescue the team next season in the Championship is open to debate - given his record this season he will be very fortunate indeed if he is given the opportunity.

It’s a fine balance between utilising the squad that got you promoted, with the new influx of perceived better players. McKenna has got that wrong. He’s has by and large dispensed with the core of the promotion team, for what he feels is better players. He’s totally ripped up the forward line which had an intuitive understanding between them all. Yes injuries have not helped, but he wouldn’t play players from last season, even when they were fit. Having chased the Championship forward who bagged 30+ goals last season in the championship and then doesn’t play him.
Took a big risk on a high profile midfielder on loan, who has done virtually nothing for 2/3 of the season, all at huge financial outlay. Made a massive recruitment mistake with the keeper , when it was obvious from media and footage of games, that Muric was a complete card crash, yet we pay a massive sum for him, why?

We really shouldn’t be in the bottom three given some of the performances I ve witnessed, but failed to get it over the line , by either crap defending, ( take a bow Woolfie yesterday), or ridiculous misses in front of goal of gilt edged chances, ( take a bow Delap) to name just two players.

We are slow , ponderous in our build up …and we were last season in the championship too, largely because the play was built from passing it back and forth out of defence. Woolfenden is the biggest culprit of this I’m afraid , and was in full, sloth, flow again yesterday. There’s no pace, no dynamism in the middle of the park, a problem that’s been there for a few years now. Yes we’ve recruited umpteen #10’s. So many That McKenna doesn’t know who to play, or what is the strongest combination.

I’d say Town might be in for a bit of a shock next season, especially if our better more experienced players decide to leave this club because of lack of game time! and I’d hardly blame them tbh.

Do we really expect McKenna to change his ways and “ learn”? I’m honestly not so sure now. He has his preferred formation and approach, and he tries to fit the players he has or recruits, to play that way, instead of using the players he has, in the best positions and combinations. Which is the better manager then? One who can get the best out of his players, or one who flogs players to fit his preferred approach?

I don’t think Broadhead, Chaplin or Hirst will have any problems finding another club, and these players will walk away and get many, many more mins playing for our rivals than they will for us, under McKenna’s current approach.

This is how I’m feeling about things Ipswich Town atm I’m afraid.

I don't disagree with any of that, Liz, it pretty much sums up how I'm feeling about the whole sorry issue

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

I'm going to upset forum members from the wrong side of the wall, who are doubtless expecting another odious and negative prediction from me: Town 3 - Forest 1

you were only a whisker away there with that one Gary

sorry, mate, I must have been well pissed when I penned that prediction

[valleyroad]

Danny Murphy said on MOTD that with us being the second highest spenders in the PL this season he had expected to see more commitment from the team. I think he has a point - we ought to have fared better than we have having spent £120m.

So you can point at bad recruitment of course - Muric, Greaves, Hutchinson, Philigene, etc, we paid far too much for these. Wose fault is that - MA, KM, or both?

What I saw yesterday was not a team, rather a group of individuals with no camaraderie, no passion, no confidence. That's the responsibility of the manager, no matter whether managing in the PL or in non-league.

I think KM has lost the dressing room and lost the plot. I feel that this year he couldn't even manage a quick sh*t, let alone a football team. Whether or not he can rescue the team next season in the Championship is open to debate - given his record this season he will be very fortunate indeed if he is given the opportunity.

It’s a fine balance between utilising the squad that got you promoted, with the new influx of perceived better players. McKenna has got that wrong. He’s has by and large dispensed with the core of the promotion team, for what he feels is better players. He’s totally ripped up the forward line which had an intuitive understanding between them all. Yes injuries have not helped, but he wouldn’t play players from last season, even when they were fit. Having chased the Championship forward who bagged 30+ goals last season in the championship and then doesn’t play him.
Took a big risk on a high profile midfielder on loan, who has done virtually nothing for 2/3 of the season, all at huge financial outlay. Made a massive recruitment mistake with the keeper , when it was obvious from media and footage of games, that Muric was a complete card crash, yet we pay a massive sum for him, why?

We really shouldn’t be in the bottom three given some of the performances I ve witnessed, but failed to get it over the line , by either crap defending, ( take a bow Woolfie yesterday), or ridiculous misses in front of goal of gilt edged chances, ( take a bow Delap) to name just two players.

We are slow , ponderous in our build up …and we were last season in the championship too, largely because the play was built from passing it back and forth out of defence. Woolfenden is the biggest culprit of this I’m afraid , and was in full, sloth, flow again yesterday. There’s no pace, no dynamism in the middle of the park, a problem that’s been there for a few years now. Yes we’ve recruited umpteen #10’s. So many That McKenna doesn’t know who to play, or what is the strongest combination.

I’d say Town might be in for a bit of a shock next season, especially if our better more experienced players decide to leave this club because of lack of game time! and I’d hardly blame them tbh.

Do we really expect McKenna to change his ways and “ learn”? I’m honestly not so sure now. He has his preferred formation and approach, and he tries to fit the players he has or recruits, to play that way, instead of using the players he has, in the best positions and combinations. Which is the better manager then? One who can get the best out of his players, or one who flogs players to fit his preferred approach?

I don’t think Broadhead, Chaplin or Hirst will have any problems finding another club, and these players will walk away and get many, many more mins playing for our rivals than they will for us, under McKenna’s current approach.

This is how I’m feeling about things Ipswich Town atm I’m afraid.

So... you could have saved a lot of you time typing all that to say McKenna Must Go ??

[ITFC2024]

I think KM can become even better if he learns to adapt tactically. I've read KM's quotes stating he makes minor adjustments for specific situations, but I haven't noticed any changes making much of a difference in the majority of our matches. I said at the beginning of the season, I hope KM adapts a more defensive approach for the PL. Even when we were flying high in the championship, we still conceded too many goals. The difference obviously was we also scored a boatload of goals, but we've struggled to score and conceded even more goals. It's a recipe for disaster and that's exactly what has happened. Also, the last several matches we haven't played well as a team at all.

I still believe KM is the best man for the job, but I'd like to see a more mature approach to matches for the remainder of the season. It is the perfect opportunity to experiment with a more defensive formation since we're practically down anyway. It may also be a much-needed learning experience for the manager and the players. Just my opinion.

[marko69]

It is the perfect opportunity to experiment with a more defensive formation since we're practically down anyway. It may also be a much-needed learning experience for the manager and the players. Just my opinion.

I think you are bang on the money with that. And then hopefully whatever happens can be viewed as that; like you say, a sort of tinkering with his beliefs. A huge learning curve in his managerial journey.

I still believe hugely that the team are just not good enough either. Never were, with Muric and Philogene being the seasons blunders.

[hallamblue]

Danny Murphy said on MOTD that with us being the second highest spenders in the PL this season he had expected to see more commitment from the team. I think he has a point - we ought to have fared better than we have having spent £120m.

So you can point at bad recruitment of course - Muric, Greaves, Hutchinson, Philigene, etc, we paid far too much for these. Wose fault is that - MA, KM, or both?

What I saw yesterday was not a team, rather a group of individuals with no camaraderie, no passion, no confidence. That's the responsibility of the manager, no matter whether managing in the PL or in non-league.

I think KM has lost the dressing room and lost the plot. I feel that this year he couldn't even manage a quick sh*t, let alone a football team. Whether or not he can rescue the team next season in the Championship is open to debate - given his record this season he will be very fortunate indeed if he is given the opportunity.

It’s a fine balance between utilising the squad that got you promoted, with the new influx of perceived better players. McKenna has got that wrong. He’s has by and large dispensed with the core of the promotion team, for what he feels is better players. He’s totally ripped up the forward line which had an intuitive understanding between them all. Yes injuries have not helped, but he wouldn’t play players from last season, even when they were fit. Having chased the Championship forward who bagged 30+ goals last season in the championship and then doesn’t play him.
Took a big risk on a high profile midfielder on loan, who has done virtually nothing for 2/3 of the season, all at huge financial outlay. Made a massive recruitment mistake with the keeper , when it was obvious from media and footage of games, that Muric was a complete card crash, yet we pay a massive sum for him, why?

We really shouldn’t be in the bottom three given some of the performances I ve witnessed, but failed to get it over the line , by either crap defending, ( take a bow Woolfie yesterday), or ridiculous misses in front of goal of gilt edged chances, ( take a bow Delap) to name just two players.

We are slow , ponderous in our build up …and we were last season in the championship too, largely because the play was built from passing it back and forth out of defence. Woolfenden is the biggest culprit of this I’m afraid , and was in full, sloth, flow again yesterday. There’s no pace, no dynamism in the middle of the park, a problem that’s been there for a few years now. Yes we’ve recruited umpteen #10’s. So many That McKenna doesn’t know who to play, or what is the strongest combination.

I’d say Town might be in for a bit of a shock next season, especially if our better more experienced players decide to leave this club because of lack of game time! and I’d hardly blame them tbh.

Do we really expect McKenna to change his ways and “ learn”? I’m honestly not so sure now. He has his preferred formation and approach, and he tries to fit the players he has or recruits, to play that way, instead of using the players he has, in the best positions and combinations. Which is the better manager then? One who can get the best out of his players, or one who flogs players to fit his preferred approach?

I don’t think Broadhead, Chaplin or Hirst will have any problems finding another club, and these players will walk away and get many, many more mins playing for our rivals than they will for us, under McKenna’s current approach.

This is how I’m feeling about things Ipswich Town atm I’m afraid.

So... you could have saved a lot of you time typing all that to say McKenna Must Go ??

Again you're making assumptions VR. I don't want him to go, I want him to learn and develop, just as he wants the players to. But I'm not seeing any signs of that happening, and I'm very frustrated by him repeating the same mistakes as I, and fair few other Town fans, do.

[marko69]

I want him to learn and develop, just as he wants the players to. But I'm not seeing any signs of that happening, and I'm very frustrated by him repeating the same mistakes as I, and fair few other Town fans, do.

There must be certain situations though whereby the term "farting against thunder" comes into play, Hallam?
Let's for a moment set aside what the management "should have" done....., mainly because no one really knows what would've come to fruition. Like defending for 10 mins Vs Fulham etc etc --->> no one knows.

But......, lets say Sir David Gray was allowed to have Hibs next season in the EPL. It wouldn't matter how quick he "learnt"...., because the team itself in comparison to other teams in terms of basic ability is massively lower. Destroyed in attack & defence.

In agreement 100% with ITFC2024 in that from now until seasons end......, mix it all up. Experiment across the board. Do not be rigid in a belief system because it's not going to work anyway. Nothing to lose. And no doubt would get a few more percent of an already very fickle support onboard.

Disclaimer: Not solely aimed at the ITFC support......, thankless task to all managers because ALL fanbases have the exact same structures.