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

[Cabanas Blue]

We are all disappointed with the way the season has gone but my opinion is it's a combination of things, The manager is learning and has made mistakes and hopefully will be wiser if given the chance in the premier again, then we have Muric enough said on that, we lose Burns who was just finding his feet and Obenie both out for the season.
And then we have Axel who had the kitchen accident and two injuries since and Szmodics and Chaplin have both had time out with injuries so with all that and the fact that we can't hold on to a lead ( KMc fault at times ) and the way the fixtures worked out and dodgy decisions early on it's just not gone our way.

[valleyroad]

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.

The thing is with all of the issues you have been banging on about McKenna for so long now, I just can't for the life of me see why you would want him to be manager of a club that you obviously care so much about ??

[hallamblue]

I want him to adapt. He's clearly a very intelligent coach. But for the life of me I font get why he's not changing what he always does, when it clearly isn't working.

Yesterday's game, we were 3-0 down at half time. So you'd expect, surely, a manager to shake things up a bit at half time. You know, " go for it". What would have to lose,? But no, once again he sticks to his same routine thst he always foes, every game, witjout fail ,and makes forward changes after 80mins. Yet within a couple of mins of broadhead and Hirst coming on we score. So why on earth didn't he make these changes at halftime? This is just an example of what he's doing every game. So why doesn't he try something different.?? It's either inexperienced or stubbornness ( i don't believe ge can't "see" what's not going well).


So what do you think?

[mugen1]

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 ??

You do like to have a dig at people who don't share your point of view.
I've never once seen Hallam say she wants the manager gone. Rather he actually adjust and adapt his approach once in awhile.

[valleyroad]

I want him to adapt. He's clearly a very intelligent coach. But for the life of me I font get why he's not changing what he always does, when it clearly isn't working.

Yesterday's game, we were 3-0 down at half time. So you'd expect, surely, a manager to shake things up a bit at half time. You know, " go for it". What would have to lose,? But no, once again he sticks to his same routine thst he always foes, every game, witjout fail ,and makes forward changes after 80mins. Yet within a couple of mins of broadhead and Hirst coming on we score. So why on earth didn't he make these changes at halftime? This is just an example of what he's doing every game. So why doesn't he try something different.?? It's either inexperienced or stubbornness ( i don't believe ge can't "see" what's not going well).


So what do you think?

I think he has adjusted and adapted all season. He has changed formation, changed players constantly trying to find combinations that work. For most of the season Town have been competitive but been on the wrong side of the small margins at PL level. Muric cost a lot of points. McKenna for me didn't trust Walton either so stuck with Muric until it became untenable for him.
He is restricted by who wants to come to the club, fees the club can pay and wages. He has had to pay over the odds for some players of the one's willing to sign.
McKenna is a damn good coach but it's season by season getting harder for promoted clubs to stay up.
So I get kinda fed up with the constant criticism of McKenna and with people who say they want him to stay when I really don't belive them

[valleyroad]

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 ??

You do like to have a dig at people who don't share your point of view.
I've never once seen Hallam say she wants the manager gone. Rather he actually adjust and adapt his approach once in awhile.

It not a dig at all it's just putting a different point of view.
Never said she had said she wanted McKenna gone, I just interpreted her post as implying that !!!

[hallamblue]

Just for comparison of a manager's approach. Liverpool 2-0 down to Newcastle, so around 60 odds mins Slot makes substitutions and then have four strikers on the pitch!

All I'm saying is McKenna NEVER changes his approach and I'm sure we'd have secured a few more points over the season had he done so.

[Blue Wilf]

I want him to adapt. He's clearly a very intelligent coach. But for the life of me I font get why he's not changing what he always does, when it clearly isn't working.

Yesterday's game, we were 3-0 down at half time. So you'd expect, surely, a manager to shake things up a bit at half time. You know, " go for it". What would have to lose,? But no, once again he sticks to his same routine thst he always foes, every game, witjout fail ,and makes forward changes after 80mins. Yet within a couple of mins of broadhead and Hirst coming on we score. So why on earth didn't he make these changes at halftime? This is just an example of what he's doing every game. So why doesn't he try something different.?? It's either inexperienced or stubbornness ( i don't believe ge can't "see" what's not going well).


So what do you think?

I think he has adjusted and adapted all season. He has changed formation, changed players constantly trying to find combinations that work. For most of the season Town have been competitive but been on the wrong side of the small margins at PL level. Muric cost a lot of points. McKenna for me didn't trust Walton either so stuck with Muric until it became untenable for him.
He is restricted by who wants to come to the club, fees the club can pay and wages. He has had to pay over the odds for some players of the one's willing to sign.
McKenna is a damn good coach but it's season by season getting harder for promoted clubs to stay up.
So I get kinda fed up with the constant criticism of McKenna and with people who say they want him to stay when I really don't belive them

I don't care what you believe tbh. I just say what I see and I don't think he has adapted much at all. He has been pretty knee jerk in his changes in my view and any changes he has made have either been predictable (during games) or completely random before games in terms of team selection.

You don't seem to understand that most want him to stay if he is committed as he has already got us promoted from the Championship but remain unconvinced at his ability at PL level. I don't think that is hard to grasp but

[ITFC2024]

Good post, Bluewilf. I completely agree…or WORD as somebody introduced to the forum.

[shabba]

Not even going to read the Match comments as it’ll trigger me so I’ll just avoid any arguments

I had a cracking day, went with my dad. His lifelong best mate of over 50 years and his son, did the new three lions lounge (crap seats but loved the bar/lounge etc) we had a great laugh - yes the result was disappointing but I’ve made my peace with us going down weeks ago, if you want the highs we had at that Huddersfield game you have to accept the lows too.

I also got to meet Alex Palmer, quick selfie and a few words as didn’t want to bother him too much but he seemed really friendly and was happy to oblige me.

I cannot control what 11 men do on a pitch, but I’ll enjoy the ride, ups and downs - and look forward to next season.

Football is more than the result sometimes. I haven’t had a proper day out without the kids for a while so was nice just to only have to think about myself for a day.

If you told me I’d have to take these lows to get the high I had at that Huddersfield game - and also be there seeing us beat spurs etc this season then I’d have sure as hell taken it.

[Mariner67]

I want him to adapt. He's clearly a very intelligent coach. But for the life of me I font get why he's not changing what he always does, when it clearly isn't working.

Yesterday's game, we were 3-0 down at half time. So you'd expect, surely, a manager to shake things up a bit at half time. You know, " go for it". What would have to lose,? But no, once again he sticks to his same routine thst he always foes, every game, witjout fail ,and makes forward changes after 80mins. Yet within a couple of mins of broadhead and Hirst coming on we score. So why on earth didn't he make these changes at halftime? This is just an example of what he's doing every game. So why doesn't he try something different.?? It's either inexperienced or stubbornness ( i don't believe ge can't "see" what's not going well).


So what do you think?

Agree ,why the hell does he not play Townshend, he's been great when he gets a chance.We have some good players he's just not utilising them properly.

[hallamblue]

Not just on here then....

https://www.twtd.co.uk/forum/604645/mck ... ce-guy/#65

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

Yes, there are a few of us on here that have criticised KM for his inflexibility and lack of a plan B and constant tinkering and playing players out of position and not seeming to know what his best team is. It started out early in the season with just 1 person (who, I believe, was the first to call him a one trick pony), grew slowly into 2 or 3, and latterly has accelerated quite a bit.

Seems to me that there is a hardcore of forum members that think that if you criticise KM then you want him gone. That is the only answer they have for people with views that differ to their own.

I'd say that from what I've read on this forum, most of those that have criticised KM do not want him to go, with one exception - me. I don't care what he has done in past seasons, this season he has been a disaster and I can't think of many managers (in any walk of life) who would still be in post following such a disasterous run of performances. I'd like him gone right now - give a new manager time to assess and build ready for next season.
Oh, how good it is to dare to be different .

[valleyroad]

Yes, there are a few of us on here that have criticised KM for his inflexibility and lack of a plan B and constant tinkering and playing players out of position and not seeming to know what his best team is. It started out early in the season with just 1 person (who, I believe, was the first to call him a one trick pony), grew slowly into 2 or 3, and latterly has accelerated quite a bit.

Seems to me that there is a hardcore of forum members that think that if you criticise KM then you want him gone. That is the only answer they have for people with views that differ to their own.

I'd say that from what I've read on this forum, most of those that have criticised KM do not want him to go, with one exception - me. I don't care what he has done in past seasons, this season he has been a disaster and I can't think of many managers (in any walk of life) who would still be in post following such a disasterous run of performances. I'd like him gone right now - give a new manager time to assess and build ready for next season.
Oh, how good it is to dare to be different .

Yes that is a good quality in people until it becomes their default position ?

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

Yes, there are a few of us on here that have criticised KM for his inflexibility and lack of a plan B and constant tinkering and playing players out of position and not seeming to know what his best team is. It started out early in the season with just 1 person (who, I believe, was the first to call him a one trick pony), grew slowly into 2 or 3, and latterly has accelerated quite a bit.

Seems to me that there is a hardcore of forum members that think that if you criticise KM then you want him gone. That is the only answer they have for people with views that differ to their own.

I'd say that from what I've read on this forum, most of those that have criticised KM do not want him to go, with one exception - me. I don't care what he has done in past seasons, this season he has been a disaster and I can't think of many managers (in any walk of life) who would still be in post following such a disasterous run of performances. I'd like him gone right now - give a new manager time to assess and build ready for next season.
Oh, how good it is to dare to be different .

Yes that is a good quality in people until it becomes their default position ?

As your mate Marko points out whenever he can, I was calling for KM to go shortly after he came here. Of course, we had 2 promotions after that, but who knows if we would or would not have got them anyway no matter who the manager was?
I've always had my doubts about his managerial capabilities and perspective. Maybe I was wrong, maybe I was right - it doesn't matter. But I have always been consistent.

[EveryoneKnowsaDave]

I think this is an interesting point. It could be argued that Paul Cook did a lot of the heavy lifting and groundwork, but the squad just didn't have enough time to gel under him for it to come to fruition.

KM, atleast to a certain extent, could be described as living off PC's coat tails.

It wouldn't bother me in the slightest if KM went.

[hallamblue]

Paul Cook most definitely saved McKenna and his staff at least 2 years by clearing the decks.

[Bluemike]

Cook cleared out the deadwood of which there was an abundance of it, but that's where it stops, he's where he is for a reason, absolutely not on the same planet, universe or galaxy as McKenna.

[marko69]

Cook cleared out the deadwood of which there was an abundance of it, but that's where it stops, he's where he is for a reason, absolutely not on the same planet, universe or galaxy as McKenna.

Didn’t quite know how to put a Paul Cook post nicely……. But thats ^^^^^ it.

[marko69]

KM, atleast to a certain extent, could be described as living off PC's coat tails.

[shabba]

For me one marker of a good manager is when you look at players that did well under them, moved on and didn’t do well anywhere else. It shows he can get the best out of people.

I don’t see many of the ex recent players who did so well for us doing much, not in the championship anyway - some have dropped down to league one etc.

[Bluemike]

Personally I think the One we got wrong and should have kept was Marcus Harness. Not to mention Hladky, if only we could have a deal with him to remain here I believe we would now be at least ten points better off and looking at survival, of course we will never know for sure.

[ITFC2024]

Personally I think the One we got wrong and should have kept was Marcus Harness. Not to mention Hladky, if only we could have a deal with him to remain here I believe we would now be at least ten points better off and looking at survival, of course we will never know for sure.

There must have been something else going on behind the scenes regarding, Hladky. I'd take Harness over Philogene and J. Clarke right now.

[Bluemike]

And yet we signed Muric, a player who came with a reputation for being error prone and a liability at times, who refused to return to pre season training, who was shipped home from the kosovo training camp and who had some "scenario" in a night club while at Burnley that prompted a lot of publicity among their fans. Christ Hladky must have murdered someone if he was a worse option.

[hallamblue]

[shabba]

Personally I think the One we got wrong and should have kept was Marcus Harness. Not to mention Hladky, if only we could have a deal with him to remain here I believe we would now be at least ten points better off and looking at survival, of course we will never know for sure.

There must have been something else going on behind the scenes regarding, Hladky. I'd take Harness over Philogene and J. Clarke right now.

Hard to compare given the gulf in the leagues, Clark, Philogene, Szmodics etc all did very well in the championship last season. Broadhead was better than Harness, and has looked OK in the prem but has not exactly got many goals or assists etc. I can't personally see HArness doing well in the prem, he was even only a sub for us in the champ most of the time.

[Bluemike]

He was a sub in a team winning every week so the players were hard to switch.

[ATB]

As your mate Marko points out whenever he can, I was calling for KM to go shortly after he came here. Of course, we had 2 promotions after that, but who knows if we would or would not have got them anyway no matter who the manager was?
I've always had my doubts about his managerial capabilities and perspective. Maybe I was wrong, maybe I was right - it doesn't matter. But I have always been consistent.

Just give the man credit where credit's due.

KMK got us promoted twice and likewise KMC was unable to keep us in the Prem.

You can't just lump him with the bad and then not afford him the respect of crediting his successes.

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

As your mate Marko points out whenever he can, I was calling for KM to go shortly after he came here. Of course, we had 2 promotions after that, but who knows if we would or would not have got them anyway no matter who the manager was?
I've always had my doubts about his managerial capabilities and perspective. Maybe I was wrong, maybe I was right - it doesn't matter. But I have always been consistent.

Just give the man credit where credit's due.

KMK got us promoted twice and likewise KMC was unable to keep us in the Prem.

You can't just lump him with the bad and then not afford him the respect of crediting his successes.

Had you have bothered to have read my comments on the subject this season you would see that I have indeed given him credit for the back to back promotions, on more than one occasion - unlike some on this forum who praise him for what he has done in the past but are unwilling to criticise him for what has been a thoroughly awful season.

[Ricco]

what has been a thoroughly awful season.

Do you mean that considering context, or just outright? Because we have outperformed Southampton by a mile and Leicester too, which is no mean feat.

It has been a thoroughly awful season because it appears to be a relegation season, but it's not without points of merit too, it was a herculean task to stay up.