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What we need now is to get our home form on track because we most certainly won’t win all of our away games. 4 away wins and only 1 win from 3 played at home leaves us with plenty of room for improvement even from our elevated league position. Our next visitors are Cambridge United who unlike us rely solely on their home form to attain their current 5th place, and have only picked up 1 away point at Charlton and loosing 1-0 at Oxford and getting thumped 4-1 at our current closest promotion rivals Portsmouth.

What we can be pretty sure of is that Kieron McKenna will have studied every minute of that Portsmouth win and will be looking to exploit every weakness he’s identified.

Last season they came to Portman Road late in the season and parked the bus but went home with all 3 points courtesy of a Dominic Thompson own goal. Hopefully this season we’ll be better equipped to make sure the 3 points stay with Ipswich.

Obviously home form is going to be crucial in our quest for promotion. As you say the away form is bound to drop off a bit and therefore it will be important that we don’t lose too many points at home. As we are aware the majority of teams will come to PR and get as many players as possible behind the ball to stifle us. Think getting the first goal in home games will be crucial, although it didn’t work against Barnsley, as teams who have just come with the intention of just getting men behind the ball will then have to come out more.

Shed on tour wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 04, 2022 1:04 pm

Obviously home form is going to be crucial in our quest for promotion. As you say the away form is bound to drop off a bit and therefore it will be important that we don’t lose too many points at home. As we are aware the majority of teams will come to PR and get as many players as possible behind the ball to stifle us. Think getting the first goal in home games will be crucial, although it didn’t work against Barnsley, as teams who have just come with the intention of just getting men behind the ball will then have to come out more.

I think Barnsley is one of those games where the referee robbed us of 2 points more than our lack of ability costing us. Hopefully that won’t be a regular occurrence. It will be interesting to see how we cope with Cambridge next Saturday as they will be more intent on getting a draw than looking for all 3 points although last seasons result will offer them hope.

Charnwood wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 04, 2022 1:23 pm

Shed on tour wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 04, 2022 1:04 pm

Obviously home form is going to be crucial in our quest for promotion. As you say the away form is bound to drop off a bit and therefore it will be important that we don’t lose too many points at home. As we are aware the majority of teams will come to PR and get as many players as possible behind the ball to stifle us. Think getting the first goal in home games will be crucial, although it didn’t work against Barnsley, as teams who have just come with the intention of just getting men behind the ball will then have to come out more.

I think Barnsley is one of those games where the referee robbed us of 2 points more than our lack of ability costing us. Hopefully that won’t be a regular occurrence. It will be interesting to see how we cope with Cambridge next Saturday as they will be more intent on getting a draw than looking for all 3 points although last seasons result will offer them hope.

Agree about the Cambridge game next week. They did a real job on us last season at PR in terms of breaking up play and stopping us playing our game. Hopefully it will be different this time and tbh I would love to see us stuff them.

Interesting that Barnsley whacked the mighty Sheff Wed on their own patch yesterday, just saying, but of course we haven't played anyone yet.

Problem is it’s a local derby, and as we know form goes out the window in those situations. I hope SWFC view us a local Derby match

they're going ahead with another "sell out Portman Road" endeavor read somewhere quite recent. Whether they get their wish or it's as successful as once before is open to question but above all else, what with the team's scores and performance coming on leaps and bounds the last few months, at least since McKenna came in, I'd jump at the chance to attend regular / season ticket : if only it were possible.

The away scores have taken care of themselves so far this season, if we can match that consistently in front of a vociferous large crowd, then got to say, the chances of promotion will really rise. Just afraid of hitting a bump at some stage of the course and any derailment of progress. Would be interesting (in a hypothetical view) to see how the team meets or reacts to any real adversity in the months ahead should league placing fall away.

well, we know that most teams will come to PR and attempt to stop us playing by cramming the midfield and defence.
We also know (or should know) that as we have a fairly narrow pitch we will not have the room to play the kind of game that KM wants us to play. So I think it's stating the bleeding obvious to say that we need to modify our approach at home and play a bit more direct, thus getting the ball over the melee in the middle of the pitch.

rossi wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 06, 2022 8:11 am

well, we know that most teams will come to PR and attempt to stop us playing by cramming the midfield and defence.
We also know (or should know) that as we have a fairly narrow pitch we will not have the room to play the kind of game that KM wants us to play. So I think it's stating the bleeding obvious to say that we need to modify our approach at home and play a bit more direct, thus getting the ball over the melee in the middle of the pitch.

I didn’t know we had a narrow pitch Rossi, in fact I thought it was quite the opposite. As I recall in my Season Ticket holder days during the Bobby Robson era our wide pitch was often quoted as giving us an advantage, certainly in those days our pitch was slightly shorter than some but significantly wider than most and on a par with the old Wembley pitch. When was our pitch width reduced Rossi, was it when the dugouts were upgraded pre season ? and how does ours compare with other clubs ?

Charnwood wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 07, 2022 10:42 am

rossi wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 06, 2022 8:11 am

well, we know that most teams will come to PR and attempt to stop us playing by cramming the midfield and defence.
We also know (or should know) that as we have a fairly narrow pitch we will not have the room to play the kind of game that KM wants us to play. So I think it's stating the bleeding obvious to say that we need to modify our approach at home and play a bit more direct, thus getting the ball over the melee in the middle of the pitch.

I didn’t know we had a narrow pitch Rossi, in fact I thought it was quite the opposite. As I recall in my Season Ticket holder days during the Bobby Robson era our wide pitch was often quoted as giving us an advantage, certainly in those days our pitch was slightly shorter than some but significantly wider than most and on a par with the old Wembley pitch. When was our pitch width reduced Rossi, was it when the dugouts were upgraded pre season ? and how does ours compare with other clubs ?

According to this at 75m width PR has joint top widest pitch in League 1 and wider than all Prem grounds - If you believe it! https://www.football-stadiums.co.uk/art ... league-one

I, too, thought we had a pitch width of 75m - it certainly used to be that.

But serveral sources state the playing surface width as 67m, including the following one:
https://footballtripper.com/england/ipswich-stadium/

Certainly when I look at various games on tv, the distance between the touchline and the edge of the penalty areas looks to be far more on many pitches than it does on ours.

I think that on most web sites metres are often being confused with yards.

Whichever way you look at it yards or metres, like for like it’s highly unlikely that the pitch at Portman Road is any narrower than any other League 1 pitch other than possibly Shrewsbury Town if our pitch has shrunk. This suggests to me the pitch should be wide enough to play our preferred passing game rather than play hoof ball over the midfield, although I’m not suggesting it can’t be used.

Maybe having a narrow pitch is something we all should know.

Charnwood wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 07, 2022 1:24 pm

Whichever way you look at it yards or metres, like for like it’s highly unlikely that the pitch at Portman Road is any narrower than any other League 1 pitch other than possibly Shrewsbury Town if our pitch has shrunk. This suggests to me the pitch should be wide enough to play our preferred passing game rather than play hoof ball over the midfield, although I’m not suggesting it can’t be used.

Maybe having a narrow pitch is something we all should know.

Whatever.

Incidentally though - I think the last time that Portman Road could truly be considered to be a fortress was in the days of Joe Royle. I don't recall anybody - if anybody - referring to the method used then of playing long balls over the top to Kuqi and Bent as being hoofball

rossi wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 07, 2022 12:34 pm

I, too, thought we had a pitch width of 75m - it certainly used to be that.

But serveral sources state the playing surface width as 67m, including the following one:
https://footballtripper.com/england/ipswich-stadium/

Certainly when I look at various games on tv, the distance between the touchline and the edge of the penalty areas looks to be far more on many pitches than it does on ours.

I think that on most web sites metres are often being confused with yards.

Actually Rossi we've got a measuring wheel in the office - maybe I'll smuggle it in on Saturday, sneak onto the pitch at half-time and take a check dimension!

I think though, your general point about complex passing out from the back or a more direct approach, creates a good debate. In my view there's room for both, if the manager can accept it. There will be teams that set up to stop us playing and we'll need to change tactics, mid-game if needed. I think McKenna will do that, whereas for example, Cook would not. Because McKenna is simply a better manager and that's why I'm still full of optimism for the season.

Well as I posted on another thread, statistically we are currently the best team in England, that takes in passing etc, the lot.

That is a happy profile pic, Mike. Man - Sun - Beer.

Nice.

https://www.google.com/search?q=portman ... ribution=1

It's actually 82 yards wide.

jimmyt wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 07, 2022 4:16 pm

That is a happy profile pic, Mike. Man - Sun - Beer.

Nice.

Cheers mate, that was actually in Fuerteventura in March when I was recuperating, I am currently in Dubrovnik on honeymoon and man this place is incredible.

rossi wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 07, 2022 1:55 pm

Charnwood wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 07, 2022 1:24 pm

Whichever way you look at it yards or metres, like for like it’s highly unlikely that the pitch at Portman Road is any narrower than any other League 1 pitch other than possibly Shrewsbury Town if our pitch has shrunk. This suggests to me the pitch should be wide enough to play our preferred passing game rather than play hoof ball over the midfield, although I’m not suggesting it can’t be used.

Maybe having a narrow pitch is something we all should know.

Whatever.

Incidentally though - I think the last time that Portman Road could truly be considered to be a fortress was in the days of Joe Royle. I don't recall anybody - if anybody - referring to the method used then of playing long balls over the top to Kuqi and Bent as being hoofball

Sorry Rossi I just couldn’t resist the temptation but no criticism intended. I’m not sure where the term hoofball came from, in fact I think it was invented on here !

jimmyt wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 07, 2022 4:16 pm

That is a happy profile pic, Mike. Man - Sun - Beer.

Nice.

That was before he was married …. only joking Mike … hope you’re both having a great time mate .

mendipblue wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 07, 2022 5:16 pm

https://www.google.com/search?q=portman ... ribution=1

It's actually 82 yards wide.

If that’s still up to date info that’s 75m which is the joint equal widest pitch in League 1 and probably one of the widest in England .

Every time I see the name Dubrovnik, just got to say it in a Illya Kuryakin accent from "The Man from UNCLE".

Charnwood wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 07, 2022 8:55 pm

rossi wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 07, 2022 1:55 pm

Charnwood wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 07, 2022 1:24 pm

Whichever way you look at it yards or metres, like for like it’s highly unlikely that the pitch at Portman Road is any narrower than any other League 1 pitch other than possibly Shrewsbury Town if our pitch has shrunk. This suggests to me the pitch should be wide enough to play our preferred passing game rather than play hoof ball over the midfield, although I’m not suggesting it can’t be used.

Maybe having a narrow pitch is something we all should know.

Whatever.

Incidentally though - I think the last time that Portman Road could truly be considered to be a fortress was in the days of Joe Royle. I don't recall anybody - if anybody - referring to the method used then of playing long balls over the top to Kuqi and Bent as being hoofball

Sorry Rossi I just couldn’t resist the temptation but no criticism intended. I’m not sure where the term hoofball came from, in fact I think it was invented on here !

nah - when I was at junior school in the early/mid '60s most of my classmates were West Ham fans - I remember them
referring to 'hoofball' when Clyde Best started playing for them and West Ham changed their style to pump long balls up to him

Problem solved Rossi, you started it on here.

Clyde Best, now there's a blast from the past.

Charnwood wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 07, 2022 9:39 pm

mendipblue wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 07, 2022 5:16 pm

https://www.google.com/search?q=portman ... ribution=1

It's actually 82 yards wide.

If that’s still up to date info that’s 75m which is the joint equal widest pitch in League 1 and probably one of the widest in England .

I don't see why It wouldn't still be correct. Don't remember any reason why the pitch width has been reduced. Does anyone else know a reason?

mendipblue wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 07, 2022 5:16 pm

https://www.google.com/search?q=portman ... ribution=1

It's actually 82 yards wide.

That's according to Wikipedia which relies on many independent non-regulated contributors.

Various web sites state various sizes, and I have seen the same numbers given as both metres and yards.

At the end of the day I'm relying on my own eyesight and guaging the visual distance between touchline and edge of penalty area (in all cases looking at UHD output on a 65" screen which is not that scientific as it makes no allowance for camera distance) and I still maintain that ours seems to be on the narrower side.

Yes, I think the actual problem here though is Portman Road has 20 yard boxes instead of the regulation 18. No idea how the club gets away with it. But that's why the touchline is so close.
Always count on Wiki for the gods honest truth. Yep

marko69 wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 08, 2022 3:15 pm

Yes, I think the actual problem here though is Portman Road has 20 yard boxes instead of the regulation 18. No idea how the club gets away with it. But that's why the touchline is so close.
Always count on Wiki for the gods honest truth. Yep

If that is true, its daft. Why would you give the opposition a 20 yard box? Football regulations would not allow it..
.Surely?🥺

mendipblue wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 08, 2022 10:38 pm

marko69 wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 08, 2022 3:15 pm

Yes, I think the actual problem here though is Portman Road has 20 yard boxes instead of the regulation 18. No idea how the club gets away with it. But that's why the touchline is so close.
Always count on Wiki for the gods honest truth. Yep

If that is true, its daft. Why would you give the opposition a 20 yard box? Football regulations would not allow it..
.Surely?🥺

You're pulling my leg!