Congratulations George Hirst

[hallamblue]

So deserved and it's nice for him that someone actually appreciates him.


https://x.com/ipswichtown/status/190134 ... 6&t=ZXuE7R

[EveryoneKnowsaDave]

Couldn't agree more. Now we're relegated and Delap will presumably move on, it's time for Hirst to start all remaining games.

[hallamblue]

100% that ^^^

In fact McKenna should now be planning for next season, and look at players that rarely get a start.


Up front, I'd be getting Broadhead, Chaplin, Hirst, Omari playing every game now. Delap isn't staying so why play him? He can come off the bench on 80 minutes! As can Philogene, J. Clarke.

Midfield : I'd hope we're going to try and get Cajuste , and next season, add a younger Morsy type player. It'll probably be Downes. But I want to see Humphries back here and in that midfield. We have no pace and minimal creativity, but perhaps in their defence, McKenna insists on only playing two in MF, so we're often overpowered and overrun. Tactics again.

Defence: rip it up. Apart from O' Shea, Townsend, and Axel, none of the rest are anywhere near good enough " defensively" . Problem is Axel is injury prone. H, Clarke has undisputed desire for the badge, but was always caught out of position.

Those not good enough: (defending perspective)

Davis might well put in good crosses, but he can't defend. Constantly caught the wrong side of his man of to the ball into space behind him.

Greaves: don't know what's happened to him since he came back ftom injury. Just not the same player. Communicating seems to be an issue.

Burgess is better than him, but we need to build for the future. Neither are good enough.

Woolfenden. Too slow. Abdolute pedestrian pace, walking the ball out of defence. Actual defending skils, reads the game fairly well but the rest, average at very best. Can't header, no physical presence in the box, rarely wins the contest in the box.

Johnson: is better going forwards. Often gets caught defensively like Davis does. Perhaps is the McKenna remit for his song backs, to get forward. But defensively fir several sedin we are extremely poor and soft goals on a regular basis.

The defence needs sorting out!

We'll be in the Championship next season, for sure, but I'd hope we are looking to strengthen with an eye on PL level the season after.

[valleyroad]

100% that ^^^

In fact McKenna should now be planning for next season, and look at players that rarely get a start.


Up front, I'd be getting Broadhead, Chaplin, Hirst, Omari playing every game now. Delap isn't staying so why play him? He can come off the bench on 80 minutes! As can Philogene, J. Clarke.

Midfield : I'd hope we're going to try and get Cajuste , and next season, add a younger Morsy type player. It'll probably be Downes. But I want to see Humphries back here and in that midfield. We have no pace and minimal creativity, but perhaps in their defence, McKenna insists on only playing two in MF, so we're often overpowered and overrun. Tactics again.

Defence: rip it up. Apart from O' Shea, Townsend, and Axel, none of the rest are anywhere near good enough " defensively" . Problem is Axel is injury prone. H, Clarke has undisputed desire for the badge, but was always caught out of position.

Those not good enough: (defending perspective)

Davis might well put in good crosses, but he can't defend. Constantly caught the wrong side of his man of to the ball into space behind him.

Greaves: don't know what's happened to him since he came back ftom injury. Just not the same player. Communicating seems to be an issue.

Burgess is better than him, but we need to build for the future. Neither are good enough.

Woolfenden. Too slow. Abdolute pedestrian pace, walking the ball out of defence. Actual defending skils, reads the game fairly well but the rest, average at very best. Can't header, no physical presence in the box, rarely wins the contest in the box.

Johnson: is better going forwards. Often gets caught defensively like Davis does. Perhaps is the McKenna remit for his song backs, to get forward. But defensively fir several sedin we are extremely poor and soft goals on a regular basis.

The defence needs sorting out!

We'll be in the Championship next season, for sure, but I'd hope we are looking to strengthen with an eye on PL level the season after.

I think McKenna already knows the strengths and weaknesses of every player in his squad.
At the moment I think all his efforts will be 100% focussed on staying in the PL however silly that may seem to some.
There will probably be quite a bit of change in the squad anyway whether McKenna is here or not.

Anyway will be interesting to see if Hirst can cut it for Scotland. Probably viewed as an alternative to Dykes who has performed well for Scotland

[hallamblue]

VR I'm all for a positive outlook, honestly I am. But can you realistically see us staying up now? We have lost virtually all our games since Jan 1st , hardly scored any goals, and let shed loads in. What is there in your mind that feels thus by now entrenched trend is suddenly going to go into complete reverse over the last 9 games, adding into that
thinkng, the loss of yet more players, to our already huge injury list? He's placed our PL survival thus season firmly on the shoulders of the young recruits he's brought in, and naturally they've come up short, through no fault of their own.

I really hope Hirst gets a run of games for us niw, and also smashes it for Scotland.

[Charnwood]

Only problem not starting with Delap is we risk wiping millions off his transfer value.

[hallamblue]

.....so play them both!!!

Use Enciso as the number 9 sub he's played it before.

[valleyroad]

VR I'm all for a positive outlook, honestly I am. But can you realistically see us staying up now? We have lost virtually all our games since Jan 1st , hardly scored any goals, and let shed loads in. What is there in your mind that feels thus by now entrenched trend is suddenly going to go into complete reverse over the last 9 games, adding into that
thinkng, the loss of yet more players, to our already huge injury list? He's placed our PL survival thus season firmly on the shoulders of the young recruits he's brought in, and naturally they've come up short, through no fault of their own.

I really hope Hirst gets a run of games for us niw, and also smashes it for Scotland.

I don't for a minute think Town will stay up.
McKenna though is a professional football manager. Not a punter like everyone on this forum. His job is to keep Ipswich Town in the PL.
He will be doing everything possible to stay up with 9 games left until it's mathematically impossible.
As I've already said there is nothing about the squad he doesn't know already.
On Hirst he knows everything about him there is to know. McKenna is the reason Hirst is where he is as a player.

[arana peligrosa]

Didn't quite realize Hirst was Scottish but pleased for the kid he (now) gets the opportunity to feature at international level. Must be those Nation League games ongoing but there's no end product there or anything to feasibly aim for.

If I could I'd sent Hirst back in time and throw him into one of those games from years back i.e. Uruguay '86 or Iran / Peru 8 years before to hope he could make a difference or rewrite history for the right reasons. Just put him on the field and say "go out and make amends etc" but it's all just too late after the event. Guess with enough time Hirst shall indeed get to participate at a Euro or World Finals competition but with the team involved, it's regrettably a first round exit.

As an aside won't concede we're a relegated team as yet. We got Leicester and WWFC lined up before end of season where some level of salvation could or has to arise.

[marko69]

Didn't quite realize Hirst was Scottish…..

No one did. Because he isn’t. It’ll be a “blood” thing ……. coupled with a “not good enough for England” thing.

[valleyroad]

Didn't quite realize Hirst was Scottish…..

No one did. Because he isn’t. It’ll be a “blood” thing ……. coupled with a “not good enough for England” thing.

Not even sure he is good enough for Scotland tbh. He'll be getting his trial over next few matches

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

Didn't quite realize Hirst was Scottish…..

No one did. Because he isn’t. It’ll be a “blood” thing ……. coupled with a “not good enough for England” thing.

Not even sure he is good enough for Scotland tbh. He'll be getting his trial over next few matches

Well, after this evening's pathetic display I think a more appropriate conundrum would be.............
Is any Scotland player good enough to play for Ipswich Town?

[valleyroad]

No one did. Because he isn’t. It’ll be a “blood” thing ……. coupled with a “not good enough for England” thing.

Not even sure he is good enough for Scotland tbh. He'll be getting his trial over next few matches

Well, after this evening's pathetic display I think a more appropriate conundrum would be.............
Is any Scotland player good enough to play for Ipswich Town?

Probably all of them bar Hanley, McLean and Ralston.
We started tonight without Hickey, Tierney and Doak. 3 players who would walk into Ipswich side.
Terrible performance tonight but Scotland have a better side than Ipswich just have a look at players in the starting line up.
Greece are very decent side also and would beat Ipswich. Karetsas is 17 and as good as it gets for 17.

So as much as you are thinking your a smart @ss with your comments you are a mile out and clueless.
You just couldn't wait to write that tonight but showed how pathetic you are. What an utter tw*t

[hallamblue]

I came across the game on tv in 89th min doh!

[valleyroad]

I came across the game on tv in 89th min doh!

You missed a really good Greece performance and a very poor Scotland one.
Hirst worked hard when he came on. Honest pro and decent Championship level but for me not PL at the moment.

[marko69]

So as much as you are thinking your a smart @ss with your comments you are a mile out and clueless.
You just couldn't wait to write that tonight but showed how pathetic you are. What an utter tw*t

Word

And Odious?? WOW! Just gives a shout if you want me to edit that quite embarrassing post off the site for you. Yes, that was indeed more embarrassing than the Scotland performance. If anyone could do it…… You’re the very man!

[hallamblue]

I came across the game on tv in 89th min doh!

You missed a really good Greece performance and a very poor Scotland one.
Hirst worked hard when he came on. Honest pro and decent Championship level but for me not PL at the moment.

I would agree with you evaluation of Hirst VR. He always does work his socks off. But from the little I saw, they didn't seem to be getting the ball to him in or around the box. I think the game was virtually over (2-0 down) before he even came on. Shame, coz i wanted to see how he did. Mind you he's probably only had a couple if training sessions with the squad to date. I think the exposure to better players both in the Scottish side znd opposition will help his all round game develop though. So im really plz he's opted to play for Scotland.

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

So as much as you are thinking your a smart @ss with your comments you are a mile out and clueless.
You just couldn't wait to write that tonight but showed how pathetic you are. What an utter tw*t

Word

And Odious?? WOW! Just gives a shout if you want me to edit that quite embarrassing post off the site for you. Yes, that was indeed more embarrassing than the Scotland performance. If anyone could do it…… You’re the very man!

I'm not embarrased by my post in the slightest, it's a reply to what I considered an odious remark made on an Ipswich Town forum (questioning whether or not Hirst is good enough to play for Scotland). You want to make such a bold statement, you gotta be prepared to be shot down.
As for calling me a tw*t - I can only think that VR was looking in the mirror when he wrote that.

[marko69]

The only real positive from all this is it got you "FIXATED" on a Scotland fixture. That can only be a good thing. Next step...... Join the Ipswich Town Tartan Army club.. It exists.

You've passed the first test anyway ---->>> you laughed! (Quite emphatically by the emoji count) We don't smash up towns and cities. We leave that type of thing to other countries. There are quite a few who indulge in that activity which we don't care for. Laughter is good. Hop onboard!

Disclaimer: If you lost a leg in a war or something like that, the "hop onboard" part was not meant as ridicule. Merely a gesture of getting onboard with less than savoury results combined with laughter.

[Ricco]

"So how did WW3 start?"

"Oh Rossi said something on tractor-boys.com which triggered a push for another Scottish independence referendum. The result triggered a cascade of similar tensions, which led to the disintegration on Western nations and triggered Worldwide war"

"sh*t! What does Rossi say about the 80 million deaths?"

"He says he's not bothered, none of them were good enough to play for Ipswich anyway"

[Ricco]

oops

[marko69]

There is underlying triggering all round these days…… by everyone!