Premier League - Ipswich Town vs Bournemouth Preview & Matchday Thread

[Bluemike]

The best of it is we haven't looked out of place against virtually everyone, we have been the masters of our downfall numerous times and that is hard to swallow.

[Charnwood]

He’d have had a much better chance of saving a shot had he stayed in his 6 yard area. As soon as he made that run he’d left ACRES of space behind him, then the run by the Bournemouth forwards had a much easier job of a tap in as there was no keeper in front of them.

This incident happened because we lost possession up field , which is why players like Davis and Johnson were caught out, as they were up the pitch.

So it’s about game management again isn’t it . McKenna brings on the two most inexperienced and lightweight players you could possibly bring on , both attackers in the 87th min ….WHY????

Fill the midfield, fill the back line with subs and hang on …no. Let’s stick to our beliefs …HIS beliefs and attack , attack , attack …

It’s always easy to be wise after the event, but yesterday we needed Cajuste and Phillips experience on the pitch to see the game out. Cajuste was a good option to replace Taylor but Phillips would have been a better replacement for Delap who’d done so much work in defence that we were never going to replace with Al-Hamadi.

[Bluemike]

But we're not wise after so many events Andy, it keeps happening.

[Cabanas Blue]

Nice to see Chaplin get his first Premier League goal.

I’m just curious, a thought for all you folks hating on the Premier League…if indeed we do get relegated (which we probably will because our squad isn’t strong enough and we have a buffoon for a goal keeper) do you just want us to be a very competitive team in the Championship and just miss promotion? Maybe getting beat in the playoffs? Or, will you want us to bounce back and get promoted again…to the Premier League you hate?

Just curious.

I would want us to be one of the strongest teams in the Championship, beating teams most weeks, and watching our players playing with confidence and flair. I would want us to get promoted again, as this is all income for the club and I would even advocate 2-3 years of being a yo-yo club as we would gradually get stronger year on year. Then , if we’re able to hold our own in the PL it’s might not be such a farce that it is now. But I will always hate the plastic nature of the PL, ( the face holding, platoon style falling to the ground and rolling over and over and over following an innocuous tap on the ankle by a Town player). This happened time and again yesterday by Bournemouth players, and to his credit the ref simply ignored them, yet they still rolled around for several minutes before getting up to make a sprint for the ball!! VAR is farcical and is nothing more than yet another official who’s not even on the bloody pitch influencing decisions. It makes a mockery of the game. So no, I hate PL, but if it’s there and it will make my club stronger by getting into it , I’ll go with it. Do I enjoy going to games this season? No.

I totally agree and I'm not even looking forward games on my TV now when last season I couldn't wait for the next game, and that's not because we were mostly winning but because the football was more enjoyable and although we thought the referees were bad they are no better in the premiership.

[Cabanas Blue]

A few games ago I wanted to give Muric time but times up now we need much better but I'm afraid and I hope I'm wrong but Walton is not the answer, before we bought Muric I liked Michael Cooper of Plymouth but he did seem a bit injury prone but he's doing very well at Sheffield Utd and let's face it Cooper is not a bad name for a goal keeper.

[Blue Wilf]

Lots of good stuff on here this morning! I agree with Hallam's view on the PL. yes we want to be here on many levels but for a week in week out attending fan, I am not enjoying it much. I also partially agree with Ricco's post re player positioning (which is again McKenna's fault in many ways as he should have made better subs and shored it up!), but at the end of the day, regardless of where they were, as son as Muric ran off his line, any ball hit across at any speed and any angle was a tap in and so it proved. If he did it once, I get it but he does it regularly. Mike has stated the goals he can be accountable for and it has cost us many points - certainly the difference between staying up and going down so for me it is unforgivable.

I think what Mike says about McKenna not being able to win games at this level is true - the evidence stacks up. He will no doubt learn but by then, we will be down and the benefit of those learnings will help another club when he moves on (which he will).

If he plays Muric on saturday, I think that will be him sticking two fingers up as us for the criticism. I have LOVED what McKenna has done for us so far but at this level, he is being found out. I hope that changes and he keeps us up but I fear that he may become another manager in football (and there are sooooo many ego's out there) who believes in their own hype and goes down the 'my way or the highway' route. I hope he proves me wrong but we have evidenced all of this all season and he has NOT changed one bit!

[mendipblue]

We have dropped 15 pts from winning positions this season .
After watching all KMcks after match interviews on Sky, BBC and Ipswich TV, KMck really emphasises how we gifted them a equaliser with poor decision making. I hope he feels the same when he picks the team next Saturday and drops Muric the clown

[mendipblue]

https://www.footballfancast.com/as-bad- ... utchinson/ Good read and says it all on Muric. 🫣

[Charnwood]

What we don’t know Mike is how good or bad Walton is performing in training. Non of us wanted him in goal at the start of the season and we all wanted a new keeper. By all means give him a try but don’t expect him to solve the problem. In truth we probably need a new keeper but FFP rules won’t necessarily allow us to spend what is needed and therein lies the problem.

I only watched the game live yesterday and I haven’t seen any replays from yesterday but without jumping down my throat I suspect when I get round to it Muric was probably lured into his crazy mistake by being exposed down our right flank by some pretty sloppy defensive work. As I said early in the game Ben Johnson, just like Harry Clarke always looks like a mistake waiting to happen and often gets caught out of position or easily run rings round.

Hi Andy, I certainly don't think Walton is any great shakes either but he'll be way better than Muric with his eyes shut, in fact I wouldn't be against Slicker getting a chance.

I honestly think you'll change your mind on the Muric thing when you see it again, he had to stay put, it makes it so much harder and unlikely they score, defenders were racing back and in attendance, it really made no sense, there are thousands of comments all over the place regarding Muric, we just can't continue with him.

I’ve just plucked up the courage to watch match of the day and suggest you do the same Mike. There’s no such thing as defenders racing back and in attendance, in fact our defending was shocking. For the first goal when the move started down the left Ben Johnson was goal side of their substitute winger Quattara (11) who simply skipped round to get in his assist/cross. Also when the move started Leif Davis was level with goal scorer Ünal (26) who he failed to run with, in fact when he received the ball Davis was ambling along more than 10 yards behind him.
Their second goal which also started down the left involved even more lazy defending. Firstly their attacking midfielder Billing was left completely unmarked and ran with ball before he played a one two with Semenyo who Burgess was screaming at Leif Davis to get close to. In fact you can see what Burgess thought of Davis’s defending after the ball had gone in the back of the net. With no shadow of doubt Burgess blamed Davis who most definitely could have defended better for both goals.
For me the big difference yesterday was that Bournemouth had more desire not to lose, than our desire was to win. Wins rarely come by accident, they have to be worked for.
At the end of our match yesterday MOTD focussed on our 15 points lost in the Premier League from losing positions which is the most points lost by any team. They also concluded that defensively we are naive and don’t press tight enough on our opponents, and lack leadership on the pitch particularly in the later stages of the game when we should be closing games out.
Just a thought, but maybe Morsy whilst being a great example on the pitch giving his everything and more, perhaps isn’t the right leader when it comes to motivating others particularly in the back four. Yesterday that was what Burgess was trying to do albeit not successfully when it came to Leif who is great going forward but isn’t so good defensively which is another good argument for trying 5 at the back which I believe someone else has mentioned. This would certainly help bolster up the defence especially when two of the back 5 play as wing backs. I guess some would see it as 3 centre backs which I assume is exactly the same formation.

[Bluemike]

Andy I've already watched it back and I stand by my original thoughts, Ricco has posted the pics for all to see, the 2 defenders in the middle are virtually in line with the guy on the ball, had the pr*ck in goal stayed on his line the goal almost certainly doesn't happen and the cover gets back, of course we'll never know now but Mick Mills was certainly less than complimentary about Muric and saw it as i many thousand others did.

As for Morsy, he's had about Two bad games this season and always leads from the front, without him I think we'd be in an even worse position.

Regardless of what I think though you must also be unhappy with KM right now as a lot of your feelings on that post suggests he's getting stuff wrong where the defending etc is concerned.

[arana peligrosa]

Only viewed game highlights once. There's never enough to take in or gain true understanding of what occurs out there, there's going to be plenty of incident takes place where those at the game or watching live can catch that others can't, however the goalkeeper seemed prone to error from what was available. I'd take Hladky back here and now, at least with that you felt more assured and someone who wouldn't cost the team as many dropped points as what we got in place this season. Just introduce Walton back to feature if only for a change or allow Muric time to rest off as the latter clearly appears to be struggling with something or can't settle at a new team or club set-up.

Absolute horseshit the way Bournemouth took a win from that, it just shouldn't have occurred. In a different league, with a different line-up or relevant playing personnel in key positions we'd have most likely held out but it's just another instance this season of allowing opposition teams to take something from us whereas before we'd reverse trend and get victory ourselves.

McKenna and all that etc etc, is he still suited to be manager here : fact of the matter is we're struggling and it's been a lousy season thus far back at the topmost league. Just not getting enough wins or victories with time passing quick to feasibly stay up by end of season. McKenna has done great for us no doubt but sometimes you have to question existing credentials. 22 year wait for the return back and it's passing us by, no-one said it were going to be easy but right off the bat it's a (actually, very) poor season where both the manager and certain players have let us down / they just can't provide the right service.

[valleyroad]

Do Ipswich have the players to sit in and defend a lead in the PL.
McKenna's belief is on defending from the front. Don't give ground and momentum. It's mine too.
Not really buying into all the McKenna stuff.
Ipswich have been competitive all season and but for the calamity of Muric and a couple of other defensive mares would be well placed. Fine margins all season and need to get on the right side of them

[marko69]

Do Ipswich have the players to sit in and defend a lead in the PL.
McKenna's belief is on defending from the front. Don't give ground and momentum. It's mine too.
Not really buying into all the McKenna stuff.
Ipswich have been competitive all season and but for the calamity of Muric and a couple of other defensive mares would be well placed. Fine margins all season and need to get on the right side of them

Got to use the "Number 9" coined ^^^ Word ^^^

There are flaws, every manager has them......, KMcK's main flaw is sub timings. Thought it was only the 65th minute thing, but having a dilapidated Delap on wasn't good. So brush up on that.

Everything else, (from what I have witnessed at crucial moments) is all down to the Championship level players. And yes, maybe Kieron McKenna should take a step back and say, "Ok, I can't defend from the front with these players" but maybe the "Mick McCarthy" in his psyche doesn't exist, or has never existed.
Maybe quite simply he cannot trust his players to play "park the bus" tactics. What would be better, getting beat "going for it" or getting beat "parking the bus".
He no doubt fears that.
And it'll be very interesting if he plays Muric although I wholeheartedly believe Christian Walton will mirror a few things.

HUGE January Window for Mash & Co.

[ATB]

Do Ipswich have the players to sit in and defend a lead in the PL.
McKenna's belief is on defending from the front. Don't give ground and momentum. It's mine too.
Not really buying into all the McKenna stuff.
Ipswich have been competitive all season and but for the calamity of Muric and a couple of other defensive mares would be well placed. Fine margins all season and need to get on the right side of them

I was fully on board with supporting the McKenna "attack is the best form of defense" however after 15 games it's clearly not working.

Our attack is non existent in second halves so unless we bolster that up or change our attacking approach we have to look at other ideas.

We need to acknowledge that if we're unlikely to score in the second half, then we need to strengthen up our defense. I think we do have the capability to defend a 1-0 lead with 15 minutes left on the clock against a team like Bournemouth or Leicester.

Reverting to a 3-5-1-1 with the wing backs sitting deep is something we could've done had we had another CB on the bench.

[MasseyFerguson]

Do Ipswich have the players to sit in and defend a lead in the PL.
McKenna's belief is on defending from the front. Don't give ground and momentum. It's mine too.
Not really buying into all the McKenna stuff.
Ipswich have been competitive all season and but for the calamity of Muric and a couple of other defensive mares would be well placed. Fine margins all season and need to get on the right side of them

Got to use the "Number 9" coined ^^^ Word ^^^

There are flaws, every manager has them......, KMcK's main flaw is sub timings. Thought it was only the 65th minute thing, but having a dilapidated Delap on wasn't good. So brush up on that.

Everything else, (from what I have witnessed at crucial moments) is all down to the Championship level players. And yes, maybe Kieron McKenna should take a step back and say, "Ok, I can't defend from the front with these players" but maybe the "Mick McCarthy" in his psyche doesn't exist, or has never existed.
Maybe quite simply he cannot trust his players to play "park the bus" tactics. What would be better, getting beat "going for it" or getting beat "parking the bus".
He no doubt fears that.
And it'll be very interesting if he plays Muric although I wholeheartedly believe Christian Walton will mirror a few things.

HUGE January Window for Mash & Co.

I agree with both of you. I think the January window will go a long way towards determining if we stay up. As marko69 says, it will be HUGE.

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

Do Ipswich have the players to sit in and defend a lead in the PL.
McKenna's belief is on defending from the front. Don't give ground and momentum. It's mine too.
Not really buying into all the McKenna stuff.
Ipswich have been competitive all season and but for the calamity of Muric and a couple of other defensive mares would be well placed. Fine margins all season and need to get on the right side of them

Got to use the "Number 9" coined ^^^ Word ^^^

There are flaws, every manager has them......, KMcK's main flaw is sub timings. Thought it was only the 65th minute thing, but having a dilapidated Delap on wasn't good. So brush up on that.

Everything else, (from what I have witnessed at crucial moments) is all down to the Championship level players. And yes, maybe Kieron McKenna should take a step back and say, "Ok, I can't defend from the front with these players" but maybe the "Mick McCarthy" in his psyche doesn't exist, or has never existed.
Maybe quite simply he cannot trust his players to play "park the bus" tactics. What would be better, getting beat "going for it" or getting beat "parking the bus".
He no doubt fears that.
And it'll be very interesting if he plays Muric although I wholeheartedly believe Christian Walton will mirror a few things,

HUGE January Window for Mash & Co.

Disagree on 2 points:
KMs main flaw is his one-trick pony approach to tactics and his unwillingness to be flexible and try something different, and this encompasses the substitutions issue. He's had 15 games to "brush up" on that, and the only time he deviated from his approach was against Spurs which coincidently is the only game we have won. It beggars belief that the manner in which this win was achieved did not penetrate his skull and that he immediately went back to his favoured approach and has stuck with it.

The players we are likely to be able to afford to get in January (assuming that they could be persuaded to join us) are likely to make no difference unless KM is prepared to be more flexible in his approach and chooses a formation and tactic that suits the players selected rather than trying to fit players (usually out of their natural position) into playing the way he thinks we ought to play.

[Bluemike]

Do Ipswich have the players to sit in and defend a lead in the PL.
McKenna's belief is on defending from the front. Don't give ground and momentum. It's mine too.
Not really buying into all the McKenna stuff.
Ipswich have been competitive all season and but for the calamity of Muric and a couple of other defensive mares would be well placed. Fine margins all season and need to get on the right side of them

I was fully on board with supporting the McKenna "attack is the best form of defense" however after 15 games it's clearly not working.

Our attack is non existent in second halves so unless we bolster that up or change our attacking approach we have to look at other ideas.

We need to acknowledge that if we're unlikely to score in the second half, then we need to strengthen up our defense. I think we do have the capability to defend a 1-0 lead with 15 minutes left on the clock against a team like Bournemouth or Leicester.

Reverting to a 3-5-1-1 with the wing backs sitting deep is something we could've done had we had another CB on the bench.

Completely agree, and you know what, we didn't even need to have the capability to shut up shop for 15 minutes, if we could have done it for a mere 5 minutes at Brentford and again the other day against Bournemouth we'd almost certainly be 6 points better off right now.

[Bluemike]

Do Ipswich have the players to sit in and defend a lead in the PL.
McKenna's belief is on defending from the front. Don't give ground and momentum. It's mine too.
Not really buying into all the McKenna stuff.
Ipswich have been competitive all season and but for the calamity of Muric and a couple of other defensive mares would be well placed. Fine margins all season and need to get on the right side of them

Got to use the "Number 9" coined ^^^ Word ^^^

There are flaws, every manager has them......, KMcK's main flaw is sub timings. Thought it was only the 65th minute thing, but having a dilapidated Delap on wasn't good. So brush up on that.

Everything else, (from what I have witnessed at crucial moments) is all down to the Championship level players. And yes, maybe Kieron McKenna should take a step back and say, "Ok, I can't defend from the front with these players" but maybe the "Mick McCarthy" in his psyche doesn't exist, or has never existed.
Maybe quite simply he cannot trust his players to play "park the bus" tactics. What would be better, getting beat "going for it" or getting beat "parking the bus".
He no doubt fears that.
And it'll be very interesting if he plays Muric although I wholeheartedly believe Christian Walton will mirror a few things,

HUGE January Window for Mash & Co.

Disagree on 2 points:
KMs main flaw is his one-trick pony approach to tactics and his unwillingness to be flexible and try something different, and this encompasses the substitutions issue. He's had 15 games to "brush up" on that, and the only time he deviated from his approach was against Spurs which coincidently is the only game we have won. It beggars belief that the manner in which this win was achieved did not penetrate his skull and that he immediately went back to his favoured approach and has stuck with it.

The players we are likely to be able to afford to get in January (assuming that they could be persuaded to join us) are likely to make no difference unless KM is prepared to be more flexible in his approach and chooses a formation and tactic that suits the players selected rather than trying to fit players (usually out of their natural position) into playing the way he thinks we ought to play.

I'm struggling to understand why the win at Spurs with the formation we played that day hasn't stirred Kieran into trying it more and why a lot of fans still believe sticking with the tried and trusted norm that has yielded 15 winless games is ok.

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

I'm struggling to understand why the win at Spurs with the formation we played that day hasn't stirred Kieran into trying it more and why a lot of fans still believe sticking with the tried and trusted norm that has yielded 15 winless games is ok.

Mike, I honestly think that a lot of people are of the opinion that if the process fails us this season then it will all gel next season in the Championship and we will bounce straight back.

Of course, there's absolutely no guarantee of that - in fact since the inception of the PL only a small percentage of the relegated teams have managed to do that: many more have either stayed down for at least 2 seasons before getting promoted or are still trying. There has even been the odd occasion where a team has dropped farther down before finally getting back to the PL after an absence of 23 years

[Bluemike]

I just hope to god we can find the formula in the second half of the season because as much as i hate the premier league, and yes I do hate it, I want to see us survive after all the effort of the last Two seasons. It would be far from certain we would bounce back because I don't see the likes of Delap, Hutchinson, Davis, greaves & Cajuste being here if we do drop down.

It's comments like this from Mckenna that infuriate me.......

We weren't giving away too much and we were getting stronger but it's a poor moment on the first goal and then you're vulnerable. They had five fresh subs on the pitch and momentum."

FIVE FRESH SUBS !!!! f**king learn from it then man !!!!!!

[valleyroad]

I just hope to god we can find the formula in the second half of the season because as much as i hate the premier league, and yes I do hate it, I want to see us survive after all the effort of the last Two seasons. It would be far from certain we would bounce back because I don't see the likes of Delap, Hutchinson, Davis, greaves & Cajuste being here if we do drop down.

It's comments like this from Mckenna that infuriate me.......

We weren't giving away too much and we were getting stronger but it's a poor moment on the first goal and then you're vulnerable. They had five fresh subs on the pitch and momentum."

FIVE FRESH SUBS !!!! f**king learn from it then man !!!!!!

So the other way to look at it is if you are not giving away too much and getting stronger then why would you change it. They had 5 subs on as they were chasing the game ?
Muric cost Town on Sunday 100%. That game would have been one but for his madness. Still actually can't quite believe how bad that decision to come out was !

[Bluemike]

Fair comment but other times we needed fresh legs and didn't. I genuinely am at a loss to understand why Muric did that, it was inexplicable the distance he charged out but then again I should be getting used to it, he's a bit of a loose cannon.

[hallamblue]

Bournemouth put 5 subs on as they were “chasing the game”, fine.

Delap was clearly finished on 60mins he could barely run. So why did McKenna take 20mins to replace him? We had zero hold up play up front because Delap was a spent force, and we were being forced back because of it. Why wait so long, and indeed, why wait 10mins longer than you normally do to make subs? What’s McKenna’s reasoning for that I wonder, because we sure as hell we’re “ managing the game” at that point. Ridiculous decision making and it’s cost us yet again!

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

Bournemouth put 5 subs on as they were “chasing the game”, fine.

Delap was clearly finished on 60mins he could barely run. So why did McKenna take 20mins to replace him? We had zero hold up play up front because Delap was a spent force, and we were being forced back because of it. Why wait so long, and indeed, why wait 10mins longer than you normally do to make subs? What’s McKenna’s reasoning for that I wonder, because we sure as hell we’re “ managing the game” at that point. Ridiculous decision making and it’s cost us yet again!

I'm sure he has been quoted as saying that he didn't make subs at 60 minutes because we were playing so well. Did it not enter his head that as Southampton had made 5 substitutions they would be so much fresher than us and likely to overwhelm us? Could he not see that Delap was absolutely spent on 60 minutes? Like you say, Liz, ridiculous decision making once again.

[valleyroad]

Bournemouth put 5 subs on as they were “chasing the game”, fine.

Delap was clearly finished on 60mins he could barely run. So why did McKenna take 20mins to replace him? We had zero hold up play up front because Delap was a spent force, and we were being forced back because of it. Why wait so long, and indeed, why wait 10mins longer than you normally do to make subs? What’s McKenna’s reasoning for that I wonder, because we sure as hell we’re “ managing the game” at that point. Ridiculous decision making and it’s cost us yet again!

Muric not McKenna ?

[hallamblue]

With all due respect VR I thiink McKenna has to share some of the blane re his subs bench and who ge used off it and the timing of thise subs. Muric makes a gaff most weeks but McKenna keeps picking him, so once again down yo the manager. Next game will be interesting i think ....

[marko69]

Muric cost Town on Sunday 100%.

Slap on another 100% from me.

[valleyroad]

With all due respect VR I thiink McKenna has to share some of the blane re his subs bench and who ge used off it and the timing of thise subs. Muric makes a gaff most weeks but McKenna keeps picking him, so once again down yo the manager. Next game will be interesting i think ....

Aye well if Muric is playing against Wolves then McKenna will have questions to answer. Going by his comments after the BMouth match and his body language I doubt Muric will be between the sticks.

Maybe the press could ask some of the question your asking on subs etc. Might get some interesting responses. He worked under Solskjaer who had a similar approach at Man U

[mendipblue]

Bournemouth put 5 subs on as they were “chasing the game”, fine.

Delap was clearly finished on 60mins he could barely run. So why did McKenna take 20mins to replace him? We had zero hold up play up front because Delap was a spent force, and we were being forced back because of it. Why wait so long, and indeed, why wait 10mins longer than you normally do to make subs? What’s McKenna’s reasoning for that I wonder, because we sure as hell we’re “ managing the game” at that point. Ridiculous decision making and it’s cost us yet again!

I'm sure he has been quoted as saying that he didn't make subs at 60 minutes because we were playing so well. Did it not enter his head that as Southampton had made 5 substitutions they would be so much fresher than us and likely to overwhelm us? Could he not see that Delap was absolutely spent on 60 minutes? Like you say, Liz, ridiculous decision making once again.

He has definitely lost the plot if he was thinking about the "Southampton" game 🫣

[AzzurroMark]

Will just leave this here;

Source; EADT

Ipswich Town chairman Mark Ashton says it's important that everyone sticks together as the club tries to adapt to life in the Premier League.

Back-to-back promotions catapulted the Blues back into the big time for the first time in 22 years. More than £100m in transfer fees were spent in trying to bridge the gap, but Kieran McKenna's men, despite being competitive in the vast majority of games, find themselves 18th in the table with just one win from 15

Addressing shareholders at the PLC AGM on Monday night, little more than 24 hours after a gut-wrenching 2-1 home defeat to Bournemouth, Ashton said: "Sunday was disappointing, it was frustrating. But that is the Premier League. It’s brutal and we have to deal with it. For us to win a game, we have to be 10 out of 10 every time. Nine, nine-and-a-half just doesn’t get you across the line.

"Are we surprised by anything? Not really. If you ask my honest opinion, I’m really pleased with the performances. In fact, I’m delighted with the performances. A couple more wins and I think we’d all be feeling a little bit different.

“Don’t forget where we’ve come from. We always talk about sticking to the process. My optimism, my determination, my belief in Kieran (McKenna), the players, the staff and this football club doesn’t move move one millimetre.

“On the pitch we are not where we want them to be, but we’re not far away. And do you know what? I learn more now about my team, my players, my staff, my fanbase, my stakeholders in these times. Because the true supporters, the people who really care about this football club, do the one thing that I asked from day one: We stay together.

"We win together, we lose together. We’re happy together and we cry together. I’m so grateful to all of you. Now we’ve got to dig deep and we’ve got to go as one.”

He continued: "When I joined this football club, our revenues were circa £13 million. We will break through £153 million this year. That is a growth curve that I challenge anyone in world football to match.

“We are not 'little Ipswich', we are not 'sleepy Suffolk'. This rocket ship will not stop. Anyone who knows me, anyone who has worked with me, knows I am not interested in bobbing along. We will move forward with power and pace because if we don’t, that lot up the road will go past us again. Not under my watch!

“This is only the end of the beginning. We have a lot to do. Short-term success is not particularly difficult to achieve. Sustainable success is far more difficult."

Ipswich go to Wolves on Saturday. It's a 19th v 18th clash, with both sides on nine points.

I decided to log in just to post this as it very much sits with how I feel. I get that we all have our views, no one person's is anymore valid than the other, but just feel the division between the fans is widening and very much hope this doesn't start creeping into the stands too much (if it hasn't already?).
There has been so much outside noise, virtually belittling our club and it's chances of survival in the PL. The one thing I had noticed through all this is the togetherness of our support, call it bloody mindedness, call it folly! However I have now seen that mountain start to crumble, leaving KM and the team in a perilous position. Of course mistakes have been made, are still made, and will continue to be made. That is part of the steep learning process. However support rather than attack, even if it is borne out of pure frustration and the will to see our club do well, is the only way forward. Just my opinion, but some of the comments aimed at KM and Muric, in particular, are at times a bit much, call me a sensitive soul haha! I certainly wouldn't want to be in a working environment where every mistake made was attacked. It would more likely see me making more mistakes from over trying to correct things.

I have always had a lot of respect for the majority of posters on here in my time since joining. I feel I am in an increasing minority for what is my obviously blind faith in the "process". It's not a case of me 'throwing my toys out of the pram", but I just don't like reading the negativity which understandably comes with a poor run of results. I'm sure I will be back, however, I feel I have little more I want to offer at this particular point.
Out of respect to those who put a lot of hard work into the Predictions league, I shall continue to log in and post my predictions on a weekly basis

UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL, ITID